Welcome to the December Archive. You are welcome to read the entire archive, or find a topic on the list below that is of interest to you. Just click the link, and you will be taken directly to the day it was written. Enjoy, and may you know God's peace as you read His Word.
You are welcome to use these writings or pass them on. All we ask is that in all things you remember the Author and give Him the glory, and remember this vessel which He has used to bring them to you. Peggy Hoppes
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Scripture on this page taken from the World English Bible which belongs to the public domain.
A WORD FOR TODAY, December 2023
December 1, 2023
“Yahweh, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am. Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Psalm 39:4-5
The Christmas season started early this year. Thanksgiving was on the 23rd (the earliest can be the 22nd), and the first Sunday of Advent is not until December 3rd. This means that the Fourth Sunday of Advent is the same day as Christmas Eve. This created some interesting confusion for some churches that began Advent on November 26th. This early Thanksgiving and late Christmas Eve, means that there are extra days to prepare for the holiday. I have been ahead of schedule this year. Most of my boxes have been shipped and I’ve sent my Christmas cards. I still have some decorating to do, and I haven’t started baking. We are having a party in a week, so I have to get to work!
I don’t think we count the days during most of the year the way we do during the Christmas season. We use Advent calendars and devotional practices that mark each day of December (or Advent), day by day counting down the days to the birth of our Savior. Counting down the days makes us more aware of the passing of time, although it can become frustrating and stressful when we think of all the things we have to accomplish. We have as much, or more, to accomplish the rest of the year, but we don’t really pay as much attention to the passing of time. We always have deadlines, but I doubt anyone keeps a countdown calendar for the ordinary goals of life.
Muhammad Ali once said, “Don’t count the days, make the days count.” That’s excellent advice, especially as we are entering into the Advent season. I do have many tasks I need to accomplish in the next few days, but will my friends care if I have another Christmas tree or a certain kind of cookie? Though everyone raves about what we offer, they come to enjoy the season with family and friends. It is fun to watch old friends reconnect and new friends be made. It is wonderful that during those few hours in this busy time when we are counting every minute, trying too get everything done, that we stop time to make the day count.
Let’s remember as we use our Advent calendars that it is better to make each of these days count than to watch our time wither away. May God help us remember that each day will pass more quickly than we want. Our time is limited, not only the time until Christmas, but also our time on earth. We are reminded by the psalmist to take advantage of every minute, not rushing around trying to get things done, but enjoying everything that God has given.
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 4:13, WEB
London was atrocious for driving. Those tiny one way streets were jam-packed with coaches and cabs, as well as too many cars. We never tried to drive the city; the tube system is well organized, easy to navigate and very affordable. It was possible to get within a few blocks of anything in London without the usual hassles of driving a car.
I enjoy watching people. Throughout the day, I enjoyed seeing the diversity of people using the tube. I saw men in Armani suits, a family on their way to a wedding, tourists, students, and construction workers. I saw young and old, fat and skinny, rich and poor. I saw people from every nationality, creed, and race. Each person had their own purpose, their own destination. And yet, every person was relying on the same mode of transportation.
During one journey, I noticed a couple who were obviously in love. I didn’t know if they were newly-weds or whether they were in that tender season early in the relationship. They were so deeply immersed in one another that they didn’t notice anyone but each other. The young man said, “I just love to gaze upon your countenance.” It was a sweet moment that made me smile, but also giggle a little bit. We loved each other, but we were at a much different season. We were dragging young children around London with little time to gaze into each other’s eyes. We had to keep our eyes on them while we were riding the busy tube. We still saw one another, but in a much different way at that point in our relationship.
Seeing is an important sense. We do not see well when we are born. Our vision is blurry, and we only see in black and white. Our body develops as we grow, and we eventually see more of the world around us. The first thing we recognize is our mother. Our eyes are designed to focus most clearly on objects that are eight to twelve inches away in those first months; a mother is in that space most often, particularly during feeding. We learn our mother’s face better than anyone else’s. As we grow, we begin to see more of the world and learn to recognize the things around us. As our vision develops, our understanding of the world also develops. Our sight does not improve only because of physical development. We also learn to see. That young man was seeing his lady with delight, gazing upon her countenance. He’d learned to see her.
I am using “The Jesus Storybook” by Sally-Lloyd Jones as one of my Advent devotions. I know it seems odd for an adult to use a children’s bible to prepare for Christmas, but it is amazing the profound the simple words used to share the story of Jesus with children can be. In the story of creation, Sally wrote, “So God breathed life into Adam and Eve. When they opened their eyes, the first thing they ever saw was God’s face.
There is a reason why a child is designed to see her mother’s face first. Though modern fathers are more involved than in the past, it is still the mother who provides for most of the needs of that child that has no ability to care for themselves. Adam and Eve saw God’s face in the Garden. They walked with their Father, the only one who could provide for their needs. He is our Father, too, and we are to gaze at His countenance with the deep kind of love that the young couple had on the tube. He is worthy of an even greater love, our whole attention.
During this Advent season we are distracted by so many things. We have tasks to accomplish, cookies to bake, presents to wrap, parties to attend. Time is passing so quickly, and I’m exhausted by the evening after a day of hard work. It is hard to spend time with God. We can’t see God as Adam and Eve saw God, at least not yet, but we live in hope because of God’s promises. For now we see dimly, but one day when we will walk in the Garden with our Father again, thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord.
“With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect. With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down. For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness. For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.” Psalm 18:25-29, WEB
There is a story about some mice that lived inside a piano. They were awestruck by the music they heard echoing in their dark world. They all believed in some unknown player, were comforted by the thought that someone made the music. They rejoiced over the Great Player they could not see. But one day one of the mice ventured to another part of the piano and found the strings. He came back thinking he knew how the music was made, for the music came from the strings as they trembled and vibrated. Everyone stopped believing in the Great Player. Later another mouse went exploring and found the hammers that made the strings vibrate and the simple explanation for the sound became more complicated, but they still did not believe in the unknown player. Eventually the Great Player became nothing but a myth to the mice.
We are like those mice, living in a world where we cannot see the One in control. Natural explanations to unexplainable things have made many people doubt in the existence of a Great Player. Science and Mathematics explain away the most extraordinary things, leaving behind nothing in which to have faith. There are several shows on the television that have experts that explain away the most miraculous things. Ancient astronaut theorists claim that every God story is actually about aliens from another planet. Shows that claim to explain the bible twist the words to fit their intellectual understanding of the mysterious things of God. Scientists insist that there are natural explanations to supernatural events. Yet, the wonder that is God can’t be explained away by our minds, hearts, or souls. He continues to play the music in His marvelous ways as we ponder what it all means in our life.
Faith is the only thing that will get us through our days. The world wants to confuse us, to lead us into doubt and darkness so that we will not look to God for our strength. But God lights our lamps with His Word and fills the darkness with His light. We can rely on Him; He is faithful, blameless, and pure. Even when we cannot see the Great Player, He is playing the music of our lives. Those adventurous mice thought they found an explanation to the mystery, just as the “experts” on all those shows claim that they have also done. But we don’t have to rely on their limiting “proofs” to know that there really is a Great Player behind it all. We can’t allow the things of this world to cause us to lose our faith and we cannot allow the darkness to overcome His Light in our corner of the world. We can only walk in His light, knowing that He is with us even when the world says He does not exist.
Lectionary Scriptures for December 10, 2023, Second Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8
“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9, WEB
The beginning of the Good News... This is how Mark began his record of the Gospel story of Jesus Christ. The verse sounds more like a title than the first sentence of the book, and it is. When Mark says, “The beginning,” he is telling us that what he has written is the beginning of something God has done in the world. The story of Jesus cannot be limited to a few pages in a book, it is a story that began two thousand years ago and continues today. Mark’s story does not even end with his final word. Some original manuscripts of Mark’s Gospel end at 16:8, which says, “They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.” This ending leaves us with a question in our mind, “What would you do?” Would you tell the story? Will you tell the story? Mark wrote “The beginning,” but that story continues today as each new believer hears and believes. It continues today and will continue into the future, as long as it is God's will. It will only end on that great Day of the Lord for which we wait, preparing as we've been encouraged over the past few weeks.
Mark’s story does not have a clear ending, but it also begins differently than the other Gospel writers. He does not begin with the birth of Jesus. Mark did not consider the nativity of Jesus to be an important aspect of the story; he was laying down the vital facts. It is thought that Mark was recording the story from Peter’s point of view. Just imagine how it must have been for the early Christians. The disciples spent many hours together in the home of Mark’s mother (Acts 12:12) after Jesus ascended to heaven. This place may have even been the same room where they ate the Last Supper with Jesus. Mark, who was much younger than the rest of the disciples, most likely overheard all their conversations.
What do you think they talked about in those first days of the Church as they gathered together in that room? They told stories. They shared memories. They wondered about the meaning of the signs and the miracles. They remembered everything Jesus taught them. They probably told the same stories over and over again. And Mark listened. He put them together so that they would not be forgotten. He ordered them in a way that made sense. Most of all, he laid down the facts that were remembered by the disciples, particularly through the eyes of Peter. Eventually Mark’s tale was written onto paper so that it would not be lost to time or to death.
Unfortunately, the early Christians were dying. The first witnesses got older by the day. Most of the Apostles and many others were martyred for their faith, but there were also many who were dying of old age. They were looking and waiting for the second coming of Christ and believed they would see it happen, but then they began to die. What would happen to the believers who did not make it to the Great Day of the Lord? They were worried, but they were also faithful, realizing the importance of passing the story on to the next generation. They knew God would keep His promises, even if it didn’t happen in their time. They put the stories to paper so that the next generation, and every generation following, would know it and believe.
Peter wrote to a people who were hopeful for Christ’s return. They were expecting Him back at any moment. They may have even begun to doubt the words of Jesus because it seemed to be taking so long. They wondered where He might be and why He was late. There were, I’m sure, some who were trying to find a way to hasten His coming. It has certainly been done over the past two thousand years. Even today some are doing what they think will bring Jesus quickly. Prophets have tried to foretell the time and day when the Lord would come, and cults have worked to spur God to fulfill His promises. Every generation since Peter’s day has waited for and tried to hasten the coming of the Lord.
Our focus over the past few weeks has been redundant. We’ve had so many texts dealing with eschatological issues over the past month or so and it is not a subject we like to dwell upon. I am sure I’m not alone in my desire to move on. We live for today; we look forward to that day, but we do not want to make it the entire focus of our faith. Yet, today’s scriptures do not give us a message about what is to come, but about what we are to do while we wait. Some are so anxious for the coming of the Lord that they will do whatever is necessary to make it happen. After all, it has already been two thousand years. Isn’t it time?
But we learn from Peter that for God a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. We aren’t much different from children who are anxiously awaiting Christmas: it seems to take forever to get what we want, but whatever takes “forever” for us is only a moment for God. The time has not yet come because everything is not yet ready. God is patient because not everyone for whom the promise has been given has yet heard it. We find hope in the message that God does not want any to perish. He is patient and longsuffering. Christ will not come until all is ready. This is why the evangelists put the stories to paper. They wanted them to last for every generation until the Day of the Lord.
Peter wrote to believers to tell them that God is patient with them. There is work for us to do, and God is giving us the time. There are many who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ; they are walking in darkness. We are the light, sent to give hope and peace to all whom God has chosen. God is patient, not just for those who haven’t heard, but for us. He is waiting until we do what we have been called to do. God’s patience is our salvation. He is waiting until we have accomplished all He has commanded us to do. The great day of the Lord might happen in our generation, but it might not happen for another thousand years which is like a day to God. He will fulfill His promises in His time according to His word.
Mark did his job: he told the story, a story he believed would go on long after he was gone, so that we could hear and believe. For Mark, one thing was especially important, and we find it in that title verse, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark wrote to make it clear that Jesus is the Son of God. The other Gospel writers included the stories of Jesus’ birth and childhood to establish His humanity, but Mark insists on His divinity. Jesus isn’t just a prophet. He isn’t just a rabbi. He isn’t just a friend or savior. Jesus is God.
Mark began his story with John the Baptist. Isaiah wrote that there would be a prophet preparing the way of the Lord, pointing the people toward the One for whom they were waiting. That prophet was John. He came from the wilderness to preach repentance and to call the people to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. That story continues into today. We still call people to baptism, but we have been given a greater gift than John, because Jesus Christ baptizes with more than water. What John started, Jesus completed and made even more real because now the Holy Spirit brings a lasting, eternal forgiveness. John was cleansing the people to make them ready for the Lord. The Lord now makes the people His forever and ever.
The image in today’s Gospel lesson is harsh and almost frightening. John is a bizarre character. He lives in the wilderness, wears camel hair, and eats locusts. This is not a man that we would necessarily follow. He does not portray a picture of peace. His message is rough; he told people they were sinners. He called them to repentance. He baptized but admitted that his baptism was nothing compared to the baptism that would come from God. This is not comforting. It is not pleasant. It is frightening and disconcerting.
Yet people flocked to this madman in the wilderness, longing to see the one who fulfilled the promise we hear in today’s Old Testament lesson, which is not so frightening. It is not so unpleasant. God spoke to comfort His people and promise that they would be restored. In Isaiah God said, “Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.” The warfare in this text is referring to the exile, the consequence of their sin against God. They served their sentence and were about to be set free to return home. Mark points back to this promise of restoration because it was especially significant to a people who were living under the oppressive hand of the Romans. They were looking forward to the day when the throne of David would be restored, when they could live again as a sovereign nation. They didn't realize that God promised an even greater freedom and a peace that is beyond human understanding.
Isaiah wrote, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.” Peace, true peace, will come when our flesh is destroyed by the breath of God, consumed by His fire and Spirit, and we are made new. This might seem frightening, but it is the hope of Christmas: that we will be transformed and restored to God. When God comes and rules over all, He will take care of us as a shepherd takes care of His flock. John’s message might seem rough and disconcerting, but it reflects the promise of Isaiah. God is coming. Prepare the way. He is coming to do something spectacular. Make your hearts ready.
