I Love A Good Nativity Set

My wife began collecting nativity scenes and sets several years ago and ever since our home has become a veritable museum of creches during the holidays.  Each year it becomes a quest of mine to find new and unusual sets to add to her collection.  The Holy Family, the shepherds, the Magi, the animals, the angels - all of them coming together to create their own individual and magical tableau.  The annual reappearance of the Nativity image and its accompanying wonder and joy help to keep Christmas a very real and meaningful part of our lives.  And what a comfort it is to know that God would send his only Son as an innocent babe to live among us and to experience all of life's highs and lows just as we would.  It's only in this way that we can truly appreciate His understanding of the human condition because He is part of it.  And when we see those tiny hands and arms reaching out of the manger, it's simply one more unexpected example of God's amazing love for us, because Mary's baby didn't come to Earth to be cradled in our arms; instead He came to hold each of us.


I thought Anne Rice (yes, that Anne Rice, fellow vampire fans) captured the meaning of the creche in today's world for all people, religious or not, spiritual or otherwise, in this Christmas Eve blog courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.  Enjoy.


http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/24/anne-rice-on-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/

A Christmas "Two-Fer"

With little more than a week to go until Christmas, there’s still plenty of time to shop and plenty of time to learn a new lesson.  One lesson that can be particularly hard to learn is saying “Yes” to God even when it means giving all we have to those who have the least.  Along with that usually comes the lesson of loving those we never planned on loving.  It’s known as a two-for-one or simply a “two-fer.” 

In Matthew’s gospel we hear the story of Joseph’s dream as he comes to grips with the unbelievable responsibility that is set before him: serving as the earthly father to the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God.  The angel tells him “And you shall call him Jesus.” Joseph surely had other plans for his life, but he listened to God and he obeyed.  He is remembered as a talented carpenter and a hard-working provider.  Yet he still found time to set the standard for all future fathers with his unconditional love for Mary and his promise to raise and love her child.  He also took it upon himself to spiritually prepare the boy for His miraculous adult ministry and unparalleled divine destiny.  There is even a branch of study devoted to him called Josephology.  But all we need to know about Joseph is this:  He listened to God.  He loved and took care of his family.  He put his desires and dreams on hold for the good of the universe.  He did all of this to the best of his ability and he was most definitely blessed.

Mary.  Joseph.  An Innkeeper.  Shepherds.  The Magi.  Countless others unmentioned and unnamed who no doubt assisted the young family in ways small and large as it faced challenging odds for survival.  So many sacrifices and such willing players in the drama about to unfold before all the Earth and all of history.  May we also find it in our hearts to learn what our role is in this beautiful and powerful story that has no end.  We will be called to give much when we think we have nothing.  We will be called to love when our instincts tell us otherwise.  And through it all, we will help to keep the name of Jesus on the lips and in the hearts of the next generation.  May all the faithful come together in this season of love and adore Him in unison; for He is indeed Christ, the Lord!

Magnifying and Leaping at God's Grace

This week we celebrate Magnificat Sunday.  In Luke’s gospel, Mary’s response to the news of her pending motherhood to the Messiah is one of the most beautiful and soulful glorifications of God ever written down.  The words she spoke are so amazingly profound for a young woman in her early teens and in such dire straits.  “My soul magnifies the Lord!”  When the way is full of so many unknowns and so much uncertainty, how many of us can honestly say the same today?  In the verses prior to this passage, John the Baptist leapt within his mother’s womb when he came in close contact within the still unborn Jesus.  Even a life just beginning and still forming inside Elizabeth was able to grasp the significance of God’s proximity.  Another example of a childlike and honest reaction to the presence of God’s grace.  When was the last time we leapt at anything, yet alone the recognition of God in our midst?  Today, may we urge one another to follow Mary’s and John’s examples as she recognizes that God is indeed at work in her life and as He senses that God is right here, right now.  God has done great things for both of them and He will do great things through them.  A simple, ordinary girl from humble circumstances entrusted by the Creator of the Universe to care for His only child.  A life yet to make its grand entrance into a broken world that will mature into the prophetic forerunner of the Savior of all humanity.  God has great and unbelievable plans for each of us as well.  So allow all your senses to listen to His still, small voice; then allow your soul to leap and to magnify Him in all you do.  Shine His light and share His good news of great joy to everyone, during this Advent season and all year long.

My Savior's Manger is King-Size

This week marks the second week of Advent and Christians across the globe are diligently preparing the way for Jesus.  In honor of the ever-hastening season, the manger moves front and center. The words of Isaiah prophesy:

“On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.”

