Belmont University Advent GuideSample

A few nights ago I found myself in a profound yet difficult theological conversation with my three-year old son. As I read him the story of creation, he stopped me, pointing to the beautiful stars and oceans in his illustrated Bible, he asked me, “Where’s God?” He loves the creation story, and at that moment he longed with all the purity and simplicity of a toddler to see the face of God who spoke the world to life. The Psalmist knows this desire, and that it is the desire of many, “Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!” But as you can imagine, it is not easy to explain how God’s life, power, and goodness, though invisible, are reflected in each of the stars that his little finger touched. Repeatedly, I had to say, “No, that’s not God,” growing intellectually and spiritually more desperate, wondering how I could meet the spiritual yearnings of my son, who simply longed to see the face of God. In the end, I flipped to the New Testament, pointing to a picture of Jesus, I said, “Where’s God? He’s in the face of Jesus.” My intellect told me I cheated. My heart felt relieved. I felt overwhelmingly thankful for a God who is not content to remain hidden but has given Himself over to be seen in the humble face of Jesus of Nazareth. For me and my tender-hearted son, this is enough. It is enough because even at three, he looks at Jesus with eyes of faith, faith that sees the invisible life of the Father enfolding the created world. These optics of faith unfold in Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. If anyone has ever ridden a donkey, it is not a majestic sight. It is the picture of pitiful lowliness. Yet, for the children of Zion longing to see the coming of their God, faith opens their eyes to the light of salvation, the face of a king inaugurating the victory of life over suffering. In his epistle, Peter makes it clear that the eyes that behold God are indeed eyes of faith, faith strengthened by goodness, knowledge, self-control, mutual affection and love. Such eyes behold and even share in the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ—what a glorious vision, what a glorious life! Let us put on faith and all that nurtures it, leaving behind our nearsighted vision of reality, that we may gaze and walk deeply into the humble yet glorious mystery of life. Manuel Cruz Assistant Professor of Theology