A couple of my Bazungu (white, or
those who wander in circles) friends truly know that January 1 is their
birthday. A couple of my friends from
Africa who were fortunate to have their mother deliver in a hospital during a
day of relative peace truly know that January 1 is their birthday.
Yet, for the majority of my 40
Facebook friends today they were born during a season of absolute chaos. They were born in places like remote
villages, refugee camps, and urban slums.
Their mom was one of the world’s poorest of poor. She was likely on the run. Their mom was thankful to have lived through
delivery, and today is exceptionally thankful the child born on that day is
alive.
These friends of mine share a
common past with my boss, Jesus of Nazareth.
He too was born in poverty (Luke 2:1-21). Stables and mangers in church nativity
scenes frequently miss this point. If
you can’t smell the manure your church has understated the chaos of Jesus’
birth. Jesus was born in forced circumstance
as his nation, Judah was under Roman occupation. His parents were forced to travel near the
end of his mom's pregnancy just to register for a census and pay tax. Forcing a pregnant woman to travel is the
height of oppressive government policy.
These friends of mine likely share another common past with my boss, Jesus of Nazareth. His family was forced to flee for their safety as refugees (Matthew 2:13-18.) An evil despot intended to kill all rivals, and that included infant boys in a remote village. Despots do the same things today.
Where is God in such circumstances?
Paul in describing the riches of
knowing Christ tells an unfathomable truth (Ephesians 1.) Before creation God in His infinite
knowledge knew His creation would rebel.
God’s holiness could not dwell with rebellion. Our rebellion would cause eternal separation
from the God of infinite love. The
consequence was as horrific as an infant child abandoned and left to die in a
field (Ezekiel 16:4-6.) God chose to
rescue us by sacrificing the life of His own Son. In the process He took us rebels, and
adopted us into His family. Can you
imagine? He knew every sin we would
commit. He knew the horrific
costs. Yet, He chose to create what He
would redeem though sacrifice.
Amazing. Jesus is Emmanuel, God
near and with us.
In the chaos that humanity lives God
watches every movement of life. In God’s
eyes there are no forgotten birthdays. His
word states,
“Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast (Psalm 22:9.)”
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13.)”
“This is what the LORD says— he who
made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid…
whom I have chosen (Isaiah 44:2.)”
“This is what the LORD says— your
Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, the Maker of all
things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself… (Isaiah 44:24.)”
“Before I was born the LORD called
me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. (Isaiah 49:1.)”
“And now the LORD says— he who
formed me in the womb to be his servant (Isaiah 49:4.)”
“Before I formed you in the womb
I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; (Jeremiah 1:5.)”
In eternity, God will redeem each one of these chaotic births. In God’s eyes there are no forgotten birthdays. Yet, we do live in the here and now. Is there hope in this life for God to bring good out of chaos?
Absolutely. God is sovereign. He is good. He is full of love. His ways are mysterious. Yet, His ways are just. History is full of stories of God bringing
good from chaos.
One of the privileges God gave me
during my season in Rwanda was to be a facilitator in the Presidential Scholars
program. Facilitator sounds
important. All I did was pragmatically
pastor. I made friends. I helped friends communicate to one
another. Sometimes it was rather
mundane. One of the mundane moments was
filling out visa applications. The applications
required filling out a date of birth.
Many times we wrote in the application January 1, _______.
Most of those bright young
Banyarwanda who wrote January 1, ______ were not born on January 1,
______. Instead they were born during
absolute chaos. All their family can remember is a year
filled with turmoil. In some ways, God
has helped them forgive the sources of the chaos, and in the process forget a
few details that would even include the month of the birth.
 |
| Rwanda Presidential Scholars at Hendrix College |
Yet, something wonderful happened
in the years following the traumatic birth.
Enough peace came that a family could survive. They could put down a root somewhere. The kids could go to school. Many times the schools were barely
functioning. Yet, somehow learning
happened. The brightest students found
a place of marginal stability and success.
They kept at it for years. Then
they sat their final secondary exam.
They scored near the top of all the students in the nation. Then they received an opportunity to
interview with the different universities offering scholarships. For some of these bright Banyarwanda, this
was the first time they had even been in the capital of Kigali. If there was no God they would have had no
chance. Yet, there is a God. He is good.
He enjoys showing His grace upon the most humble. These kids whose families don’t remember
their birthday were offered scholarships to attend prestigious universities in the
United States. God is good.