The question we must ask ourselves today is “What can we do, right here, right now, to make His dwelling more glorious?”  For starters, we can prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Jesus: yesterday, today and tomorrow.  We can also turn our preparations away from the busyness of the season to the reason for the season.  We can welcome Jesus into our lives and make a place for him.  A warm, soft place filled with love and joy that we can only secure through a genuine relationship with our Creator and our Savior.  The manger was Jesus’ first dwelling place here on Earth.  Today, as we approach the time of the coming King, let us line it not only with straw and swaddling cloths but also with the glory of promises and dreams for a better tomorrow for all His children, until the day He comes again to reclaim His kingdom which has no end.  Remember when you next see a nativity scene, that manger isn’t only home to the Christ child.  It’s also home to our hopes and dreams and our salvation. So whatever you do, don't scrimp on the manger this year.  Make sure it's sized accordingly for a King.  Come into our hearts today, Light of the World,  Emmanuel.  Amen.

If The Ark Is A-Rockin' . . .

When Jesus speaks to us in the 24th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, He urges each of us to be watchful and to stay awake, for the day the Son of Man comes again will be unexpected and we shouldn’t be caught unawares.  As the Season of Advent begins, tension builds and the world is turned upside-down and inside-out.  Christians around the world commemorate the first coming of Christ and prepare for the annual celebration of His birth.  And every year, regardless of how busy the season is and how busy our lives become, we always manage to find room for the baby Jesus.  But we sometimes forget that His return is also yet to come.  That's what Advent is a time for.  He came into this world once as a child and as a Savior.  When He comes again it will be not only as our Messiah but also as our judge.  We need to make sure there is room in our lives for THAT Jesus as well.

I love how Jesus uses a reference to Noah, to describe the coming days of uncertainty.  He reminds us how, before the flood, for years everyone but Noah and his family were going about their business oblivious to the events unfolding before them.  Until the rain began to fall, there was no recognition of the sinfulness pervading their world and their lives.  And imagine how unsettling and traumatic it must’ve been for Noah and his children to hear the cries and screams of those lost souls, their friends and neighbors, as they understood the consequences of their failure and the value in Noah’s walk with God.  The prophet Isaiah similarly guides us in the right direction as he wisely counsels “come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!”

True believers will use these next few weeks preceding Christmas as a time to reflect on the scriptures and the prophecies and make sure preparations aren’t limited to gift lists, layaway plans and holiday feasts.  Make sure you’re also prepared for an unexpected guest when you least expect it.  He will come again to judge us all in truth and love, and His grace will surely be enough to save us all.  Praise Him all you peoples for there’s no God like Jehovah!  Happy Thanksgiving to all for there is surely much to be thankful for, thanks to Him!

The Jesus Juke

Sometimes, the blog muse fails to inspire.  That's my excuse this week anyway.  I'm now a day past my posting deadline and, while searching for inspiration, I found the following blog post from Jon Acuff.  It immediately spoke to me and I knew it was more meaningful than any words I would develop in the next few hours.  Therefore, I'l play editor this week with the first of my "best of others' blogs".  If you'd like to learn more about Jon, please check him out at http://stuffchristianslike.net/. - Tim

Weird things happen to me when I fly. If you followed me on Twitter you would know this because I tend to have “tweet explosions,” when I’m at airports.

Last Sunday morning, as our plane lifted off the ground, the person behind me started to play what sounded like a pan flute. Just as we began to soar above the clouds, we were greeted with a Zamfir melody from what I can only assume was some sort of satyr. In his defense, the flight attendant did not say, “Please return your seats to their upright position, carefully stow your carry on luggage and put your pan flute back in its elk skin satchel.” He had every right to play that beautiful wooden instrument and play he did.

At another airport I went to, a humongous bodybuilder spent his time in the terminal doing ferocious push ups right beside me. I tweeted about it and folks told me to prove it with a photo. Not likely. One of my rules for twitter is never snap photos of people who can snap you. And this guy could have broken me in half like a thin blogger branch.

But in all the responses from people asking me questions about the terminal B2 bodybuilder, one stuck out. It was different than the rest, but is something I am growing familiar with.

I call it the “Jesus Juke.”

Like a football player juking you at the last second and going a different direction, the Jesus Juke is when someone takes what is clearly a joke filled conversation and completely reverses direction into something serious and holy.

In this particular case, when I tweeted a joke about the guy doing pushups, someone tweeted me back, “Imagine If we were that dedicated in our faith, family, and finances?”

I was fine with that idea, I was, but it was a Jesus Juke. We went from, “Whoa, there’s a mountain of a man doing pushups next to the Starbucks at the airport,” to a serious statement about the lack of discipline we have in our faith and our family and our finances.

I don’t know how to spell it, but in my head I heard that sad trumpet sound of “whaaaa, waaaa.”