Mark knew that the Old Testament promises could not be fulfilled by just anyone; only the Son of God could provide the salvation that would restore God’s people. Jesus was that Son, and through Him we have been saved; the promise has been fulfilled. Christ was born, Christ died, and Christ rose again. Christ lives. But we still await the coming of our King, the return that will complete the will and purpose of God. We live in a time that is between the fulfillment of the promise and the completion of the promise.
I made a painting several years. I had begun it sometime earlier but lost interest and inspiration. I decided to finish it as a gift for my husband to put into a new office. I changed my tactic; though I had begun with acrylics, I decided to finish the painting with oil paint because I could more easily create the affect I wanted with oils. It is painted on a large canvas. I wanted the painting to be heavily textured.
Every new project is a learning experience. I didn’t realize a few things when I began. First of all, I learned that there is a special product designed for texturing paintings. It is cheaper and dries much more quickly than oil paint. The advantage of oil is that it takes longer to dry, giving the artist time to mix colors and blend edges. Unfortunately, you have to be careful not to overwork the paint. When I went back to the canvas too quickly, I lost the highlights of individual colors I worked so hard to establish by blending the paints too much. Even one brush stroke can ruin the character of the piece. I hated to leave the piece sit so long, but I had to be patient.
When I was finally satisfied with the piece, I had to let it dry. Day after day I checked the paint only to discover that the red was still so wet that I left fingerprints that required touch up. I wanted to give the painting to Bruce the minute it was complete, but if he took it too early, he’d smear the wet paint. I did some research and realized that red oil paint, which was the predominant color, takes much longer than other colors. As a matter of fact, it can take dozens or even a hundred years to dry, especially when it is piled so thick on the canvas. After a week or so, we could get the painting into the frame and Bruce was able to take it to his office without worrying about getting paint everywhere.
Today’s Psalm is a community lament. It begins with words of praise and testimony. “God has done these things.” He restored their fortunes. He forgave. He withdrew His wrath. The first verses look to the past. They knew that the cause of their suffering was their sin, but they asked for the restoration of their community to God. Then the psalm asked, “How long?” They had been suffering for a long time. This phrase can actually be understood to mean “Enough is enough!” They were looking toward the future. The psalmist asked God to do again what He did in the past. Though their fortunes were restored, something happened and they were struggling again.
As Christians we look back to the redemption at the cross, but we continue to experience struggles. We are restored and forgiven, but we continue to sin. God’s grace is for the past, present and future. We HAVE eternal life, we ARE forgiven. But we still need to wait until we pass from this life to fully experience the forgiveness and eternal life that God has promised to all who believe.
Though they were suffering, the psalmist and the community knew the mercy of God. There is Hebrew word that is translated lovingkindness, steadfast love, mercy, or faithfulness, depending on the version of the translation. This word is “hesed” and it is the covenantal love and loyalty of God. He made promises to His people and He will be faithful even when they are not. This word is found throughout the psalms, and the rest of the Old Testament, and it is in this psalm twice. The psalmist based the plea for salvation on God’s covenantal love and loyalty.
The psalm ends on a confident note, with the psalmist including a powerful reflection on God’s covenant character: His love is without fail and He fulfills His promises. God is righteous and thus peace prevails. These all come together in an intimate embrace in the person of God. He prepares the way. He alone is the possessor and giver of salvation, righteousness, truth, mercy, peace. We are unable to live up to the covenant, but God is more than able and has fulfilled it in Jesus Christ. Though we turn to folly, God teaches and transforms us so that we will learn to rely on Him. Just like that community begging God for mercy, we still plead against His wrath and seek His grace.
The psalmist presents a message of God’s grace. The early church community understood this psalm to be the prayers of a people who have been saved but were waiting for salvation to be complete. We live in a time of waiting today. That’s what Advent is all about. We know Christ has come. We know that Jesus was born in the manger, died on the Cross, and rose again. It is finished. But we still wait for God’s plan to be complete. We are wandering in this world, waiting for the second coming of Christ when God’s promises will finally and forever be fulfilled.
It might seem like it has been too long, surely God should have completed His work by now! We worry like those in the early Church, especially when we see the world around us falling apart. “Come, Lord Jesus,” we cry. We wait, we watch, we hope, trusting that God’s Word is true. The grass will wither, and people will die, but God’s patience means that there is still time for all those whom God calls to believe. We can trust that one day we’ll experience the fulness of what God has promised: eternity in heaven in peace and joy.
When we think of the concept of peace, especially in our world today, we think of peace between nations. The Latin word from which we get the word peace means “freedom from civil disorder,” so there is some justification for our thinking of peace in these terms. Christmas has become a time to cry out for peace on earth; now more than ever people want to live without fear. It is hard to be happy when your world is literally exploding around you.
There’s another understanding of peace, however. Peace suggests healthy interpersonal relationships. That is more appropriate for the preparation of Advent. Christ came to restore us to our Father and to one another, to overcome the darkness and sin that has created conflict between people. This can be pursued on a large scale as is done through international treaties, but the cry for peace for most people is a desire for something more personal. We are looking for peace in our own lives, in our hearts. We want peace on earth, but true peace begins inwardly.
John provided the crowds with a glimpse of the fulfillment; they could hope, once again, that God was about to do something spectacular. John came first, before Jesus began His ministry, but we hear these words during Advent to remind us that the King for whom we are waiting is not a child in a manger. He came as a baby, to be human as we are human, but we cannot hold onto the image of the baby. It was not His birth that brought us salvation. It was not even His ministry that brought us salvation. It is the power that comes by fire and Spirit because of the cross.
The promise in Isaiah was fulfilled for the exiles when God restored Jerusalem and the people went home. It was also understood as a promise to the people in John’s day, which was fulfilled in a new way with the coming of Jesus. Jesus has come, He’s finished the work, we are saved: so how is this still a promise for us? Is a promise fulfilled still a promise?
It is still a promise because though Jesus was born in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, lived, and died on the cross and then raised, we still wait for His coming again. The promise is fulfilled, is being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled: this is the way of God. He was, is, and is to come. He exists outside time and space, so we who are bound by our human flesh must look forward to the day when we are no longer bound. We live in hope of the promise not just to get to the end, but to live well along the way. The joy will be incredible when we are fully transformed and restored to our God, but the journey is a gift, too. What are we going to do along the way?
The exiles were forgiven, but not yet home. They still had to wander in the wilderness before they would know the full measure of God’s shepherding care. We are the same, stuck between the already and the not yet.
In ancient days, when a king desired a royal adventure, a frenzy of preparation would ensue. They would not only send ahead a warning party, but the king would also send forth an army to prepare the way. They would take everything the king could possibly need; they might even build a castle so that there would be a suitable place for his visit. He often stayed a year or more, so everything had to be perfect. The army would also prepare the way; they would build a smooth and straight road on which the king could ride comfortably. Isaiah wrote, “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.” Only when all was ready would the king leave for his journey.
We are like that army that went ahead of the King, but we aren’t building roads on which He can ride. We are lifting the lowly and bringing down the mighty, not with weapons or warfare but with the grace of God. With His Word all are made equal, not in the flesh but in the Spirit as children of God. We prepare the way by speaking forgiveness and calling others out of the wilderness into the river of repentance. We are just like John, but the message we bring is even better because it has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The people went to John at the Jordan to be baptized, confessing their sin, and receiving God’s grace. He was right out there raising up valleys and bringing down mountains. We are called to do the same today.
The covenants of God are two-way streets. God calls us to live our faith and to glorify Him with our obedience to His Word. Yet, He knew from the beginning that we would fail. That’s why He sent Jesus, first to the manger and the cross, and soon to restore all of creation to the Garden where we were intended to dwell forever.
We wait, we watch, we hope, but it is not for us to stand still. We have a job to do. Mark started the story that we are charged with continuing. There are people who need to see the light that shatters darkness and experience the life that has overcome death. We are called to share the Good News, like John, but our message is even greater than his. God’s grace has won, first in the manger and then on the cross. The baptism we share is one of forgiveness and power. We live in the time between the fulfillment of God’s promises and the completion of them; this is a time of hope and expectation. So, let’s shine the light that is Christ in the world so that those for whom God is waiting might be saved. Who knows: the last one God is calling might just be the next person to whom you tell the story.
December 7, 2023
“For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, ‘The one who does them will live by them.’ But the righteousness which is of faith says this, ‘Don’t say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down); or, “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)’ But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;’ that is, the word of faith which we preach: that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.” Romans 10:5-12, WEB
Every generation has a “Where were you” question. You might hear it today as we remember the day when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Where were you when JFK was shot? Where were you when the astronauts walked on the moon? Where were you when the Challenger exploded? Where were you on 9/11? People can generally remember where they were when these history changing moments happened, or at least where they were when they heard about it.
We can ask the question about more personal events, too. Where were you when you met your spouse? Where were you when you proposed? Where were you married? Where were you when you decided what you wanted to be when you grew up? Where were you when you became a Christian? For those of us in the military, and other transient communities, knowing where we were helps us to remember when something happened. Where were we when our son broke his finger? Where were we when we bought that piece of furniture? Knowing where we were helps us to remember when it was.
The question is also used in the courtroom. The lawyer will ask his client, “Where were you on the night this crime happened?” to establish an alibi for the accused. Questions are also used to help place the defendant at other crucial moments, like when a gun was purchased. The lawyer is trying to prove that the defendant could not be guilty because he or she was not there. The same questions might be asked by the prosecutor, too, as he or she tries to put the defendant in the right place at the right time, thus proving them guilty.
God asked this question of Job in today’s passage. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” In this case, the question is meant to establish that Job has no right to question the will and purpose of God. Job was not even a glimmer in his mother’s eye when God spoke creation into existence. God was before the beginning and will be after the end. Human beings are simply unable to know or understand everything about the God we worship. He wouldn’t be worthy of worship if we could.
It is especially hard when God allows terrible things to happen in our lives. We want to be angry. We want to go to court with God, to question Him, to insist on answers to our questions. But God reminds us that we weren’t there when He established the foundation of the earth, and we’ll never fully understand Him. What seems to be bad from our point of view may lead to something beyond our imagination. We know that God is faithful. We can rest in God’s promises even when it seems like things are falling apart. Where were we when God laid the foundations of the earth? We did not yet exist in the flesh, but we were loved. Of this we can be sure.
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes wonder why this amazing God even knows my name. After all, I’m nothing. I’m a guppy in an ocean filled with whales. I confess, though, I also sometimes think the world revolves around me. I think I’m the most important person, that my opinion is the only one that matters. I suppose that the first sentence is a bit of false humility, while the second is a matter of pride. It is human; we all have the same thoughts and feelings.
We weren’t there when God laid the foundations of the earth, and we will never be able to fully understand Him. But He is with us, near us, in our lives, hearts, and mouths. He knows how to turn suffering into blessing. He calls us to trust in Him, to believe with our hearts and to confess with our mouths that He is Lord. It won’t be easy. We are no different than Job or Paul. We can rest in the knowledge that God knows that, too, and that He has given us the way of forgiveness. He will be there to pick us up whenever we fail because He has promised always to be near.
Here’s the real joy of Paul’s words: God invites us to be a part of His work. We cannot find for ourselves, but He is with us and near us in our hearts and in the Gospel, which is spoken into our lives. Paul says that when we believe His Word in our hearts and confess Him as Lord with our mouths we are saved. Of course, we often look at faith in extremes: it has to be fully God’s grace or fully our decision. But when we do this, we lose the beauty of the relationship God has ordained between Himself and His people.
We are given an active role in His Kingdom, even from the beginning of our relationship with Him. We may not know where we were when God did all that He did, but we are invited to join our hearts and minds with His by participating in His wonderful grace, taking His Gospel into the world, witnessing to those who do not yet believe so that they, too, can be saved. It cannot happen without God, we can’t make it happen ourselves, for without Jesus none could be saved. By His grace we receive that which He has promised, confessing with our lives that His is indeed Lord of all.
December 8, 2023
“He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds! Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’” Luke 12:22-34, WEB
I like having cut flowers around the house. We kept cut flowers in our home almost all the time when we lived in England. The village farmer’s markets were open year-round and there was a market in a different town within easy driving distance every day of the week. The flowers for sale were extremely affordable, so I constantly had vases of flowers. If you’ve seen pictures of English country homes, you know that flowers are important to their landscaping. You might think that it is a creation of someone’s imagination, but the flowers are really everywhere, especially in the spring.
Flowers are such an important part of the English lifestyle that many English churches host floral festivals. They were planned for spring to welcome the warm weather and to bring the color of the country into the drab interiors of those ancient stone churches. They weren’t competitive; the floral designers were members or friends of the church and the event was used to raise funds so that they could take care of after-winter maintenance of their buildings.
I participated in one of these festivals. Though I’m not a professional, I enjoy doing more with flowers than just putting them into a vase. I’ve dabbled over the years with fun flowers and odd containers. I was excited about the challenge the floral festival offered. The theme was Pentecost and the displays were magnificent. Some reached incredibly high, others had sprays of flowers. Some people chose to fill their containers with red flowers, others white and yet others had a burst of many colors. I found an unusual pot stand made of wicker with three arms for holding pots. I put floral foam on trays that fit into each of the arms and found flowers with every color of the rainbow. I had the flowers spraying from the top to the bottom, about five feet high altogether. It was a beautiful and very memorable experience.
