1 Kings 3:5-14: Solomon said to the Lord, "Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil."
Discernment: The gift of discernment is the ability to recognize what is genuine from what is pretense; what is of God from what is not of God.
We live in a world where we are constantly presented with information, from the 24/7/365 mass news media cycle, gossip rags, advice columns, weather reports, health & science periodicals, tragedy and triumph. This access to information is a gift and a curse. At times we get so bogged down, inundated by constant news, that our brains cannot process the information. It becomes harder and harder to discern fact from fiction, truth becomes obscured. It can be daunting.
Wisdom is one of the gifts God gives us. Our Father wants us to use our rational mind, analyze and study facts and figures, contemplate and theorize, but at the end of the day, true wisdom comes from the knowledge of trust God's truth and praying for discernment. Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is critical to our lives as Christians. It helps to guide us towards God while being grounded in the reality of the situation. It is something that we struggle with, it is a gift and resource we can trust God will give through the Holy Spirit if we pray for 'discernment.'
Praying for 'wisdom' and discernment, guidance in our spiritual lives has to be grounded in total submission and trust in God's power over our own preconceptions. How often do we go to prayer asking God for guidance when we already are firmly convinced in the answer he should give us. We often mistake this for discernment. We get angry when God doesn't answer our prayers, when the truth is the prayer was not aligned with his plans and purposes - discernment helps us to understand God's purpose in our life.
We can willingly desire to trust God's guidance and receive the gift of discernment, but we are stubborn creatures. We have goals and dreams, which might not be 'evil' or bad, but God has greater plans for us. Instead of trusting God's plan, and actively working towards it we trying to fix a broken plan, something that will no longer fill us spiritually and physically. Sometimes discernment is taking our faith through dark places that make no sense at all. Death of a child, how can that be in God's plan. For me I have battled numerous trials, and it took discernment - God's spirit to work through me. I felt setbacks in career, family betrayal, obstacles in health were stab wounds that wouldn't heal...it took wisdom to help me discern God's eternal work is stronger than the temporal obstacles of this world.
This is a time when the 'I believe, help my unbelief applies.' We in our stubborn clinch fists, hold onto burdens that God will willingly relieve our sore bones of. Turn over those coping mechanisms, burdens, fears, etc...to God and pray to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gift of wisdom, not wisdom of the world, but God's discerning wisdom. Trust God's wisdom. King Solomon leaned on God's wisdom and it served him well, until he allowed wisdom of the flesh to supersede God's wisdom working through him. That doesn't mean there isn't wisdom in the world that isn't in accordance with God - God wants us to learn and grow in science, history, arts...be aware of world concerns, but we cannot allow that wisdom to tear us away from God...
For instance, I am a news junkie and I get embroiled in the headlines, outraged by social errors, politics, world concerns - this is good, but there were times I got so depressed or overwhelmed that I began to allow worldly worry to supplant trust in God. It took tuning out all news for a few days, silently recalling God's work in my life and praying for discernment based on God's will, not my own selfish desires.
God is ready to guide us, come to him in prayer and the heavens will sing, our hearts will be opened to receive the spirit's gift of wisdom, and through that discernment we must trust God, while also recognizing our limits of wisdom and discernment, careful not to interject our flawed wisdom into the discerning power of the spirit. Find a quiet place and listen. God is with us!
Prayer:
God, we grant that you in your all-encompassing wisdom, grant us discernment to know and trust your will for our lives. Actively call your servants to your ministry and work through us in your lives. May the blessed gift of the Holy Spirit guide us and grant that your wisdom guide us in all things. Praise be to God, the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Saturday, December 28, 2013
The Holy Innocents
Matthew 2: 13-18
'The Escape to Egypt'
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up took the child and his mother by night and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt, I have called my son."
'The Massacre of the Infants'
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled because they are no more."
On the Fourth Day of Christmas, our faith is confronted with a jarringly paradox, the Feast Day of The Holy Innocents. The joyous peace we find in the birth of the redeeming innocence of the Christ child, to the massacre of innocent children by King Herod the Great. Herod is notorious for his mania and his cruel and malicious reign as the Roman appointed King of the Jews. Herod feared that the birth of the Messiah would threaten his role as king. Power mad, he ordered the ultimate act of evil, infanticide of children under two in the area of Bethlehem.
These children, are considered the first martyrs in the New Testament. They are not standing up in faith for Christ, but were victims of a man in opposition to God. It is hard to reconcile our knowledge of God and the joy of Christ's birth with this infanticide. How did a merciful God allow children to be innocently massacred for Christ? God wept for his children, lamenting for the loss of the innocent lives. God mourns for all the lost and suffering.
The massacre of children, is stark reminder throughout all generations that innocent by the evil actions of others. Suffering does not come from God, although he may test us, building our faith through resiliency, guiding us through the fire of life, God does not harm his creatures. Suffering is a result of sin in the world. It is merciless and spreads like wildfire and a plague. No clearer example of this is the killing of innocent children, particularly when the motive is worldly power.
It parallels to Exodus, Chapter 1, where Pharaoh, afraid that the growing Hebrew population might usurp his power, ordered that all baby boys be killed. Of course Moses is saved, but countless lives were lost.
God is all good and his encompassing love is limitless, yet God works through the human condition to achieve his eternal purposes. Suffering on this plane is hard and tests our faith, yet God never abandons us. The eternal is hard to comprehend in the bloodshed of innocent, yet it is the eternal goodness of God that can combat the darkness of the temporal world.
Compare to Stephen, who was martyred for actively standing up for Christ. Stephen made the conscious choice to stand up and die a martyr The Holy Innocents died as martyrs, but not by active faith in Christ, but being at the wrong place at the wrong time. They did not know Christ and yet sacrificed their lives so that his might be protected. They suffered death as martyrs for Christ, because evil opposes God and while God is all good, evil of the world works to destroy the light with darkness, no matter who gets hurt in the process. Herod was full of darkness and malice, his sin caused the most innocent to suffer. Yet Christ, though spared from the massacre, did not live in the world without trouble. God is always aware of our sufferings, weeping for us and tending his sheep. He protects us, working at all times to bring light into dark places. In Christ, God fully divine and fully man, was not immune to suffering, but took it on boldly, dying on the Cross, so that our souls may have eternal life. So while we suffer in this realm, if we keep the light of Christ in our hearts we will find peace, even in turmoil, understanding in confusion, love out of hate.
From a historical standpoint may have questioned when did the massacre and how many died. During a bible study with Fr. Bruce McNabb at St. James Episcopal in Bozeman, I learned that there is no record of the massacre, but that doesn't mean it did not occur. Rather it is relevant that massacres of this nature were commonplace under the tyranny of Herod and within the Empire. Most likely the massacre was around 8-20 children, which might pale compared to other killings and was considered too mundane to account for. Can you imagine - 20 children, even one child being murdered and it is considered too mundane and run of the mill to account for. God does account for sins as judge, justice is served for those who do not repent. That is not a fire and brimstone warning, but a truth that allows us to have peace and reconciliation. Otherwise how could we not cling to anger and revenge to account for such maliciousness in this world.
Reflecting on this scripture, I compare it to the story of the innocent massacred under Pharaoh. In that account the oppressive force was Pharaoh, and Moses eventually is called to lead is people out of Egypt. The concept of 'out of Egypt,' is one that affects many literary themes I work with, because it speaks to the human condition and our path to God's grace. The suffering of the innocent, the consequences of our sin, being lost in our desire for the world, even when God's grace and redemption awaits us, we focus on the desert as a cruel place, instead of the sustaining power of God.
In Matthew, Joseph is told by a dream to take Jesus to Egypt, a safe haven until Pharaoh is dead. Kind of a reversal of circumstances, the Messiah forced out of the Promised Land because the king there was not ready to receive the Savior Christ? Are we ready to receive God or will we act with hate, fear, anger - allowing that to guide our will - causing others to suffer? This account is still active today, so many are killed, for no reason. In Syria, school children bombed, not because of faith, but another's deadly lust for power. The same can be said in Pakistan or China...even in America where the 'right of choice,' often ends up killing the most innocent because of inconvenience. The Feast of the Holy Innocents is a call to action. An understanding that though there is suffering, devastation and hate in the world, Christ is with us and the light of his love in the eternity of the kingdom of heaven has overcome the darkness of this world. It is also a call to learn from the lesson of innocent lives lost, advocating for the least among us, protecting children and working to prevent any more lives lost. "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled because they are no more."
Collect for Today:
O God, whom the Holy Innocents confessed and proclaimed on this day, not by speaking but by dying, grant, we pray, that the faith in your which we confess with our lips may also speak through our manner of life. Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever
Today, dearest brethren, we celebrate the birthday of those children who were slaughtered, as the Gospel tells us, by that exceedingly cruel king, Herod. Let the earth, therefore, rejoice and the Church exult — she, the fruitful mother of so many heavenly champions and of such glorious virtues. Never, in fact, would that impious tyrant have been able to benefit these children by the sweetest kindness as much as he has done by his hatred. For as today's feast reveals, in the measure with which malice in all its fury was poured out upon the holy children, did heaven's blessing stream down upon them.
"Blessed are you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah! You suffered the inhumanity of King Herod in the murder of your babes and thereby have become worthy to offer to the Lord a pure host of infants. In full right do we celebrate the heavenly birthday of these children whom the world caused to be born unto an eternally blessed life rather than that from their mothers' womb, for they attained the grace of everlasting life before the enjoyment of the present. The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession; the death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the beatitude they gained so quickly. For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as "infant martyr flowers"; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief. — St. Augustine
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07419a.htm - This is a great article about The Holy Innocents
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'The Escape to Egypt'
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up took the child and his mother by night and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt, I have called my son."
'The Massacre of the Infants'
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled because they are no more."
On the Fourth Day of Christmas, our faith is confronted with a jarringly paradox, the Feast Day of The Holy Innocents. The joyous peace we find in the birth of the redeeming innocence of the Christ child, to the massacre of innocent children by King Herod the Great. Herod is notorious for his mania and his cruel and malicious reign as the Roman appointed King of the Jews. Herod feared that the birth of the Messiah would threaten his role as king. Power mad, he ordered the ultimate act of evil, infanticide of children under two in the area of Bethlehem.