And that wasn’t even a bad Jesus Juke. I didn’t mind that statement at all. That guy seemed fine. I’ve heard much worse. I once tweeted about going to see Conan O’Brien live and how big the crowd was. Someone wrote back, “If we held a concert for Jesus and gave away free tickets, no one would come.” Whaaa, waaaa.

Chances are you’ve experienced this. Someone pulled the Christian version of the Debbie Downer, they threw out a bit of Jesus Juke on you. If you have, or even if you haven’t, there are three things we all need to know about this particular move.

1. It generates shame.

The Jesus Juke is a great way to tell a friend, “I wish you possessed the uber holiness I do and were instead talking about sweet baby Jesus in this conversation.” It’s like a tiny little “shame grenade,” you throw it into an otherwise harmless conversation and then watch it splatter everyone in guilt and condemnation.

2. It never leads to good conversation.

I’ve been Jesus Juked dozens of times in my life and I’ve never once seen it lead to a productive, healthy conversation. You might think it will before you juke, but what usually happens is just raw amounts of awkwardness, similar to how I felt sitting in a theater watching the Last Airbender.

3. I’ve never met someone who was “juked to Jesus.”

I once tweeted, “No one’s ever said: ‘The way you bitterly mock other Christians helped me begin a life-changing love of Jesus’ (Be kind).” I wrote that because I wanted to remind us that our jerkiness never led folks to Christ. I don’t think our jukes do either. I don’t really see it as a conversion technique. It’s more of a conversation killer technique.

I hope we all keep talking about Jesus. I hope we talk about him lots and lots. I hope he defines our life and conversations. But if I tell you that when it comes to My Little Pony, I tend to prefer Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie and that Toola Roola has been riding their coattails for years, please don’t respond, “You know who created ponies? Our Lord God did, that’s who.”

Has anyone ever pulled a “Jesus Juke” on you?

You're Better Than You Think . . .

God promised us many years ago through the prophet Isaiah (65:18) that He was “about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”  I can’t tell you how often I’ve struggled with the notion that I could in any way possible be seen as God’s delight.  One of our most common insecurities as human beings is thinking less of ourselves than we should.  Are we sinful?  Yes.  Are we prone to failure?  Sure.  Are we imperfect and sad and disappointing and lazy and selfish?  Of course.  After all we’re only human.  But does this make us any less of a delight in the eyes of our Heavenly Creator?  The answer is a resounding no!  Great news, eh?  And yet, we constantly are conflicted over accepting this very simple premise of faith.  But when acceptance finally does come, what an amazing feeling of relief washes over us.  We feel mercy and grace and forgiveness and love like no other and like never before.

One of the dilemmas we face as Christians is keeping our pride and egos in check when life is coasting along with great ease and success.  Our bodies are programmed to remember the suffering and the less fortunate in the world, and never more so than at times when we feel especially blessed.  Christ himself was focused on the poor and the sick and the lost and the persecuted during his earthly ministry.  But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t care every bit as deeply for each of God’s children regardless of their circumstances or their station in life.  We want to love the Lord and our neighbor, but there's something healthy in loving oneself, too.  Let’s not forget, the person who has nothing at all is often at a level of peace we can only dream of. And sometimes the person who appears to have everything is suffering greatly.  This can be well-disguised and a very personal and private trait that might never be revealed to even those we consider our closest companions.  But God knows us better than we know ourselves and is always near.  I mean seriously . . . would you want to be far from someone you considered your delight?

Earlier this year I wrote a song titled “You Are My Delight.”  It’s written as a way to celebrate the greatest gift of all: life.  It’s also written as a love letter from God to us.  It’s a reminder that we can never stray so far that we are out of the reach of His love.  The chorus is full of joyful encouragement as He gently explains just how miraculous each of us is in His eyes, regardless of how we see ourselves.

You are my delight, you’re marvelous and wonderful

In my image you are made, you’re beautiful and powerful

My creation and my child, a masterpiece within my sight

Awe-inspiring and breathtaking, you, you are my delight

For some of us, we are extremely fortunate to have families and friends who regularly offer us loving praise and positive encouragement.  For others, any semblance of encouragement is unfortunately rare or even absent in life.  And yet, all our souls are constantly tugged at by the same unseen force that tells us there is something more to this life and something absolutely mind-staggering that not only created us, but that loves us and blesses us and calls us into loving communion each and every day.  God’s holy word has verse after verse of promises for each of us.  And, for this life, these promises begin and end with the sacrifice of God’s own son.  If we have a God who would sacrifice so much for such an undeserving lot, just imagine how much of a delight we must truly be.  And just imagine how truly amazing life in God’s great glory will be!