The problem with cut flower arrangements is that the flowers eventually all die. The arrangements will not last forever even when the display has an eternal message to convey. The flowers serve as simple, perishable reminder of God’s presence in the midst of our world. I love having fresh cut flowers to brighten my house; the bouquets usually last a week or so. They all eventually wither and die. We live in a world that is perishable. People come and go, grass turns brown in winter, turkeys get eaten until they are nothing but bones. Yet, God is steadfast. And that faithful and loving God reminds us constantly, in the creation and through our gifts, that He is gracious and merciful, always present in the midst of our lives.
Isaiah wrote, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:6b-8) Peace, true peace, will come when our flesh is destroyed by the breath of God, consumed by His fire and Spirit, and we are made new. This might seem frightening, but it is the hope of Christmas: that we will be transformed and restored to God. When God comes, when He rules, He will take care of us as a shepherd takes care of His flock. John’s message might seem rough and disconcerting, but it reflects the promise of Isaiah. God is coming, prepare the way. He is coming to do something spectacular, make your hearts ready.
December 11, 2023
“There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.’ Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.’” Luke 2:8-14, WEB
If we think that the Christmas season is hectic for us, imagine what it must be like for Santa! He has to get presents ready for millions of children all around the world, get his sleigh souped up and keep his elves in line. We might go to a couple of parties, but he has to be at every one! Whatever we have planned, magnify it by a million or so and you have Santa’s schedule. Well, one day Santa was feeling a bit frazzled by all the activities of the day, and he was ready to bite the head off the next person to ask him a question. At that moment an angel came into Santa’s office to ask him where he wanted to put the Christmas tree. Santa responded, “I’ll tell you where to put it!” and that’s how the tradition of putting angels at the top of the tree began.
Ok, so a bit of humor can’t hurt our frazzled minds, especially since we are all probably feeling a bit like Santa at this point. Two weeks until Christmas and there is much to do, yet we should not get so involved in the wrapping that we forget about the real present of this season. Christmas is about Jesus and I wonder how many have taken the time to remember the Christmas story and think about the people involved in this wonderful event.
Take the angels, for instance. In our little joke, the angel did not bring very good news. As a matter of fact, the last thing Santa wanted to hear was another question. We tend to think of angels as being bearers of good news, and certainly the messages they gave were good news to us. But was it what the hearers of that day wanted to hear? Mary was visited by an angel that told her she would bear a child; for a young virgin this was not good news. The community would make her an outcast and she would be rejected by her husband to be. Joseph had a visit from an angel that told him to take Mary as his wife despite her pregnancy. Both Mary and Joseph believed the message of the angels, but it could not have been easy to accept these strange experiences. Another visit was made to some shepherds in a field.
Many people collect angels, I have several that I keep on display in my home. These statues and pictures show angels as sweetness and light, beautiful beings with wings made of soft white feathers and looks of love on their faces. They are often shown playing instruments or displaying a prayerful attitude. They are creatures that would bring no bad news; they would cause no fear. Most of us would not mind meeting an angel face to face.
Yet, whenever we hear about the visits of these awesome beings they say, “Do not be afraid.” The message the angel took to the shepherds was indeed good news: a king was born in Bethlehem. Yet, I do not think they would have been immediately excited about the visit. Imagine what it was like for those shepherds to be in a dark field when suddenly a light surrounded them; it was not just any light, but it was the glory of the Lord. Then, a great host of angels appeared singing praises to God. We might wish we had been among those present in that field that day, to be the first witnesses to the birth of Christ, but I think we would have experienced a sense of fear. We would have needed the encouragement of the angel to not be afraid. I am sure it would have been a most humbling experience.
As we are caught up in all the hustle and bustle of the holiday, it is easy to forget the awesomeness of what is happening. The Lord God Almighty has come to earth in the form of a child; Jesus was God in flesh, Emmanuel. We think of Christmas much like those angels we have on our shelves: sweet, beautiful, joyful, and filled with peace. Yet, Christmas is an awesome event, the time when God ripped through the barriers of time and space to come in flesh to save the world. May we all receive the good news of Jesus from the angels with humility and respond with joy and excitement about what God has done.
December 12, 2023
“To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: ‘The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;” and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.” Revelation 3:14-22, WEB
One of my favorite movies is “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” In this movie, the main character’s name is Holly Golightly. She moved to New York when she was very young, and she is determined to find wealth. She spends her time earning a few dollars here and there, but her survival is dependent on very wealthy men. She meets Paul, and they become great friends. A woman supports Paul financially while he writes a novel, in exchange for love. Together, Holly and Paul get into all sorts of adventures as they seek the things they desire.
On the surface, they desire only money. Throughout the movie, however, they begin to care about one another. Paul realizes that there are better ways to live life, so he sets his mind to his writing. When he sells one of his works, he tries to convince Holly to change her ways, to love him. She continues to pursue wealth rather than love and finds a rich Latin official who wants to marry her. When she gets into trouble, he sets her aside; concerned about the publicity a woman like Holly could bring him, and the difficulty that could cause his career.
Toward the end of the movie, Holly decides to go to South America anyway. In the cab, she tells Paul that she can’t give up her dreams for anybody. She even throws her unnamed cat into a cold, wet alley in an attempt to prove her lack of concern for anything but her future. She finally gives in to Paul and they go out into the rain to find the cat. They find true love and happiness together.
Holly was zealous about her dreams of wealth and had no concern for anything else. Her apathy showed in her life and the way that she treated her friends like Paul. Apathy is defined as a “lack of interest, enthusiasm or concern.” Many Christians today are zealous about certain aspects of their lives but are apathetic about the things that really matter.
Laodicea was the wealthiest, most important commercial center in the region. It was primarily known for three industries: banking, wool, and medicine (notably its eye salve.) It was so rich that it refused Roman offers of help in rebuilding the city after an earthquake in 60 A.D. The water supply was inadequate, so they received water from the hot springs of Hierapolis and good cold water was received from Colossae via aqueduct. However, by the time the water made it to Laodicea, it was dirty, tepid, and unappealing. The church at Laodicea was neither cold, openly rejecting Christ or hot and filled with spiritual zeal. They were lukewarm: self-satisfied hypocrites professing to know Christ but not truly belonging to Him. He warned them that He would spit them out as the tepid water of Laodicea was spit out by those who drank it. He counseled them to buy gold, clothes, and eye salve from Him. From Him they will receive genuine salvation.
A cold/dead church could be miraculously revived, but the lukewarm church imagines that it does not need Jesus. The church at Laodicea needed to be recreated, moved from apathy to desire, from death to life. Jesus loved this church so much that He was willing to reprove and discipline them. As in the William Holman Hunt painting of Jesus standing outside the door with no handle, Jesus was knocking on the door hoping that they would let Him in. Those who overcame would be invited to the great victory banquet and would sit with Christ on the throne with Him.
The Laodiceans were not zealous about their faith, they had no passion. They are also not feeding the needs of the people by offering the cool springs of knowledge in the Lord Jesus. In Romans 12:11, Paul writes, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Do not be like Holly Golightly, seeking only the traps of surface happiness, or like the Laodiceans who do not see the truth that would save them from their lukewarmness. Rather, follow the words given to us by Paul: be zealous about your faith and serve the Lord.
December 13, 2023
Lectionary Scriptures for December 17, 2023, Third Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28
“Always rejoice.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16, WEB
The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday because it focuses on joy. “Gaudete” means rejoice. Our scriptures for today speak of joy. In Isaiah, the people rejoice about the good things God has done. The psalmist sings about God restoring the fortunes of His people. Paul encourages the Christians to always rejoice. John the Baptist brings Good News.
We get confused, though, because we live in this time when joy or happiness is tied so closely to physical and material things. We talk about the joy of the season, and we do what we can to create that joy, but we often fail. Unfortunately, there are many people who are dealing with troubles that make joy the last thing on their mind. They are worried about how they are going to pay the bills, whether they will have enough money to pay the rent so that they will have a roof over their head. They know that there will be no money for Christmas presents and that their kids will have to settle for baloney sandwiches rather than a meal with roast turkey and all the fixings. They aren’t planning parties; they are praying for a warm winter so that they don’t have to turn up the heat. And though most of us aren’t dealing with those problems, we have our own worries and frustrations.
Others are dealing with illness or loneliness. This is the first Christmas that many will spend without a parent or spouse. Mothers will mourn over the children that died in infancy. Terminally ill patients often linger through the holidays to spend one last Christmas with those they love, and their families face the reality that they will be gone soon. Some people have had to move too far from family and do not have the money to go home for the holidays, or their jobs do not allow them the time for a vacation. They will be alone for the holiday, struggling to find joy.
Most of us are probably not facing such desperate times, but the words of Paul in today’s epistle text really strike us as impossible. I’m a pretty happy person, and not giddily happy, but content, and yet I have moments when I have difficulty finding joy. I get angry and I’ve been hurt by those I loved. I have been so sick with a cold or flu that I was sure I would not live to see another day. I’ve worried about how to pay my bills and missed people who are far away on earth and in heaven. I can’t be joyful all the time. Paul writes, “Rejoice always.” How is that even possible? We have good times, and we have bad times. Even Jesus wept; it is foolish and unhealthy to ignore those feelings. Sorrow is a natural part of life and can offer healing and growth.
I found a meme the other day about how a mom might answer the question, “What do you want for Christmas?” The answer was real and heartfelt. “I want you to keep coming around. I want you to ask me questions. Ask my advice. Tell me your problems. Ask for my opinion. As for my help. I want you to come over and rant about your problems, rant about life. Whatever. Tell me about your job. Your worries. Your classes. I want you to continue sharing your life with me. Come over and laugh with me or laugh at me. I don’t care, hearing you laugh is music to me. I want you to spend your money making a better life for you. I have the things I need. I want to see you happy and healthy. When you ask me what I want for Christmas I say ‘Nothing’ because you’ve already been giving me my gift all year. I want you.”
I liked this meme because it is true. I don’t need anything. I’ve had some tough news this year, I’ve lost some good friends. I’ve realized I don’t need so many things, especially since my kids don’t want most of my dust-catchers. I can’t think of anything, especially in an appropriate price range. I love the gifts my children give me, but do I really need another... anything?
I know, however, that gift giving is truly a part of the Christmas spirit, and it can bring as much joy to the giver as it gives the receiver, even if it is something that comes from a wish list. I try hard to think of something so that they can have a small gift for me under the tree; I don’t want them to ever to celebrate Christmas begrudgingly. I want them to find the joy that I have always known in giving and receiving at Christmas.
There was once a Christmas episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Raymond and his brother Robert were planning a weekend trip to play golf, but Raymond had to convince his wife Debra to let him go. He decided the best way to do so was to make her very happy and then ask her when she was in a good mood. If she was happy, she would surely want him to be happy. Christmas Day was the perfect opportunity. Robert happened to walk in a room when Debra was wrapping a tie. It was for Robert, but Debra lied and said that it was for Raymond. Robert excitedly told Ray about the gift, and so Ray chose a present for Debra that would be better than an ugly tie. It was a nice gift, two actually. Debra was thrilled when she opened them; they brought her joy because it was what she really wanted. Then she gave Robert his present: the tie. The men were shocked. Debra admitted her lie and then brought Ray his gift: a DVD player and a bunch of movies. Ray was disappointed because he thought he had to buy something worth more money than what she bought him to make her happy. Sadly, he missed her joy. He was sad because he was happy about his gift, too.
Isn’t it silly how caught up we get in the Christmas present race? We buy too many gifts out of duty or because we are using them to get something for ourselves. I am always surprised when I see commercials for car dealers at Christmas. Are people really buying cars to put under the tree? Some car dealers even offer big red bows! We are so busy spending money and buying for everyone for all the wrong reasons. We are so concerned about giving something, anything, that sometimes we don’t even bother buying a present. We buy gift cards. And while we might be purposeful in choosing the store, what point is there in giving a gift card to someone who will probably just give us a gift card back. That’s not much different than just handing each other twenty-dollar bills.
This isn’t about the usual question whether or not Christmas has gotten too commercial, though that can definitely be a problem. There is one commercial on television that drives me crazy. A woman approaches her husband and puts too fitness watches on the counter. “I bought one for both of us for Christmas.” The man says, “I bought something for both of us, too.” He directs her outside where there are two brand new vehicles in the driveway. I can’t imagine buying one car, let alone two cars, for Christmas. Yet, the world tries to make us feel guilty if we don’t spend enough money on those we love. We don’t have to feel guilty; we need to remember to approach the season with the right attitude.
We are right to consider how Christmas has become too commercial and the misplaced focus on the day. Every year people talk about how they are going to cut back so that they can center on the real reason for the season: Jesus. But gift-giving is very much a part of Christmas. The first - and most important - gift is Jesus Christ, born for our sake and salvation. The nativity story has examples of gift giving. Many Christmas legends are about simple but heart-felt gifts. Gift giving is a part of the ministry of Jesus and the early church. Consider the woman with the alabaster jar of perfume, Barnabas who gave the profit from the sale of property to the Apostles, and Dorcus who gave handmade robes and clothes to the poor. Our problem is not gift-giving, but our motivation.
We are reminded that the type of gifts that God gave were not material. In this passage from Isaiah, we see the miraculous things God has done. Jesus came to accomplish these promises for His people. Jesus came to preach good tidings to those humble enough to listen. The Gospel is the greatest gift because it is eternal life for those who believe. Jesus healed the sick, but dis-ease is more than just physical health. Jesus heals our bodies and our souls. Jesus freed those who were imprisoned, not just behind bars of iron but even more so those trapped by sin and death. Jesus brought grace. He comforted those who mourn. He gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and feet to the lame.
We may not be able to give physical healing to the people suffering in this world, but we can share Jesus. And we can consider our gifts more carefully. Instead of trying to get a gift that will serve our purpose, whether it is duty or because we want something in exchange, let us look more closely at those to whom we wish to give ourselves, that we might touch their hearts honestly and deeply, so that they will truly be happy. Let us give ourselves to those we love.
