The Rev. Anne Walling, recently of St. David’s in Nasville, TN, guest-editorializes:
The first sentence of the Bible tells us that from formless void and darkness, the wind or breath of God blew up newness, stuff, creation. That breath of God blew the stuff of life into the human creature, and the human being drew breath in the image of God, after God’s likeness. That’s the stuff we are made of.
Often we let it go to our heads and decide to play God. But at Christmas, that wind of God blows again over the darkness of our God-playing and blows light into it. Darkness is banished and everything touched by the light is made new.On a hill near Bethlehem, the breath of God rang through angel voices singing, “I bring you good news of great joy to all people everywhere. A newborn babe will grow to show what God looks like. A newborn babe will show you what you look like when the breath of God blows you into a new creation.” Newness, redemption, wholeness, compassion, new creation. And then the angels sang, “Do not be afraid.” Become who you were created to be.
St. David’s manages the web shop Bluesilk, a purveyor of hand-made silks whose purchases benefit the Stung Treng Women’s Development Center of Sre Po village in Cambodia. SWDC is a collective working to end poverty and illiteracy in women and children there.