Broadcasting God's Song

Let’s take a moment to think about the words of the Psalmist as he encourages us to sing a new song to the Lord.  Psalm 98 is filled with amazing prose that reminds us of all the great and glorious things He does for us.  And yet, sometimes life throws you a curveball reminder that evil is still very much a real part of this world, and, as a result, it’s difficult to be positive about much of anything, yet alone find the will to praise anyone or anything when you’re completely broken by sorrow.

This week our community was struck by tragedy on Halloween eve as a young father decided to take his own life and the lives of his two young daughters in a shocking double murder-suicide in his car on a lonely mountain road.  The aftermath has impacted many people: family, friends, schools, churches, emergency responders, and complete strangers who simply feel the pain of the survivors.  It’s at times like this when you can see newfound respect for someone like Job who, after enduring one life-shattering calamity after another, remained steadfast in his faith as all he could do was proclaim “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

I think Job understood this life is full of good and evil.  And while evil comes directly from the great tempter, Satan, and our own free will, God has zero percent responsibility for these terrible events.  Job knew that God is all about the good in our lives - and not just the birthdays, and the romances, and the graduations and the promotions at work.  His good extends far beyond these celebrations to a place where He alone can take the worst nightmare and, in time, transform it with peace and forgiveness and love and compassion.  The pain still lingers and our lives have been shattered beyond complete repair, but then again no one ever said this life would be paradise.  That’s a life yet to come and sometimes we fail to remember where we are on our life’s journey.

The demons that plague us can be terrifying and very real. We all face struggles and disappointment and fear and shame.  But for those of us who know Christ, we can face them with the promise of grace and hope.  Without faith, we are truly lost souls awaiting the inevitable and infinite agony of hopelessness.  The Psalmist asks us to sing a new song.  Perhaps that new song can be broadcast best in the music of our lives.  Let our lives be the vehicle playing over and over the sweet, sweet tune of God’s love for all to experience.  When others find life unbearable and absent of any promise, may our songs be a beacon to their grieving and tortured souls in need of an earful of hopeful lyrics and melodies.  Sing the song of God’s good news and His saving grace and, when all else fails, we will know assuredly that there is always one we can count on, one we can turn to in the darkest of hours, and one who loves us unconditionally.  Thanks be to God and blessed is His name!

Wee Will Rock You

In a few days, my church will welcome a candidate for a new associate pastor position.  There’s a buzz surrounding his arrival and the weekend’s worship and meet-and-greet events.  As you can imagine, a great many people would like to spend time chatting with he and his wife. But there are only so many minutes in a day and the itinerary allows little flexibility for unannounced audiences.

I find it interesting that, for his trial sermon, the candidate has chosen to preach from Luke’s Gospel and the story of Zacchaeus.  This is one of those Bible stories that has become forgotten for many adults.  Much of that is due to our focus on its supposedly singular relevance to young children.  Yes, there is the celebrated children’s song that many of us learned as part of a cherub choir during our pre-teen years:

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he.  He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see.”

But I would wager that there are valuable lessons to be learned in the story of Zacchaeus for the young at heart as well as the six and seven year olds in our midst.  So what do we know about this wee little man? Well, for one thing, Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector from Jericho and, as such, was despised by his own people.  This is much the same picture that we gather from our readings of the apostle Matthew.  And as the song quotes, he was wee . . . little . . . short in stature.  We also know that Jericho was about to be paid a visit by the famous young rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, in whom there was great anticipation.  Zacchaeus was as excited as anyone and, due to his vertically challenged body, chose to shimmy up a sycamore tree to gain a clear and unobstructed view of Jesus.

The story ends as Jesus recognizes him and asks Zacchaeus to come down so that they can visit together in his house.  Zacchaeus expresses his sorrow and repentance for his sinful ways and, once again, Jesus demonstrates that he is not interested in keeping up appearances. He has come not to hobnob with celebrities and save the righteous, but instead to dine with the fallen and deliver the lost.

There are many elements to this story and the one I find especially compelling says that the act of Zacchaeus’ climb into the tree was more symbolic than I’d first guessed.  For each of us to truly see God, we must climb our own tree, just as Jesus climbed willingly upon the cross.  We must each be crucified to ourselves so that we can be born again in Christ.  Only then can our vision be perfected.  It was humiliating for Zacchaeus to climb a sycamore fig tree, particularly when the tree was considered unclean as its fruit was used to feed swine.  Sometimes in order for us to come clean with God, we must set aside our pride and allow ourselves to be fully and utterly humbled.  So often we hear of how we can be our own worst enemy as we fail to see the perils of our uncontrolled pride.  But if we use faith to push aside our fear of what the world will think of us, the rewards of a life centered on following Jesus will far outweigh the social stigmas on which we place so much emphasis.