These children, are considered the first martyrs in the New Testament. They are not standing up in faith for Christ, but were victims of a man in opposition to God. It is hard to reconcile our knowledge of God and the joy of Christ's birth with this infanticide. How did a merciful God allow children to be innocently massacred for Christ? God wept for his children, lamenting for the loss of the innocent lives. God mourns for all the lost and suffering.
The massacre of children, is stark reminder throughout all generations that innocent by the evil actions of others. Suffering does not come from God, although he may test us, building our faith through resiliency, guiding us through the fire of life, God does not harm his creatures. Suffering is a result of sin in the world. It is merciless and spreads like wildfire and a plague. No clearer example of this is the killing of innocent children, particularly when the motive is worldly power.
It parallels to Exodus, Chapter 1, where Pharaoh, afraid that the growing Hebrew population might usurp his power, ordered that all baby boys be killed. Of course Moses is saved, but countless lives were lost.
God is all good and his encompassing love is limitless, yet God works through the human condition to achieve his eternal purposes. Suffering on this plane is hard and tests our faith, yet God never abandons us. The eternal is hard to comprehend in the bloodshed of innocent, yet it is the eternal goodness of God that can combat the darkness of the temporal world.
Compare to Stephen, who was martyred for actively standing up for Christ. Stephen made the conscious choice to stand up and die a martyr The Holy Innocents died as martyrs, but not by active faith in Christ, but being at the wrong place at the wrong time. They did not know Christ and yet sacrificed their lives so that his might be protected. They suffered death as martyrs for Christ, because evil opposes God and while God is all good, evil of the world works to destroy the light with darkness, no matter who gets hurt in the process. Herod was full of darkness and malice, his sin caused the most innocent to suffer. Yet Christ, though spared from the massacre, did not live in the world without trouble. God is always aware of our sufferings, weeping for us and tending his sheep. He protects us, working at all times to bring light into dark places. In Christ, God fully divine and fully man, was not immune to suffering, but took it on boldly, dying on the Cross, so that our souls may have eternal life. So while we suffer in this realm, if we keep the light of Christ in our hearts we will find peace, even in turmoil, understanding in confusion, love out of hate.
From a historical standpoint may have questioned when did the massacre and how many died. During a bible study with Fr. Bruce McNabb at St. James Episcopal in Bozeman, I learned that there is no record of the massacre, but that doesn't mean it did not occur. Rather it is relevant that massacres of this nature were commonplace under the tyranny of Herod and within the Empire. Most likely the massacre was around 8-20 children, which might pale compared to other killings and was considered too mundane to account for. Can you imagine - 20 children, even one child being murdered and it is considered too mundane and run of the mill to account for. God does account for sins as judge, justice is served for those who do not repent. That is not a fire and brimstone warning, but a truth that allows us to have peace and reconciliation. Otherwise how could we not cling to anger and revenge to account for such maliciousness in this world.
Reflecting on this scripture, I compare it to the story of the innocent massacred under Pharaoh. In that account the oppressive force was Pharaoh, and Moses eventually is called to lead is people out of Egypt. The concept of 'out of Egypt,' is one that affects many literary themes I work with, because it speaks to the human condition and our path to God's grace. The suffering of the innocent, the consequences of our sin, being lost in our desire for the world, even when God's grace and redemption awaits us, we focus on the desert as a cruel place, instead of the sustaining power of God.
In Matthew, Joseph is told by a dream to take Jesus to Egypt, a safe haven until Pharaoh is dead. Kind of a reversal of circumstances, the Messiah forced out of the Promised Land because the king there was not ready to receive the Savior Christ? Are we ready to receive God or will we act with hate, fear, anger - allowing that to guide our will - causing others to suffer? This account is still active today, so many are killed, for no reason. In Syria, school children bombed, not because of faith, but another's deadly lust for power. The same can be said in Pakistan or China...even in America where the 'right of choice,' often ends up killing the most innocent because of inconvenience. The Feast of the Holy Innocents is a call to action. An understanding that though there is suffering, devastation and hate in the world, Christ is with us and the light of his love in the eternity of the kingdom of heaven has overcome the darkness of this world. It is also a call to learn from the lesson of innocent lives lost, advocating for the least among us, protecting children and working to prevent any more lives lost. "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled because they are no more."
Collect for Today:
O God, whom the Holy Innocents confessed and proclaimed on this day, not by speaking but by dying, grant, we pray, that the faith in your which we confess with our lips may also speak through our manner of life. Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever
Today, dearest brethren, we celebrate the birthday of those children who were slaughtered, as the Gospel tells us, by that exceedingly cruel king, Herod. Let the earth, therefore, rejoice and the Church exult — she, the fruitful mother of so many heavenly champions and of such glorious virtues. Never, in fact, would that impious tyrant have been able to benefit these children by the sweetest kindness as much as he has done by his hatred. For as today's feast reveals, in the measure with which malice in all its fury was poured out upon the holy children, did heaven's blessing stream down upon them.
"Blessed are you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah! You suffered the inhumanity of King Herod in the murder of your babes and thereby have become worthy to offer to the Lord a pure host of infants. In full right do we celebrate the heavenly birthday of these children whom the world caused to be born unto an eternally blessed life rather than that from their mothers' womb, for they attained the grace of everlasting life before the enjoyment of the present. The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession; the death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the beatitude they gained so quickly. For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as "infant martyr flowers"; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief. — St. Augustine
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07419a.htm - This is a great article about The Holy Innocents
Thursday, December 26, 2013
St. Stephen - Martyr, full of Grace and Power
Acts 6-8
Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke...
On the second day of Christmas, still filled with the grace and power of the joyous occasion of Christ's birth, a savior who reigns with the authority of righteousness, we are faced with the stark reality of the cost of serving Christ.
December 26 is the feast day of St. Stephen, the proto-martyr in Christianity. Stephen is the first Christian martyr to willingly face death of the flesh rather than revoke his eternal adoption into Christ's heavenly kingdom. Stephen is an example for us all to follow, in how he lived on earth and his trust in the promised salvation that Christ bought for us on the cross.
Precious little is known about the early life of St. Stephen. It is widely believed that he was a Hellenistic Jew. What we know about Stephen comes primarily from Acts of the Apostles. In Chapter 6: 1-6, we learn that there is disparity in almsgiving which is leaving many in need lacking. A group of seven was chosen to serve Christ by first ensuring that the needs of the poor and sick were taken care of as well as spreading the Gospel of Christ. Stephen was one of the seven appoint, described as a man "full of faith and the Holy Spirit."
"Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." 6: 8
This statement gives us insight into Stephen's faith and trust in God, the power of the Holy Spirit guiding him and the power of grace by Christ giving him a sure faith and a dedication to bear the fruits of Christ - serving the lesser and loving our neighbors (even our enemies) as ourselves. He was active in Christian ministry with bold conviction and humble service to Christ.
"Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."
The passage that speaks to me in these verses is "They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke." How often do we as humans, push back truth. We allow cynicism and unbelief to block our ability to trust the discernment that God gives us the Holy Spirit. We would rather judge the other as strange, than be open to the power, grace and wisdom of the Spirit. We are all guilty of this, particularly when the Truth slaps us in inconvenient ways. This often occurs at Christmas, in the very heart of the season when the Holy Spirit should be kindling a sustaining fire of Christian invocation within us.
We get caught up in things - gifts purchased from stores, angry if we didn't get the right gift, arguing with friends and family, ignoring those in need because we are so focused on our own desires we forsake the other. Instead of heeding the truth we push back, we debate, we say 'blasphemy' or use the Bible for our own brand of Christianity - not Christ's instruction. Instead of being filled by the power of the spirit and all cleansing grace of Christ we rely on our own understand, not trusting and leaning on God's truth and instruction. Many will actually argue their hate, greed, selfishness under the guise of faith, because they have lost sight of what being a Christian is about. Stephen called people out of that darkness and challenged worldly values with the life giving power and mercy of Christ. He did not shy from his calling. He allowed the Spirit to work through him. Stephen admonished the folly of his generation, with the power of the Spirit and Christ's grace. Yet even in the admonishing challenge, Stephen continued to pray for his enemies and those who went against him. Stephen saw that they were so closed off to love and truth, tied up in their own chains of the flesh they needed Christ and prayed even as he was dying that they might be forgiven. Righteousness of challenging our neighbor and enemy not to sin, without condemnation, eternal judgment is God's alone, but a warning with a conspiracy of love - a true example of loving the sinner and mourning their sin.
How often do we get on our pedestal and castigate, stir up controversy in our parishes, despise our neighbor and rely on anger and negativity, rather than calling out the sin, but with the purpose of love and path of redemption? It is easy to condemn from our lofty ivory towers. Christ calls us to remember the law with active adherence, and to instruct why sin is detrimental - it isn't an arbitrary set of laws indicting us to false chains, on the other hand, when we get more caught up in judgment, which turns to hate, making us feel superior rather than serving Christ and praying for the lost and working to bring them back into the fold with love and mercy, not hate, we are like the crowds that stoned Stephen. We see truth as blasphemy and blasphemy becomes our truth.
Stephen is fearless, not cocky, but completely trusting in Christ's purpose and promise when he is brought before the crowds. Stephen gives an impassioned speech to the Council. "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do..."
Stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears - that is quite an admonishment - yet sadly I can feel that shame. Even those of us who always try to follow the Lord's call, often turn to our own dependencies on the world - it is often worry - instead of trust. I see the statement about 'ancestors' of course referring to the timeline of Hebrew Scriptures - where the faithful prophets and judges, like Stephen call out the lack of faith and acceptance of the Holy Spirit - however I think this statement is more a reflection the human tendency to rebel and to be stubborn, trying to flee God's power and grace, clinging to the life of the flesh instead of life of God. This isn't a Hebrew problem - it is a human problem that we can still identify with today. This speech is still as powerful 2000 years later, relevant and sharp as a razor awakening us to our need for God and our own cowering in fear of the flesh, and dependency on our role as castigating judges with prejudicial hearts rather than turning over judgment to God.
