Get Ready, 2025 Is Here

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Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

“Dear Santa, if you haven’t time to pick out things for me, just leave everything you’ve got.” I have my doubts this little girl got everything but you have to admit she made sure all her bases were covered. This was the first published letter to Santa Claus in the Tampa Bay Tribune in 1899. Though there is no exact number of letters sent to Santa, estimates range from half a million to eight million letters sent annually.

“Today, despite the advent of more modern communications like email and texting, hundreds of thousands of children, from all over the globe, continue to send their Christmas wish lists to Santa using old-fashioned snail mail.”  (Alicia Ault, Smithsonian Institute)

Letters have ranged in requests like the one from Ayden in Tennessee who says, “I’m 11 years old and I think I’ve been really good this year. My favorite things are dinosaurs and space” to those needing help like 14-year-old Maddison from Maryland, “Hello, how are you? Please if I can ask you to help me and my mom for the Christmas holiday…Mom pays the bills, she’s a great mom.”

Occasionally, letters include ones like Tenisha, a mother of two, “My wish is to bring a smile to my children’s faces this year. These past few years have been really challenging for us, financially. If there is any way for you to bless me with a gift card at a grocery store…to buy groceries to make them a memorable holiday dinner, I would appreciate it.” I hope Tenisha got what she asked for because there are a lot of great non-profits and churches meeting the practical needs of families.

Santa letters originally originated from parents before the focus changed to children asking for things. Mom and Dad would write to their children, normally focusing on their actions and behavior, on behalf of Santa Claus. J.R.R. Tolkien left his children elaborately illustrated updates on “Father Christmas and his life in the North Pole—filled with red gnomes, snow elves, and his chief assistant, the North Polar bear.” (Alex Palmer, Gundir agency)

Parents throughout the years have sought to help capture a bit of fantasy for their children yet not lose the reality of Christmas which is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Corrie ten Boom said it well, “Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.”

This Christmas season is over and the New Year is fast approaching. As we enter this liminal space between Christmas and New Year, it is a time of mixed emotions. In many ways there is always a sense of relief, there are no more shopping lists, concerts, or events to attend and yet there is a sadness as we will miss all the activities, the hype, and the anticipation of Christmas. This liminal time finds many of us taking down the decorations, sending out thank you notes, and watching lots of bowl games. It is also a special time to reflect upon the old year and think about what is ahead in the coming year.

If we look at 2024 as unwrapped gifts lying all around us in a heap, they are just a memory now. We look at many of the 2024 days as ordinary, practical, simply get out of bed days, nothing spectacular kind of days but each so needed for life. We were also blessed with a few gifts that were amazing days such as the birth of a new baby, that promotion at work, a new friend that speaks into our soul, or those incredible sunrises we saw on vacation. Unfortunately, not every gift of 2024 was a day we really wanted such as the death of a family member, a close friend moving to another state, that terminal diagnosis, or the 30 days of continuous rain. Yet, in each of the 2024 days, we can see the hand of God moving in our lives. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17 NIV)

The gift of 2025 will come to us in a couple of days. There is always a bit of fear not knowing what lies ahead but there is also a lot of excitement on what the year will bring. If history holds true then the vast majority of days will be those ordinary, practical, simply get-out-of-bed days but we will get a few spectacular gifts that we will treasure because of their priceless value. Thomas Merton penned a beautiful prayer of guidance in his book, “Thoughts in Solitude.”

“My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

We do not know what 2025 will bring but we do know God’s love and presence will be with us daily. “So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Heb 13:6 NIV)

Wishing you a blessed and hope-filled New Year.

God is great!

Finding Your Way to Bethlehem: Peace

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Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:9-11 CSB

What are you drawing son? The father watched as his son meticulously drew in his sketch pad.
The little boy looked up and said, “I’m drawing a picture of God.” His dad looked at him and smiled, “Son, no one knows what God looks like.” The little boy looked up from his drawing and declared, “They will when I’m done!” (from Mark Batterson, A Million Little Miracles)

The little boy was extremely confident but God beat him to it. Christmas is God’s answer when we ask to see a picture of Him. “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” (Matt 1:23)

“Good news from heaven the angels bring,

Glad tidings to the earth they sing;

To us this day a child is given,

To crown us with the joy of heaven.” (Martin Luther)

John tells the Christmas narrative a bit differently from Matthew or Luke. He simply begins his account of the story with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…. No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.” (John 1:1,14,18)

John didn’t capture any of the heartwarming events of the Savior’s birth, such as shepherds out in the field, angels singing, or wise men coming from a distant land. The popular little lapel buttons that many people wear at Christmas, saying, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” sum up nicely John’s beginning narrative and set the stage for Jesus’ work of redemption.