Zacchaeus was a small, insignificant, ordinary, sinful man. Precisely the type of person Jesus loved to use in furthering his ministry on Earth.  In fact, some early church scholars identified Zacchaeus with the apostle Matthias, who was selected by the eleven to replace the betrayer, Judas, as one of the inner circle of Christ’s closest followers.  But regardless of what became of Zacchaeus, his life was changed forever by his encounter with Jesus and by his belief in the gospel.  And his story has been used to help win over countless believers in the course of 2,000 plus years and that’s just the type of far-from-ordinary miracle that Jesus uses each of us for when we climb our own tree and surrender completely to His grace and mercy.

Haughty and Naughty

One of the many blessings Jesus gave us during His time here on Earth was a multitude of parables.  These parables are tremendous story lessons that paint a perfect picture of the messages He wanted to convey to us. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector found in the Gospel of Luke is a short tale but one that impacts all of us throughout our lives.  It’s a great reminder to each of us, not only that we must accept our differences, but that, despite those differences, we are all equals in God’s eyes.  It also serves as a stark reprimand to be careful in our pride that we don’t use those differences to place ourselves on too high a pedestal. 

In this parable, Jesus relates the story of how two men, from very different stations in life, approach prayer.  One, a Pharisee, uses prayer to thank God for not making him like so many others who, for a variety of reasons in his eyes, don’t measure up to his stature.  The other man, a reviled tax collector, ignores everyone else and comes humbly before God, afraid to even look to Heaven, beating his breast in frustration, acknowledging his sinful ways and begging for mercy upon his undeserving soul.  Jesus then reminds His audience to live their lives in much the same way the tax collector prays, for “all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” 

Let’s face facts.  Competition is a part of life as much as it is a part of sports.  Trying to remove it completely from either one sounds like a noble cause, but ultimately breeds a watered-down version of both.  On a daily basis competition can take many forms, and can sometimes be constructive; but in our spiritual life we are sinful and wasteful if we constantly occupy ourselves with thoughts of how much better we are than others.  Our salvation cannot be justified simply by comparing ourselves to our neighbors.  These comparisons are destructive to the life God designed for us.  Grace is freely given by God to ALL his children and none of us is more or less deserving, or more or less loved.  We are all His sons and daughters. We are all His friends. Consequently, we are all friends and brothers and sisters.  And He asks us to love one another as He has loved us regardless of our differences. Let’s not make the mistake of placing our lives into our own hands.  And lets not waste our time and God’s time praying misguided words of thanks for what we aren’t.  Be humble and not proud.  Always remember our true station in the universe, for it is by no power of our own, but only by the truth of the cross, that we are truly redeemed.

Prophets and Sculptors and Turtles (Oh My!)

“I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” - Habakkuk 3

Last week we examined what the prophet Jeremiah was all about.  Today, we take a closer look at one of my favorite names from the Old Testament: Habakkuk.  While he’s traditionally considered a minor prophet, he nonetheless managed to create a poetic book of three short but prosaic chapters that found their way into the Bible.  A statue of the prophet by the Renaissance sculptor, Donatello (ironically also the name of my favorite ninja turtle), still stands in Florence.  The Jews consider him a member of the Levite tribe, which served as musicians in the Temple.  He was an artist and a composer.  Perhaps this is why the final chapter of his book is a song of prayer.  And hear this . . . Habakkuk is thought to be unique from the other prophets because he acted very much like many of us routinely do: after regularly witnessing injustice and inaction, he openly questioned the wisdom of God.

One of the things I feel most guilty about in my faith on a regular basis is a common element of the human condition.  I question why God allows such terrible and tragic things to happen and why He doesn’t act quickly and decisively to correct these evils and bring the world back out of chaos and into the balance we so desperately crave.  Life can be difficult and perplexing.  We lose friends and family.  We’re cheated and mistreated.  We’re horrified at acts of terror and aggression.  And we see bad things happen repeatedly, time and again, over and over, to people we consider the salt of the earth.  Who hasn’t?  As a result, who hasn’t knee-jerked by blurting out words and prayers of harsh and accusing words at the Creator of all we hold dear?