When Stephen is stoned to death, instead of begging the crowds to stop and forfeiting his reliance on God, he is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. He becomes willing as a martyr, not because he doesn't value his life, but the values his eternal inheritance in Christ more. Would we face the firing lines for faith? Are we willing to forfeit the world for Christ? In the U.S. and Canada this typically isn't something we consider on a life or death basis. In spite of the volatile nature of some secularism that seeks to pull us away from Christ, the media either being 'over zealous' in religious fervor or bashing Christianity - we do have freedom to worship. The very act of going to church we take for granted. How many times have you opted to sleep in or go hiking/skiing (that is a popular excuse among Montanans) putting off church another week. It isn't lack of faith, as much as taking faith for granted.
There are countless areas of the world where Christian martyrdom is a real threat. In North Korea, many Christians secretly hide bibles, if they are found out, they are killed or sent to work camps - yet they do not give up Christ. Perhaps the message "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands." - Acts 7:47, is an active reminder that though it is important to have churches and places to worship God, it is far more important to keep the spirit in your hearts and that even if you cannot worship in a house of the Lord, God is with us.
In Syria and Egypt many Christians have been persecuted and died...there are countless other countries where Christianity is literally a decision of killing the flesh and embracing God's spirit, because it is that dangerous to live as a Christian.
I read an article recently that said there are more Christians killed, murdered and stoned to death in the 21st century than the time of Stephen and the early martyrs. In Mexico priests are being killed for standing up to the drug cartel.
I pray that we never face that persecution in the U.S., even as negative secularism (not all secularism opposes our faith - God wants us to enjoy life, I refer to the bigotry of Christians and non-Christians, atheists that seeks to separate us from the spirit), we still can worship freely and that is a gift.
Martyrs don't seek death, they embrace life in Christ, yet when death comes they trust in God's eternal salvation rather than the death of the flesh. It isn't some self-effacing act of martyrdom, more for the ego of the martyr - but it is total and complete trust in God. In this Christmas season, may we find the joy of Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to sustain us. Pray that we bear pure fruits of Christ...living with active compassion, mercy, service, love...We cannot also standby and allow other Christians to suffer, we need to stand up for the persecuted and oppressed.
It is significant that 'Saul of Tarsus,' who later became Paul, witnessed Stephen's stoning and instigated it:
"Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died and Saul approved of their killing him."
It is significant that Stephen prayed for those stoning him and one of the main instigators of the attack, Saul was later called by God in one of the great conversions, a road to redemption, it shows the power of prayer in my opinion. Perhaps God, in hearing the prayer of Stephen, actively worked to convert Saul... Paul became one of the great evangelizers in Christianity. From instigator of the first martyr to Christ's own...how great is the power of the Spirit and grace of Christ indeed!
Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke...
On the second day of Christmas, still filled with the grace and power of the joyous occasion of Christ's birth, a savior who reigns with the authority of righteousness, we are faced with the stark reality of the cost of serving Christ.
December 26 is the feast day of St. Stephen, the proto-martyr in Christianity. Stephen is the first Christian martyr to willingly face death of the flesh rather than revoke his eternal adoption into Christ's heavenly kingdom. Stephen is an example for us all to follow, in how he lived on earth and his trust in the promised salvation that Christ bought for us on the cross.
Precious little is known about the early life of St. Stephen. It is widely believed that he was a Hellenistic Jew. What we know about Stephen comes primarily from Acts of the Apostles. In Chapter 6: 1-6, we learn that there is disparity in almsgiving which is leaving many in need lacking. A group of seven was chosen to serve Christ by first ensuring that the needs of the poor and sick were taken care of as well as spreading the Gospel of Christ. Stephen was one of the seven appoint, described as a man "full of faith and the Holy Spirit."
"Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." 6: 8
This statement gives us insight into Stephen's faith and trust in God, the power of the Holy Spirit guiding him and the power of grace by Christ giving him a sure faith and a dedication to bear the fruits of Christ - serving the lesser and loving our neighbors (even our enemies) as ourselves. He was active in Christian ministry with bold conviction and humble service to Christ.
"Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."
The passage that speaks to me in these verses is "They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke." How often do we as humans, push back truth. We allow cynicism and unbelief to block our ability to trust the discernment that God gives us the Holy Spirit. We would rather judge the other as strange, than be open to the power, grace and wisdom of the Spirit. We are all guilty of this, particularly when the Truth slaps us in inconvenient ways. This often occurs at Christmas, in the very heart of the season when the Holy Spirit should be kindling a sustaining fire of Christian invocation within us.
We get caught up in things - gifts purchased from stores, angry if we didn't get the right gift, arguing with friends and family, ignoring those in need because we are so focused on our own desires we forsake the other. Instead of heeding the truth we push back, we debate, we say 'blasphemy' or use the Bible for our own brand of Christianity - not Christ's instruction. Instead of being filled by the power of the spirit and all cleansing grace of Christ we rely on our own understand, not trusting and leaning on God's truth and instruction. Many will actually argue their hate, greed, selfishness under the guise of faith, because they have lost sight of what being a Christian is about. Stephen called people out of that darkness and challenged worldly values with the life giving power and mercy of Christ. He did not shy from his calling. He allowed the Spirit to work through him. Stephen admonished the folly of his generation, with the power of the Spirit and Christ's grace. Yet even in the admonishing challenge, Stephen continued to pray for his enemies and those who went against him. Stephen saw that they were so closed off to love and truth, tied up in their own chains of the flesh they needed Christ and prayed even as he was dying that they might be forgiven. Righteousness of challenging our neighbor and enemy not to sin, without condemnation, eternal judgment is God's alone, but a warning with a conspiracy of love - a true example of loving the sinner and mourning their sin.
How often do we get on our pedestal and castigate, stir up controversy in our parishes, despise our neighbor and rely on anger and negativity, rather than calling out the sin, but with the purpose of love and path of redemption? It is easy to condemn from our lofty ivory towers. Christ calls us to remember the law with active adherence, and to instruct why sin is detrimental - it isn't an arbitrary set of laws indicting us to false chains, on the other hand, when we get more caught up in judgment, which turns to hate, making us feel superior rather than serving Christ and praying for the lost and working to bring them back into the fold with love and mercy, not hate, we are like the crowds that stoned Stephen. We see truth as blasphemy and blasphemy becomes our truth.
Stephen is fearless, not cocky, but completely trusting in Christ's purpose and promise when he is brought before the crowds. Stephen gives an impassioned speech to the Council. "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do..."
Stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears - that is quite an admonishment - yet sadly I can feel that shame. Even those of us who always try to follow the Lord's call, often turn to our own dependencies on the world - it is often worry - instead of trust. I see the statement about 'ancestors' of course referring to the timeline of Hebrew Scriptures - where the faithful prophets and judges, like Stephen call out the lack of faith and acceptance of the Holy Spirit - however I think this statement is more a reflection the human tendency to rebel and to be stubborn, trying to flee God's power and grace, clinging to the life of the flesh instead of life of God. This isn't a Hebrew problem - it is a human problem that we can still identify with today. This speech is still as powerful 2000 years later, relevant and sharp as a razor awakening us to our need for God and our own cowering in fear of the flesh, and dependency on our role as castigating judges with prejudicial hearts rather than turning over judgment to God.
When Stephen is stoned to death, instead of begging the crowds to stop and forfeiting his reliance on God, he is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. He becomes willing as a martyr, not because he doesn't value his life, but the values his eternal inheritance in Christ more. Would we face the firing lines for faith? Are we willing to forfeit the world for Christ? In the U.S. and Canada this typically isn't something we consider on a life or death basis. In spite of the volatile nature of some secularism that seeks to pull us away from Christ, the media either being 'over zealous' in religious fervor or bashing Christianity - we do have freedom to worship. The very act of going to church we take for granted. How many times have you opted to sleep in or go hiking/skiing (that is a popular excuse among Montanans) putting off church another week. It isn't lack of faith, as much as taking faith for granted.
There are countless areas of the world where Christian martyrdom is a real threat. In North Korea, many Christians secretly hide bibles, if they are found out, they are killed or sent to work camps - yet they do not give up Christ. Perhaps the message "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands." - Acts 7:47, is an active reminder that though it is important to have churches and places to worship God, it is far more important to keep the spirit in your hearts and that even if you cannot worship in a house of the Lord, God is with us.
In Syria and Egypt many Christians have been persecuted and died...there are countless other countries where Christianity is literally a decision of killing the flesh and embracing God's spirit, because it is that dangerous to live as a Christian.
I read an article recently that said there are more Christians killed, murdered and stoned to death in the 21st century than the time of Stephen and the early martyrs. In Mexico priests are being killed for standing up to the drug cartel.
I pray that we never face that persecution in the U.S., even as negative secularism (not all secularism opposes our faith - God wants us to enjoy life, I refer to the bigotry of Christians and non-Christians, atheists that seeks to separate us from the spirit), we still can worship freely and that is a gift.
Martyrs don't seek death, they embrace life in Christ, yet when death comes they trust in God's eternal salvation rather than the death of the flesh. It isn't some self-effacing act of martyrdom, more for the ego of the martyr - but it is total and complete trust in God. In this Christmas season, may we find the joy of Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to sustain us. Pray that we bear pure fruits of Christ...living with active compassion, mercy, service, love...We cannot also standby and allow other Christians to suffer, we need to stand up for the persecuted and oppressed.
It is significant that 'Saul of Tarsus,' who later became Paul, witnessed Stephen's stoning and instigated it:
"Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died and Saul approved of their killing him."
It is significant that Stephen prayed for those stoning him and one of the main instigators of the attack, Saul was later called by God in one of the great conversions, a road to redemption, it shows the power of prayer in my opinion. Perhaps God, in hearing the prayer of Stephen, actively worked to convert Saul... Paul became one of the great evangelizers in Christianity. From instigator of the first martyr to Christ's own...how great is the power of the Spirit and grace of Christ indeed!
Monday, December 23, 2013
A Strange Way to Save the World
As I'm preparing for the holiday, I pop in Michael Crawford's 'Christmas Album.' One of the tracks is called "A Strange Way to Save the World." The lyrics beautifully describe the unassuming, yet perfect power that God brings his only son into the world.
