Category: christianity

12-6-11 Psalm 27:1-4 Getting beyond fear

What are you afraid of? I have a whole list of things, but the top two have to be fear of the unknown and fear of failure.

I found it interesting as I was preparing for Christmas one year to look at how many times the participants in that first Christmas were told not to be afraid. We may never be addressed by the heavenly host, but we have fears. We may not wear them on our sleeve, no one may even know what fears gnaw at our heart and keep us from enjoying life to its fullest. No one, but God.

There was a movie several years ago about some grown men, who in an effort to find themselves, go on a cattle drive (City Slickers). They meet up with a gnarly cattle boss who keeps telling them that life is about one thing. Unfortunately, he dies before he can tell them. As believers we too have “one thing” that should drive us, and keeping that goal in sight should dispel our fears. Our one thing is live in God’s presence: dwelling in his house, beholding his beauty, and asking all our questions.

Just now, thinking back over my own fears, I realize that their roots go deep into trust. I imagine that was true for Mary, for Joseph, for the wisemen and shepherds. None of this made sense, not to mention it was being fortold by a scarey and overwhelming angelic army. But God wanted them to rest assured, to trust him in the midst of their doubts and fears. He was in control and totally trustworthy.

What are you facing this Advent season that is causing fear to rise up in you? Hear the voice of God, “Don’t be afraid. I am in control.”

12-4-11 Romans 15:4-13 Waiting patiently

“May the God who gives this patience and encouragement help you live in complete harmony with each other (5a).”

There was a hit song in the 70’s that said something like, “Signs, signs, everywhere signs.  Blockin’ up the scenery, breakin’ my mind.”  At this time of year it’s more like: Lines, lines, everywhere lines.  Blockin’ up the freeway, makin’ me wait.  I do plenty waiting, I’m just not sure I do it very patiently or in any kind of harmony.

I don’t think I’m alone in this.  We want what we want when we want it and that is usually five minutes ago. We are an instant society.  Long live the microwave! The popularity of social media, like twitter and facebook, has infected so much of what we do: say what you need to say in 140 characters or less.  It’s all about my time and my need.  We’re more impatient and ego-centric than a three year old on Christmas eve. 

While some people seem more patient by nature, there are many more of us who struggle with never seeming to have enough.  Even though I find myself in the second category quite often, I’m encouraged by this verse. If I find myself running short on patience, then I need to turn to God who gives patience. 

12-3-11 Isaiah 60:19-22 Everlasting light

Have you noticed that nothing is built to last anymore? Except maybe the Volvo.  I recently saw a commercial where a man walked up to a woman who was carrying a large cup of coffee and he told her to be careful to not spill any of it in his car.  But it was her car.  But it would be his car when she traded it in.  Good thing I drive a Jeep and don’t have to worry about the big stain on the front passenger seat.

Beyond that, things don’t last.  As soon as you purchase most things they are antiquated and doomed for the trash before you ever leave the store.  On Christmas morning we usually place bets as to which toys are going to make it through the day unbroken.  I used to think this was a matter of shoddy workmanship, when in fact it’s more of a marketing tool to get you ready to purchase that item’s replacement.

One of the standard things of this season is Christmas lights.  At the end of every season I should just throw my strands of tree lights out and start fresh the next year because invariably one of the lights burns out making the entire strand useless.  At least the outdoor lights have bulbs that can be replaced, and replace them we do.  One year my husband bought a gross of bubble light replacement bulbs.  That was twenty years ago.  They’re the closest things to everlasting, but even they burn out.

Into our temporary and disposable existence God shines His everlasting light.  The Psalmist tells us that “from everlasting to everlasting” He is God.  There wasn’t a time when God wasn’t and there never will be.  If you want to place a bet on who will be there at the end of the day and everyday after that then bet on God. 

So as you struggle with snarled up strands of lights and hunt for fresh batteries to replace the dead ones, lift a prayer of thanks that the God who made this whole thing possible was, and is, and is to come.

12-2-11 Jeremiah 33:14-16 What’s Your Motto?

Catchy slogans are the brainchildren of marketing geniuses who hope their phrase will stick with you all the way to the cash register.  Think about all the slogans for products you use. Products aren’t the only ones affected by this way of thinking. Organizations are expected to have mission statements that can be reduced down to an eight word catch phrase so that every member can remember what they’re about. 

The chapter our passage comes from clearly describes how God is going to keep His promises and restore the people and their land.  As a result, the people will live by the motto: The Lord is our righteousness.  I’m sure they marched right down to their local Jewish bookstore and purchased buttons, banners, posters, t-shirts, and all kinds of items emblazoned with the phrase.  Their exuberance couldn’t be contained.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but they had a motto and they spoke it and lived it. This people would bind things to their wrist, to their forehead, and post them by their doorways so that they wouldn’t forget and so that others would know.   What motto defines your relationship with the God who keeps His promises?  If we were to ask the people who live with and around you or work with you what your motto is would they know?  

