Day 11 | The King is Coming: A Truth’s Table Advent Devotional
A Redemptive Intrusion
By: Ekemini Uwan
“I can't believe
That we're still livin'
Oh in this crazy crazy world
That I'm still livin'
With all the problems of the day
How can we go on?”
Erykah Badu
The post-Fall world is marked by sin, death, and misery. During Jesus’ time on earth, oppression was rampant, the rich were extorting money from the poor, religious leaders were looking out for themselves instead of people on the margins, and siblings were fighting over inheritances.
There is nothing new under the sun.
In our current context we see much of the same: politicians are passing laws to take away even the little the poor have, religious leaders are hungry for political power and will stop at nothing to get it, this regime separated Latinx families at the border, locked children up in cages. U.S. Border agents fired tear gas at women and children at the U.S.-Mexico border. Image bearers seeking asylum. Image bearers hoping for a better future. Image bearers who ought to be treated with honor, dignity, and respect by virtue of the fact that they are in the image of God.
We need a redemptive intrusion.
Read: Philippians 2:6-8
Now, when we hear the word “intrusion” it usually carries a negative connotation due to its definition, which means to wrongfully or forcibly enter with the intent to take another person’s property. Not so with Jesus, for He came to empty Himself and give His life for our salvation. In Christ’s Incarnation, His emptying is done by addition, not subtraction. This is kingdom math. While remaining the eternal and preexisting God, He added human nature to Himself. By addition, the Infinite became finite, the Eternal became temporal, the Creator became creature, the Invisible became visible, the Sustainer became dependent, the Almighty became weak, and the Divine became human.
In Jesus Christ, the God-man, we observe the embodiment of the tension we feel as those who live on the other side of the cross—that is, Christ’s finished work. He came and inaugurated His kingdom, but we still grapple with the sin and brokenness in this world and within ourselves. Yet we long for His second redemptive intrusion when He will consummate His kingdom and eradicate sin and every form of oppression.
Prayer:
Father, when we think about the fact that sin was wreaking havoc before and after Christ’s incarnation, it’s easy for us to get discouraged. Sometimes we think that our waiting and hoping is in vain. We know that You have already inaugurated Your kingdom, but it often seems like the kingdom of darkness is advancing. Oh, but this we recall to our minds: for in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? (Rom. 8:24). At the moment we don’t see all things subject to Jesus (Heb. 2:8), but we believe that they are because Your Word is true. Grant our Latinx neighbors asylum so that they can build a future of their choosing here in the U.S. Reunite the immigrant families with one another and heal them from the trauma this regime has inflicted upon them. Great Liberator, give Your liberation to our Latinx neighbors and to all who are oppressed. Amen.
Songs:
UMI Says, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def)