God counters our preconceptions about status and order. He flips human logic, by the divine truth of his all-compassing power and grace.
Jesus, the Messiah to save all nations from their sins, a wonderful counselor and the great judge, a king and a servant, isn't born in a lofty palace. Yes, Joseph, the adopted father of Jesus, is a descendant of King David...yet in spite of his royal lineage, Joseph is a simple man of trade, he doesn't have wealth and stature. He is a hardworking and righteous man (see previous post)...Mary is a young girl, yet the faith and obedience of Mary and Joseph, their foundation in God's will makes them the ideal candidates to serve as Jesus's parents.
God reminds us in choosing Mary and Joseph, that he doesn't judge based on wealth, power, accomplishment, but works to kindle our hearts to serve him and embrace the love and peace that Jesus provides. We cannot be excused to think that our service isn't worthy, yes we are all weak creatures consumed with the flesh, yet even the most broken of souls and lost of sheep, God calls out of the darkness. He uses his children, the least to the greatest to fulfill his purpose of restoration. More importantly, God believing in us, yes he has faith that we can do infinitely more good than we can fathom, allows us to more humbly and boldly embrace our call to be Christians - actively preaching the Gospel, serving the poor, meek, sick, scared, apostate and apostle alike. God's kindling fire sustains us so that we may serve and kindle the hearts of others around us we compassion and good cheer.
The entire night of the Nativity seems normal to us, because we know the story by heart, but if you analyze the details, doesn't it strike you as 'strange' that God's son, the Messiah would be born in a manger - a troth that animals eat out of, instead of a miracle of finding a bed somewhere in Bethlehem?
Unfortunately, it isn't strange in our world for God's 'children' to be left in the cold, no bed and mother's without a place to keep their children. Many of us cry out for justice for those in need, but how often do we refuse to serve when the opportunity to aid a child of God in need appears. Mary was on the verge of giving birth, yet no one would offer her a place to stay? The circumstances and spiritual insight of this is multi-layered. One God came to serve and to place his own son, the Messiah in the vulnerable fragility of the flesh, so he can share in our suffering and through that struggle set us from the burden of sin; it is a message of humility and God caring for the least to the greatest...there are many other spiritual truths, such is the complexity and divine mystery and simplicity of scripture and the Living Gospel of Christ....
Rereading the verse from Luke, describing Christ's birth...in the midst of the joy of the birth of our Savior, I hear a call - a call to social responsibility. To aid our neighbor and tend the flock. To allow God to be judge and for use to have compassion and peace, praying for active discernment from the Holy Spirit. Being willing to stand up for the least and to serve them. There are many mothers, though not carrying 'The Messiah,' who are struggling in their pregnancies and need hope and help. Mothers in abusive relationships that need release and support - not judgment or pity - but active mercy - meeting their needs. Foster children and orphans...the homeless who will go hungry on Christmas...Yes the poor may always be with us, yet we should not ignore the suffering yet tend them with the conviction and dedication Christ calls us to.
Even in my darkest places, when hope seemed small, I can rely on this scripture to lift me up. Shepherds were a rowdy bunch, who smelled and drank...God sends Angels to shepherds to announce the birth of His son? It seems a strange way to announce the birth of 'God made man.' Yet once again God shows that he doesn't work by human conviction. His understanding and wisdom, compassion and grace far extends the boundaries of the human heart and motives. God came to save the Lost and even the shepherds were charged with tending the flocks were 'lost,' in soul. God rejoices at the opportunity to bring us back into his fold. Church is a hospital for sinners, not saints...God works through healing and the 'strange' - even in the birth of his son we find charges to love our neighbor, to forgive, to trust in miracles even in the lowliest of places.
I heard a sermon a few years ago about how God also wanted to place Christ into the most vulnerable of places, so that God in the birth of Jesus is dependent on man to care for him. The baby Jesus relies on Mary and Joseph. This demonstrates God's incredible love for us and his belief that even in our brokenness, we can yield service in his name. It may seem a strange way to save the world, but God proves his glory and wisdom. He makes all paths straight.
Merry Christmas - Joy to the World that our Savior Reigns!
"A Strange Way to Save the World" - You Tube
Reading:
Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
2:1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2:2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
2:3 All went to their own towns to be registered.
2:4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
2:5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
2:6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.
2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
2:8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
2:9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:
2:11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
2:12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."
2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
2:14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
2:16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
2:17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;
2:18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.
2:19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
God counters our preconceptions about status and order. He flips human logic, by the divine truth of his all-compassing power and grace.
Jesus, the Messiah to save all nations from their sins, a wonderful counselor and the great judge, a king and a servant, isn't born in a lofty palace. Yes, Joseph, the adopted father of Jesus, is a descendant of King David...yet in spite of his royal lineage, Joseph is a simple man of trade, he doesn't have wealth and stature. He is a hardworking and righteous man (see previous post)...Mary is a young girl, yet the faith and obedience of Mary and Joseph, their foundation in God's will makes them the ideal candidates to serve as Jesus's parents.
God reminds us in choosing Mary and Joseph, that he doesn't judge based on wealth, power, accomplishment, but works to kindle our hearts to serve him and embrace the love and peace that Jesus provides. We cannot be excused to think that our service isn't worthy, yes we are all weak creatures consumed with the flesh, yet even the most broken of souls and lost of sheep, God calls out of the darkness. He uses his children, the least to the greatest to fulfill his purpose of restoration. More importantly, God believing in us, yes he has faith that we can do infinitely more good than we can fathom, allows us to more humbly and boldly embrace our call to be Christians - actively preaching the Gospel, serving the poor, meek, sick, scared, apostate and apostle alike. God's kindling fire sustains us so that we may serve and kindle the hearts of others around us we compassion and good cheer.
The entire night of the Nativity seems normal to us, because we know the story by heart, but if you analyze the details, doesn't it strike you as 'strange' that God's son, the Messiah would be born in a manger - a troth that animals eat out of, instead of a miracle of finding a bed somewhere in Bethlehem?
Unfortunately, it isn't strange in our world for God's 'children' to be left in the cold, no bed and mother's without a place to keep their children. Many of us cry out for justice for those in need, but how often do we refuse to serve when the opportunity to aid a child of God in need appears. Mary was on the verge of giving birth, yet no one would offer her a place to stay? The circumstances and spiritual insight of this is multi-layered. One God came to serve and to place his own son, the Messiah in the vulnerable fragility of the flesh, so he can share in our suffering and through that struggle set us from the burden of sin; it is a message of humility and God caring for the least to the greatest...there are many other spiritual truths, such is the complexity and divine mystery and simplicity of scripture and the Living Gospel of Christ....
Rereading the verse from Luke, describing Christ's birth...in the midst of the joy of the birth of our Savior, I hear a call - a call to social responsibility. To aid our neighbor and tend the flock. To allow God to be judge and for use to have compassion and peace, praying for active discernment from the Holy Spirit. Being willing to stand up for the least and to serve them. There are many mothers, though not carrying 'The Messiah,' who are struggling in their pregnancies and need hope and help. Mothers in abusive relationships that need release and support - not judgment or pity - but active mercy - meeting their needs. Foster children and orphans...the homeless who will go hungry on Christmas...Yes the poor may always be with us, yet we should not ignore the suffering yet tend them with the conviction and dedication Christ calls us to.
Even in my darkest places, when hope seemed small, I can rely on this scripture to lift me up. Shepherds were a rowdy bunch, who smelled and drank...God sends Angels to shepherds to announce the birth of His son? It seems a strange way to announce the birth of 'God made man.' Yet once again God shows that he doesn't work by human conviction. His understanding and wisdom, compassion and grace far extends the boundaries of the human heart and motives. God came to save the Lost and even the shepherds were charged with tending the flocks were 'lost,' in soul. God rejoices at the opportunity to bring us back into his fold. Church is a hospital for sinners, not saints...God works through healing and the 'strange' - even in the birth of his son we find charges to love our neighbor, to forgive, to trust in miracles even in the lowliest of places.
I heard a sermon a few years ago about how God also wanted to place Christ into the most vulnerable of places, so that God in the birth of Jesus is dependent on man to care for him. The baby Jesus relies on Mary and Joseph. This demonstrates God's incredible love for us and his belief that even in our brokenness, we can yield service in his name. It may seem a strange way to save the world, but God proves his glory and wisdom. He makes all paths straight.
Merry Christmas - Joy to the World that our Savior Reigns!
"A Strange Way to Save the World" - You Tube
Reading:
Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
2:1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2:2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
2:3 All went to their own towns to be registered.
2:4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
2:5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
2:6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.
2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
2:8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
2:9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:
2:11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
2:12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."
2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
2:14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
2:16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
2:17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;
2:18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.
2:19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Light out of the Darkness
Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived
in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.
The deep darkness, even in cheer of this holiday season, the frozen desolation of winter, heartache of regret and isolation from friends and family can make Christmas seem more of a burden than a gift. We barricade ourselves from the joyful news of Christ's birth, which equates hope and a direct path to redemption, with doubt. How could their be a God, let alone one that cares for us, when we live in a world of war, murder, hate, bigotry, sickness, suffering, oppression?
Yet rejoice, for Christ works through our brokenness, binding our wounds and healing our souls. Christ himself suffered in the world, dying on the cross...in this Christ shows us that he did not come to eradicate suffering of the flesh, but to offer us a way through, a light to lead us out of the darkness...the gift of Christ is eternal life as well as the spirit of grace, forgiveness, mercy and the peace that only God can provide, a peace that stirs our souls to turn away from sin to truth, hate to love, despair to hope.
Even the faintest of lights can pierce through the darkness. The smallest of stars blots out the abyss of night. I think it is telling that God used a star to guide the gentile Magi to Christ and signal the coming of the Messiah. Yes, this was no ordinary star, still we can identify with the power and wonder of a twinkling star in the night, a guidepost. Our own earth sustaining light, the sun, is a star...imagine if God created such light and light has the power to thwart darkness, the power even in the deepest of sorrow to plant joy in our hearts, to guide us out of trial into safety.