We find Moses at a point where he was struggling with leading the people and in a tender, intimate moment asked God to see His glory. Did Moses make his request out of bold audacity or overwhelming love? Moses had already witnessed numerous acts of God in his life, talked with God “face to face” and lived with a holy expectation of what God would do, so maybe the request was a little of both. Moses was told though, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the LORD’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.” (Ex 33:19-20)

“Jesus came as God, veiled in human flesh, with the full intensity of God’s glory hidden within Jesus. If Jesus had removed the veil of His flesh to reveal to the world His full glory, the light of that glory would have consumed every person on the planet.” (Robert Clifton Robinson)

Jesus would respond to a similar request when Philip asked him, “Show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” (John 14:8) John would have been sitting with the other disciples as Jesus responded to Philip. Jesus’ answer may have served to stimulate John’s opening narrative of his Christmas story. “Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.” (John 14:9-11)

Christmas celebrates the transforming work that Jesus began that night and continues throughout the world through his disciples. St. Augustine said it well, “A Christian is: a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which Christ speaks, and a hand through which Christ helps.”

Jim Denison, pastor and cultural theologian writes of celebrating Advent in four tenses. Denison suggests that Jesus’ ongoing engagement with our world should actually be understood in four “comings.”

At first, he entered the world for the purpose of purchasing our salvation by his death on the cross (I Peter2:24; I John 2:2; Rev 13:8)

At his second, he enters humans individually when he becomes our Savior (John 1:13) and his Spirit takes up residence in our lives (I Cor 3:16).

At his third, he comes for humans individually when he takes us to heaven (John 14:3).

At his fourth, he will return to the world as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16). (from the Daily Article Dec 5, 2024)

Advent traditions have been used within church history for contemplating and preparing for the coming of the Messiah. Advent season allows us a time to slow down in this busy time to simply focus on Jesus’ message of salvation and redemption. Advent opens our hearts to celebrate the birth of the Savior. We can sing the Christmas carols because of the hope we have in Jesus, remembering the true meaning of Christmas: Immanuel, God is with us.

May your Christmas this year be filled with the unbridled excitement of a child, the wonder of a shepherd, the perseverance of a magi, the serenity of Mary, the faithfulness of Joseph, and the peace that comes only through Jesus.

Wishing you a blessed and Merry Christmas,

God is great!

 

 

Finding Your Way to Bethlehem: Joy

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When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11 CSB

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” Oscar Wilde popularized this proverb years ago and there is probably a grain of truth in the saying when it comes to Christmas carols. Most better-known carols have been arranged and rearranged to sound almost like the original but with enough difference to sell as a new song. According to music licensing company Music Reports there are 137,315 recorded versions of “Silent Night.” Followed closely by “White Christmas” with 128,276 versions, “Jingle Bells” with 89,681 versions, and “The Christmas Song” with 80,064 versions.

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” comes in at number 9 with 56,552 versions but most people who hear the song still think about Bing Crosby’s original version. Since 1943 the song has stirred the emotions of many who find themselves not able to get home for Christmas. First sung by Crosby during World War II, the song conveyed the longing and sentiment of military personnel stationed far from home, many for the very first time away from home.

Forty-one years ago, just before Christmas, Connie and I packed our crates and in a couple of weeks would leave for the country of Bophuthatswana to serve with the International Mission Board. It had taken months for us to get ready; resigning jobs, selling furniture and cars, buying things we thought we would need, and then fitting everything into wooden crates. We were now spending the last Christmas in the United States for five years and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” became a new reality for us.

If you have ever moved, even across town, you know the logistical challenges, the struggles to find your way around a new location, and the loss of closeness with friends, neighbors, and family. You can only imagine the struggle that a group of wise men or magi had in getting ready to leave home in search of a king, with nothing more than a star to guide them to the location.

Matthew captured the story of this band of travelers and their journey to Bethlehem. Matthew, normally very meticulous about details, left out a lot of information but what he did write adds to the beautiful story of Jesus’ birth. He felt like we did not need to know the number of wise men, the exact location from where they came, or even their names. We simply needed to know they came!

Luke gives us the story of the shepherds who were societal outcasts and Matthew describes the Wisemen who were ethnic and religious outcasts, but both groups came to worship the true King. You can only imagine the scene when this entourage from a faraway country arrived in Jerusalem, laden with gifts and treasures to honor the new king’s birth. They didn’t sneak in the back door but rode through the main gate of Jerusalem in all their pomp and glory. The political and religious leaders of Jerusalem were thrown into total confusion and panic with the simple question, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?”

King Herod, the ever paranoid, political king was envious of anyone who could claim his title. His power was held through fear, intimation, and political maneuverings. When he was “deeply disturbed” then all of Jerusalem would be deeply disturbed. You can picture the fear and confusion on the faces of the priests and religious leaders when they were summoned to the court of King Herod as he demanded to know “where the Messiah would be born.”