Habakkuk felt the same way thousands of years ago - angry, confused and full of doubt and fear as his people were overrun by the enemy.  Yet when we examine the third and final chapter, we find a prophet who, no matter how bleak the future may appear, has heard and seen enough from God to know unquestionably that He is a God deserving of our full and unstained trust.  Habakkuk turns 180 degrees from a posture of questions and blame to a spirit of praise and thanksgiving.  While we are free to question the events that surround us, we must remember that we’re not always meant to know His ways as intimately as we may selfishly and arrogantly presume.  It’s an unfortunate part of life when the bad times impact us harder than the good times.  Yet how remarkable is His love for us!  We’ve been given a life filled with the Holy Spirit and grounded in the love of Jesus Christ so much so that we can’t help but praise God even during life’s tragedies.  No matter how little we understand at the time, we thank God for the bountiful blessings that we tend to so quickly forget.  Things as simple as waking up to life every day and every breath that fills our lungs.  And things as complicated and miraculous as a Messiah who would come to suffer and die for all our sins so that we might have eternal life in the kingdom of God, which has no end. 

May we all sing a joyful song like Habakkuk whether the storms of life are near or far.  And may we always turn to God as our shelter and our strength even “though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.”  It’s at times like these when we need to pour all our trust into God and sing his praises loudly for all to hear.  Our examples of unwavering faith and service can be the subtle triggers that lead the lost sheep of Jesus back into His loving embrace and ever closer to His amazing promise.

Taunt Songs

Jeremiah is considered one of our faith’s major prophets, as well as the author of the Old Testament book of the same name. In addition to the Book of Jeremiah, the Book of Lamentations is a series of poems attributed to him following the destruction of Jerusalem.  He is held in such high esteem by the church that he’s been honored with his painted likeness by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Yet if there was one thing you should remember above all others about him, it is this - that Jeremiah extolled continuously cultivating an individual relationship with God.  Jeremiah lived during an extremely tumultuous time for the people of Israel.  Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem and plundered and destroyed the Temple.  The people were sent into exile.  The city was overrun and lay in ruin, and the enemy was in total control.  It was a time without hope and a time without joy.  When you read some of the words that Jeremiah uses to lament His people’s despair, it’s hard to believe that even a trace of hope could survive.

“He is a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in hiding; he led me off my way and tore me to pieces; he has made me desolate; he bent his bow and set me as a mark for his arrow. He shot into my vitals the arrows of his quiver; I have become the laughing-stock of all my people, the object of their taunt-songs all day long.”

Wow!  What an amazing example of the written word capturing our deepest emotions and fears and recording it in a way that we can all relate to.  But Jeremiah was not a great prophet and strong man of God simply because he could bring to life the darkness his people faced.  Instead, we celebrate him because he was equally capable of trusting in a God who would not forget or disavow, reject or cast aside the children He created and loves with such enormity.  The same poem later includes this steadfast reminder of God’s long-term plan and trustworthiness.

“For the Lord will not reject forever. Although he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.”

A person’s true health (and, for that matter, the health of a community) can be measured physically, mentally and emotionally – but all of these measures rely exclusively on a positive spiritual human condition.  Jeremiah knew this.  He knew the darkness would fade to light and he knew that God’s love is the great antidote to all of life’s tragedy and misfortune.  And he wants us to know it also.  So take time today to count your blessings even when you find it difficult not to dwell on your troubles. Tear down any walls and barriers that prevent your relationship with God from expanding.  Thank Him for being a God who doesn’t turn away from the faithful even when our lives verge on crumbling.  Take time to pray for our broken bodies, our failing relationships, the unknown future of the church, our suffering communities, our weary souls, and for those who haven’t yet come to know the Lord.  Continue unceasingly with these healing prayers.  The combined power of prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit offers unfailing proof that it is indeed a new day now that Christ has come.  Christ is the gift that erases all injustice and gives hope for tomorrow and for all people.  Hallelujah!  God’s love for us is beyond amazing.

In God We Trust

In his second letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul eloquently laments that he is suffering for the gospel - the gospel that brought the story of Jesus Christ and His impossible grace to life for all of us.  But Paul is not ashamed of his suffering or his circumstances because he knows “the one in whom I have put my trust.”  So, in the midst of our suffering, who do we put our trust in today?  While we pray for trustworthiness in all our earthly institutions (governments, schools, stock markets, and even churches), all we really need do for a reminder of who to place our primary trust in is to take a look at any U.S. coin.  Engraved right on the face are the words “In God We Trust.”  It’s hard to imagine any four words ever uttered that are truer than these.  Yet at the same time, these words have been the source of great debate and division in our history. 

These famous words come from the third stanza to Francis Scott Key’s Star-Spangled Banner: “And this be our motto: In God is our trust.” The song came about as a result of Key’s eyewitness experience to the Battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.  It was also during a time of great national upheaval in 1865, at the climax of the Civil War, when Congress moved to authorize the use of the phrase on U.S. coins and currency.  Again during a time of heightened world-wide political tension, President Eisenhower approved a joint resolution in 1956, in the midst of the Cold War, declaring the phrase to be our national motto.  And yet, not surprisingly, the phrase has had its share of detractors over the years.  Numerous opponents have cried foul over First Amendment constitutional objections.  And even our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, vehemently opposed the motto’s use, considering it sacrilege to put God’s name on money. 