I think it is interesting that God's natural laws have the first day of winter be the shortest time of year. Yes winter is known for long, frigid days marred by gray skies and darkness. It even causes some, particularly in the Northwest to develop seasonal affective disorder...Yet winter actually proves that with each passing day, the light lasts a little longer. Winter is a journey to summer and isn't a road to darkness, rather to light...
Even as we come to celebrate Christ's birth, life's road isn't easy. It isn't meant to be, yet through the light of Christ we are refined by trial, able to maneuver life's darkest places with faith and a living hope that Christ is born, Christ is risen and Christ will come again.
The light of the world pales in comparison to the eternal light of Christ. It blinds us sometimes past comprehension, the glorious power we fall humbly before, it kindles our hearts and sustains our soul. Rejoice, for we have seen a great light - Christ is born!
Real picture from a Yosemite Winter (NPS)
The deep darkness, even in cheer of this holiday season, the frozen desolation of winter, heartache of regret and isolation from friends and family can make Christmas seem more of a burden than a gift. We barricade ourselves from the joyful news of Christ's birth, which equates hope and a direct path to redemption, with doubt. How could their be a God, let alone one that cares for us, when we live in a world of war, murder, hate, bigotry, sickness, suffering, oppression?
Yet rejoice, for Christ works through our brokenness, binding our wounds and healing our souls. Christ himself suffered in the world, dying on the cross...in this Christ shows us that he did not come to eradicate suffering of the flesh, but to offer us a way through, a light to lead us out of the darkness...the gift of Christ is eternal life as well as the spirit of grace, forgiveness, mercy and the peace that only God can provide, a peace that stirs our souls to turn away from sin to truth, hate to love, despair to hope.
Even the faintest of lights can pierce through the darkness. The smallest of stars blots out the abyss of night. I think it is telling that God used a star to guide the gentile Magi to Christ and signal the coming of the Messiah. Yes, this was no ordinary star, still we can identify with the power and wonder of a twinkling star in the night, a guidepost. Our own earth sustaining light, the sun, is a star...imagine if God created such light and light has the power to thwart darkness, the power even in the deepest of sorrow to plant joy in our hearts, to guide us out of trial into safety.
I think it is interesting that God's natural laws have the first day of winter be the shortest time of year. Yes winter is known for long, frigid days marred by gray skies and darkness. It even causes some, particularly in the Northwest to develop seasonal affective disorder...Yet winter actually proves that with each passing day, the light lasts a little longer. Winter is a journey to summer and isn't a road to darkness, rather to light...
Even as we come to celebrate Christ's birth, life's road isn't easy. It isn't meant to be, yet through the light of Christ we are refined by trial, able to maneuver life's darkest places with faith and a living hope that Christ is born, Christ is risen and Christ will come again.
The light of the world pales in comparison to the eternal light of Christ. It blinds us sometimes past comprehension, the glorious power we fall humbly before, it kindles our hearts and sustains our soul. Rejoice, for we have seen a great light - Christ is born!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Joseph, A Righteous and Humble Man of God
Matthew 1:
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son, and he named him Jesus.
Joseph is a righteous man. Can you imagine learning that the person you were engaged to were pregnant, the excuse 'I'm with child by the Holy Spirit..." You would be skeptical and betrayed. In the custom of the day, being engaged was in all manner of speaking - being married, yet you had not formalized the ceremony. Joseph could have badmouthed Mary's name around town, smearing her reputation, but being a good hearted forgiving person by his core nature, Joseph decided to end it quietly and have mercy on Mary. That is a testament to Joseph.
When Joseph does learn from an angel of the Lord that Mary is indeed carrying the Messiah in her womb, he doesn't panic or say 'Get me out of this deal, this is too much for me...' instead he 'awoke from sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded.'
Joseph is an example we as Christians and human beings should strive to follow. Faithful, merciful, hardworking and slow to anger.
The selection of Joseph, what we know of him is slight, except he is a righteous man, a carpenter and descends from the royal line of King David. So you have a man of Royal lineage, who also works in a humble, yet necessary position of building houses and building things. God sent His only son, Jesus to build a new foundation, to lay a cornerstone for salvation and peace. Joseph's diligent work as a builder/carpenter, a good person to care for the young Jesus. We must work with humility, compassion, faith and diligence to build a foundation to Christ and to teach others the Way to his Truth.
Joseph is the patron saint of workers, carpenters, The Universal Church...I also think Joseph should be an example of our duty to tend our neighbor and to care for widows and orphans.
It saddens me to think that there are so many children at Christmas in the foster care system, without families, from broken homes...Joseph willing gave up his ability to walk away from a child that is not his by DNA, instead loving Jesus as his own and caring for his wife Mary with a compassionate and kind heart. So as Christ has adopted us as His own, Joseph adopted Jesus into his family. God calls us to foster love and tend his flock.
This Christmas let Joseph be a guide of living faithful in the joy of Christ Jesus.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son, and he named him Jesus.
Joseph is a righteous man. Can you imagine learning that the person you were engaged to were pregnant, the excuse 'I'm with child by the Holy Spirit..." You would be skeptical and betrayed. In the custom of the day, being engaged was in all manner of speaking - being married, yet you had not formalized the ceremony. Joseph could have badmouthed Mary's name around town, smearing her reputation, but being a good hearted forgiving person by his core nature, Joseph decided to end it quietly and have mercy on Mary. That is a testament to Joseph.
When Joseph does learn from an angel of the Lord that Mary is indeed carrying the Messiah in her womb, he doesn't panic or say 'Get me out of this deal, this is too much for me...' instead he 'awoke from sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded.'
Joseph is an example we as Christians and human beings should strive to follow. Faithful, merciful, hardworking and slow to anger.
The selection of Joseph, what we know of him is slight, except he is a righteous man, a carpenter and descends from the royal line of King David. So you have a man of Royal lineage, who also works in a humble, yet necessary position of building houses and building things. God sent His only son, Jesus to build a new foundation, to lay a cornerstone for salvation and peace. Joseph's diligent work as a builder/carpenter, a good person to care for the young Jesus. We must work with humility, compassion, faith and diligence to build a foundation to Christ and to teach others the Way to his Truth.
Joseph is the patron saint of workers, carpenters, The Universal Church...I also think Joseph should be an example of our duty to tend our neighbor and to care for widows and orphans.
It saddens me to think that there are so many children at Christmas in the foster care system, without families, from broken homes...Joseph willing gave up his ability to walk away from a child that is not his by DNA, instead loving Jesus as his own and caring for his wife Mary with a compassionate and kind heart. So as Christ has adopted us as His own, Joseph adopted Jesus into his family. God calls us to foster love and tend his flock.
This Christmas let Joseph be a guide of living faithful in the joy of Christ Jesus.
Saint Thomas - Doubter who Believed
John 11: "Then Jesus told them plainly , "Lazarus is dead. For your sake. I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
John 14: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself, so that where I am you will be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
John 20:26-29"A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."
December 21, The Solstice of Winter, is the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle in the Anglican and Lutheran traditions. It seems fitting that on the shortest day of the year, so close to the joy of Christmas, yet still in the midst of anticipation of Advent that we should commemorate a Saint that speaks to the nature of our core tendencies as Christian. Solstice is a period of deep darkness, yet the promise of longer days, light piercing the darkness, reflects Christ's birth and our road to joyful redemption.
Thomas is one of the Twelve Disciples, a man who followed Jesus and lived and died preaching the Gospel. Yet in spite of the strength of Thomas' faith he is maligned by Christians and popular culture alike as a 'Doubting Thomas.' Skeptics of religion often use this moniker - 'A Doubting Thomas' is a synonym to skepticism In truth nothing can be farther from the truth. Yes, Thomas did doubt, but he also believed. If anything he is a reflection of each of us. We are all Thomas, at times steadfast and ready believers willing to embrace persecution and naysayers: "Let us also go, that we may die with him..." other times, desperate to believe and understand God's purpose yet confused and scared 'Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"' We see the wonder that only God can create and instead of accept the extraordinary grace of God we doubt, we prod, question, debate...' To criticize Thomas' is criticizing ourselves.
We can learn and take comfort from St. Thomas in the fact that Christ will guide us and show us the path to the Father. When we doubt, God is a willing listener who will comfort and work through the natural, physical, mundane and extraordinary to help strengthen our faith. Jesus doesn't admonish Thomas for his questions, rather he reassures Thomas: Jesus says I am the Way...
When the risen Jesus sees that Thomas is confounded, shocked, confused and skeptical of the veracity of this miracle, instead of calling him out for unbelief, Jesus says: Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."
Do Not Doubt, but Believe - powerful words and a challenge to us all. In our faith journeys, God wants us to question and turn to him in our confusion, he also expects us in turn to learn to trust in Him. It took the process of doubt, misunderstanding, questioning God to understand God's call and TRUTH. If we don't know the Way, then ask God the way, pray for discernment. If we are angry and frustrated by unanswered prayers, dilemmas and strife in our life, pray for understanding and the spirit of God's healing presence. If you are faced with the impossible, belief that in God everything is possible.
Thomas was honest, straightforward and
If you remember Thomas as a doubter, remember that he turned his doubt into a belief built on a strong foundation. He trusted the Way of Jesus Christ, traveling by tradition all the way to India to proclaim the Gospel...dying as a martyr in the name of Christ. We all are restrained by the smallness of human rationale, yet God works through our flaws and teaches us the way, even when we are lost, confused and in doubt.
One of my favorite television shows is 'LOST' - it is a mythic show on many levels, that often alludes to the symbolism of Christianity and Judaism. It is a show about doubting and faith and the process of how doubt eventually leads to faith, even in unlikely circumstances. There is a scene in which Ben Linus, the antagonist and hero all in one, speaks with doubter and conflicted man Jack Shepard - I won't go into too many details it is a show you must watch if you haven't already...In the episode 316, Ben and Jack are sitting in a church, Ben is praying with his eyes open, looking at Caravaggio's painting of The Incredulity of Doubting Thomas. He mentions how Thomas is not remembered for his persevering faith, with is his true testament, but his unbelief...He had to touch the wounds to believe...Jack asks Ben if Thomas ever did come to believe, Ben answers we all come to believe in the Truth eventually.
You can watch the clip here: http://youtu.be/ZAIhybEX50U
,
John 14: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself, so that where I am you will be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
John 20:26-29"A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."