The religious leaders knew all the information about where the king would be born. They quickly quoted Micah’s prophecy. “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” (Micah 5:2) What they had failed to do was to keep watch for the birth like this group of wise men had done. These leaders had grown comfortable in their positions instead of hungering for the things of God.

This group of wise men had started following the star but at some point, I wonder if they quit following the star and simply headed to the logical place where a king would be born. Jerusalem was the political and religious center of the nation and without a doubt the only place a king would be born. What they didn’t know was that God routinely works outside the logical, the normal, and the expected to accomplish his plans.

God used a group of foreigners, who were attentive, to force the very leaders who should have been watching for the coming Messiah to remember God’s promise. Matthew doesn’t tell us if the priests and religious influencers were excited to hear the news but most likely they were not because of how they responded to Jesus in years ahead.

The wise men left the capital and headed for the politically insignificant, commercially unimportant, and geographically isolated Bethlehem. They had learned their lesson and started looking up again. “And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was.”

These seekers from the East had found the King. Unlike the previous part of the story where they rode into the city with pomp and power, demanding answers, they now came before the true King “falling to their knees, they worshiped him.” Gifts worthy of a king were given – “gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

We are not told anything else about these men except they returned home but not the way they came. I’m thankful Matthew recorded the magi story because the full picture of God’s salvation story is being unveiled until the final chapter when “a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language” will stand before God.

God is great!

 

 

Finding Your Way to Bethlehem: Faith

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A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain. And the glory of the LORD will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mount of the LORD has spoken. Isiah 40:3-5 CSB

There is something extraordinary about international travel. There is the adventure and excitement, and then reality hits when you are sitting elbow to elbow with your knees at your chin in your 24-inch-wide seat (give or take a few inches). That is, unless as you are boarding you tell the flight attendant one of the magic numbers where you get to turn to the left. You get to head to paradise in the air with seats that recline into a bed, full-course dinners, and one-on-one attention. Now, I am not personally acquainted with first-class travel, but I do read a lot. Maybe someday!

My economy section seats were always much better than the woman who boarded a Delta flight last week at New York’s JFK on her way to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Though her ticket was free, she had to move between lavatories during the flight because she neglected to get a ticket for the flight. According to investigators, the woman got past multiple security checkpoints to board the plane, hiding in the aircraft’s bathrooms during the flight. Paris officials boarded the plane when it landed and arrested the stowaway who is now waiting for deportation back to the United States. Traveling is never easy, but I definitely do not recommend the way this woman traveled to Paris. (based on Nov 30 reports- CNN and USA Today)

The road to Bethlehem was not an easy journey for those on it but they knew of God’s promise of a Messiah. Advent allows us time to slow down and reflect upon the coming of Jesus. Advent allows us to travel the road to Bethlehem not as stowaways but as ones seeking again to walk in a renewed freshness of faith. Thomas Aquinas wrote of faith,  “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

Theologian and writer Henri Nouwen wrote about Advent, “I am struck by the fact that the prophets speaking about the future of Israel always kept reminding their people of God’s great works in the past. They could look forward with confidence because they could look backward with awe to Yahweh’s great deeds. I pray that Advent will offer me the opportunity to deepen my memory of God’s great deeds in time and will set me free to look forward to the fulfillment of time by him who came and is still to come.”

The road of faith is often found in times of waiting. Now a lot of us have an aversion to waiting which has probably not changed through the generations. Luke records one couple’s marathon waiting season for a baby. He writes about Zechariah and Elizabeth, “But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.” (Luke 1:7)

Waiting can test the very core of our faith, leading to doubt and even fear. Elizabeth and Zechariah could have grown bitter and angry at God because they had served well and most likely had prayed every day for a child. Luke even records that “both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.” (1:6) Waiting is often one of the most difficult encounters on the road of faith.

Waiting has a way of making us insensitive when the answer does come. Zechariah was going about his priestly duties in the Temple when he was confronted by “An angel of the Lord.” Angels have a way of getting our attention but even more when they tell you your prayers have been answered. “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.” Great news that got even better. “He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah.”

Waiting can cause you to lose sight of how God could choose to answer. You have one picture in mind, but God’s answers are totally different from what you expected. Maybe Zechariah was having a bad day, maybe someone didn’t show up for work that day, or maybe he was just tired, but his negative response did not sit well with God’s angel. “How can I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” This is probably not the thing to say when God is answering your prayer.

Zechariah’s doubting response did not change God’s plan. They were going to have a baby! What Zechariah got was nine months of not being able to talk. Was it a punishment or God’s grace? It was perhaps a little of both. In those nine months, Zechariah lost the most important tool he had as a priest: his voice. His voice was the main tool that he used daily to teach, counsel, and perform his priestly duties. His focus was no longer on doing things for God but on being with God.