A police officer died in the line of duty. It was a tragic story. Policemen from around the nation came to the funeral along with friends and dignitaries from the town. There were many tears as people grieved his loss. Though she was grieving, the man’s wife also wanted the funeral to be a celebration of his life. She had a band playing music while everyone gathered to share their stories. Through the tears there was laughter as they remembered the things that made him loved and loveable. Some were bothered by the rock music and party-like atmosphere; they thought it was disrespectful to have laughing at such a tragic event. However, many appreciated the focus on life rather than death, on hope rather than despair.
God has a sense of humor. Jesus often joked when he preached about God’s Kingdom, though often the humor is lost in our modern point of view. Jesus and the disciples are often found around a table with a meal. These were social events with friends. I’m sure they often laughed and enjoyed each other’s company.
There are several places in the scriptures that suggest that in our sin we should not laugh, but rather mourn. In Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 we hear, “Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Laughter is seen in a negative light, which means many to take life too seriously. However, we also hear about the joy that comes from God’s gifts. Miriam danced when the Israelites made it across the Red Sea. David danced as he led the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. It is very difficult to dance in celebration and joy without laughing!
It is said that laughter is the best medicine. I think that may be true, but even more so, joyful laughter shows the world the condition of your heart. Joy comes from God, and when we know He loves us, we feel the joy of His salvation. The people of God had been through tough times. They were returning to their home after exile, a home that needed to be rebuilt after tragic destruction. But they rejoiced because they remembered the saving grace of God rather than the heartache of the past. They looked to the future, to the chance to make a difference in their world. They remembered that they were God’s chosen people, and they laughed. They received His gift with joy, and when we know the joy of the Lord, it is impossible not to laugh. When we do, the world sees that God has done a great thing for us.
I can’t help but wonder what Paul was thinking when he wrote this guide of faithful and faith-filled living suggestions. “Always rejoice.” How is that possible? We have good times and we have bad times. Even Jesus wept; it is foolish and unhealthy to ignore the feelings of grief, doubt, anger, hurt, and frustration. Sorrow is a natural part of life and can offer healing and growth.
We wonder what was Paul thinking when he wrote “Rejoice always,” but the rest of the passage isn’t any easier. He wrote, “Pray without ceasing.” Paul must not have had a day job. How can we spend every minute of every day in prayer? Most of us have trouble coming up with five minutes to set aside to talk with our Father. Oh, many of us pray while we are doing other things. I like to pray while I’m driving and doing the dishes. But is it enough to chit chat with God while we are busy with other things? Don’t we get distracted by the other drivers on the road or that stubborn greasy stain on our pot?
“In everything give thanks.” Everything? Should I give thanks when the cats spit up hairballs on my newly cleaned carpet? How about when my checking account is near zero and I still have bills to pay? Should I be thankful when the storms flood my house or a drunk hits my car? How can I be thankful when I am afraid of what tomorrow holds?
“Don’t quench the Spirit,” Paul says. But do we really know when it is the Spirit talking? We are all dealing with the questions we face living in today’s world. Where do we go from here? Are those who want change speaking for the Spirit? Or is the Spirit speaking through those who believe that we should hold to traditional values? Is God speaking through that dirty, smelly stranger on the street corner preaching a message of repentance? Or is He speaking through the protesters who are marching on City Hall? Which message does He want us to hear? Should we allow those other voices to continue causing confusion in an already chaotic world?
“Don’t despise prophecies.” I have to admit that I find this one especially difficult because I have heard prophets that prophesy messages that fall far from God’s good and perfect word, and they love this text. Anyone who questions the authority of their words is labeled as an unbeliever and destined for hell. Paul says to “prove all things” and yet this is often difficult. How do we prove faith? How do we prove the things of faith when there is so much in the world seemingly disproves everything we believe?
“Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good.” This sounds easy, and yet how often have we lost touch with the things that are really good? Even now, as we wander through Advent, are we really paying attention? We are spending so much of our time busy with Christmas preparations like shopping, decorating, baking and wrapping that we forget to spend time in prayer and thanksgiving. We are so worried about whether or not we have picked the perfect presents that we forget that God’s perfect gift of Jesus.
“Abstain from every form of evil.” This makes sense, and we try. But how many of us can honestly say that we can abstain from every form of evil, even for a day? Remembering, as so eloquently worded in Luther’s Small catechism, that every commandment is not only a message of what not to do, but what we should do to keep our neighbor from suffering. In other words, it is not enough to obey the ‘shall nots.’ We are expected to also do the things that will make life better for our neighbor. We shall not murder or endanger or harm our neighbors, but instead help and support our neighbors in all life’s needs. To keep food from the hungry is to do them harm.
Paul seems to ask too much of us. This is a great deal to ask of us, but there is comfort in this passage, the greatest comfort we can be given. Paul writes, “He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.” We cannot uphold all these expectations. We can’t rejoice always. We can’t pray without ceasing. We can’t, or don’t, give thanks in all circumstances. It is just beyond the ability of our flesh. We will doubt what we hear, and we should question every word, until we are sure that it comes from God. Our grasp is tenuous, and no matter how hard we try we will let go of what is good and we will fall into that which is evil. But through it all, the God who calls us is faithful and He will be with us. He will help us through. He will help us to rejoice, pray, give thanks, listen, accept, grasp, and abstain from evil. He will forgive us when we fail. He will give us another chance to live faithfully according to His Word.
Joy isn’t the same as happiness. The world tries to make us think that getting bigger and better presents will make us happy, but John the Baptist reminds us that we aren’t meant to be chasing happiness as our Advent journey leads us toward Christmas.
The people wanted to know John the Baptist. They wanted to know who he was and where he came from. They were so taken by his ministry that they even wondered if he was the one for whom they had been waiting. He quickly put that rumor to rest, saying that he was not the Christ. “Well,” the people asked, “if you aren’t the Messiah, are you Elijah? Elijah was expected to return to announce the coming of the Christ. As a matter of fact, the Jewish people are still looking for Elijah’s return. They set a place for him at their Seder tables and hope that he will come soon. It was natural for them to think that perhaps John the Baptist was Elijah. John said, “No.”
If John wasn’t the Christ and he wasn’t Elijah, then perhaps he was the Prophet. In this case they were referring to the prophet described in Deuteronomy 18:15, “Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.” John emphatically denied being this Prophet, too.
It is interesting that Jesus refers to John the Baptist as Elijah in Matthew’s gospel. He also fulfilled the description of the Prophet in Deuteronomy. John wasn’t being unduly humble by denying that he is either Elijah or the Prophet. Instead, John denied identification with those promises because he knew that the work of God’s kingdom that he has been sent to do has nothing to do with him. If he accepted the role of Elijah or the Prophet, the people would put too much authority and power into his hands, authority and power that was not his to have. He denied those roles because it was never about him. It was always about Jesus.
John’s task, besides preaching, was to baptize the people for the remittance of sin. The priests and Levites were offended by his boldness. Who was John to baptize? John answered that his baptism was nothing. “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.” The baptism to come would be far greater than anything John could do. Even now, though, John warned them that they would not even recognize the Messiah. The Messiah was in their midst. He was standing with them on that shore, and they did not know it.
John the Baptist knew that he was unworthy of the task to which he had been called. He did not want anyone to give him credit he was not due or a title which was not his. I wonder how often we get lost in despair and disappointment because we have tried to be something we are not. We see it at Christmastime as we struggle to do everything and be everything to everyone. In the midst of all the busyness of the holidays, we forget the reason we are doing it all.
Last week the message we received from John was a call to repentance, a reminder that we are nothing but grass. We will wither and die. This week we receive another message: a call to joy. It is not the kind of joy we seek by exchanging presents. It is the joy that comes from knowing the presence of Christ always. This is a joy that should be shared and so we are called, like John the Baptist, to share the light of Christ with the world. Jesus is the best gift we can give to anyone, not only during the Christmas season, but throughout the year.
When we read the words of Paul to the Thessalonians, it seems like impossible expectations to which we’ve been called. Yet, we are reminded of John the Baptist who was given the most extraordinary task of paving the way for Christ the Lord. Were the people ready? Too many came looking for baptism without truly understanding what Jesus was coming to do. They were ready to lift up John to be something he wasn’t. When Jesus came, they did the same to Him, expecting an earthly king rather than an eternal Savior. We are like John, sent to share the light of Christ. We are reminded in this text that we are not the light. We are simply sent to bear witness to the light. We are to trust that God is in control, and live with that attitude through the good and the bad.
Paul may ask too much of us, but he wrote about the life we are meant to live in faith. It is hard to be joyful when our world seems so out of control, but Christmas reminds us that we can rejoice, pray, give thanks, listen, accept, grasp, and abstain from evil. It is not about us. It is never about us, but it is about God. We are going to fail. We are going to get too caught up in the commercial aspects of Christmas, buying gifts for all the wrong reasons, but God is faithful, and He will use our gifts to His glory despite our failure to live up to the purpose for which we have been created and called.
December 14, 2023
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.’ Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,’ which is, being interpreted, ‘God with us.’ Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.” Matthew 1:18-25,WEB
A statue of Jesus was found in the Rio Grande River in 2004. No one knew how it got there; they did not know the proper owners. It was relatively unscathed, only a few scratches from its trip on the river. It was found on a small island in the middle of the river, witnesses first thought it was a man. When they picked it up, the police from Eagle Pass, Texas did not know what to do with it. At first they wanted to just get rid of it, but realized they needed to keep it for a while to give the rightful owners a chance to get it. No one came to claim the statue and the police had to get it out of their evidence room; their station had become a pilgrimage site for thousands of people who thought finding this statue was a miracle, a reminder from God that He was with His people. They gave it to the local Catholic Diocese which is going to share it among its parishes. It became a symbol of hope for the displaced and immigrant.
The police did not just want to give it away because they knew it must have an owner. They searched the region, put out news bulletins and contacted many churches in the hopes that they would find someone who recognized the statue. They had no luck in their search, so took responsibility for it, giving it to the ones who they thought would take the best care of it.
Imagine what it must have been like for Joseph. He was preparing to marry a young girl named Mary when he discovered something disturbing. He probably paid a dowry to her family, having given them money or perhaps even carpentry work in exchange for her hand. Then he found out she was pregnant.
It is easy to read this passage and think that Joseph is somewhat of a cad for wanting to abandon poor Mary in her state. How could he think that divorcing her quietly would be the best thing for her? Yet, the baby that Mary was carrying was the child of another man. Joseph did not want to usurp the rights of the father by giving the child his name. He was releasing Mary, not because he did not want her but because he felt it was right to give the other man the opportunity to have Mary and the child. He wanted to do this quietly so that he would not hurt Mary in any way. It was the most righteous option for Joseph in their society.
The angel of God cleared up the confusion and told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus as his own. By naming the child, Jesus became Joseph’s legal son and responsibility. There was no other earthly father whose rights needed to be considered, for the child came through a miracle of God. Joseph quickly obeyed the word of God that came to him in that dream, and he saw prophecy fulfilled in his own home as the Son of God was born to his own wife.
December 15, 2023
“[Jesus] went around the villages teaching. He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse, but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!’ They went out and preached that people should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them.” Mark 6:6b-13, WEB
I was part of a mentoring program when we lived in Arkansas. Each volunteer was asked to give one hour a week to spend time with a child and be his or her friend. The adult and child could talk, play games, read, or eat lunch together. During the year, I helped my child put together special projects. Some mentors followed their children for their entire school career. I spent several years with my mentee, and even followed her to a new school. Unfortunately, I moved to Texas and lost touch with her. Mentors give the children some extra support to help them succeed, I always hoped I had some impact on my girl’s life.
Throughout history, the greatest Christian leaders had adults who guided their faith and ministry. St. Augustine would not even be a Christian if it had not been for his mother’s support. She prayed for him for years, until he finally turned from his wicked ways and was converted. Peter Boehler was a Moravian who showed John Wesley how to have a personal, restful trust in God.
English preachers rejected the work that was being done by men like Martin Luther early in the Reformation. Hugh Latimer was one of the most vocal teachers who attacked him. A scholar from Cambridge University named Thomas Bilney understood the work of the reformers and prayed that God would use him to lead Latimer to better understanding. Bilney himself had come to understand the truth of the Gospel by one line of scripture, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15b) One day after listening to Latimer rant about the Reformation, Bilney took him aside and shared that verse. From that moment, Hugh Latimer led the English into the Reformation with a simple faith in Christ.
We all have a person or people in our lives who have helped lead us in our lives of faith. It may be a parent, pastor, teacher, or friend. These people helped guide our walk with Christ by sharing their faith and understanding. It is because of their encouragement and love that we can do the work God has called us to do. Every Christian is a disciple, born anew to live in Christ and share His Gospel with the world. We could not do it without the help of those who came before.
The disciples had the greatest mentor, our Lord Jesus Christ. They were the first to then go and share the message of Christ with the world, encouraging other Christians and teaching them to live according to the Word of God. In the two thousand years since Jesus Christ walked on the earth, millions of people have been led to a life in Christ by disciples such as Augustine’s mother, Peter Boehler, or Thomas Bilney.
Who will you mentor into a life of discipleship today? Will it be your child, a neighbor, or a friend? Will you help a preacher who rants against the truth of the Gospel find a simple faith in Christ? Jesus gave his disciples all they needed, the faith to go out and do His work. He does the same for us, touching us through the lives of those who came before so that we will go out and continue to share the Gospel. He then touches others through our lives, passing the faith from generation to generation.
The mentoring program at school was established so adults could touch the lives of the children who need some extra guidance and love. The mentors did not need any special talents; they simply needed to care about the child. The same is true of Christian mentors. It doesn’t take years of training to share your faith and encourage discipleship in another. It takes only faith in Christ.