December 21, The Solstice of Winter, is the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle in the Anglican and Lutheran traditions. It seems fitting that on the shortest day of the year, so close to the joy of Christmas, yet still in the midst of anticipation of Advent that we should commemorate a Saint that speaks to the nature of our core tendencies as Christian. Solstice is a period of deep darkness, yet the promise of longer days, light piercing the darkness, reflects Christ's birth and our road to joyful redemption.
Thomas is one of the Twelve Disciples, a man who followed Jesus and lived and died preaching the Gospel. Yet in spite of the strength of Thomas' faith he is maligned by Christians and popular culture alike as a 'Doubting Thomas.' Skeptics of religion often use this moniker - 'A Doubting Thomas' is a synonym to skepticism In truth nothing can be farther from the truth. Yes, Thomas did doubt, but he also believed. If anything he is a reflection of each of us. We are all Thomas, at times steadfast and ready believers willing to embrace persecution and naysayers: "Let us also go, that we may die with him..." other times, desperate to believe and understand God's purpose yet confused and scared 'Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"' We see the wonder that only God can create and instead of accept the extraordinary grace of God we doubt, we prod, question, debate...' To criticize Thomas' is criticizing ourselves.
We can learn and take comfort from St. Thomas in the fact that Christ will guide us and show us the path to the Father. When we doubt, God is a willing listener who will comfort and work through the natural, physical, mundane and extraordinary to help strengthen our faith. Jesus doesn't admonish Thomas for his questions, rather he reassures Thomas: Jesus says I am the Way...
When the risen Jesus sees that Thomas is confounded, shocked, confused and skeptical of the veracity of this miracle, instead of calling him out for unbelief, Jesus says: Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."
Do Not Doubt, but Believe - powerful words and a challenge to us all. In our faith journeys, God wants us to question and turn to him in our confusion, he also expects us in turn to learn to trust in Him. It took the process of doubt, misunderstanding, questioning God to understand God's call and TRUTH. If we don't know the Way, then ask God the way, pray for discernment. If we are angry and frustrated by unanswered prayers, dilemmas and strife in our life, pray for understanding and the spirit of God's healing presence. If you are faced with the impossible, belief that in God everything is possible.
Thomas was honest, straightforward and
If you remember Thomas as a doubter, remember that he turned his doubt into a belief built on a strong foundation. He trusted the Way of Jesus Christ, traveling by tradition all the way to India to proclaim the Gospel...dying as a martyr in the name of Christ. We all are restrained by the smallness of human rationale, yet God works through our flaws and teaches us the way, even when we are lost, confused and in doubt.
One of my favorite television shows is 'LOST' - it is a mythic show on many levels, that often alludes to the symbolism of Christianity and Judaism. It is a show about doubting and faith and the process of how doubt eventually leads to faith, even in unlikely circumstances. There is a scene in which Ben Linus, the antagonist and hero all in one, speaks with doubter and conflicted man Jack Shepard - I won't go into too many details it is a show you must watch if you haven't already...In the episode 316, Ben and Jack are sitting in a church, Ben is praying with his eyes open, looking at Caravaggio's painting of The Incredulity of Doubting Thomas. He mentions how Thomas is not remembered for his persevering faith, with is his true testament, but his unbelief...He had to touch the wounds to believe...Jack asks Ben if Thomas ever did come to believe, Ben answers we all come to believe in the Truth eventually.
You can watch the clip here: http://youtu.be/ZAIhybEX50U
,
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Advent - The Prodigal Son
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
The parable of the Prodigal Son reflects all of our journeys in faith. It speaks to the core human tendency to flee God's loving shelter to take on the world, determined to find resiliency in the flesh. We boldly proclaim our independence stepping into that 'wild country' squandering the gift of our Father's inheritance on the world. It takes hitting rock bottom, before one realizes how poisoned we've become and the cure is God's healing love and mercy.
Advent is a period of reflection and joyful anticipation. I think The Prodigal Son is an ideal parallel to the Advent journey. We are reawakened to the severity of our sin, stirred to repent and return to our Father in heaven pleading for mercy and joyfully expressing our love and dependence on him. We realize in the 'wild land' that we are not free away from God, but rather it is in God's grace we are free.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
I appreciate the fact that the father doesn't go and retrieve his son, the son has to learn through experience that he must return to the father. It is by his free will and human volition that he falls into sin, but also chooses to turn back to the Father.
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
Consider the brother, who stayed behind. He is us too, self-righteous and judgmental, fearful and doubtful even in security. A minister once pointed out to me that the brother's anger projected at his prodigal was really an inward projection of his own self-hate. He might appear to be living the life of a faithful servant, but he was also deviating. This son refers to 'prostitutes,' which was not mentioned in the account of the Prodigal Son's travels. Was this statement more a reflection of the spiritual prostitution of supposed faithful son? We often in our self-righteous mold act like the 'faithful' son, we have sowed and toiled, and grow jealous when we think God is giving inheritance to those who have betrayed him. In truth we don't have to compete for God's love. Christ, the Holy Spirit and God the Father have more than enough love and forgiveness to welcome all of us into their kingdom.
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
God loves us in spite of our sin and welcomes us back into his house when we humbly repent. The story of The Prodigal Son, and the joy the father had on his return. I refer back to the mention about The Prodigal Son choosing to return to his father. God is constantly at work to find his lost sheep, yet with the gift and curse of free will, it is only through our own reckoning and submission to God that we can be restored to his kingdom. That is why there is such celebration in heaven for every sinner that repents, for it is the stirring of the person's soul, by their own volition and choice to return to the Father. This represents a true understanding on the part of the sinner that they are not self-reliant, but depend on the love and guidance of God.
So repent and rejoice, for our Father is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Accept the eternal inheritance of Christ's salvation and do not squander in the inheritance of the flesh (the sins of the world, which only decay and rot)
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Joy to the World - 'Prepare Him Room.'
One of my favorite Christmas hymns is "Joy to the World." Though it is typically a song we sing on Christmas Eve mass, I have found myself listening to it repeatedly during Advent. The lyrics of this hymn stir the soul. It calls us to joyful action, reception and preparation for the Lord's 'birth' and his second coming.
The hymn was written by Isaac Watts in 1719 and is inspired by Psalm 98. The music was adapted and arranged to Watts' lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839, based on what is believed to be an older melody partially written by Handel.
Over 300 years after its initial publishing of 'Joy to the World,' the hymn still ignites a spark in the faithful, humbling us in thought through the gift of music.
As a musician, I connect to the spirit of music and lyrics. It is a guiding force and I believe God gives us the gift of music to bring us peace, joy and fill our hearts with wonder. Listening to Joy to the World, I feel the Holy Spirit within me and I hear the call to prepare him room resounding in my core being.
Verse 1:
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
The first verse speaks to me as we approach the fourth Sunday of Advent. Christmas is nigh. It is time for every heart to prepare room for Christ, to repent and to resound with joy for the gift we are receiving - our Savior Jesus Christ. It is interesting that Isaac Watts chose to say 'The Lord is come." This seems strange at first. Our sentence structure typically says: has, was, is coming...yet Watts chose this phrase with meticulous delivery. The message is clear, Christ has come, is coming and will come again. The gift of Christ's salvation is like a cup of overflowing water, continuous cleansing power.
Verse 2:
Joy to the world! The Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
Verse two reminds us that we cannot become stagnant in our faith, we must constantly sing praises to our savior. Is joy resounds, penetrating the core of all creation with glory and grace.
Verse 4:
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
The hymn was written by Isaac Watts in 1719 and is inspired by Psalm 98. The music was adapted and arranged to Watts' lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839, based on what is believed to be an older melody partially written by Handel.
Over 300 years after its initial publishing of 'Joy to the World,' the hymn still ignites a spark in the faithful, humbling us in thought through the gift of music.
As a musician, I connect to the spirit of music and lyrics. It is a guiding force and I believe God gives us the gift of music to bring us peace, joy and fill our hearts with wonder. Listening to Joy to the World, I feel the Holy Spirit within me and I hear the call to prepare him room resounding in my core being.
Verse 1:
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
The first verse speaks to me as we approach the fourth Sunday of Advent. Christmas is nigh. It is time for every heart to prepare room for Christ, to repent and to resound with joy for the gift we are receiving - our Savior Jesus Christ. It is interesting that Isaac Watts chose to say 'The Lord is come." This seems strange at first. Our sentence structure typically says: has, was, is coming...yet Watts chose this phrase with meticulous delivery. The message is clear, Christ has come, is coming and will come again. The gift of Christ's salvation is like a cup of overflowing water, continuous cleansing power.
Verse 2:
Joy to the world! The Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
Verse two reminds us that we cannot become stagnant in our faith, we must constantly sing praises to our savior. Is joy resounds, penetrating the core of all creation with glory and grace.
- Verse 3:
- No more let sins and sorrows grow,
- Nor thorns infest the ground
- He comes to make His blessings flow
- Far as the curse is found
- Far as the curse is found
- Far as, far as, the curse is found
Verse 4:
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
- God is the seat of judgment, ruling with truth and grace. He does not judge us according to our sins, instead he offers us redemption through love and faith in his mercy. I appreciate the line 'And makes the nations prove,' as tangled as politics gets, we can rely on God as our all encompassing and righteousness ruler. We need to turn to his wisdom and not lean on our own understanding. The nations often turn away from God, but in the end, we all need God's grace and uncorrupted love and judgment to guide our steps.
'Let every heart prepare him room,' for Christ is coming and has coming. He rules with truth and grace. Let us bask and actively rely on the wonders of his love.
Joy to the World - Nat King Cole version
Psalm 98:
Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
9 before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
9 before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
The Virgin Mary: God's Extraordinary Purpose in Ordinary Places
Can you imagine the shock of having an angel of the LORD appearing to you on an otherwise mundane day, to inform you that God has chosen you to give birth to the Messiah? Most of us would collapse in shock, arguing that this 'angel' is a nut and that 'why would God choose me, I am nobody.'
