Messiah

THIS WEEK Christmas falls on a Sunday, so I get to blog to you about Christmas on Christmas! This morning after my whole family met at our house for breakfast, my parents and siblings and I got on a plane to go to Texas to visit my dad's side of the family. We are having a lovely time. We are full of ham and green punch and croissants. We watched home movies and I met my new cousin Seth for the first time. I'm really thankful for a day like this and every way God has blessed us.

On the plane today I was reading Luke 2, the chapter about the early years of Jesus' life. And what I noticed is that God found a way to come as a Boy who was both ordinary and extraordinary, human and God. He had the same rituals and ceremonies performed for Him as any little Hebrew guy would have, and He had parents who took care of Him and who worried when He was missing for a few days. But from the time He was born His life was also surrounded by the fulfillment and declaration of prophecies. At the mere sight of Him, praise went up from the mouths of God's servants to heaven. He was ordinary and human enough to relate to us and to stand in our place, and yet being God He can pay a sacrifice of ultimate price for our sake.

Simeon, an old prophet who was told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah, was filled with joy when he saw the Baby Jesus. In Luke 2:29-32 he shouts, "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; [30] for my eyes have seen Your salvation [31] which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, [32] a light to bring revelation to he Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel."

He didn't need any explanation, no mention of the host of angels who proclaimed His birth to the shepherds in the night. This was the Messiah he had awaited for years. When Jesus went missing in Jerusalem for a few days a few years later, His parents found Him learning from the teachers and displaying astonishing wisdom. In Luke 2:49 He speaks to them, "And He said to them, 'Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?'"

He came for His Father's business. The Father's business was not just for Him to be an amazing little Boy, or even to be the greatest Teacher in history. His business was for Him to die and rise and be the Savior of the world. He is, as Simeon said, the light.

When I was up in that airplane today looking out the window, the clouds and sky I saw were too beautiful to really tell you about. The white and blue vapors stretched in ripples and peaks toward the horizon an infinity away, and the sun broke through the crystal sky. And I thought, you know, God sees this all the time. He owns it all, and He made it all. If He wanted to, He could let His omniscient Mind glide over all the perfect hills and valleys of the clouds and overlook what is happening downstairs. He could! And why shouldn't He? Or He could think about the stars and galaxies He made, and pay little attention to the speck of the world we messed up. He could let us fly into an asteroid belt and rejoice over the glittering heavenly bodies in their orbits.

But He does look down here. He pays much more than a little thought to us, the noisy race on Earth that, despite everything, bears His image still! He lets the light of the Son peak down and touch us, while He looks at what we are and what we were, and sees instead what we can be. What He made us to be, and what we will be. He lets His thoughts dwell on us below. He lets He love pour down from the clouds unhindered. He lets His mercy strike bright and fierce like lightning, mightily gentle like the loving hand of a Father to help His little one.

Psalm 139:17-18 "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! [18] If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You."

He scoops us up by His grace for our faith. Taking what was corrupted, He makes us shine again like we were always meant to, reflecting the light that He sent into the world. This is why we love God.

We celebrate Christmas to remember God's gift of His Son, the Messiah, the Chosen One the world had been awaiting for hundreds of years. That gift is only meaningful if we remember that He sent Him to die for us. He teaches us how to live, and how to die to ourselves. We do matter to God, enough to breathe a dying breathe for, enough to eject our death sentence paid in full, rendered void, from His resurrected lungs. He spared so expense just for the chance to knock on our doors and ask to come in.

Merry Christmas, everybody. We sure have a good reason to celebrate.

Scrooge and the Grinch

THIS WEEK, of course we are all getting ready for Christmas. We are getting everything together and lighting up everything we see with color. Tonight my family and I took a drive around our neighborhood to see all the lights and hear the music.

I began rereading Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," and my family watched the movie version with Jim Carrey, who is a very good actor. I really love that story, and the movie always amazes me. You probably know it: a chronically stingy old man named Mr. Scrooge is driven to repentance by visions brought by spirits representing Christmases of the past, present, and future. By the end he is so radically changed and overflowing with goodwill and sincere love that everyone he knows is stunned by him.