December 18, 2023
“Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved. Yahweh is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is Holy! The King’s strength also loves justice. You establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy! Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who call on his name. They called on Yahweh, and he answered them. He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them. You answered them, Yahweh our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings. Exalt Yahweh, our God. Worship at his holy hill, for Yahweh, our God, is holy!" Psalm 99, WEB
Have you ever really considered the amount of knowledge that can be found in one library? My own bookshelves are covered with hundreds of books, from children’s stories to novels to reference materials. I have books about Christmas, faith, health, history and language. I can’t even count the number of books about prayer or the books I haven’t even read yet. Even though I have started reading many of my books on an e-reader, I still have a pile of books I intend to read soon. Somehow the pile just gets bigger.
I have a general idea of what is available in my library. If someone asked to borrow a book about grace, I know which ones would be good for them to read. If I’m looking for a poem or a certain person’s perspective, I can find it if I have it. However, I can’t imagine ever knowing everything that is available in every book in my library. Magnify it by thousands and you have a public library. I just look at the law section and find the whole thing daunting. Can anyone ever really know everything in those books?
It is even worse when you consider knowledge of God. A.W. Tozer, in his book “The Knowledge of the Holy” wrote, “Neither the writer nor the reader of these words is qualified to appreciate the holiness of God. Quite literally a new channel must be cut through the desert of our minds to allow the sweet waters of truth that will heal our great sickness to flow in. We cannot grasp the true meaning of the divine holiness by thinking of someone or something very pure and then raising the concept to the highest degree we are capable of. God’s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it. He may fear God’s power and admire his wisdom, but his holiness he cannot even imagine.”
No one can know everything in every book ever written. It would be impossible for anyone to even read every book, let alone remember all the details. A librarian would have more knowledge than most people. At least she or he would know where to find a book on the subject. She might even be able to suggest the right book. The volumes found in a law library would be overwhelming to someone who has not studied law. Even the lawyers do not know everything found in those books. The best they can do is know where they might find the information we need.
The same is true when it comes to the holiness of God. We can study God, know the history of His people, learn, and follow His law. We can try to live according to His wisdom and His love. However, there is no way we can possibly even imagine the holiness of God. His ways, His thoughts, His purposes are higher than human flesh can attain. The best we can do is to know Jesus Christ, and in Him we see the holiness in flesh and through Him we have a glimpse of what we will one day know in eternity.
December 19, 2023
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him - a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, WEB
There is a commercial that shows three elderly women sitting on a bench at a snowy play area. The children were sledding down a hill; the area was filled with joy and laughter. One of the women looked over at her friends, and you can almost see a lightbulb pop up over head as she got a twinkle in her eye. The scene switches to her home where there’s a box waiting. She delivers the box to her friends, who are surprised and uncertain about what she has done. There are three cushions, confusing her friends. She gives a “come hither” look and leads them to the top of the hill. They put their cushions on sleds, and then careen down the hill just like they might have done when they were children. The smiles on their faces told the story: sharing a moment of youthful exuberance lifted their spirits and gave them all joy.
I once saw a photograph taken in the mountains. The photo was taken from the bottom of a cliff, large chunks of the hill had fallen, and the weather had eroded the rocks. There were trees at the top of the hill, some of which appeared to be hanging by a few roots with other roots hanging over the edge. One very large, very old tree seemed to be balancing on a rock, ready to fall during the next heavy rain; it did not appear to have solid ground below it. The forest floor reached to the very edge of the cliff, the trees were surrounded by brush and bushes. The large tree was also very near other trees, so close that the roots were tangled together. The roots of the other trees probably held that large old tree to the hilltop.
I have reached the age when many of my friends are dealing with some difficult situations. Spouses have died, medical diagnosis were not good. Jobs are unpredictable, but finances rarely allow change. Several friends are suffering the grief of losing a parent. I’m sure we all have friends who are dealing with something tough. Sometimes our friends want to deal with their troubles on their own. They don’t want to burden anyone with their stresses and frustrations. I have to admit that I tend to be like that. We don’t want to face the embarrassment of the bad things that are happening in our lives. We think we can deal with it on our own. We put on a brave face, suggesting to the world that everything is fine.
I can imagine the troubles those three women were facing in their old age. They probably have lost their spouses. They may have to deal with health issues. Many elderly women are on limited income. They may have to make life-changing decisions about where to live and what to do. The one woman realized that they all needed a moment away from the stresses and frustrations of their lives. She did what she could to give them that moment of joy so that they could face tomorrow with lifted spirits. The community of their friendship made things a little brighter for them all.
We can all attest to the reality of what a good, strong community can do in the midst of a difficult time. Which one of us hasn’t said, “She has such a good support,” at the funeral of an elderly woman’s husband? Who hasn’t said, “I don t know how I would have gotten through this without my church?” We talk about how much easier something is with faith. It isn’t easier to deal with these things alone. We are better off when we reach out to those who love us, because they will keep us from falling over the cliff when it seems like there is nothing to keep us up. They may even find ways to give us moments of joy just when we need them.
At times of trouble, we are like that tree, hanging over the edge. The only thing keeping us from falling off the cliff are those around us. We need to keep hold to our neighbors, to wrap our roots around theirs. Even the small brush and bushes help to hold us up. We need one another. We are stronger when we can rely on others. We might think we can handle it alone, and perhaps we can, but we’ll find that the strength which comes from our friends and neighbors makes the burden lighter. We don’t have to hold on with such ferocity that we get too exhausted to hold on. We need each other, just like that tree needs the rest of the forest to survive. We need to share each other’s burdens so that we can smile in the midst of our troubles.
December 20, 2023
Lectionary Scriptures for December 24, 2023, Fourth Sunday of Advent: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Psalm 89:1-5 [19-26]; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38
“For nothing spoken by God is impossible.” Luke 1:37, WEB
I used to enjoy watching a show called “Cash in the Attic.” It was an unscripted show that followed a family as they searched through their home to find objects to sell to earn money for a special family project. One family wanted to have a party, another wished to purchase some goats, another wanted to renovate an ancient bathroom.
On one episode, the woman had been a servant at Sandringham, which is a lovely country home where the British royal family spends Christmas. The host of the show asked the woman about her work and if she had any special experiences with the royal family. She told a story about a moment with Prince William when he was just a child. She thought no one could see her while she played peek-a-boo with William. Suddenly she realized that someone was watching over her shoulder. She turned around to see Prince [King] Charles. He was very gracious as she curtsied and greeted him. It was a memorable moment for her, and the story reminds us that despite their extraordinary position in the world they are ordinary people.
We look at Prince William now and it is hard for us to imagine that he was ever a little boy who liked to pay peek-a-boo with the household servants; even his son is becoming a handsome young man. William has been trained to be a man of power and authority. He is certainly charming with his own children, but he’s in a position that requires a certain demeaner, especially in public. He will likely one day wear the crown and sit on the throne, not unlike the crown and throne of David.
When we think of David, we think about his power and authority. He was the ruler of Israel during a golden age when they were a strong, independent nation, but it didn’t come easy. The obstacles of establishing a strong and independent kingdom were overcome by God’s hand. Under David’s care Israel established her place in the world, laying down roots in the Promised Land. David is among the greatest of biblical characters, placed on a pedestal by numerous faith traditions, but David was an ordinary shepherd when God called him to serve. He was the youngest son; there was nothing exceptional about him. His story reminds us that God does not see His people from a human point of view. He knows hearts and He gives gifts according to His purpose.
In today’s Old Testament lesson, Israel had a city in which to live, and their king had a palace. Roots were planted and they were settling into their new life. David was greatly blessed, and since he was a man who sought after God’s heart, it was natural for him to want to give God an offering of thanksgiving and praise. For David, whose life had been characterized by upheaval, the security of a permanent place was the most logical gift. David finally had a home thanks to God, so he thought God deserved a home, too.
David’s heart was in the right place, but he was thinking like a man. God sent Nathan to show him how His kingdom works. It is not for David to provide a home for God. God does not need a home. He commanded the tent which traveled with the people, and when the time was right, He would command the building of a permanent structure. But the timing had to be according to God’s plan. And the design would be according to His purpose. David could not choose to build God a house. Instead, God promised to build a house for David.
Our natural inclination is to do something. When someone is sick, we ask what we can do to help. When someone is going through a tough time, we want to be there for them and offer our resources to get them through. When we face a time of struggle, we want to do something to get out from under the struggle. Even when things are good, we have to find something to do. We are blessed to be a blessing, so when we feel blessed, we strive to find a way to be a blessing. The trouble is, we often decide to do something for the sake of doing it, instead of waiting to discover what God intends for us.
David rightly wanted to do something to bless God. How could a temple be a bad thing? It would be a place where God’s people could gather and give Him honor and glory. God obviously was not against a temple because He eventually gave the responsibility to build it to David’s son Solomon. David could even collect the materials that would be necessary. Yet, God refused to allow David to do the work. God asked, “Did I ever ask you for a house?” He didn’t need four solid walls because He stayed among His people wherever they went. He led them through the wilderness into the Promised Land. He would allow the Temple to be built one day, but for this day God wanted David to see that the promise of a house is His to give. God would build David’s house and Kingdom. Out of David’s seed would come a kingdom that will never end, a throne that will last forever.
The establishment of God’s Kingdom was never up to any human. The kings of history and today might have power and authority, but they are ordinary people just like you and I. God is our guide, our true King. He is the one to whom we should turn when trying to discover our mission and ministry in the world. I know this is impossible. If you ask a hundred people in a congregation about their mission and purpose, you’ll get a hundred different answers. But the reason we come up with so many answers is because we are asking the wrong question. We ask, “What should we do?” when we should ask, “What is God doing?” We try to build a temple when God is telling us to wait. When want to build a place where we can put God when He wants to build us into a place where He can dwell.
We are not very good at listening. How can we know for sure that what we are planning is, or is not, God’s will? Nathan didn’t know and at first gave David permission to build the Temple. How do you trust one another when one is sure that they have heard God’s voice, and another hears something completely different? How do you decide as a body to go one way when all the bodies think they have heard different directions? Our uncertainty makes us struggle with one another. This is why the question should never be, “What should we do?” It isn’t about what we do, but what God does among us. The response we make to God’s grace is not something that is decided by a committee at a meeting, but naturally flows by faith. Only by God’s grace can we do anything at all. If we are to truly be a blessing, individually and corporately, we need to see what God is doing in our lives and follow Him. Then we will see God accomplishing His work through us.
There may be a few churches that are growing and successful, but it seems to me that most churches are struggling in some way. The pews are less full than they were a few years ago, the bills are harder to pay. Too many churches have had to close. People are struggling so they have less to give to the church. The church is not immune to the political differences found in the secular world. The issues might be great or small, but they are there. Now, perhaps it is not worse today than always; after all, conflict has been a part of the Church since the beginning. Yet, in some ways it seems like we just don’t have the strength to fight the burdens and obstacles that are inside and outside our walls.
We are even finding it difficult to define our mission in the world. The neighborhoods around us are changing, and we have to realize that what we did a few years ago might not continue to be the work we should be doing today. It is easier to see in our own individual lives because we recognize that as we grow we have to change with our circumstances. I’ve been a mom for a long time, but now that my children are grown, I have different work to do.
God puts us in circumstances that help us define the work we are to do. Suppose you have a hundred dollars to share. You sit down and make a list of all the charities that could use that hundred dollars and then consciously decide which one deserves it more. In the meantime, you discover your neighbor just lost his job and doesn’t have enough to buy groceries for the week. Charities are certainly wonderful ways to share our blessings; helping those organizations is good stewardship of our money. But we have to ask ourselves, are we open to the possibility that God is inviting us to use this blessing to do a kindness for our neighbor? Where is God working? What is God doing? What is God calling us to do?
Mary certainly didn’t ask for her blessing. Mary was an ordinary woman, not even a woman. She was little more than a child when the angel spoke to her. She was given the most extraordinary purpose: to bring the Savior into the world. This was indeed a blessing. As a matter of fact, Elizabeth said the same. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” What if Mary had been like Sarah and Abraham who tried to fulfill God’s promise by their own works?
The same can be true with the Church, especially if we define ourselves by the work we do. But perhaps that’s the problem. We invite people into our fellowship by using the programs and ministries as a draw. “My church has a great choir, come and hear them sing.” Or, “We are having our annual soup supper, come enjoy some homemade soup and stay for worship.” We “sell” our church based on the good works we do around town, or the preschool where we help the neighborhood children grow in knowledge and in faith. These are all good; they are excellent ways to share our gifts and reach out to the community. But they will never build the kingdom of God. Perhaps a family or two will become members because of the good things we do, but we will never be truly faithful if we think that we can build a house for God; we have to understand that God builds the house for us. He blesses us to be a blessing, but His blessing comes first.
The word “bless” is interesting. We think of people who are financially well off as blessed, but that is not always true. I’m not even sure we can count on happiness being equated with blessedness, although it is much closer. Blessedness is much holier than we make it out to be in our common language. As a matter of fact, as I researched the word, I discovered that the Middle English root from which it comes actually means “to consecrate with blood.”
Someone once told me that “to bless” means “to speak well of.” It can also have something to do with the bestowal of divine favor and good things. God blesses us. This we know is true. Now, if we think of blessing in terms of worldly goods or happiness, then there need not be any shedding of blood or divine action. But the lasting blessing comes at great cost. The lasting blessing is God’s favor upon us. It is God’s eternal gift of life through His Son, the son He brought through Mary. The Son that was born to die.
Mary willingly accepted the Lord’s Word and received His promise. She didn’t run off trying to make the promise happen. The point of this example is so that we’ll realize how often we jump into work for the sake of doing something rather than waiting expectantly for God to do His Work in us. We jump into a ministry because it sounds good, but we do not see what God is really working in us. Even worse, we hang onto ministries that are no longer viable because we aren’t willing to see where God is moving us. We want to build that temple and keep God in one place because is it so much easier for us to do what we want.