Mary wasn't a member of the elite with supernatural abilities...rather she was a young girl, a virgin, ordinary and run of the mill by society's standards. God once again uses the ordinary and unexpected to proclaim His Glorious Message. Why? Because God values each of us as his children, and as a shepherd guards is flock, even the least among us is precious to him.
Mary is a virgin, yet engaged to a righteous man named Joseph. She has prior commitments, the world is turning and to suddenly be broached with the heavy task of carrying the Christ child, is daunting, even for the most righteous and extraordinary of persons.
God's purpose is always just, even if it seems 'crazy' by our world standards. When God calls us to action, no matter how cumbersome the task might be or treacherous the path, we cannot allow our preconceptions and worldly priorities to stand in the way. We need to accept our role as Christian servants, trusting that God's providence is far wiser than our short-sighted vision.
It resonates that God chooses to work through the ordinary. It is a testament of his love, grace and wisdom. God doesn't prioritize his sheep by their worldly accomplishments but their faith. When we lack faith, he calls us to experience faith in unexpected ways, confronting us with dilemmas and tasks - that can only be fulfilled in the ordinary by the extraordinary nature of our all encompassing God. Those who are full of faith, are called to roads, even they would rather not cross, yet God works in the difficult, strange and hopelessness of the world to bring peace in mercy.
Mary is an example for us all to follow. When receiving her commission, she questions not with fear, but an active willingness to listen to the call of God. It isn't that Mary isn't astounded by the miracle and strange proclamation that she will carry the Messiah in her virgin womb...yet she understands that God is holy and can do extraordinary things. She is willing to be God's servant, even with the fear, questions and doubt, she is willing to trust God's path for her...
Luke 1: 26-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”[b] 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
In advent, awaiting the birth of Christ, let us ponder in our hearts as Mary did, God's message and be willing to listen to his call, in if it makes us uncomfortable, afraid, forcing us to step outside our boundaries of understanding...Let the gift of the Holy Spirit be upon you and pray for discernment that you will be guided by the Holy Spirit...
One of my favorite passages in the Bible and prayer service is the Song of Mary, 'Magnificat.' It is an active reminder that we are God's own, He loves us and the birth of Christ is a fulfillment of love and a new hope. God doesn't judge by our standards, he hears the cries of the lowly and works to bring light to the darkest of places.
Luke 1: 46-56
"And Mary said, "My south magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts, He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise hi made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Mary wasn't a member of the elite with supernatural abilities...rather she was a young girl, a virgin, ordinary and run of the mill by society's standards. God once again uses the ordinary and unexpected to proclaim His Glorious Message. Why? Because God values each of us as his children, and as a shepherd guards is flock, even the least among us is precious to him.
Mary is a virgin, yet engaged to a righteous man named Joseph. She has prior commitments, the world is turning and to suddenly be broached with the heavy task of carrying the Christ child, is daunting, even for the most righteous and extraordinary of persons.
God's purpose is always just, even if it seems 'crazy' by our world standards. When God calls us to action, no matter how cumbersome the task might be or treacherous the path, we cannot allow our preconceptions and worldly priorities to stand in the way. We need to accept our role as Christian servants, trusting that God's providence is far wiser than our short-sighted vision.
It resonates that God chooses to work through the ordinary. It is a testament of his love, grace and wisdom. God doesn't prioritize his sheep by their worldly accomplishments but their faith. When we lack faith, he calls us to experience faith in unexpected ways, confronting us with dilemmas and tasks - that can only be fulfilled in the ordinary by the extraordinary nature of our all encompassing God. Those who are full of faith, are called to roads, even they would rather not cross, yet God works in the difficult, strange and hopelessness of the world to bring peace in mercy.
Mary is an example for us all to follow. When receiving her commission, she questions not with fear, but an active willingness to listen to the call of God. It isn't that Mary isn't astounded by the miracle and strange proclamation that she will carry the Messiah in her virgin womb...yet she understands that God is holy and can do extraordinary things. She is willing to be God's servant, even with the fear, questions and doubt, she is willing to trust God's path for her...
Luke 1: 26-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”[b] 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
In advent, awaiting the birth of Christ, let us ponder in our hearts as Mary did, God's message and be willing to listen to his call, in if it makes us uncomfortable, afraid, forcing us to step outside our boundaries of understanding...Let the gift of the Holy Spirit be upon you and pray for discernment that you will be guided by the Holy Spirit...
One of my favorite passages in the Bible and prayer service is the Song of Mary, 'Magnificat.' It is an active reminder that we are God's own, He loves us and the birth of Christ is a fulfillment of love and a new hope. God doesn't judge by our standards, he hears the cries of the lowly and works to bring light to the darkest of places.
Luke 1: 46-56
"And Mary said, "My south magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts, He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise hi made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Patience, yields the Great Harvest
James 5:7
The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains
Montana is a rural state with a strong farming foundation. Vast valleys of wheat fields, ranches with organic grass fed cattle, sheep farms...Montana may be a harsh environment, but the soil is rich and in the midst of the volatility of the landscape, life proves to be resilient and forces of wind, snow, heat and fire actually can nurture the long-term stability of farming.
I'm not a farmer, in fact I'm the worst green thumb in the world. Still I'm in awe of the process of farming, the meticulous work and planning that goes into planting, tending and shepherding, before the harvest.
Many of us don't see the hard work that goes into the food we purchase, we consume made to order...in truth it takes months, if not years for a harvest. It is a waiting process for the farmer, to a point, yet it isn't sitting around watching the clock. It is a constant process of work and reflection, monitoring and growing...even in the depth of cold snow and frost, the ground is at work, life persists...
We can apply this to our faith and relationship with God. We plant our faith in good soil, but it still needs to be nurtured in order to grow. The harvest is the gift of salvation, but it takes a lifetime of lessons and growth in faith, so that though the gift has been bought and received, we still need to nourish it. Otherwise it will shrivel up, or be knotted with weeds.
We have to learn to embrace patience in the process of 'suffering' 'anticipation' As Tom Petty, rocker and wordsmith puts it 'The waiting is the hardest part,' yet without waiting I've found the journey of faith is built on sand, toppling with the first storm. It is in waiting we reflect, we search to understand, we pray and learn to rely on God to work in our lives.
In my previous job, I worked as a booking agent. I'd spend sixty hours per week submitting my talented artists for performing arts centers, festivals to supper clubs and venues. It is a hard job, like the farmer you are constantly working to ensure the harvest of your work. Only 15% of venues reply. Less than 5% book, not due to lack of my efforts or the talent of my former roster, but due to the nature of the business - it is based on draw (the amount of people you bring in), buzz factor, popularity/radio airplay...yet I had faith in the talent of my artists, each day I'd work tirelessly promoting, planting seeds through emails and phone calls and making connections. At times I grew tired when I didn't get paid for work I'd done or venues chose a trendy band without depth of talent...still I pressed on. I grew in experience and my acts who should have been playing Carnegie Hall were willing to put in hours at hole in the wall clubs to small town performing arts centers because they were building and growing, knowing that persistence in faith, hope and hard work pays off...perhaps not with multi-platinum albums and sold out arenas, but success nonetheless.
In my frustration I had to rely on God, I realized that my lofty professional goals are far less important than the work he calls me to do. I found that helping lesser known acts to achieve small goals was God working through me. When God works through us, no matter how small the deed, his faithfulness shines through and the reward will be great and fulfill us with a harvest we could never plow on our own.
Advent isn't a time of waiting around as much as active anticipation: reflecting our human fragility, relying on God, repenting our sins, proclaiming the joy of Christ, the kingdom that has come and continues to overflow.
Wait in joyful anticipation, let the spirit of God work through you!
The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains
Montana is a rural state with a strong farming foundation. Vast valleys of wheat fields, ranches with organic grass fed cattle, sheep farms...Montana may be a harsh environment, but the soil is rich and in the midst of the volatility of the landscape, life proves to be resilient and forces of wind, snow, heat and fire actually can nurture the long-term stability of farming.
I'm not a farmer, in fact I'm the worst green thumb in the world. Still I'm in awe of the process of farming, the meticulous work and planning that goes into planting, tending and shepherding, before the harvest.
Many of us don't see the hard work that goes into the food we purchase, we consume made to order...in truth it takes months, if not years for a harvest. It is a waiting process for the farmer, to a point, yet it isn't sitting around watching the clock. It is a constant process of work and reflection, monitoring and growing...even in the depth of cold snow and frost, the ground is at work, life persists...
We can apply this to our faith and relationship with God. We plant our faith in good soil, but it still needs to be nurtured in order to grow. The harvest is the gift of salvation, but it takes a lifetime of lessons and growth in faith, so that though the gift has been bought and received, we still need to nourish it. Otherwise it will shrivel up, or be knotted with weeds.
We have to learn to embrace patience in the process of 'suffering' 'anticipation' As Tom Petty, rocker and wordsmith puts it 'The waiting is the hardest part,' yet without waiting I've found the journey of faith is built on sand, toppling with the first storm. It is in waiting we reflect, we search to understand, we pray and learn to rely on God to work in our lives.
In my previous job, I worked as a booking agent. I'd spend sixty hours per week submitting my talented artists for performing arts centers, festivals to supper clubs and venues. It is a hard job, like the farmer you are constantly working to ensure the harvest of your work. Only 15% of venues reply. Less than 5% book, not due to lack of my efforts or the talent of my former roster, but due to the nature of the business - it is based on draw (the amount of people you bring in), buzz factor, popularity/radio airplay...yet I had faith in the talent of my artists, each day I'd work tirelessly promoting, planting seeds through emails and phone calls and making connections. At times I grew tired when I didn't get paid for work I'd done or venues chose a trendy band without depth of talent...still I pressed on. I grew in experience and my acts who should have been playing Carnegie Hall were willing to put in hours at hole in the wall clubs to small town performing arts centers because they were building and growing, knowing that persistence in faith, hope and hard work pays off...perhaps not with multi-platinum albums and sold out arenas, but success nonetheless.
In my frustration I had to rely on God, I realized that my lofty professional goals are far less important than the work he calls me to do. I found that helping lesser known acts to achieve small goals was God working through me. When God works through us, no matter how small the deed, his faithfulness shines through and the reward will be great and fulfill us with a harvest we could never plow on our own.
