12-18-01
Two of my smallest grandchildren came with me for Sunday morning's singing at Grace Living Center. And when we passed the picture board out front of Santa kneeling beside baby Jesus as He lay in the manger, I told them that St. Nicholas had found the true reason for the season. He even placed his hands together in prayer. Now I think that gives us a proper perspective on Christmas, which is mentioned in three of the four Gospels. Luke shows the very night there in the stable with shepherds coming. Matthew suggests some time later in a residence when the kings arrive (maybe just two or more), and John says "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us," while Mark says nothing. But there's another symbolic reference in Rev.12, where the pregnant woman must represent more than just Mary (though Catholics may not agree). She appears to me as the Jewish people, who have been under attack from the dragon Satan down through many centuries. She bears not only the Messiah, but believers as well. And the dragon also attacks them. Didn't that wicked king Herod begin with his "slaughter of the innocents," and other rulers follow by persecuting the Israel of GOD? Even to this day Christians suffer in many lands on account of their faith because the dragon and his demons cast out of heaven are still in this earth until that One born, and grown up to rule all nations, returns to destroy him. And that time is so near that 2001 could be the final Christmas celebration. Terrorism has struck in India and war could break out with Pakistan. The Palestinian groups are out of Yasser Arafat's control and keep attacking Israel. And now ObL seems to have slipped away somehow. But when our KING reappears, it will not be with the weakness and humility of Bethlehem, but with all power and majesty from out of the eastern sky. Here's a verse the Lord gave me early Sunday to the tune of our national anthem. I feel it's because this is a red, white and blue Christmas: Jesus Christ is the King and His praises we'll sing, with all souls now reborn in His image and likeness/ till He comes `back again to abolish all sin. And this earth that He first made a home for the righteous, shall be re-created, restored to pure love, and at last offered up to His Father above. Beyond time GOD's Kingdom in eternity, final home of all the saints with Christ Jesus it will be.
Watching that same flag being raised again at our embassy in Kabul that was brought down in Jan. of '89 caused me to think about the pledge of allegiance that we say at every Rotary meeting, and wonder still about the words. When I was in first and second grade at Lee school, we didn't include "under God" which is now repeated; though we trusted that He watched over our nation back then. Of course it's all-voluntary and no one is compelled to take the pledge. One Friday I was so disgusted with Clinton's behavior in the oval office that those words wouldn't come out. I refused to let them be a vain repetition. Now that causes me to think of any atheists who might be attending. They can leave out the reference to God as they pledge allegiance; or people of various religions for whom God may be other than Yahweh in the Bible. Yet the very last word "all" is one that still gives me pause. As we've become so entangled internationally, I've wondered if "citizens" should be added so that it would end "with liberty and justice for all citizens." A nation's first responsibility is to it's own, as I see it. Now we're going to give military justice to the enemy through tribunals instead of our law courts, which meets my approval. Legal services are so expensive that I question if we have to pay for illegals among us, as well as offer other public services and benefits. Yet America's mission to mankind is liberty and justice for all. So that must be the right word to end our pledge, though it may have to remain ambiguous. We certainly can't guarantee liberty and justice for everyone including other nations, but it's still our desire and goal. And the GOD revealed in Christ makes it possible as we see in lands where the Gospel has reached and a majority worships Him. We call them Christian nations where Christianity prevails. Yet real Christians focus on the Kingdom of heaven rather than some religion. Christianity as a faith has grown larger than any other on earth, though "Christlike" is a better measure than the label of "Christian," in my opinion. And it may exclude some within Christianity while including others outside the religion. I can only say that life is larger than logic on this matter of where Christ's kingdom exists.