Waiting changed everything for Zechariah. When tradition would call for the baby to be named after himself, Zechariah chose to listen to God’s voice. “He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” In his time of speechlessness, he came to see it as a blessing, no longer was the focus on what Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted but on what God was going to do through this child.

Waiting gave Zechariah a new voice. “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea.” (Luke 1:64-65)
Zechariah and Elizabeth’s stories were only given a few short lines but what we do know is that they found their way to Bethlehem. Zechariah’s new voice “was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.” We know very little of their final chapter of life except the results of having parented John, God’s prophet to the nation. “The child grew up and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.” (v80).

Waiting, especially when you are on the road to Bethlehem, can be spiritually challenging and often physically exhausting. Yet waiting can be God’s gift of grace giving us courage, strength, and a new voice to our faith.

God is great!

Finding Your Way to Bethlehem: Hope

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The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness…For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the LORD of Armies will accomplish this. Isaiah 9: 2,6-7 CSB

Science fiction has a way of becoming reality. NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are currently stuck in space on the International Space Station due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft which returned to Earth without them. In June, they arrived at the space station for a week’s assignment but are now lost in space. Technically they are not lost since NASA communicates daily with them but they are still unable to return home.

“Darling, very little on this planet makes sense, by Earth’s standard.” These words of wisdom were spoken by John Robinson, the leader of the Robinson family who found themselves lost in space. One of my favorite shows growing up was Lost in Space. For those who are not familiar with this great TV series, it featured the Robinson family who became lost due to the evil actions of Dr. Zachary Smith, an agent for an enemy government who sabotaged the mission. Unfortunately, in reprogramming the ship’s robot he became trapped on board and became hopelessly lost, joining the fight for survival with the others as they tried to find their way back home.

Very little made sense on earth after evil reprogrammed God’s plan at creation. Yet God wasn’t lost in what to do and began His work to correct the problem. Written on the pages of the Old Testament is God doing only what He can do, redeeming a broken world. “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40:28-31a NIV)

The ultimate story of salvation found its way to Bethlehem as our ultimate story of salvation still finds its way to Bethlehem. As we enter this season of Advent our hearts and minds turn toward Bethlehem where hope is found in fullness. This week’s candle lights the candle of hope.

The world defines hope as something to desire with anticipation, to want something to happen or to be true. Hope’s synonyms include words such as wish, aspire, consider, dream, try, ponder, and endeavor. These are all words with a maybe mindset.

As we light the hope candle, it is not with a maybe mindset but with a mindset that is based upon the rock-solid promise of God. Hope is a confident expectation that supernaturally stems from faith. As we find our way to Bethlehem we encounter a hope that carries no doubt. The Advent season is a time to slow down and refocus on finding our way to Bethlehem. Finding hope because of what God did for us.

What Advent doesn’t let us do is simply hold a baby Jesus in our arms and go about our daily lives without addressing our need for a Savior. Advent allows us a time for waiting, expectation, and preparation for what God wants to do in our lives. “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:5 NLT)

J.B. Phillips wrote a small book over 70 years ago titled Your God Is Too Small. He writes in his introductory remarks, “Many men and women today are living, often with inner dissatisfaction, without any faith in God at all. This is not because they are particularly wicked or selfish or, as the old-fashioned would say, “godless,” but because they have not found with their adult minds a God big enough to “account for” life, big enough to “fit in with” the new scientific age, big enough to command their highest admiration and respect, and consequently their willing cooperation.”

The Robinson family never found their way back to Earth and the TV series ended with them lost in space. NASA astronauts Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth sometime in 2025. The question for all of us is, will we find our way back to Bethlehem? Will we stop somewhere during this busy season to simply reflect upon the promises of God and the fulfillment of those promises in Jesus?

Traveling with small children means every parent has been bombarded with the words, “Are we almost there”? Over and over we answer the question with, “We are almost there”. Christmas is the answer God gives to all of us when we ask, “Are we almost there”?

Michael Smith wrote a beautiful song, Almost There. The song ends with the words,

“You’re almost where your journey ends

Where death will die and life begins

The answered prayer, Emmanuel

You’re almost there.”

I trust you find in this Advent season special times as you find your way to Bethlehem.

God is great!

Blessed Are You When People Revile and Persecute You

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You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12 CSB

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God,” Corrie ten Boom’s quote exemplifies her life. Corrie and her devout Christian family are best known for their courageous acts of hiding and assisting Jews to escape the brutal terror of the Nazi regime in The Netherlands. Through their effort, over 800 lives were saved from the Holocaust in World War II. The family’s effort to help others resulted in all the family being arrested and imprisoned with Corrie’s father and sister dying in the concentration camps.

Betsie could not survive the horrors of Ravensbruck but left a message with Corrie to share with the world. “Tell everyone who will listen that Jesus is a reality and that he is stronger than the powers of darkness. Tell them He is our greatest friend, our hiding place. Only prisoners can know how desperate this life is. We can tell from experience that no pit is too deep, because God’s everlasting arms always sustain us. Even in Ravensbruck, God’s love still stands when all else has fallen.”