National motto or not, and with political and ideological differences aside, it remains clear that, in times of great turmoil and uncertainty, suffering and tragedy, there is no greater help than an unwavering trust and faith in God.  As Congress declared in 1956, “... as long as we trust in God, we will prevail." After all, our God is a God who knows our fear and pain. An ever-present God who is forgiving and merciful and full of love.  An everlasting God who will not faint or grow weary.  A God who is the epitome of trustworthiness.  A God who delights in you and considers you His precious and divine masterpiece.  Trust the Lord, your God, and make His ways first before all others.  If we put our trust in Christ, living in His unmatched grace, then nothing and no one can stand against us.  Thanks be to God!

Waiting for the Crumbs to Fall . . .

One of  Jesus’ parables in Luke, Chapter 16 reminds us of the dramatic differences that still exist even today between classes of people across the globe and in our own home towns.  While one rich man feasts sumptuously every day of his fortunate life, another lies starving and suffering just outside the front door, waiting with the dogs for the other man’s crumbs to fall.  Too many of us turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the plight of the needy even when the striking evidence of their misery can be found just a few feet away. Yet Jesus warns us to heed His words and those of the prophets when we have the opportunity and the means to feed another.  If we don’t take His message and His pleas to heart, what awaits us after a life of selfishness and ignorance is an eternity of discomfort and agonizing regret.  Unfortunately, we don’t live in a time where Jesus walks among us as He did with the first disciples to regularly coach us on these things.  But this doesn’t mean He is dead to us.  Nor is His message outdated.  On the contrary, His word is timeless.  And as the David Crowder Band reminds us in the Daniel Bashta song “Like A Lion”, He’s surely alive today inside each of us, roaring like a lion.  Listen to His roar inside your heart and reach out to the hungry and the poor with food for their bodies and nourishment for their souls.  Feed them with the knowledge that He is alive and well in the world, vibrant and relevant inside each of us.  It’s not about us, but about His never-ending love and abundant mercy exemplified by our acts of kindness through the Holy Spirit.  Watch and see what happens.  One kind act after another will quickly become habit-forming and contagious and the roars of the lion will soon be answered by a deafening and heavenly rejoicing.  Praise be to God!

One Shrewd Dude

Jesus uses a parable in Luke's gospel to explain why money makes a poor boss.  One specific quote originates within this text that remains prophetic even today:  “No slave can serve two masters.”  Sound familiar?  As many of us have learned after years of hard knocks, you can’t serve both God and wealth.  You must choose.  Like the parable’s manager, we often become engrossed in our material wealth to a point where we desperately covet and worship things that have great monetary value but zero spiritual value.  As the shrewd manager found out too late, faith and dishonesty may seem like polar opposites but they have one thing in common.  They both demonstrate the principle that when someone exhibits a little of either, they will also exhibit much of the same under greater and more dire circumstances.  How often have we heard "It's just a little white lie" or "Nobody's going to miss this if I take it."  We're only kidding ourselves if we try to convince our consciences and each other that there are different shades of dishonesty.  Gray areas exist only in our minds.  In God's world, these things are black and white regardless of how we try to justify them.  Greed is a common breeding ground for dishonesty and the erosion of our faith's health.  Our wealth helps to make us comfortable in this life, but our faith is what will comfort us when the money disappears.  Use money as a resource for building up instead of tearing down.  Remember this the next time Satan's little temptations try to sway your point of view.  Faith is a priceless treasure that fills the purses of our souls and faith is how we will measure our true worth in God's kingdom. 

One > 99 ?

In the fifteenth chapter of Luke’s gospel, Jesus tells the Pharisees and scribes in no uncertain terms that “. . . there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.” As so often happens during His life, Jesus found himself scrutinized carefully for the company he kept. In this case, tax-collectors and sinners. But Jesus preached a gospel that was not just for the righteous and the believers. His message was for everyone and especially for those who don’t know God, those who are mired in sin, and those whose souls appear to the average onlooker to be eternally lost. We are all God’s children and His love for each of us knows no bounds. But just like the prodigal son’s father rejoiced upon his return, God and all His angels rejoice uncontrollably when the wayward make their way home to Him. Just as Jesus’ message is for everyone with no exceptions, so, too, are our churches. Not only should our doors be open to everyone regardless of their appearance or their sins, but so should our hearts. We can preach each and every Sunday to a packed room full of church members and that is a wonderful thing, but a balance must be struck to not rest on our laurels for all the souls that have already been won. We must expend time and energy and passion to reach out to the others in this world that are hurting and suffering because they don’t yet realize the endless love and eternal grace that are freely available from a Creator who desperately wants to reunite with all his sons and daughters. You and I can be His conduit to accomplish one of His greatest desires. Opportunities exist in the most unexpected times and places for us to be His instrument and to reach out His shepherd’s crook and gently pull one more lost sheep back into the fold of His amazing embrace. It’s not often that the number one is viewed as trumping 99. But in the business of lost soul acquisition, it’s the norm.