Yes, I know. I feel useless when I’m not doing something. I feel lazy and selfish because I’m not using my gifts at every opportunity. I feel like the possibilities are passing me by. I am worried that I’m missing something important. But I have learned that sometimes we miss the real work God has ordained for us because we are so busy doing the work that we think we are supposed to be doing. David had other work to do, so God put a stop on the work he wanted to do so that he could focus on the work he was meant to do. Mary accepted God’s will even though it did not fit the expectations she had for her life. It must have seemed like an impossible task for a young girl in a small town in ancient Israel.
Now to Him who is able... nothing is impossible. These two phrases are found separately in today’s lectionary; the first part is from Romans, the second from the Gospel. Yet, they seem to go together. Paul told the Romans that God was able to save them by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the angel told Mary that the impossible news she just heard was possible because it came from God. He is able to do the impossible.
There is so much about Christmas that is hard to believe, none more so than the Virgin birth. How is it that God would use a young girl as a vessel for the salvation of the world? How could God select her to bear the flesh of the Savior? God’s ways are higher and greater than our ways; it is beyond our scope to fully understand His purpose and His plan. One of the most incredible things about Christmas is that it is miraculous, a time to believe in what cannot be. The Savior Immanuel, God with us, was born in Bethlehem. No wonder it is such a time of joy.
Yet, there are many that want to explain away the miraculous. They give science more credence than the Word of God. They diminish the impossible by making it possible through natural means. Take, for instance, the crossing of the Red Sea; some have suggested scientific explanations for the parting of the water such as an earthquake or the tides. They refuse to accept that it was God who made it happen, but also refuse to consider the fact that it happened at exactly the right moment, that the ground was dry enough for carts and that it ended at exactly the right moment to destroy Pharaoh’s army.
Christmas is no different. What was that star that led the wise men? Was it a comet or some other astronomical body? Was Mary a virgin, or does the language indicate something very different? We don’t like mysteries because we have so much more scientific knowledge. We have sent rockets into space to take pictures of the heavens; we can see the universe in ways that the people of Jesus’ day could not even imagine. As for the birth of Jesus, we know a virgin birth is impossible. Even Mary knew that human reproduction required sex because she asked, “How can this be?” She wanted to know how God would prevail over nature.
The angel Gabriel gave her an answer, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.” This is not an answer that a modern intellectual will accept; after all there is really no explanation, but Mary didn’t need that kind of answer. She accepted the word of the angel and willingly submitted herself to God. It was enough for her to believe.
Is it enough for us today? Are we willing to accept the Word we’ve been given through the scriptures by those who lived the stories and heard the promises with their own ears? Even the scriptures have been doubted and explained away by those who try to make it say what they want it to say. Surely Mary could not have been a virgin, science tells us that, so some twist the language of the scriptures to say she was simply a young girl and reject the miraculous story of the virgin birth.
I don’t reject science. After all, there are so many incredible things that we can do because of the scientific advancements that humanity has achieved. Perhaps we’ve gone too far with some things; we have tried to play God. However, don’t we all enjoy the technological and medical advancements that have made life easier and longer for us? I also don’t reject modern scholarship and the advancements that have been made in biblical understanding. Language changes, new information is discovered, we learn to see the ancient world through a more powerful lens. In many cases, these new points of view have helped to clear what were once confusing and misunderstood biblical texts.
However, too many times we use new knowledge in both science and religion to take way the mystery that is God. We want rational answers to our questions, and quite frankly the whole idea of God is anything but rational when compared to the reality of the world in which we live. This is why it is so easy for non-believers to suggest that God is nothing but a myth, a crutch made up by weak people. If we can’t prove it with physical or logical means, then it must not exist. It was ok for people two thousand years ago to believe in angels, they didn’t have the knowledge we have, but now we should not continue to believe in fairy tales.
Our knowledge of the world has certainly changed over the last two thousand years, but God has not changed. While we can now understand Him in new and wonderful ways, He is the same God who sent an angel to Mary to announce that she was the favored one. Mary had enough knowledge to ask “How can this be?” but when the angel answered she submitted willingly to the impossible.
He who is able can do the impossible.
God can do the impossible, and it is ok that we don’t always understand. Christmas is a magical time of year. I think, sometimes, that it is easier for us to believe in Santa Claus and flying reindeer than in the story that the King of glory was born to a virgin and laid in a lowly manger. We allow a little mystery in the arrival of our Christmas presents, but we refuse to allow any mystery in our faith. It is an upside-down world, isn’t it?
Sadly, sometimes even the magic of Christmas is lost because the burdens we bear are just too hard. We can’t be joyful because we are hurt or angry or lonely. We can’t be generous because we have nothing to give. We can’t believe in anything because science and rational thought make faith impossible. There is no Santa Claus, there is no God, there is nothing to believe in. Bah Humbug. This is what happens to those who demand proof of the miraculous; it is impossible, so they refuse to believe.
Advent has always been a time of reflection as we wait the coming of the Christ. It was a time of penitence during the ancient days of the church, ending with baptism at Christmas. It is natural to wonder about our purpose as we think about how we have failed. What is God calling us to do? What does He want us to accomplish as we wait? We never expect it to be extraordinary because we are ordinary people. It is God’s work, not ours, that makes the miracles in this world. It takes faith to walk in this reality. We have to believe that He is able to do the impossible and allow Him to do miraculous things in, with, and through our lives.
Gospel of Jesus Christ is a mystery. Paul knew that God was working miracles in people who were not of Israel. He saw Gentiles being moved by the Holy Spirit into faith, active faith. It wasn’t just a confession of the mouth, but it was a movement of spirit and flesh that was changing the world. One person’s testimony led to a community gathering together to praise God. That praise was testimony for others who joined along in the song. The scriptures tell us that hundreds, even thousands, came to believe just on the word of one or two witnesses. This seems impossible to us, especially when we see our churches falling apart around us. They had seemingly unsurmountable obstacles, just like us. Yet, God is able to do this thing.
We don’t need to use the things of the world to convince the world that God exists. God simply asks us to believe and willingly accept whatever He is doing in our lives. We can trust that He will use us for His purpose. We won’t bear the baby Jesus as Mary, but we can have the same faith and be witnesses that take Him to the world in faith. We bear His Gospel and share His grace so that others will believe.
This is the last Sunday in Advent; Christmas is just days away. The children are getting excited about Santa and families are anxious for reunions. Trees are decorated, presents are wrapped, and cookies are baked. The magic of Christmas is making even the humbugs smile. We might argue about the value of those secular Christmas traditions, but in the stories we see a parallel to the faith of Mary. Children believe in the magic of Christmas without proof. Children have the most passionate and precious faith, both in Santa and in Jesus. They are our model for living faith because they do not doubt, they simply believe. Mary was little more than a child when she was faced with the most impossible truths, but she believed. She believed that He who is able will do the impossible.
May we all believe in the impossible Christmas story with such faith and praise God for His blessing for He makes the most incredible things possible.
December 21, 2023
“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.” Matthew 10:40-42, WEB
One of my pet peeves is that some people refuse to push their shopping cart to the cart corral, leaving it loose in the parking lot to inconvenience other customers and perhaps even damage cars. I am not quite as bothered by those left near the handicap spaces. There are two reasons why it doesn’t bother me. Those who use those spots often use the carts for support, and the walk from the cart corral after putting it away is nearly impossible without it. Also, those carts left nearby make it easier for the next customers who need the cart to get around. A scooter is not necessary for all those who have disabilities but shopping with a walker can be difficult; sometimes the support of a cart is enough to give the customer a bit of independence.
I was leaving a store the other day when I saw a woman getting out of a car that was parked in a handicap spot. She was looking around hopefully for a cart, but there were none to be found. I hadn’t bought very much that day, so could carry my bags without the cart. I offered it to her. “I didn’t want to have to get my walker out of the car. You are an angel.” I didn’t think I was an angel, but I could tell she needed help, and I was glad to be of service. Sometimes the littlest things make the biggest difference to our neighbor.
Donuts were invented during the First World War by Salvation Army volunteers who set up tents near the battlefields to help and encourage the soldiers. They were there to offer spiritual aid and comfort, but they also provided the soldiers with coffee and donuts. It was difficult to make enough cakes and pies to satisfy the sweet tooth of so many men. It was much easier, however, to deep fry dough and cover it in sugar. These donuts could be quickly made and served with coffee as the men enjoyed a brief respite from their task. They were also easy to eat. The soldiers then brought the idea of the donut home when they returned from the war, and now there are donut shops all over our cities. The donut huts returned to Europe during the Second World War.
We might think that something as simple as a donut can have no real impact on the world, but it is amazing how the little things can change an attitude, brighten a day, encourage a person, and even save a life. Like a simple gesture at the store or a donut on the battlefield, the glass of water in today’s text can make a very real difference. It seems like nothing; after all, for most of us water is readily available. But we all know how satisfying a cold glass of ice water can be on a hot day, and a glass of water can be lifesaving for someone who is dehydrated.
Christmas is in just a few days, and everyone is getting ready for the big celebration. Wrapped packages are finding their way under Christmas trees. Some of those gifts are big, not necessarily in size but in value and meaning. These days are also sometimes hectic and frustrating. The hot items that will fulfill wish lists are no longer available. The lines are long, the cashiers tired, and it is impossible to shop for some people. We always want to do the big thing, but it isn’t always practical or possible. We are reminded, however, that Jesus taught that the little thing can make a big difference. Today as you are out in the hustle and bustle of the season doing your last-minute tasks, watch for the opportunity to do something for someone.
Does that man in a scooter need something on the shelf they can’t reach? Did someone’s Christmas decoration fall over in the wind? Does that waitress or cashier need a kind word? Does your spouse or your child need a treat? Take the shopping cart that is left in the lot, even though the person who left it wasn’t being very kind. You’ll help an overworked employee and perhaps save someone’s car from damage. We want to do the big thing, and I confess I’m excited to see what wonderful surprises I’ll find under the Christmas tree, but do the small things, too. You may never see the person who benefits, but Jesus promises that it will make a difference.
December 22, 2023
“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!” Psalm 66:16-20, WEB
I don’t know about you, but caller ID has changed the way I deal with phone calls. I visited my sister a couple decades ago, early in the days of caller ID. She looked at the phone when it rang and walked away. I didn’t have it yet, so I couldn’t understand how she could let it go. “Don’t you want to know what it is about?” I asked. She told me it was probably a credit card company or some other spam. Within a few years, with caller ID on my own phones, I ignored those calls, too. I used to look up the number on the Internet to see if it was something I should deal with, but I’ve since decided that if it is important enough, they will leave a message. It is never important enough.
I looked up a number once and it turned out to be an excellent decision to ignore it. I found a site with multiple people who reported negative experiences with that caller. It was from a company that scams people out of their money with their credit cards. They claim to help, but in the end they end up stealing everything that is on the card. Another call was from a company that was known for an IRS scam. It is a good thing that I didn’t answer the phone those times, right?
I wasn’t always so lucky to find good information about the phone numbers on my caller ID. Many of these companies have learned how to use false numbers. One even called me with my own number! They use local numbers, expecting people to pick up even if they don’t recognize the number thinking that it might be a friend. They want to gain your trust because they can’t get anything out of you if you don’t answer the phone.
Unfortunately, I have become very skeptical about every phone call and that makes me sad. We want to live in a world where we can trust everyone, but we know we can’t. We want to be able to be generous when someone asks for help, but too many of those asking are looking for a way to scam us. I have gotten emails over the years from people claiming that they have chosen my ministry to be the recipient of a large sum of money. It is usually the widow of a high-ranking man in a foreign government. The money is hidden in an American bank and all I have to do is help her get the money and she’ll give me a extraordinary finder’s fee. She writes that she trusts me because I’m a Christian and she knows I’ll do great things with the money.
The process for receiving the money includes revealing personal information like social security numbers and bank accounts. The information is necessary to work through the paperwork. Unfortunately for those who fall for the scam, the information gives crooks access to your private accounts which they empty before you even realize there’s a problem. In the end you get nothing, and you lose what you had.
I often wonder who would fall for one of these schemes, but it is usually someone who is in a desperate straight, like elderly people with mental deficiencies or people who are so financially strapped. They believe anything that might help so are the ones who fall into the trap. Unfortunately, they are also the ones who least can afford to be fooled. Scammers have existed in every time and place. We live in a world that has been filled with sinners from the beginning of time. Most of our sin isn’t damaging to innocent people, but we are mistaken if we think we are better than those who try to steal from the elderly and desperate. Our sins, no matter how small, hurt the God who created us.
God knew that we’d fail from the very beginning. He knew that we’d need to be set free from our selfishness. He knew that we’d need a Savior. He planned for Jesus the day when Adam and Eve did not believe His Word in the Garden of Eden. Throughout history, God’s people fell away from Him, following their own hearts and seeking their own desires, but God never gave up on them. Just when it seemed like it was too late, God reminded them of His promise for a Savior. Over and over again they fell away and over and over again God gave them hope. On that first Christmas when Jesus was born, God fulfilled the promise of hope.
We still sin and will sin until the day we fully receive the eternal promise that Jesus won for us. We aren’t better than those who scam their neighbors. We need Jesus just like those who still follow their own selfish desires by taking advantage of the vulnerable. They have not been transformed by the love and grace of God. While we continue to sin, we are being transformed by God’s Holy Spirit to be the people we were created to be. God calls those of us who have faith to live our faith in ways that will change lives and the world. We must take care of those who can’t take care of themselves, but we must also share the love and grace of God with those who need the transforming love and grace of Jesus Christ. God loves us that He did everything to save us, and He calls us to share the Good News of His grace with others.