You're probably also familiar with Dr. Seuss' story of the Grinch who Stole Christmas. That story also happens to have a new movie version with Jim Carrey. If you've seen that version you'll remember the scene where the Grinch stands on a cliff on the side of Mount Crumpit with a book full of the names of every Who. He begins to read them aloud alphabetically and shout in the direction of Whoville, "I... HATE YOU!!!" "Hate hate hate, hate hate hate, LOATHE ENTIRELY." After seeing his attempt to ruin Christmas by stealing the presents is foiled by the Whos' joy in singing their Christmas song together, he understands his error and is, like Scrooge, converted to a kindhearted soul.

God Himself is love. What better way to celebrate the coming of Jesus than to do as He did, and show love to people? Christmas is a great time to be reminded of what we should be doing throughout the entire year: loving Jesus by loving people. It's easy to think we are good at that, but Jesus also made it clear that love doesn't come naturally. True love is supernatural, so it takes God's help and our hearts to make it happen.

In Matthew 5:46 He tells us, "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?"

Neither Scrooge nor the Grinch was loved by anyone, because neither loved anyone. The Grinch didn't even really love his dog Max, to whose head he tied an oversized antler to make him a reindeer to pull his heay-laden sleigh of stolen goods. But in the movie, after his heart has just grown three sizes because of the Whos, he looks at his dog in bewilderment and tearfully exclaims, "Max! I love ya!"

Love is infectious and powerful. It makes all the difference, whether it is done openly, as in the Grinch's returning of the gifts, or in secret, like Scrooge's anonymous sending of an expensive turkey to his employee's poor family. It is the first in the list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the greatest thing we have according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13, "And now abide faith, hope, and love, these three: but the greatest of these is love."

Jesus emphasized loving people we don't immediately think to love - not only our enemies, but strangers, too. Poor, rich, pretty, ugly, mean, stupid, pink, green. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge a party held by Fezziwig, an employer he had when he was a young man. Fezziwig invited everybody he knew, and every kind and age of person walked in. But Scrooge did not even celebrate during Christmas, nor would he pay mind to the plight of the poor or let his employee make a hotter fire at night.

In Luke 14:13-14, Jesus tells us what we should do: "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

"Scrooge" and "Grinch" have become names for people who don't enjoy celebrating with people or share in joy with others. I'm afraid that most of us are like that sometimes, and forget to love. We may not even notice, because it might seem justifiable not to love. People are often very terrible to one another, and we don't deserve to be loved or forgiven. But what Jesus said about loving even those who do wrong to us still applies. It's not like forgiving them would be as profound as God forgiving us.

And that's just what we are celebrating right now. The coming of God in the flesh to break down every wall out of love for us, only to come knock on our doors and ask to be let in. That's love. And whether we are sharing that good news or just treating people with gentleness and charity, it is not only our job but our greatest blessing in life to love like Jesus does. Doing that, we can celebrate Him properly throughout the year.

Go Tell it on the Mountain

THIS WEEK I finished my finals and went home. In fact, tonight I completed my 6000 word history paper and submitted it online, so my first semester of college is finally over. I cannot believe it has been three months of school already. It sure is wonderful to be home.

I've spent much needed time with my family this week. On Friday my brother and sister, her boyfriend and I went to the Community Nutcracker, which was lovely to see again. Last night I helped my mom deliver a wedding cake, and afterward we went to a choir recital at a church in Middleburg, where my five-year-old cousin had a solo.

The recital featured a small drama about a man who used Christmas as an opportunity to lead his coworker to the Lord. What I loved about it was that it was very simple, yet very realistic. His friend just saw a change in him after he complained about holiday stress, and he answered his curiosity by telling him about how he had prayed to Jesus and made it through, and how He had totally altered his attitude and point of view. The coworker kept wanting to know more, to get his questions answered, and eventually through talking to his friend he got to respond to the gospel.

What I noticed is that it wasn't very complicated at all. The fact of the matter is that a lot of details of the Truth are a little confusing to our human frame of reference. Some points get the theologians and agnostics talking and writing books, and they are really interesting to read about. But talk isn't what saves people. Logic is a good tool, but love is what draws people in.

1 Peter 1:17-19, "[17] And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves through the time of your stay here in fear; [18] knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, fro myour aimless conduct received by the tradition from your fathers, [19] but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

We are supposed to live in reverence, knowing who is was that died for our redemption. That is what Christmas is about: that God Himself came to earth to take our sin on Himself and suffer for it, so we could be His again. Think about that. That's what love means.