Prayer: Ask God to show what His motto for your life is.

12-1-11 John 1:6-9 True light? 

There’s a common phrase, used often when someone has to tell others bad news: don’t shoot the messenger.  Equally as dangerous is becoming enamored with the messenger and missing or forgetting the message. This happens in churches and organizations where the leader becomes the center of attention and allegiance.  Then when that leader leaves, the people feel rejected and have a difficult time adjusting to new leadership.  It borders on a personality cult or worship of the individual .

I sometimes wonder if John the Baptist would have signed up for his role of preparing the way for Jesus if he had known that it was going to be such a short gig and he would end up losing his head. In our function as “light of the world” (see Matthew 5:14) are we more focused on the perks of being light or the beauty of being light, or are we aware that we are pointing to something far greater than ourselves?  Let’s be sure to use our light to shine on Him.  Imagine that you have the role of the star.  The star shone above the place where the baby Jesus lay and drew shepherds and magi to that place.  The star wasn’t looking to be worshiped or given any credit.  It’s job was to point the way, and so is ours.

Prayer: Star light, star bright, that is what I wish to be tonight.  May the light of my life draw others to you these days of Advent.  Amen.

11-30-11 John 1:1-5 Unquenchable light

For a short period of my adult life I worked a third shift job.  It was probably one of the hardest jobs I had.  Several years before that a woman I knew from church and I were talking about working those nighttime hours.  She was a unit clerk in a very busy hospital and she worked third shift.  She called people who worked those dark hours moles.  She also said that most people were not wired to work while most the world around them slept.  I could definitely add a loud amen to what she said, and the sad truth was I knew because I was definitely not wired for overnight. 

 The hard part for me wasn’t staying awake through the shift.  The hard part for me came when I got home and I needed to sleep during the day.  I just couldn’t seem to block out the light or the noise so I could sleep.  In my efforts and vain attempts I became aware of all kinds of products being sold to darken a room or cover up the sounds.  Sadly, none of it worked for me and I ended up having to quit that job because my health began to suffer.

 John’s words about Jesus in our scripture for today reminded me of my futile attempts to turn light into darkness: the light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  Jesus announces to the crowd that while he was still in the world that he was the light of the world.  In a conversation captured in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus looked at his disciples and told them, “You are the light of the world.”  Isn’t that amazing?  We are the unquenchable light of Jesus in a world that is dark, lost and confused.  So as you move through this busy season, be sure you have your light on.

 Prayer: Jesus, shine on my path dispelling all the darkness and confusion that come my way.  But also shine through me. Help me to do my part to make sure your light is shining in my corner of this world.  Amen.

As I read today’s text, I couldn’t help but picture a group of mischievous children.  Watching them, you can imagine they’re either up to no good, or wanting to surprise someone. Whatever it is, they don’t want to get caught, so they put one child at the door to be the lookout.  The lookout’s only job is to warn them when the adult is coming. In the movies when this happens, I could never understand why they would chose the youngest child for this important job.  It never seemed to fail that the warning would come too late and their plans were foiled. 

 Jesus’ words here seem to clearly instruct that we are to be watching, not leaving the job to someone else: “What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch for his return.” Are you watching for his return this Christmas, or counting days until life returns to “normal”?  Don’t let someone else keep watch for you.  Don’t let the stuff of the season overshadow your ability to be looking, your ability to be ready when he arrives.

 One of my favorite stories from Jesus is the story that we usually refer to as The Prodigal Son (see Luke 15:11-32).  When the son finally decides to return home, the father sees him while he is still a far way off and runs out to welcome him home.  It was not luck or happenstance that morning.  The father had been watching, looking, yearning for his son’s return.  Are your eyes tuned to Jesus’ entry this Holy Season?

 Prayer:  Father, there are so many things that press in and distract me from looking for your coming at this time of year. Help me to have the Prodigal Father’s eyes: searching daily for signs of your presence.  Amen.

When I was little, I could hardly wait for the Wish Book to arrive.  The Sears Christmas catalog would arrive and my brother, sister and I would spend hours pouring over the pictures of treasures we thought we couldn’t live without.  Christmas morning was often a bit of a disappointment when I opened packages containing socks, pajamas, or some other practical necessity.  I didn’t understand the vast difference between needs and wants, and I certainly had no clue about what my parents went through to provide for us kids. 

 In our scripture for today, Paul tells the young Corinthian church that God has provided every spiritual gift they need as they wait for Christ’s return.  This thought shouldn’t have been new to them.  David wrote of it in the great Shepherd Psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything that I need.” (see Psalm 23) Peter picks up the same thought when he writes: “As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3)

 What would happen this Advent season, if every time someone asked us what we wanted for Christmas, or every time we begin dwelling on our wish list, we reminded ourselves that we have everything we need.  Say it, “I have everything I need.”  Five words.  One sentence.  It could change the course of our Advent journey. 

Prayer: Thank you god for your gifts and provisions for my life.  Help me to live as one who has everything I need.  Amen.