December 25, 2023
“He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:1-5, WEB
We celebrate the most extraordinary event at Christmas: our Lord Jesus was born. During this season, we have parties, give gifts, and share the message of hope and love that He brought. At times, our holiday celebrations don’t look very much like a religious experience. We drink in excess and spend too much on presents out of duty rather than love. It is a time when many people face depression and anger. Families argue over trivial matters. Divorce is rampant. What should be a time of worshipping God becomes a time when our human failures are most pronounced.
Jesus does that to us. We see the reality of our sin when we have a relationship with Jesus. We see that we are sinners in need of the Savior and humble ourselves before the throne of mercy and grace asking God to forgive our sins and make us new again. Jesus was born for so much more than just a day or season to celebrate.
In that stable two thousand years ago, a baby was born who would show us the truth. The truth is that we are focused on self when we should be worshipping God. The truth is our human nature is imperfect and that we will die because of our sin. However, that baby was more than just a good example or teacher. Jesus Christ was born the perfect Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Throughout His life, He taught us how to live. At the end, however, He knew we could never live according to God’s will. In the stable, Jesus humbled Himself and became man. At the cross, Jesus Christ humbled Himself even more by dying for us.
We rejoice this Christmas in the birth of our Savior. We should always remember, however, that it is in His death and resurrection that we find the true hope of His life and see the fulfillment of all God’s promises. We linger a moment over the infant Jesus in the manger each Christmas, singing a few carols and spending time with those we love. We even spend time this season sharing the joy of God’s gift with the world, but often turn around and act in ways that are not worthy before our Lord. But for just a moment this Christmas remember the man who died on the cross for your sins. Our future hope came wrapped in swaddling clothes and He is worthy of our worship.
December 26, 2023
“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you; and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, WEB
“Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen when the snow lay round about deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night though the frost was cruel when a poor man came in sight gath’ring winter fuel.” This Christmas carol was first published in 1853. The words were written by J M Neale, though the music is from an earlier time. It is often sung on December 26th, which is known as St. Stephens Day. The song tells the story of the king gathering good things to give to the poor man he saw out his window that night. His servant was concerned about the harsh weather, but the king told him to follow closely in his footsteps. “In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted; heat was in the very sod which the Saint had printed.” The servant found comfort following in his master’s footprints.
Christmas is over; all that is left is the clean-up. The presents are unwrapped and put away. The leftovers are in the refrigerator. The decorations are a bit worse for the wear; the outside lights have been blown about; the tree is beginning to drop a few needles. There is no more shopping to do, presents to be wrapped, or parties to attend. Though many people will have the week off and New Year’s Eve is soon, the world is ready to pack away Christmas for another year.
In England December 26th is a holiday called Boxing Day. We often joke that “boxing day” is the day when we box up all our decorations and put our little corner of the world back to normal, but the Boxing Day tradition goes back about eight hundred years; it was a time when the alms boxes located in churches were opened to distribute the gifts to the poor. It has also been traditional for the large landowners to give their servants the day off to spend with their families, with gifts of food from the family’s Christmas dinner to share. Boxing Day is what we hear about in the favorite Christmas carol quoted in the first paragraph. For Christians, however, Christmas has just begun. When everything is put away, the world will not even remember that a baby was born. For us, Christmas is not the end result; the story has only just begun. Today is St. Stephen’s Day, the first of several special feast days following the Nativity of Jesus.
Stephen was the first Christian martyr and is remembered for his acts of kindness and caring for the widows of the early church. He was one of the seven chosen to take care of the charitable responsibilities of the church in Acts 6, and he was stoned because he was boldly vocal about the Jewish leaders’ unfaithfulness to the God they claimed to worship. “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who announced the coming of the Righteous One. Now you have betrayed and murdered him,” said Stephen.
Unfortunately, the spirit of Christmas is a fleeting feeling. We were very generous in the days leading up to Christmas, but our pockets are feeling much thinner today. The joy of the holidays is overcome by the concerns of the world. The generosity of the season is bound up by credit card debt. Those who were faithful to attend worship services will take a break until Easter because they did their duty through December. Even many Christians have had enough of Jesus for the moment. He is a reason to celebrate in December but that is the extent of their faith. They try to put Jesus in a box like the Christmas decorations, but He shouldn’t be forgotten now that the season is over.
The baby born on Christmas calls us to a life like that of Stephen. His gracious generosity and faithful service made life better for many in his world. He not only met their physical needs; he met their spiritual needs by sharing the Gospel. He also pointed out the failure of those who claimed to be worshipping God but were focusing on their own power and position. It was a risky venture to follow Jesus; in the end he was stoned. The servant to Good King Wenceslas risked frostbite and death following his master into the woods. Yet, we are reminded that the Master does not call us to His work without providing everything we need. We might suffer, but in following His footsteps, we will be blessed.
How will we face the world today? Will we pack Jesus away with the ornaments and tinsel, just like the rest of the world, or will we remember His mercy every morning? For many people the discipline of daily reading through Advent was a new experience. Will it end now that Christmas is over, or will we all try to find the time to continue the habit that God has helped us build this season? As Christians we do have to move past the manger and the child that was born, but we do so by looking toward the cross. Yet, I pray that the sweet spirit of Christmas - the joy, the generosity and the faith - will remain strong in each of you as you face the world daily from henceforth. Jesus is with us as much today as He was in that manger so many years ago, and He is leading us today, calling us to serve others with grace and mercy no matter the risks.
December 27, 2023
Lectionary Scriptures for December 31, 2023, First Sunday after Christmas: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 111; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-40
“So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:7, WEB
When I was pregnant with Victoria, I was absolutely certain that she was a boy. I don’t know why. I had no reason to think so. I didn’t know what the wives’ tales meant or how it should feel if I was carrying a boy. I just knew in my ‘gut’ that it was a boy. Bruce and I decided very early in the pregnancy that he would choose a boy’s name and I would choose a girl’s name and we would use whichever was necessary. Since I was certain Victoria was a boy, I didn’t bother choosing a name.
About a week before she was born, Bruce said, “You really need to choose a name. It could be a girl, you know.” I responded, “Fine. Victoria.” It really was that quick. Although I had read some of the name books during my pregnancy, there was little thought put into the decision, but I think it is a beautiful and absolutely perfect name for her. The meaning of the name (it means conqueror or victory) was not part of my decision. I like the name and I think it fits my daughter well.
Other people are far more intentional with their name decisions. Some people want to honor someone special like a grandparent or favorite teacher. One couple (probably many) chose to use parts of several people’s names they wanted to honor. These created names often seem bizarre because they aren’t recognizable. Others choose names that remind them of their favorite things. I worked data processing for a Christmas charity, and I was constantly surprised by the children’s names. One name was particularly popular: Abcde (pronounced Absidee). Whatever the reason, many families pick names with special meaning.
There was nothing particularly special about the way we chose our kids’ names or the way we gave them their names. We didn’t go through a ritual or wait a period of time. We picked a name, wrote it on the paper and began calling them by those names immediately. We may have solemnly announced their names to those who were nearby, and we sent notices to our friends and family announcing their births, but we didn’t follow any age-old traditions in choosing or giving their names, as happens in many societies.
Many cultures wait a few days to have a naming ceremony, often at seven days, with special food and rituals. In China, they have eggs died red to symbolize new life and good luck. Other traditions use rice and saffron in the ceremony. Some traditions use fake names in the beginning, to ward off or fool evil spirits. In some places the baby’s name is given when he or she is thought to be able to hear, and it is whispered in their ear first. Some families provide a sacrifice as an offering of thankfulness for the baby. In one Native American culture, the baby sleeps with an ear of corn for a month and then the corn is rubbed on its skin while the baby is faced toward the rising sun and is named at the moment the first rays hit.
Some of the rituals and traditions sound so odd to us because we are used to naming our children whatever we want. We go through baby books and listen to trends; we make up our own names, using creative juxtapositions of letters from other names or words. Some celebrities have become infamous for their odd use of words as names for their children. In some societies, however, the parents did not even have a choice. The names are given by elders or masters. In others, the expectation is to give names that will help the child rise in stature or succeed in their world. Names mean something, which is why we go to so much trouble giving our children the right name.
Names mean something special in the scriptures. Children were often given names that represent something about the character of their life. Isaac means, “one who laughs” and he was given that name because his mother laughed when she heard that she would bear a son. Jacob means “supplanter” or “held by the heel” and we know why he has that name by the biblical record: he took the birthright from his older twin brother.
Jacob’s name was changed, however, which is something God did frequently. Jacob became Israel, which means “God wrestler.” Jacob contended with God and his name was changed to define his new place in God’s plan. Abram became Abraham and Sara became Sarah because God added His Spirit (Ha) to their life and their names. Saul (responder) became Paul (humble) because Saul was humbled by Jesus on the road to Damascus and called to a totally different life in God’s kingdom. These names each have a purpose and the changes mean something in the story of the people to whom they were given. The lives of those God named with a purpose pointed to the promises of God. Even Jerusalem.
The Jews had been exiled, but by God’s grace they were redeemed and returned to their homes in Jerusalem. The city that had been destroyed by war was restored to its glory. The song of praise in today’s Old Testament passage is a cry of thanksgiving to God for remembering His people and saving them. This transformation was a great and wonderful gift, and God was glorified by it. The prophet said that he would not be silent; he said that he would shout God’s praises until the whole world saw what God had done for His people. Jerusalem would have a new name, no longer forsaken or desolate, because God now delights in her.
We celebrate the naming of Jesus on January 1st. As a Jewish boy, Jesus was dedicated to the Lord on the eighth day, circumcised according to their traditions. Luke tells us that He was named Jesus, given the name that had been told to Mary and Joseph before He was born.
This baby Jesus was surrounded by promises that God spoke to His people from the beginning. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, which came true in Jesus. David was promised that his throne would last forever, which came true in Jesus. The book of Isaiah the prophet is filled with promises fulfilled in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Every book of the Bible points to God’s promised salvation, which came to us through Jesus. He is the culmination of God’s promises.
God spoke specific promises to the people in Jesus’ story. Elizabeth and Zechariah were given John, the one who would make way for Jesus. Mary and Joseph were promised the incredible gift of a baby who would truly change the world. Two others awaited the fulfillment of the promises God made to them.
The Gospel lesson reports that Mary and Joseph followed all the traditions according to the Law of Moses. Forty days after Jesus was born Mary went to the Temple to be purified. Joseph and Mary made the proper sacrifices, but the visit was something special because it was the fulfillment of more promises. While at the Temple, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus met two people who were awaiting the arrival of the Messiah. They knew, without a doubt, that they had seen Him in flesh. Simeon was a righteous and devout old man who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died. The moment he saw Jesus, Simeon cried, “Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
What a marvelous promise fulfilled in a baby! And yet, we are reminded that with the promise of salvation came great pain and suffering. Simeon blessed the family, but then turned to Mary and told her the truth. “Your soul will be pierced.” Salvation would come at a price, and Mary among all people would feel the pain in a very real way. We do not know what happened to Simeon after that day. I have always assumed he died immediately, but it really does not matter. Here we see the fulfillment of yet another promise.
Perhaps in a way Simeon did die that day. The nation of Israel had certain expectations about the type of Messiah that would come to save them. Simeon was in the temple, not because he was waiting for the Messiah but because the Holy Spirit led him there. Imagine his thoughts when he realized he was seeing the salvation of God in the flesh of a poor infant child. Could the Messiah, the king of Israel that will bring salvation to the Jews, really be found in such a humble being? What were his expectations of the promise? Did he believe with unwavering doubt, or did have the same question we hear repeatedly in Jesus’ birth story? “How can this be?” The other person they met was a woman, a prophetess, who had been living in the Temple for many years. She worshipped, fasted, and prayed constantly. She knew God’s promises. At the moment Anna saw Jesus, she knew that God’s promises were fulfilled in Him. She began to praise God and tell everyone that the Redeemer they were waiting for had arrived. Isn’t it amazing that these two people, Simeon and Anna, seemed to live to an old age for one very specific purpose: to praise God for Jesus.
How many did Anna tell? How many did Simeon tell? How many did the shepherds and wise men tell? What of Mary and Joseph’s family? Why weren’t there more people who knew that Jesus was the one for whom they had been waiting?
Why did the Jews doubt when Jesus appeared thirty years later? The Good News had been told by the Old Testament prophecies and the Nativity witnesses. Why are there people who still don’t believe? We are just like those who heard the Good News two thousand years ago and still doubted.
We are inundated by promises on the television and other media. “Buy our product and you will have the happiest kids, the whitest teeth, or the cleanest clothing. Our product provides the fastest connection, the most reliable service, or the cheapest price. With our product, you will be more popular, more beautiful, or more intelligent.” We are bombarded by promises constantly. A promise is defined in Webster’s as “an assurance that one will or will not do something.” Companies around the world recognize the incredible power of a promise to today's consumers. They spend billions of dollars producing and airing commercials that will attract the greatest number of people to their product. Unfortunately, these promises often go unfulfilled.
It is no wonder that we doubt whether promises will be fulfilled. People are people, after all, and we don’t believe without proof. Plus, we put our own expectations on those promises just like they did. The baby in Mary’s arms doesn’t seem like much of a Messiah and He didn’t fit their expectations as an adult. Thankfully some people had faith and shared their stories. We, too, amidst our doubt and uncertainty ask, “How can this be?” are called to believe that God has, and does, fulfill all His promises. In faith we glorify God as we praise Him for His faithfulness.
Luke wrote, “Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him...” They marveled? They were amazed? I suppose that could be true, but I have to wonder what it means that they were amazed? Was it surprising to hear these things about their son? How could that be? After all, they both were met by angels who told them all these things. They knew going into this parenthood that Jesus was special. They knew He came from God. They knew He was the promised one. How could they be amazed by the words of Simeon and Anna?