Betsie and the generations of Christians who have been martyrs for their faith would understand what Jonathan Pennington wrote. “If you are slandered for the name of Christ you are flourishing, because the glorious and divine Spirit rests upon you.”

John Foxe died in 1587 but his monumental work, “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” has endured as a legacy of inspiration for the persecuted church to remain faithful and as a challenge to all the church to remain steadfast in the face of persecution. Sabina Wurmbrand, co-founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, is quoted in an updated version of this classic book. “Leprosy is a disease without pain. No remedy is found because the nerves don’t work. Lepers lose their fingers and toes in accidents because they cannot feel any pain. When the Church does not feel pain with those that are part of them, the Church’s nerves also become dead. Then the Church loses parts of its body. It loses power to touch souls. The Church loses its credibility before the world. On the other side, the suffering church gives the whole Church strength to fight for Christ. Suffering makes the soul to cry out and look for help, to draw strength from the source of help—Jesus Christ.”

Jesus concluded his introductory remarks before launching into his transforming teachings commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. Biblical scholars differ on whether verses 11 and 12 constitute a stand-alone 9th Beatitude or a continuation of the Beatitude in verse 10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted.” Regardless of whether 8 or 9, each Beatitude serves as a powerful bridge to Jesus’ teachings that followed on how his followers were to live life.

Jesus uses the Beatitudes in much the same way a caring hostess prepares for her guests. The table is meticulously set, each dish and cutlery item placed in its proper place and each detail of the table arranged correctly. Yet the table setting is not the main focus, it serves only as the container for the delicious food that is about to be served.

Servais Pinckaers writes, “We can compare the work of the beatitudes to that of a plow in the field. Drawn along with determination, it drives the sharp edge of the plowshare into the earth and carves out, as the poets say, a deep wound, a broad furrow…In the same way the word of the Beatitudes penetrates us with the power of the Holy Spirit in order to break up our interior soil. It cuts through us with the sharp edge of trials and with the struggles it provokes. It overturns our ideas and projects, reverses the obvious, thwarts our desires, and bewilders us, leaving us poor and naked before God. All this, in order to prepare a place within us for the seed of new life. “(from Pursuit of Happiness}

You are more familiar with Corrie ten Boom and her family’s effort on behalf of those persecuted and for their own imprisonment. What is not generally known about the Ten Boom family is their 100-year prayer legacy. Corrie’s grandfather, Willem gathered his family around the dining room table to pray on behalf of the Jewish people and “for the peace of Jerusalem” from 1844 to 1944 until the Nazis arrested the family and sent them to concentration camps. She saw a connection between the prayer century for the Jews and the role her family played in World War II.

“In a divine way which is beyond our understanding, God answered those prayers. One hundred years after Willem began his prayer meetings, his son, four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild were arrested in the same house where the prayer meetings started, because they had saved Jewish people from Adolph Hitler’s plans to kill them.” (from an article by Mark Ellis)

I can’t remember a time when Jesus wasn’t a central part of my life yet as I began writing on each Beatitude over these last nine weeks I came away with a fresh perspective of a flourishing and blessed life. Yet these last Beatitudes challenged me in so many ways. How do I respond to Jesus’ words, “Blessed are you when they insult you”? Am I able to “be glad and rejoice”? John Stott powerfully gave words to some of what I was thinking. “Since all the beatitudes describe what every Christian disciple is intended to be, we conclude that the condition of being despised and rejected, slandered and persecuted, is as much a normal mark of Christian discipleship as being pure in heart or merciful.”

Together we can pray for the persecuted church, for each other, and the church’s impact on our culture. “He who rescued us from so deadly a peril will continue to rescue us; on him we have set our hope that he will rescue us again, as you also join in helping us by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” 2 Cor 1:10-11 (NRSV)

God is great!

Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted

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Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:10 CSB

Did I hear you right Jesus? Are we blessed when we are persecuted? Scripture doesn’t tell us the crowd’s reaction that day as Jesus was teaching, but I am sure these words got their attention. The other teachings that morning were game changers in living in God’s kingdom, but to be persecuted? I am sure a lot of heads shot up with these words that day, but Jesus already knew that flourishing in his kingdom would not be easy. Jesus was not calling them to an easy life, just a fulfilled life. The same is true for us today.

Persecution was not a new concept when Jesus spoke these words that morning. David writes from hiding in a cave, “Listen to my cry, for I am very weak. Rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.” (Psalm 143:6) Persecution through the years has taken on various forms but at its core, the ultimate source of persecution of God’s people is Satan. John Stott wrote, “Persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value systems.”