When Jesus taught and preached, He spoke in love. He spoke like nobody else ever had. Of course He spoke in wisdom, and He wasn't just trying to confuse everybody. But His goal was not that we would wrap our heads around Him but that we would let Him take our hearts and rescue our sinking souls. He gave us parables and explained a lot of things so that we could understand what we believe, but it's more important just to know and love Him. We can't understand a person or know him completely before having a relationship with him. And after we are, learning more is part of the joy of growing closer. We should talk about Him like He talked about Himself, not as a subject to be discussed, but as a Person to be known.

This gives me encouragement for the next semester of school, and for my friends. If they can see some of that love and if we can give it some patience, I know people will be saved because that is what God wants.

In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commands us "[19] 'Go theerefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."

Pastor Aaron, who leads the college ministry at my church for UNF, said today that two students there had gone up to two complete strangers, and led them to Jesus right then. It doesn't always happen in a day, or over a month, or in the office, or overseas. But it always happens in the will of God. That is because we aren't saving anybody. God is doing the saving, and one of the greatest blessings He has given us as His adopted children is the opportunity to be a part of His work to bring more children home.

The prophets couldn't stop talking about Jesus hundreds of years before He came: Isaiah 53:5, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."

The shepherds couldn't be quiet after they saw Him in the manger:
Luke 2:16-18, "[16] And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. [17] Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning the Child. [18] And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds."

The earliest Christians wouldn't cease to spread the good news, and they got into trouble for it:
Acts 4:19-20, "[19] But Peter and John answered and said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. [20] For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.'"

Now it is our turn. I'm feeling convicted about this, and I think a lot of us should. Something great is about to happen, because great things happen when the Holy Spirit moves. Watch the world change as we dare to change it in Jesus' name.

God Only Knows

THIS WEEK will be my last week of classes of my first semester of college. I'm thankful that I'm going to have about a month to just be with my family, and that I've made it through three months of classes away from home.

For many of us this month is one of the best in the year. We get to celebrate Christmas and the new year, and just take a break to enjoy being warm on cold days. But it's still earth, so there is still a dash of hell thrown in.

Last week a student in Architecture named Jade, a couple years ahead of me, died when her car flipped as she drove back to school from Thanksgiving break. She was buckled in and sober. But now she is gone, and everyone she knew is devastated. I have read some of the notes they left for her beside the flowers and the display of her work. She was a really lovely person, not just somebody people say nice things about once they're gone. She was known for bringing color and smiles, and for her promising skill in architecture. She was going places.

Doesn't God love us? Isn't He good? From our earthbound eye level, it isn't easy to understand. We know by faith that God sees more than we do, and that He understands what we don't. But He also knows that when the world goes dark, that is still hard for us to see.

Psalm 90:2 declares, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."

And verse 12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Our lives here are brief. But God is not bound by time. Our perspective is small, but His is as wide as can be.

I think that what He wants us to understand that not everything is good, but He is good, and He can make good come out of everything. When hell rains out of the sky, He is God, and He understands pain. When we are on the mountain tasting heaven, He is still God, and He delights in showing us His goodness.

Isaiah 43:13, "Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"

God is sovereign, so no part of our lives goes unnoticed by Him. Those who trust in Him can see hope in the distance, because a change of situation does not mean that God has changed, or that His promises have faltered. It only means there is more left to see. He is not done working.

Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Repeatedly in the Old Testament He is promising to do something new, something amazing. He says He will send His Servant to bring salvation to the world. Then in the New Testament, He does it and almost everybody is surprised.

Isaiah 49:6, "Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the erath.'"

When He sent Israel into captivity, He promised that it would not be forever. In fact, He sent them with a promise of love tagged on.

v.29:10-13, "[10] For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. [11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

God fulfilled His promise to Israel. He wants His children to understand that He doesn't do things or let them be done for no good reason. He hates when we are hurting, and it hurts Him too. But so does our sin because it makes us far from Him.

God makes miracles out of madness. Maybe the miracle is that Jade was even born to bring so much joy to people's lives. Tomorrow isn't promised, but she lived each today fully. Maybe the miracle is what she left behind. I didn't have to know her to know that she's taught a lot of good things to a lot of people. She didn't live in vain.

One thing we know about life is that we really don't know very much about our lives. Will the milk go bad too soon? Will you ever find a guy you can bring home to your daddy, or, as the case may be, a girl to bring home to your mama? Will you pay off your loans? Will your loved one get better? God only knows.

But don't be discouraged, because He not only knows but cares.

Isaiah 49:15-16, "[15]Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. [16] See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me."