It’s a story that spoke to me, and prayerfully it will speak to you, as well.
It’s a story about a guy – who could not accept the idea of the incarnation…or of God becoming a human being.
He thought it was ridiculous. God would never under any circumstances become like man. Why would he?
John 3. 16 was just a pipe dream he said.
On a terribly snowy day, he found himself alone, at home, in front of a roaring fire. It was perfect. Let the snows come, he thought to himself. He was safe, warm and cozy.
When all of a sudden he heard a loud thump, like something hitting the outside of his house. That thump, was followed by another thump and then some squawking noise.
Curious…he grabbed a coat, boots and gloves and hat and went outdoors.
He looked around, but at first he couldn’t see anything in the sleet and the snow.
In the open field, right next to his house, he saw a whole flock of geese. Apparently they were caught up in the high winds of the snow-storm and could not make any further headway. The storm had obviously become too violent and too blinding for the geese to see their way. They were tired and exhausted.
The geese were stranded with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles.
The homeowner had compassion on them and wanted to help them out. He figured his pull barn was a good, warm, safe place for them to spend the night. So, he opened the doors for them.
He waited, watched, hoping they would go inside. They would not.
If he moved closer to get their attention they fled in an opposite direction.
He went into the house and grabbed a full loaf of bread and started pulling it apart in hopes of leading them into pull barn. They did not follow.
Starting to get frustrated he went over to shoo them into the barn. That only caused them to panic and to spread out in every direction.
Why don’t they just follow me, he questioned…don’t they see this is the only safe place to survive this storm?
How on earth am I ever going to be able to save them?
The only way – would if I could become like those geese…he mused…then they would follow me, then I could save them and lead them to safety.
At that moment, he stopped dead in his tracks and thought about what he just said out loud. Immediately he felt like he was in touch with God. It was kind of a holy moment.
He felt like he understood – that in order to love humankind… In order to lead humankind. In order to save human kind, God had to become one with human kind to show them his love for them…and a way out to safety.
In the event you are worried about the geese in the snow storm…he went back in the house grabbed a sheet and covered himself with it…walked slowly into the pull barn dropping the rest of his bread and then blew a goose call…in no time at all the geese were safely in the pull barn. Safe for the night.
And now he was sure he understood.
He believed in the incarnation. He knew it was real…
For God so loved the world that He gave His Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
It is a twenty-six-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same… It is brief enough to write on a napkin or to memorize in a moment of time, yet solid enough – to weather two thousand years of storms and questions.
God loves…He gave…We believe…We live. It sounds so outrageously easy.
He became what we are. There was clearly – no other way! That is how much he loves us. All-of-us! He loved, and loves and will always love us, enough to become one with us.
God our God, leads us to safety, if we but follow him.
Little pieces of bread are placed before us and even placed into outstretched hands…
He doesn’t use a geese call – but he does call to us – in oh, so many ways…
We just have to be open to him and his word for us. We have to be open to his call.
And at the end of it all, there is a safe dwelling place and we become one with him.
And it all starts with accepting his Son which he sent for us, because of his vast love for us. With him, we are more than able to weather – every storm.
Amen.