The Apostle Paul knew a thing or two about persecution and wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” (Eph 6:12) The Apostle Peter also knew a few things about persecution as he wrote, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.” (I Peter 4:12)

Jim Denison in his commentary on Matthew writes, “Persecution has been a constant theme of Christian discipleship from Jesus’ day to ours. An estimated “more than 70 million Christians have been martyred over the last two millennia, more than half of which died in the 20th century under fascist and communist regimes” and an estimated “1 million Christians were killed between 2001 and 2010 and about 900,000 were killed from 2011 to 2020.”

Pauline learned that her husband, Rami, had been murdered for his Christian faith and his ministry activity in Gaza. Pauline wrote, “I was very, very mad at God,” but then “When I would think about myself in this situation I would feel depressed. But when I looked to God, he would lift me up.” Years later she continues strong in her faith and ministry. She expressed what others who have faced persecution have done, “I realized that not to forgive is a sin.” (based on a story from Voice of Martyrs)

In areas of the world where extreme persecution is most intense, reports of amazing growth are being shared. As leaders gathered in a Global Development Consultation in Butuan City, Philippines a message was shared from a church leader in one region of persecution asking, “that we not pray for the persecution to stop but simply that they would continue to be faithful. Give praise to God who is at work everywhere, even in some of the most challenging places. Pray that those under persecution will remain strong in their faith, clinging to Christ and the hope they have in Him.” (article in Team Expansion)

An Egyptian believer shared a most helpful insight about praying for them. “Please don’t pray for us, please pray with us. If you pray for us, you will pray for the wrong things. You will pray for our safety. You will pray that persecution will cease. But if you pray with us, you will ask God to bring millions of Egyptians to faith in Christ. You will pray that when the inevitable Muslim backlash comes because of our witness, we will be faithful, even if it costs us our lives.” (Al Janssen, Open Doors International)

Persecution comes in all forms against followers of Jesus. It comes as murder, kidnapping, community harassment, and family rejection. David Platt, pastor and founder of Radical gives examples of a Middle Eastern businessman losing his right to run a business, a believer in the Himalayas losing the right to water or electricity, a church in a Southeast Asian city forced to pay extra, and sometimes exorbitant fees to rent or own a building. But it can also look like a British Christian being arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic or an American Christian being fired from his job for expressing his views on biblical sexuality.  (from an article in Christianity Today)

Sunday, November 3rd was designated as The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. If your church did not mention it or you did not know about it, today is just as good of a day to pray for the persecuted church since 1 in 7 believers around the globe suffer some level of persecution and discrimination for their faith. They would greatly appreciate your unrelenting prayer support.

We may not be in the echelon of political power but we are actually in a better place because we can approach the sovereign God of all creation on behalf of the persecuted church. The same God that opened prison doors, unfastened shackles, drew people to Him, and ultimately transformed a nation because the people devoted themselves to prayer is still the same God who will open prison doors, unfasten shackles, draw people to him, and transform nations.

“We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body.” (2 Cor 4:8-10)

God is great!

 

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9 NIV

Why is peace such an elusive place that so many people struggle to find? “There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything—millions of dollars, mansions, cars, nice clothes, beautiful women, and every other materialistic thing you can imagine. Now I struggle for peace.” (Richard Pryor)

The crowd on that hillside heard Jesus’ words correctly that morning but what did they mean for them? Jesus spoke about them being blessed, peacemakers, and children of God. How could they be peacemakers when they were under the bondage of a foreign power? How could they be peacemakers when struggling with their neighbor over a dispute? Their days were nothing but a struggle, how could they have peace?

Jesus’ words have continued to stir within the soul of his followers since that day. “There is a special joy for the peacemakers. Self-assertiveness and a divisive spirit know nothing of peacemaking. But those who reconcile the estranged are doing something just like God: he is always making peace. Sadly, this characteristic has been sadly missing from vast tracts of the church down the centuries. The children have been very unlike the Father, and have rendered him incredible to many.” (Michael Green)

Somehow there is something appropriate about today’s post featuring the 7th Beatitude coming just as the United States finished one of the most divisive elections in recent years. Yet maybe even more appropriate is falling on Veterans Day. This is a Public Holiday that is observed annually on November 11. “A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.” (U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs)

Veterans Day marks a public recognition and observance of those who have served their country in their unique roles as peacemakers. Saint Augustine wrote “The purpose of all wars, is peace.” Though some people may debate the purpose of the war, there is no doubt in the minds of the frontline military personnel that the battles are to obtain peace. “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” –General Douglas MacArthur

There have been very few periods of relative peace in human history. The New York Times had an article in 2003 that out of the past 3,400 years, humans have experienced only around 268 years of complete peace. Yet God intended peace to be the normal pattern, not the exception.  “Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—in peace because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

Our word peace comes from the Hebrew word, Shalom, a beautiful word picture of a person at complete peace with God, others, and self. “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)

Jesus called his followers to be Peacemakers among those they encountered each day. Peacemakers not only learn to live in peace but also bring harmony among others. J.R.R. Tolkien was a peacemaker in the life of his close friend C.S. Lewis. Tolkien displayed the ultimate role as a peacemaker, he was instrumental in Lewis coming to faith in Jesus. Tolkien wrote of peace as a way of life in his classic fantasy tale of The Hobbit. “Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside was their favourite haunt.”

