Are You He?

"Little King, tiny thing, are you He? Are you He?
Frail babe, newly made, are you the promise of God to me?"
(from Gold,Frankincense and Myrrh)

I like to think the Wise Men looked upon the Christ child and asked Him this question with their eyes. Did they know that He was the one who had breathed into being the very star that began their quest? That He was the Ancient of Days and could number the heavenly bodies as we can number our toes?

John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Christ a version of, "Are you He?" It is a question often put to Jesus both then and now by those who wanted the answer and by those who had already refused it. It was a question He answered for me in a personal way.

Psalm 80 has a line that says, Look down upon us, your face aglow with joy and love..." Look down upon us. That was the perspective the psalmist had, God above, man below. God had a different idea about where He wanted to stand in relationship to His Creation. He intended to be our hands-on God. A God of vines and branches and belonging one to another. Our beloved Christ made that a reality. "On Earth, Shalom, to men of good will."

A baby looks so peaceful when sleeping but the child that drew the Wise Ones continues to be our Peace through all the storms of life.

A good friend just sent me one of the first pictures taken of her great grandson on his first day of life which is today. He is peace itself. He is resting in her arms without a care. He may learn to fret down the road but today he dreams in the arms love created. She does not ask who he is to her for she knows. Sally's heart knows him for hers as surly as the earth knows the seasons. As she holds him she knows this tiny life is one of God's promises to her.

All of that is possible for my dear friend and for us because Jesus became God in person. God in diapers. God in sandals. God on the Cross. God in us. For Him the cost of that choice was staggering, for us it was immeasurable. The prayer in Isaiah that God rend the heavens and come down was answered.

"Are you He?" My own soul knows He is both Promise and Peace. If you need to ask Christ the question yourself be prepared to have it answered. After all He came for you.

"Are you the promise of God to me?"

The answer isn't in the stars.

It is in His arms.


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Dedicated to Karson Justin Ray Alto on his happy arrival to our world. Special blessings to his delighted family.