Two words have grabbed my imagination this Christmas season: Dwell and Deliver.  They are two words used by the gospel writers to speak of the One born to us, the One in whom God is incarnate: Jesus.  "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."  What does it mean to dwell?  That is a slower word than many.  To dwell means to abide somewhere, to hang around, to sit, be.  It means that something has become our abode- you don't dwell at a fast food restaurant.

    "He will save his people from their sin..." Joseph hears the angel say in his dream as he contemplates 'dismissing quietly' his newly pregnant fiance'.  The word translated as save actually means deliver- as in he will deliver his people- as in God delivered Israel from bondage.  Deliver is significant for me in that it connotes having to walk through something versus being plucked out -saved- from something.  Israel had to walk out of Egypt, cross the desert, be pursued by Pharaoh, go through their longing for the flesh pots of Egypt while in the desert far from the promised land.  Being delivered from bondage in Egypt was a forty year journey for Israel.

    These words tell me that God is among us always and that our journey with God is one where we find what God has put in us.  We are not miraculously pulled out of the difficult and dark times of life any more than we can manipulate the sun this month to make the daylight longer.  We must see it through knowing what is dwelling in and among us.

    Dwell.  As I sit by my fire place on these cold days giving myself permission to be still a bit more, I think of the One who chooses to dwell with us- not in any hurry, not lackadaisical, being present.

    Deliver.  As I go through my days encountering various anxiety producing, heart aching moments, I think of the one who delivers- not one who removes, but delivers - walking with, drawing us to the promised land, wherever that land will appear.

    "When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him; he took his wife..."

    Dwelling and Delivering.

Todd Donatelli