“So,” Gabriel put a hand on Jesus’ shoulder, respectfully, and affectionately, “How are you feeling?” Jesus was donning a modest human body for his farewell party.
“Excited as any kid at Christmas,” Jesus winked.
“Huh?” Jesus left Gabriel, scratching his head, until the angel finally gave up trying to understand.
Jesus was excited. He had been waiting for this moment, well, forever—or at least since time began. He was going to get to experience the limited life of created man. He looked over at his Father, always at his side, and felt an unfamiliar pain.
God the Father stopped and looked into Jesus’ deep brown eyes. “You will learn to see me, as they do.” Jesus nodded.
“And hear you?” he asked, feeling child-like already.
“As they do,” God the Father smiled with warmth that melted any hint of pain. “Nothing can separate us, my Son.”
Jesus stood with God the Father on the pinnacle above the heavens. Below the angels sang with jubilation, and beauty, beyond human imagination.
“Remember,” God the Father embraced his Son, “I love you.”
Jesus smiled, “Alright, let’s do this!” And with that he dove from the pinnacle of heaven with a shout of joy. The Holy Spirit caught him in strong wings and transformed him into a seed, which he delivered to the body of a willing young girl.
Cedar
The Throne Room was crowded with angels. Eremiel craned his neck to see what everyone was looking at, but there were too many bodies and wings blocking his view; and something stopped him from trying too hard; something almost like dread. He edged closer though, because he loved the Throne Room with its warmth and light, and he loved the familiar chanting that was always going on, beneath the other voices: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty …” Eremiel wanted to feel the Throne Room’s glow and to hear the chanting voices before finding out what this change was. He bumped against the back of his friend Zophiel, who turned and looked at him.
“Gabriel is back,” said Zophiel.
Eremiel’s stomach dropped. Already? It sometimes seemed to take ages for angels to deliver messages to humans on earth. Eremiel had never done it. It wasn’t his job. But the angels who went to earth came back tired, and a little sad for a while. Gabriel had gone and come back quickly. Eremiel had counted on it taking longer …
“What’s happening?” asked Eremiel, straining for a view in earnest this time.
“Jesus is going to empty Himself,” replied Zophiel. “Want to watch?”
“How could I?” Eremiel could see Jesus talking to Gabriel. They were both calm. Gabriel said something and they both laughed! Eremiel couldn’t hear what it was. Neither could Zophiel; he motioned to Eremiel and they skirted the crowd until they had a better place.
Gabriel was making plans to visit Jesus in his first few years of life as a human. “I love having conversations with toddlers,” he was saying. “Of course, you won’t remember it when you get older.” Eremiel didn’t know enough about humans to understand this, but Jesus looked amused.
Then suddenly they were solemn. It was time. Jesus began. Glory spilled out of Him, in clouds, in shoots of light; He was shrinking and losing color and fading—Eremiel turned away. The angels fell silent at first, except for the chanting; then they all took up the chant. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, Who was and Who is and Who is to come.” Together, louder and louder, until heaven swelled with the words—
When Eremiel looked up, Gabriel stood alone. Eremiel kept watching Gabriel. He was very still and thoughtful. Then suddenly he seemed to shake himself, and motioned to a group of angels nearby. “Ready?” he said. “There are some shepherds on a hillside who look bored. Let’s go tell them some good news.”
Emily H
“Incarnation?” Gabriel said out loud, trying out the new word. “Incarnation,” he said again, slowly, chewing on it a little longer. “That’s His plan?” He trusted the Maker, but he certainly didn’t understand Him – until it was all revealed. Like the time God came down as a pillar of fire and cloud. Or the time he wrestled with Jacob – that he’d go down there at all was perplexing to the angel. But every time as that particular story came to a close, and things started making more sense, it was like the opening to a new story – a bigger story. And as the bigger story’s plot thickened, the glory of God became more majestic.
Gabriel looked down on the earth, that little gloomy speck, spinning madly about in the empty space. Then he looked back at his Maker. Gabriel’s fellow angels flew about the LORD singing, “Holy, holy, holy!” Each “holy” more joyful than the last. God’s glory shown about, lighting up the whole of Heaven. He stared in wonder and awe. Every time he looked at God he stared in wonder and awe, but every time he did, his wonder was new and and his awe, greater.
Gabriel suddenly sensed the presence of the Son next to him. He turned and looked into the tender and terrifying eyes of…Him…the part – and whole of God that would do the thing: IN-CARNATE.
“You’re really going to do it?” Gabriel asked.
Jesus smiled.
“I don’t understand it at all. But I’ll do whatever you say,” Gabriel shuttered with a perplexing amount of peace.
“Go tell them,” Jesus said, pointing.
Gabriel looked down to the little sphere, still spinning, still waiting.
“THEM?” He gasped.
“Yes,” Jesus said. “And take a host with you.”
“This is so bizarre,” Gabriel said with a laugh of confusion. “But I can’t wait to watch your plan unfold.”
Emily M.
It wasn’t a hush that fell. It couldn’t possibly be, not among these countless entities, all ablaze with love and sadness and joy. It was more of an expectant and musical hum, like the quiet heart-song of every living soul, softly crying It’s time!
They were gathered in a vast circle, all of them facing the Three in the center. All of them facing, but none of them looking. They shielded their eyes, averted their faces from the intensity of Light that was shining out from the group in the middle. What was happening there was a mystery, a beautiful Truth too pure to bear. Soon this perfect triune Love would be sundered, causing Love to be more perfect still, yet breaking all their hearts.
They knew it must be so. Through all of time they had known it, waited for it, marveled at it. And deep down, in the parts of them that were most raw, most unchecked, they were jealous. Immanuel — God with us — was going to be with them. It must be so.
Suddenly, the musical hum gained a new timbre as they saw movement from the Three in the center. The Light grew more intense still, as Immanuel himself began to move away, a pure-white bird perched affectionately on his shoulder. The bird was speaking something into Immanuel’s ear, and Immanuel smiled.
He walked through their midst, reaching out and affectionately touching those he passed. Tears were in his eyes, mirroring their own. Every one of them turned, allowing their gaze to follow him until he reached the outermost circle of his heavenly subjects.
Then, in a single movement, every knee bowed. Every hand stretched out, and with a mighty voice, the assembled beings sang out Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! They were practicing for the concert they were to give that very night, in the darkened skies over humble fields.
Turning to face them, Immanuel smiled once more, then sent the pure-white bird back to his Father, who was still burning brightly. All turned to follow the bird’s path, and when they looked back, He had gone.
——–timer——-
A wrenching feeling in their hearts, a pain too powerful for words. Heaven’s Son was now Earth’s. It must be so. Yet with the pain, there was joy. Yes, it must be so. With voices made beautiful by their love, they sang again. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo!
Elisa
The challenge: Write a scene about the heavenly realm preparing Jesus for the Incarnation.
20 minutes
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