Advent isn't a time of waiting around as much as active anticipation: reflecting our human fragility, relying on God, repenting our sins, proclaiming the joy of Christ, the kingdom that has come and continues to overflow.
Wait in joyful anticipation, let the spirit of God work through you!
Prepare the Way: John the Baptist
It might surprise readers that Chapter One of the Gospel of Mark, opens with the Ministry and Proclamation of John the Baptist. This scripture speaks of 'prophecy fulfilled,' in one that will prepare the way and call people to repentance.
"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
Beginning...new start, a new hope...
"As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord., make his paths straight.'"
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins..."
Mark's message is clear, John the Baptist is the herald of the Advent of the Messiah. John's mission is to call the nation to repent, baptizing them in cleansing water, making a place in their hearts to welcome the coming Messiah. John points constantly to 'one greater than he,' the Messiah who will forgive sins...baptizing with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
I read an article recently that refers to John the Baptist as the 'guardian of Advent.' John the Baptist is a counselor who calls us to evaluate our sins and embrace the coming glory of Christ. Repentance is essential in this process, because it displays our willing volition to be reconciled with God and to separate ourselves from dependency on the world to recognize a need for God in our lives and as a path for eternal salvation.
As a hiker I cannot help but see John the Baptist as a hiking, trail guide. He didn't build the trail, the scenery, yet knows how to lead us to the healing waters at the end of the path, teaching us how to hike and navigate, so that when we accept baptism in Christ isn't a mere action, but a life giving force in our lives...
"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ..."
A revelry is resounding out of the wilderness, a call to prepare for the coming of the Messiah, a herald summoning us to repent for the kingdom of God is near. The miraculous announcement of the Messiah's arrival, the king of kings and savior of a broken people, doesn't come with trumpet blasts and parades, armies and swords...instead God works to reveal his Holy mystery out the most desolate and unexpected of places, the wilderness. Life is coming from the stark desperation, hope in redemption.
2000 years ago to the modern era, John the Baptist, is what the general public might consider a strange, aloof wanderer, nomad, sage, philosopher, preacher with a zeal that makes us uncomfortable. Even those in authority, accepted John the Baptist's message to be TRUTH, yet preconceptions, fears and society norms restrain us from embracing TRUTH and cleansing our hearts and minds to prepare for the Good News of the Coming Christ.
God knows our tendency to rely on the flesh and humans stringent dependency on social orders, standards, public opinions, fanatic religious order (one that prevents the Holy Spirit from working truth in our actions - i.e. we get so bent up on a law instead of understanding the layers and spirit of the law - we only seek to judge without a willingness to forgive...). It may seem counterintuitive in our world-centric minds to use a humble man without power and influence like John the Baptist to proclaim that 'the kingdom of God is here.' We are inclined to doubt the validity of a kingdom that sends a man of the wilderness with camels hair clothing and leather belt to prepare for the arrival of the king. What sort of king is this? Our flesh expects material preparation, gold and jewels, armies and trumpets.
God has all of creation in His divine grasp, gold and jewels, an army of angels, but God's kingdom is not based on status quo and earthly merits. It is built on love, reconciliation, hope and grace. Yes, God is judge: "The Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God." - Deut. 4:24; "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked." - Isaiah 48.22...God is abolishing the law, yet has come to refine us and call us to the grace of repentance through Christ and the guiding light of the Holy Spirit.
God, throughout human history, often uses the unexpected to fulfill his purposes on earth, because our expectations are flawed. It takes turning society on its head, flipping the establishment to a point to reveal his message - it forces us to tear down our walls, the interference of our lives, so that we can fully connect with God and receive HIM into our hearts.
No matter our affluence, career accomplishments, awards, or our mistakes, failures, lack of money, we all live cluttered unfulfilled lives when we find dependence in the world and not in God. We are all living in our own personal wilderness. God proved in the Exodus from Egypt and forty years of desert wandering that though we might be unable to guide our steps, stumbling in our own neuroses, hunger for greed, desperation...that God provides and brings life to the desert. It might be a bitter fight, a struggle as we are refined in the path to God, but God provides. He watches our steps and is constantly seeking his lost sheep and ministering to the faithful.
It took a man like John the Baptist, an austerely dressed, strange, aloof man, a wanderer and nomad to prepare the way to Christ. He signaled a new covenant, a shift in worldly convention to the law and hope in God. It takes being hit over the head sometimes, shocked to a point, without 'shock value' - shocked in the sense we find TRUTH in the unexpected, our worldly foundation is broken, rebuilt in God's everlasting foundation.
John the Baptist calls us to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom is here and is coming, in this season of Advent look inwardly, cleansing our hearts and minds, preparing a path to God, and tearing down our walls to that we may accept the gift of salvation in Christ without barriers of the flesh.
Repentance isn't merely absolution without consequence. Grace is stronger than that. No we do not deserve salvation in our weak, judgmental, flawed state - at the same time to truly receive forgiveness we must allow the Holy Spirit to kindle our souls with sustaining fire, to be refined in Christ and not chained to our fear, anger, hate, anxious worry (the list goes on). Repenting cleanses our souls not merely by erasing the sin, but creating a new focus and commitment in Christ, a bridge and road, a direct path to God.
Jesus who was baptized by John the Baptist, is our example of the importance of preparation and significance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit...bought for us through Christ's sufferings out of love and dependency (yes Christ relied on His Father) in God.
"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
Beginning...new start, a new hope...
"As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord., make his paths straight.'"
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins..."
Mark's message is clear, John the Baptist is the herald of the Advent of the Messiah. John's mission is to call the nation to repent, baptizing them in cleansing water, making a place in their hearts to welcome the coming Messiah. John points constantly to 'one greater than he,' the Messiah who will forgive sins...baptizing with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
I read an article recently that refers to John the Baptist as the 'guardian of Advent.' John the Baptist is a counselor who calls us to evaluate our sins and embrace the coming glory of Christ. Repentance is essential in this process, because it displays our willing volition to be reconciled with God and to separate ourselves from dependency on the world to recognize a need for God in our lives and as a path for eternal salvation.
As a hiker I cannot help but see John the Baptist as a hiking, trail guide. He didn't build the trail, the scenery, yet knows how to lead us to the healing waters at the end of the path, teaching us how to hike and navigate, so that when we accept baptism in Christ isn't a mere action, but a life giving force in our lives...
"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ..."
A revelry is resounding out of the wilderness, a call to prepare for the coming of the Messiah, a herald summoning us to repent for the kingdom of God is near. The miraculous announcement of the Messiah's arrival, the king of kings and savior of a broken people, doesn't come with trumpet blasts and parades, armies and swords...instead God works to reveal his Holy mystery out the most desolate and unexpected of places, the wilderness. Life is coming from the stark desperation, hope in redemption.
2000 years ago to the modern era, John the Baptist, is what the general public might consider a strange, aloof wanderer, nomad, sage, philosopher, preacher with a zeal that makes us uncomfortable. Even those in authority, accepted John the Baptist's message to be TRUTH, yet preconceptions, fears and society norms restrain us from embracing TRUTH and cleansing our hearts and minds to prepare for the Good News of the Coming Christ.
God knows our tendency to rely on the flesh and humans stringent dependency on social orders, standards, public opinions, fanatic religious order (one that prevents the Holy Spirit from working truth in our actions - i.e. we get so bent up on a law instead of understanding the layers and spirit of the law - we only seek to judge without a willingness to forgive...). It may seem counterintuitive in our world-centric minds to use a humble man without power and influence like John the Baptist to proclaim that 'the kingdom of God is here.' We are inclined to doubt the validity of a kingdom that sends a man of the wilderness with camels hair clothing and leather belt to prepare for the arrival of the king. What sort of king is this? Our flesh expects material preparation, gold and jewels, armies and trumpets.
God has all of creation in His divine grasp, gold and jewels, an army of angels, but God's kingdom is not based on status quo and earthly merits. It is built on love, reconciliation, hope and grace. Yes, God is judge: "The Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God." - Deut. 4:24; "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked." - Isaiah 48.22...God is abolishing the law, yet has come to refine us and call us to the grace of repentance through Christ and the guiding light of the Holy Spirit.
God, throughout human history, often uses the unexpected to fulfill his purposes on earth, because our expectations are flawed. It takes turning society on its head, flipping the establishment to a point to reveal his message - it forces us to tear down our walls, the interference of our lives, so that we can fully connect with God and receive HIM into our hearts.
No matter our affluence, career accomplishments, awards, or our mistakes, failures, lack of money, we all live cluttered unfulfilled lives when we find dependence in the world and not in God. We are all living in our own personal wilderness. God proved in the Exodus from Egypt and forty years of desert wandering that though we might be unable to guide our steps, stumbling in our own neuroses, hunger for greed, desperation...that God provides and brings life to the desert. It might be a bitter fight, a struggle as we are refined in the path to God, but God provides. He watches our steps and is constantly seeking his lost sheep and ministering to the faithful.
It took a man like John the Baptist, an austerely dressed, strange, aloof man, a wanderer and nomad to prepare the way to Christ. He signaled a new covenant, a shift in worldly convention to the law and hope in God. It takes being hit over the head sometimes, shocked to a point, without 'shock value' - shocked in the sense we find TRUTH in the unexpected, our worldly foundation is broken, rebuilt in God's everlasting foundation.
John the Baptist calls us to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom is here and is coming, in this season of Advent look inwardly, cleansing our hearts and minds, preparing a path to God, and tearing down our walls to that we may accept the gift of salvation in Christ without barriers of the flesh.
Repentance isn't merely absolution without consequence. Grace is stronger than that. No we do not deserve salvation in our weak, judgmental, flawed state - at the same time to truly receive forgiveness we must allow the Holy Spirit to kindle our souls with sustaining fire, to be refined in Christ and not chained to our fear, anger, hate, anxious worry (the list goes on). Repenting cleanses our souls not merely by erasing the sin, but creating a new focus and commitment in Christ, a bridge and road, a direct path to God.
Jesus who was baptized by John the Baptist, is our example of the importance of preparation and significance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit...bought for us through Christ's sufferings out of love and dependency (yes Christ relied on His Father) in God.
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