Faith isn’t about knowledge. Mary and Joseph continued to be amazed at what was happening to them because it was a matter of faith. Even though they had knowledge about Jesus and His future, they continued to experience the faithfulness of God in new, miraculous ways. How could Simeon and Anna know these things about a tiny baby among many who were in the Temple for their ritual sacrifices? Perhaps we should read this story about Mary and Joseph and realize that no matter how well we know God and understand the scriptures, we should still view God as surprising every day.
A local radio station once did a segment on toys during which callers were asked which toys were their favorites when they were children. The DJ also wanted to know how much they would be willing to pay to relive their childhood. For those of us who have been around a few years, some of those toys are now collector’s items and worth a lot of money. Some items sell on e-bay for hundreds of dollars. What is truly funny is that some of those toys have returned to the shelves for a new generation of children.
The discussion on the radio became a discussion at our dinner table. At first Bruce and I were sharing memories of our childhoods, our favorite toys, and the way we used to play. We talked about the saucers we used to fly down snowy hillsides during winter. Bruce’s experience was a little bit different than mine since he grew up in the country and I grew up in the city. We talked about our toy trucks and dolls and other favorites. I remember one of my favorite toys was a Spirograph (which I have since received as a gift!) I bought Bruce some Legos for Christmas this year. You don’t have to stop being a child when you grow up.
The children eventually shared their own memories. Zack had a Little Tykes car that he refused to get out of on the Christmas day it became his. Victoria remembered some other toys that kept them busy for hours at a time. It was a wonderful conversation, a chance to really enjoy each other’s company and to share those things that mean the most to us with those who mean the most to us.
The Christmas season is a time for family. It is a time to gather together, for homecomings and remembering. It is also a time when relationships are put to the test. Unfortunately, for some families the pressure of holiday gatherings is too much to bear. Old grudges bubble to the top and bitter rivalries explode. Those who are afraid that they have not lived up to the expectations of their family may approach the gathering with resentment. Others may use the time to place greater burdens on those from whom they desire more. Those relationships are strained, and the people have a difficult time experiencing peace on earth while they carry the weight of brokenness.
Paul wrote about God as our Father and how we are His family. Even as we share in the joy and the miracle of Christmas, we face the lingering doubts we share with those who were part of His story from the beginning of time. Paul’s letter brings these doubts to light. His words make us wonder about our relationship with this God who is faithful to His promises. Is He like a family member with whom you might sit around the dinner table sharing memories of your childhood? Or is the relationship strained and uncomfortable? One of Paul’s analogies throughout his letters is that we are slaves. He’s clear in this letter to the Galatians is that we were once slaves to sin, but now are set free to be sons of God. Yet, we tend to hold on to our sins. We are slaves to those things that keep us from knowing and loving God fully and freely, just as happens in our earthly families.
Christ came, born of a woman which makes Him as human as you and me, but He is something much more. He is the Son of the Living God, as fully divine as He is human. He came to make us sons, setting free those who are burdened by the Law, healing our brokenness, and adopting us to be His children. The Kingdom of God belongs to us, and we are called to live and laugh and love as heirs of His Kingdom, doing all we do for God’s glory. We live in an incredible promise.
We try too hard to fit God’s promises into our ideas and expectations. The whole Christmas story is ridiculous; no writer would have created a story with so many miraculous moments because they make it unbelievable. We want God to fit in a box we’ve created. It was no different for those in the days of Jesus. They were looking for a powerful king, not the poor son of a carpenter who grew up in Nazareth. They were looking for a warrior who would defeat their enemies, not an itinerant preacher who would defeat their self-righteousness. They were looking for David. Any stories that might have been passed from those who witnessed the baby Jesus and later remembered would never make sense in the context of their expectations. Jesus didn’t fit in their box.
David knew that the promise would have to be bigger than our expectations; he had hope that the Messiah would be all that God promised. David knew by God’s Spirit that the Messiah would be His Lord, not just a son of his house. When considering the work of God, we might want to reduce it to things we understand, David knew God was so much more. He made His wonderful works to be remembered, passing the message of mercy and grace from generation to generation through faith. God remembers His promises; He not only remembers but He is faithful. He provides justice and displays His power for the sake of those He loves. It might seem unbelievable, we might doubt, but everything the scriptures tell us about God is to be believed because God always keeps His promises.
The most breathtaking, and inspiring, moments of my life have been in extraordinary places. There’s nothing like standing on top of a mountain, seeing the snow-covered range go on and on seemingly forever. At night, the sky above those mountains is filled with so many stars that they would be impossible to count. A beach at sunrise, with nothing obstructing the view of the rising sun, is amazing. Standing at the foot of a giant redwood is beyond imagination. A field full of bluebonnets, a rainbow sweeping over a plain, and a perfectly still mountain lake can raise in us a sense of wonder and praise like little else. God created all these things, and it makes us ponder His greatness.
We are also awed by the power that God has given to the creation. The roar of a lion, the thunder and lightning of a storm, the constancy of the waves crashing against the shore reminds us that we are just a small part of God’s great big world. It is not always pleasant. It is fearful to be in the path of a tornado or a hurricane. The tiniest mosquito can spread life-taking disease. Yet even those creations of God have a purpose and are given by God to do His will. A raging wildfire that is out of control is a necessary part of the natural process of forest growth and renewal. We don’t always understand these things, especially when they cause us harm, but as we ponder the world around us, we see that God is always worthy of our praise.
I love those extraordinary moments when I can see God’s hand in the world around me. Are we changed forever when we experience God? Those who trust Him are changed. They were made new. Faith is not blind. The psalmist confessed his faith in the presence of an assembly, and he did so by recounting the wonderful things God had done. He praised God by referencing the works of His hands. Unfortunately, God’s people often forgot the great and marvelous things He has done and when He came to them in the final and most incredible act of mercy, they did not recognize Him. The people may have heard stories of the Nativity, but they rejected Jesus when He appeared to fulfill the promises of God.
In today’s Psalm, the writer praises God for something much different than the tangible blessings of creation. God’s work as it relates to His relationship with His people is not always obvious or even believable. We have the stories of the Exodus, but we were not there to cross the Red Sea with Moses and the rest of Israel. We can read about the miracles of Jesus and believe in His healing power, but we have not experienced His physical touch. The psalmist knew God’s mighty works among His people, and yet those works were little more than a memory, handed down by generation after generation. These stories are still worth our songs of praise. God did these things, and in them we see His power, faithfulness and grace. Those stories point us to the greatest act of salvation when God sent Jesus. This news fills us with awe; even those who were nearest to Him pondered His life and His purpose.
The wise men, the shepherds, Simeon, and Anna were sent by God to strengthen Mary’s faith. The life of her child would be extraordinary and not always pleasant. She would see her baby rejected, persecuted, beaten, and crucified, a promise fulfilled that no mother would want to bear. Yet Mary treasured every word and sign; she pondered them, but she trusted God’s faithfulness even through any uncertainty. We can do the same.
And so, as we ponder His story and wonder about the witnesses who shared the Good News, we are called to praise Him, for the beauty of His creation and for the goodness of His dealings with His people. He is our Father, and we are heirs to His Kingdom thanks to the baby that was named Jesus who was the fulfillment of all His promises. We know His power. We know His mercy and grace. We know He is faithful. The story of Jesus which has been shared by the witnesses of His birth leads us to delight in our God. We delight in God because He has done this great thing, and our praise is our witness to the faithfulness of the God who has kept His promises for His people today, tomorrow, and always.
December 28, 2023
“Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:16-18, WEB
The numbers are disturbing. Statistics show that about ten percent of children around our nation will be sexually abused before their eighteenth birthday. In our county, there were nearly six thousand confirmed cases of abuse or neglect last year. Too many of these children are not even old enough to attend kindergarten. Some of these children are sold as sex slaves. Not all child abuse is sexual, of course, but all abuse is heartbreaking and extremely damaging to the victims. Some children are abused physically, some verbally, some emotionally. Too many children are used as pawns for adults, particularly in broken relationships. Too many children are used around the world for political purposes, trained as babies to be suicide bombers or used as human shields. And of course, all too many children are never born because many are aborted for selfish and self-centered reasons.
The abuse of our babies is not new. Ancient religions used children in human sacrifice. Historically, the children of the powerful were used in their political games as they were given in marriage not for love, but to join kingdoms. Children didn’t matter, they were little more than property to be used for the benefit of the family, community, or kingdom. Children were beaten to teach them lessons or left to die when there was not enough food. I wonder, though, if we aren’t doing as much or more damage to our kids in modern times. It doesn’t seem like abuse to give our children everything they want or to tell them how wonderful they are, but it is possible to coddle our kids into adults who do not know how to be responsible adults. They suffer at our hands; our over-protectiveness creates people who are selfish and self-centered, leading them to abuse others in other ways.
Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the day we remember the children who perished at the hands of King Herod. He heard that a new king had been born and he was so concerned for his own power and throne that he did whatever was necessary to ensure his rule. Millions of children have suffered since the beginning of time, but we are particularly taken aback by the story of these babies. We imagine this to be a horrid event with blood running down the streets as thousands of children are slaughtered. The reality is that Bethlehem was a small town with an estimated population of just hundreds. Though some estimate the deaths in the thousands, it was probably far fewer. There are no secular historical accounts of a massacre, probably because it was not noteworthy that a local ruler would kill a few children. The numbers do not make the incident less horrific: one innocent life is one too many. One child suffering for whatever reason is one child too many.
What Herod did not understand is that Jesus was not born to rule as an earthly king; He was sent to bring forgiveness, to transform our lives, and reconcile us to God our Father. What we often forget is that the blood of those children is on our own hands. Our sinfulness brought Jesus into this world. We blame Herod for the death of the innocents, but he is no different than us; his sin is no greater than ours. I can’t imagine any of us laying a hand on a child to guarantee our job or position, but how often do we think of ourselves before we think of the effects of our actions on others? Do we accept that our own sin can cause another to suffer? Do we do what we think needs to be done for our own benefit, ignoring what we might be doing to our children?
As we recall those innocent lives lost, we should also remember the children who suffer every day in the violence and selfishness of this world. Even more so, let us pray that God will kill the vices in our lives that affect those around us so that we won’t bring harm to others through our selfishness. May God help us to understand how our actions affect others and think first before acting, especially when we might bring harm to an innocent child.
December 29, 2023
“‘Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber. But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them. Jesus therefore said to them again, ‘Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.’” John 10:1-10, WEB
“On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five gold rings.” The song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” reminds us that Christmas has not ended because the presents are unwrapped. According to the Church year, we celebrate Christmas until Epiphany. I suppose in many ways it is hard to continue celebrating when the world has moved on to something new, but at least in our hearts and our home we can continue to think about the baby who was born for our sake.
We should take time during these twelve days to get to know the baby, to immerse ourselves into the intimacy of the holy family as they got too know each other. Christmas may seem to be over, decorations will begin to disappear, the store shelves are filled with items for Valentine’s Day and even Easter! Though the Christmas festivities are over, these days between holidays are still family focused since children are on vacation and people have travelled for fun and reunions. The children are still excited and the joy of having children among us fills us all with the happy feelings of Christmas and hope for the future.
Unfortunately, the festivals and feast days of Christmas are not always so joyous. This week is filled with some of the most powerful martyrdom stories in Christianity. On December 26th we celebrate the life of St. Stephen who was the first Christian martyr. His story is found in the book of Acts, and we see him standing firmly in his faith in Jesus Christ while those around him rejected the Lord and falsely accused him of blasphemy. Stephen was stoned to death after he gave a stirring sermon about the faith of their forefathers and how they lived to see the day of the Lord which had come. Stephen faced the stoning with faith, looking to heaven and echoing the call of Jesus for forgiveness. "Do not hold this sin against them," he said.
December 27th is the celebration of St. John the Divine, the writer of a Gospel, several letters, and the book of Revelation. John was the only apostle who died of old age not a martyr’s death, but in his life we see the faithfulness of a man who patiently endured the persecution of those who did not know Jesus. John offers to us, through all his writings, an invitation to an intimate and eternal relationship with the God who loves us. John, who was the youngest of the apostles, knew that relationship in a very real way. He dwelled in the presence of God when Jesus was with them and then for the rest of his life.
December 28th is the day we remember the Holy Innocents. This story is one of the most horrific stories of the Christian church year. Herod, fearful of having his throne usurped by the king promised by the Old Testament prophecy, sent his soldiers to the most likely place where he would be found. He was tipped off by the wise men of a sign in the heavens indicating that a king had been born. The soldiers went to Bethlehem and killed all the boys less than two years old. We picture this scene as a massacre of thousands with piles of babies and blood running in the streets. The real number is probably not very high, perhaps a dozen or so. That doesn’t make it any less tragic: even one baby lost to the selfish fears of a puppet king is too many. The Holy Innocents tell us the story of those who suffer because of the sins of others and remind us that sin can, and does, bring harm to others.
December 29th is the day we remember the martyrdom of Thomas Becket of Canterbury. Thomas lived in the Middle Ages during the reign of King Henry II. He was a loyal subject and chancellor to Henry. At first he agreed with Henry’s policies, and was appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury. He did not want this very important office in the church, and he changed radically upon selection. He did not fall for the trappings of power or office, living seriously and refusing any compromise over the rights of the Church. On this day in 1170, four soldiers murdered Thomas Becket in Canterbury cathedral. Henry is quoted as saying, “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” so the soldiers did what they thought he wanted. Following the example of martyrs before him, Thomas sited the names of those archbishops who had been martyred in Canterbury before him (St. Denis and St. Alphege) and then commended his spirit to the Lord.
It seems so odd to remember all these deaths in the midst of this joyous season, even while we are still hearing of the gifts from the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” we are reminded once again that death is as much a part of our lives of faith as is life. Jesus Himself was born to die, and those who follow Him are called to live with no fear of death. Fear of death keeps us from being faithful to the God who willingly laid His own life on the line for our sakes. We have nothing to fear no matter what kind of death we face because the Lord has promised that we will have abundant and eternal life with Him.