Peacemakers flourish in the world by living a life of quiet harmony. The current cultural environment has brought some great changes in living life but it has also created a level of anxiety and stress unparalleled in history. Anna Medaris in an article for American Psychological Association writes that Gen Z adults and younger Millennials are completely overwhelmed by stress. In it she shares the story of one young person, “Not knowing what your future is going to look like in a world where nobody knows what the collective future is going to look like is, to say the least, overwhelming.”

What a difference when Peacemakers walk alongside those who are anxious and stressed out with the words, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)

When Jesus called his followers to be Peacemakers it wouldn’t be a passive approach to living life but with boldness and confidence. Peacemakers do not avoid conflict or strive but seek to advance God’s kingdom of righteousness and justice. Peacemakers take Jesus at his word, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” (John 14:27)

God is the ultimate author of peace, seeking to destroy the evil that brings pain and destruction. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

“If every member of your community made a concerted effort to become poor in spirit, meek, merciful, pure in heart, and prone to promoting peace, how would your community be transformed? How do these beatitudes bring people together?” (Life with Others, Spiritual Formation Bible)

God has called and equipped us to be Peacemakers in this broken world. Peacemakers working to be the transforming agents “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon’’ where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:15

God is great!

 

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 NRSV

What comes to your mind when you think about the word pure – the face of a newborn baby? Unexpected snow blanketing the ground? Jesus looked across the hillside and spoke the sixth Beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Without a doubt, He knew the condition of their hearts and minds, yet He saw beyond their present conditions to what His followers could become through Him.

The rich, the powerful, and the religious elite were among the crowd that day who heard Jesus speak, and heard the words, “Blessed are the pure in heart.” They probably thought about their ceremonial and religious cleansing rituals as they looked with disdain at the dirty masses. However, the ‘crowd’ heard words of hope, encouragement, and a future. Jesus’ words were aimed at the powerless, the oppressed, and the nobodies of society. It was a message for them (and us today) on how to flourish in life and live in God’s kingdom by trusting in God rather than the powerful for deliverance.

Martin Luther contrasted inward and outward purity with a very earthy view. “Christ…wants to have the heart pure, though outwardly the person may be a drudge in the kitchen, black, sooty, and grimy, doing all sorts of dirty work. Though a common labourer, a shoemaker or a blacksmith may be dirty and sooty or may smell because he is covered with dirt and pitch…and though he stinks outwardly, inwardly he is pure incense before God because he ponders the word of God in his heart and obeys it.” (The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, John Stott)

The Beatitudes were not teachings intended to be in isolation from each other but bundled together like you would do a flower bouquet, nine distinct but equally beautiful teachings. Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky was born to Orthodox Jewish parents in Lithuania in 1831. When he was 15, he entered rabbinical school, and it was there he came into contact with Christianity. A friend gave him a Bible and through reading it, became convinced of the truth of Christianity. Schereschewsky emigrated to America, and it would be many years before he would fully commit himself to Christ.  He would later train for the priesthood and was sent out by the Episcopal Church as a missionary to China.

He was uniquely gifted as a scholar and linguist, translating the Bible into Mandarin and Wenli (the classical Chinese style of writing), serving as the Bishop of China, and starting churches and educational institutions. We could easily mistake these successes as the blessed part of his life,  yet Schereschewsky’s life would flourish even with his disability. Developing Parkinson’s disease, he became almost completely paralyzed. He would complete his Wenli Bible, finishing the last two thousand pages which he typed with the one finger that he could still move. Shortly before his death, he said to a friend, “I have sat in this chair for over twenty years. It seemed very hard at first. But God knew best. He kept me for the work for which I am best fitted.” (G. Wright Doyle)

I think Eugene Peterson captured the essence of the verse beautifully in The Message Translation: “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” (Matt 5:8 The Message) “Greek scholar Fritz Rienecker defines “heart” as “the center of the inner life of the person where all the spiritual forces and functions have their origin.” (Jim Denison)

“As John Calvin observes, most people hold to the erroneous belief that the happy person is the one who is “free from annoyance, attains all his wishes, and leads a joyful and easy life”; the mistaken idea is that true happiness is about our present emotional state. However, in these Beatitudes, Calvin continues, Christ exposes this belief as false, lest Christians think that calamities and reproaches are at variance with the happy life…The disciples of Christ must learn the philosophy of placing their happiness beyond the world, and above the afflictions of the flesh.” (Jonathan Pennington)

David captured this relationship of the heart with our relationship with God in the Psalms. He would write “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.” (Ps 24:3-4) Nathan the prophet would confront David after he had committed adultery and murder exposing David’s heart. David would write Psalm 51 seeking to restore the purity of his heart toward God. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Ps 51:1,10-12)

How does one live in a time when we are drowning in images and words that crush the heart? The same way as every generation before us, staying focused on Jesus.   “Come near to God and he will come near to you…purify your hearts….” (James 4:8) “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart…” (Heb 10:22).