Follow the Leader

During the midst of His time here on Earth, Jesus had some strong words for the large crowd that followed Him. Jesus tells them in multiple ways that to truly follow Him is a lifelong investment. It’s a serious commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Over the course of your faith journey, as you move closer and closer to God, you will inevitably be forced to give up the very things that mean so much to you here on Earth: your possessions, your relationships and ultimately your life. Our earthly blessings too often evolve into something dangerous that can keep us from moving closer to God. They can trap us and detour us from the path He clears for us to eternal joy. They can suddenly become an all-consuming focus. One that breeds selfishness and jealousy and denial. One that causes us to lose sight of the fact that His true promises for us extend far beyond this life. The material wealth we discard was always stamped with an expiration date. We can’t take it with us, right? And as for the relationships, if the ones we long to be with are truly dear and meaningful and valuable to us, then there’s good news. Everyone is invited to the experience of a lifetime and forever. Jesus calls us as he did those first humble fishermen to follow Him. He is calling you right now. Answer the call. And rest assured that the joy of what awaits us on the journey far exceeds the cost of what we leave behind. Hallelujah!

Humble in our Hospitality

Luke’s gospel provides unique insight into the relationship between humility and hospitality. In Chapter 14, Jesus relates a parable to his dinner companions concerning where you should sit when invited as a guest in someone’s home: the seat of highest honor or the lowest. We all know this person because there’s one in every crowd. The person who always migrates to the most visible place or the place closest to the host or the place that appears to be of highest importance. The higher the pedestal you seek, the greater the fall. How embarrassing to misinterpret your own significance in the eyes of the host and have your host ask you to move back from a prominent place of honor, reduced in plain sight of everyone, and forced to trudge back in front of all to the most inconspicuous seat in the house. When communing with your Creator, check your ego at the door. Jesus was no proud, tyrannical ruler. He was a humble, loving, servant King, unlike anything the world has ever seen. He asks us to set aside our pride, and to never forget we are all equal in the eyes of God. Never consider yourself so high that you should selfishly rise above and beyond your neighbors. As Jesus reminds us “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” So much of what society impresses on us today is that power and fortune and success will elevate us above the masses. Yet nothing could be more contrary to the direction God is pointing us. Jesus worked tirelessly to live His life from within the masses, not from above them or while stepping on them. To Him, this was the true image of success. Follow the example of the King of your heart and use your gifts and talents to walk with the masses, humbling yourself, helping them, and glorifying God in the process. Only then will you come closer to knowing what a true king looks and feels like.

Healed on the Sabbath

Luke Chapter 13 describes how, for healing a woman of her crippling affliction, Jesus was harshly criticized by a leader of the synagogue for having violated the Sabbath. In return Jesus branded the man and those with him to be hypocrites. It’s hard to believe that we could live in a world where a genuine, honest to goodness, healing miracle could be considered unlawful simply because of the day of the week on which it took place. Instead of rejoicing with the other believers, these church officials were blinded by their laws rather than amazed at the glory of God’s power. On that day, the Sabbath was surely a day for immense celebration, yet the synagogue lost sight of what was truly holy. Too often we allow ourselves to get caught up in the details and minutiae of this life and we miss the simple joys of God’s miracles as they unfold around us. We miss the opportunity to live within the miracle. We miss the opportunity to do great things in His name because we are unsure if it’s politically correct or socially acceptable, or we worry about who to give credit to or where to place blame. And why, 2,000 years later, do we forget that we are privy to a perspective that the synagogue hypocrites never understood? The hundreds and hundreds of Jewish laws passed down through generations for thousands of years for daily living and proper faith instruction suddenly paled in comparison to the presence of the long-awaited Messiah. A new age and a new kingdom had been born. He was with us in the flesh for the briefest of moments, to share the holiest of all commandments and life lessons and a one-of-a-kind divine perspective. When queried about the greatest commandment, Jesus spoke firmly and with great conviction: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s time to throw off the shackles that prevent you from enjoying daily God’s promises and live your life without fear of criticism when your decisions and actions are guided by the Holy Spirit. Strive to make every day a Sabbath. A Sabbath where you find rest and peace and refreshment with the Lord, and one that, when the opportunity arises, is rich with healing and great works in honor of the everlasting God!