Bob Stillerman

The shepherds’ knee-knocking begins at the appearance of the angel of the Lord and intensifies with the angel’s outrageous declaration. But their terror soon turns to joy and elation in seeing a new-born Jesus, swaddled in strips of cloth, laying in a make-shift crib, in the middle of a make-shift nursery, held in the arms of a frightened-but-determined young mother.

My interest is piqued by the word “very” in this morning’s text, especially when combined with the word “good.” We’ve read the first creation story in Genesis enough times to recognize the import of the phrase very good. God creates each part of creation: land and sky and seas, vegetation, morning and evening lights, heavenly lights, people, critters, swimming things, and everything else that fills up the universe. And then God calls all of it very good.

Mary, and Mary, and Salome rise early in the morning, though morning is a generous term. Is it really morning in those pre-dawn hours where a boggy darkness betrays any conceivable hope for the smallest sliver of sunlight. No, this darkness is heavy, thick even, and it seems in no hurry to dissipate.

When I was growing up, my dad worked for the Baptist Retirement Homes of North Carolina, and at that time, it was an organization whose funding was significantly tied to the generosity of churches throughout our state. As the primary leader of the organization that meant Daddy was also its chief promoter and fundraiser.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world.

God, the source of all life.

In 1977, George Burns, then 81, played the role of God in the Carl Reiner-directed film Oh God! It’s a classic movie with a star-studded cast: John Denver, Teri Garr, Dinah Shore to name a few. And it’s funny, God, portrayed by Burns, doesn’t seem as old to me now as he did when I was a kid. God’s even young enough to run for president!