“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.” (William Temple)

The words of Brian Doerksen’s song, Purify My Heart, amplifies our calling to be pure in heart:

Purify my heart. Let me be as gold and precious silver

Purify my heart. Let me be as gold, pure gold

Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy, set apart for You, Lord

I choose to be holy, set apart for You, my Master, Ready to do Your will…

https://youtu.be/ayH5iV5zmrI?si=1Dt7VkcfcPBaTaJZ

God is great!

I apologize for last week’s technical problem causing you to get the post twice. Hopefully, I have fixed it.

Blessed Are the Merciful

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Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 CSB

Merciful is easy to define but even more easy to identify. Mercy can be defined as sympathetic, compassionate, pardoning, refusing to punish, or forgiving. However, seeing mercy in action brings life to the definition. What does mercy look like? Over the last few weeks, the Eastern Coast of the United States has been pulverized by back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton. The evening news has highlighted the valiant effort of total strangers helping other total strangers in their devastation. Line crews from across the country are working endless hours to restore electricity, medical personnel ministering to the physical needs of communities, government, and non-profit organizations working together to provide housing for the homeless, and feeding stations providing food to the hungry.

Gary LeBlanc did the only thing he could do after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he volunteered to cook food. What he witnessed during the aftermath of Katrina left him heartbroken. Gary and his wife Ann started Mercy Chefs in 2006. Chef Gary said that the Lord called them to “feed people; just go feed people.” Eighteen years later, from one disaster to the next, the LeBlancs’ organization has served over 27 million meals. LeBlanc said, “In the box is love, hope, and a way forward. In the box is all the love we can muster — fit into a box.”

“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6 NKJV) The world and the people within were far from perfect as Jesus taught his followers. He knew then as we need today, how to flourish in this imperfect world. Each of the beatitudes that Jesus gave that day were and are critical for living life. Glen Stassen writes, “Mercy is about an action, that is, a generous action that delivers someone from need or bondage.”

Eugene Peterson says in his book, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading, “Scripture does not present us with a moral code and tell us “Live up to this,” nor does it set out a system of doctrine and say “Think like this and you will live well.” Rather the biblical way is to tell a story and in the telling invite: “Live into this—this is what it looks like to be human in the God-made and God-ruled world; this is what is involved in becoming and maturing as a human being.”

Mercy reflects the beautiful act of forgiveness. Jesus continued his discourse that morning with the words, “For If you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.” (Matthew 6:14-15) Extending mercy to others can never be done within our own power or desires.

Corrie ten Boom survived the horrors of Ravensbruck in World War II but years later had to confront her own unforgiveness while speaking in a Munich church on forgiveness. It was in that church she encountered the guard who had inflicted so much pain on Corrie and her sister Betsie. The guard said, “But since that time I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein—will you forgive me?”

It is far easier to define mercy than to be merciful. It is easier to give examples of mercy than to be merciful. Extending the gift of mercy to someone who has wronged you goes beyond our abilities. Jesus realized the challenge as He outlined how a disciple of His could flourish in this world. Who should we extend mercy to? Yes, even that person! “There was no need for Jesus to elaborate. Our God is a merciful God and shows mercy continuously; the citizens of his kingdom must show mercy too.” (John Stott)

“And I stood there—I whose sins had every day to be forgiven—and could not. Betsie had died in that place—could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?”

Jesus brought a new fresh spirit to the passage in Hosea as he spoke the words again in Matthew. The legalist would struggle, the bitter and angry would struggle, yet mercy would be the only way forward, “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matt 9:13)

“Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.”

“But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. Have mercy on those who waver, save others by snatching them from the fire; have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 20-23)

“Jesus, help me! I prayed silently…And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bring tears to my eyes. I forgive you, brother! I cried. With all my heart.” (Corrie ten Boom on Forgiveness)

We too ask ourselves the question, how can I extend mercy to that person? Jesus gave himself as the model of Blessed are the Merciful. Thankfully, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Can you think of a more exciting time to be alive as a follower of Jesus? In a world that has seemingly grown darker, we can be a light for those wandering in the darkness. Jesus gave generations of followers a way to flourish as he taught them the Beatitudes. “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ’care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.” Matthew 5:7 The Message

God is great!