I’m working on it. Have been. For at least…well, let’s just say, a lot of years!
This is one (just one) reason I am always both amazed and encouraged when I read of the promises of a Messiah to the people of Israel.
First, the promise. Through his trickery and scheming, Satan had brought a curse upon Adam, Eve and their offspring. Adam and Eve’s sin separated them and their offspring from God. More than a millennium before the birth of Jesus, God, knowing man’s proclivity to sin, promised One would come, seed of the woman, and He would bring Satan’s destruction and man’s deliverance (Genesis 3).
Then, the anticipation. Surely it began with Adam and Eve when the Scriptures tell us that “Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived” (Genesis 4:1a). Was this the seed? Was this the Savior? Through the years the Jews anticipated the promised Messiah – a savior who would restore the former glory of Kingdom of Israel. From the Mosaic Covenant (The Old Testament), we know that God kept His promises, thus the Jews rightly and wisely expected and anticipated the fulfillment of the messianic prophecy. Surely with each struggle, each war, each captivity, the Jews anticipated their coming Savior. Their rabbis, scribes and Jewish priests had taught them that the Messiah would not just come but would overcome their enemies. Surely many women wondered if their seed would be the Savior.
Finally, the wait. Daniel, the prophet of the Biblical book of Daniel, prophesied the year of the Messiah’s arrival saying that the Messiah would come 483 years after the orders would be given to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Keep in mind that by the time we get to Daniel’s day, hundreds of years have already passed since God’s promise to Adam and Eve. Still, they waited.
They waited, yes! But they waited in anticipation, expecting, attentive and in hope. They did not wait passively with crossed fingers; they did not just endure their hardships. They had set their sights on a promise from their faithful God. Theirs was a posture of waiting.
Ours, too, is to be a posture of waiting.
In one of his sermons, John Henry Newman wrote, “We are not simply to believe, but to watch; not simply to love, but to watch; not simply to obey, but to watch; to watch for what? For the great event – Christ’s coming!”
So what exactly is our posture of waiting? It is those actions Newman noted between the “watching.” We are to believe, to love, to obey.
Advent is a yearly reminder, a yearly opportunity and a yearly invitation to check our posture.
It really is a special time of year. Already I have watched several of my favorite childhood movies – It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Holiday Inn. I’ve also joined a few celebrations and parades. As for shopping, I finished that in September. I’ve put the wreathes on the doors –front and back. That’s pretty much all the decorating we do because we always travel, but I’ve perused my cookbooks and planned to bake some goodies while at our host’s home. And I am looking forward to our church’s annual Christmas drama. This year’s performance is entitled When Hope Comes Down and is announced with a subtitle – Come Experience the Hope of the Season! Our church also offers a Carols and Communion by Candlelight service on Christmas Eve. Since we will be traveling, I’ve searched the website and consulted friends to find a similar worship opportunity for us in our destination city. Now, if only we had a little snow, but that is doubtful since we are traveling to a MUCH warmer climate.
The movies, decorations, treats and presents are all wonderful, and snow would be awesome. But none of those things are what Christmas is about!
Christmas is a time of God showing His great love for us and His call for us to love others. Just look at the Christmas Story! No, not Ralphie shooting his eye out with his BB gun, but the second chapters of the Gospels of Luke and Matthew
Luke 2:4-16 (NIV)
“4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.”
Matthew 2:11 (NIV)
“11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born of a virgin in lowly Bethlehem. His birth brought great joy and great hope. His birth was much anticipated – not just by His parents. Angels, shepherds and wise men all knew this was no ordinary birth and no ordinary baby. Hundreds of years before prophets had told of this birth and this baby.
Jesus was born so that one day He could die on the cross paying the price for our sin. It is His birth and death that brought the gift of salvation to us. The Bible tells us that all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Without Jesus, we would die in our sins, but loving us, God sent the great gift of love – Baby Jesus.
But Christmas is not just about God showing His love for us by sending Jesus; it is also about His call for us to love others. God’s love is a gift to us, but we must release it to others. How? Through words and actions.
Understand that this season of joy is not a happy time for some – those stressed by not having money for bills much less presents or turkey dinners, those who grieve their loved ones who are not present to share the season with them, those who feel alone and lonely. Tis the season for us to release the love that God has given us.
This week, read the Christmas stories in Luke and Matthew. Pray and ask the Lord to guide you during this season to real and practical acts of love for someone who really needs a gesture of God’s love. Thank Him for how He blesses you and positions you to bless others!
Over the past few days I have been reflecting on the many names of God. Someone once asked, “Why? Why so many names for the One true and living God?” Well, consider the many names we have for our family members and friends. Formal names and more intimate names that attest to our relationships. Mom, mommy, Mommy Dearest (smile, couldn’t resist). Dad, Pops, Daddy, Father. My Sweetie. My Honey. My Boo Boo Kitty.
Every Name of God attests to His character – who He is as well as to a relationship we can have with Him.
I think of God and pray to God using a variety of names with one of my favorite and most used being “Abba Father.” It has long been supposed and broadly accepted that the ancient Aramaic word “Abba” is a term of familiarity that a young child might use to address his/her Daddy or Papa. That’s big for me; I was a bona fide Daddy’s Girl, so that my God would allow me to approach Him and to address Him as Daddy is big. But that He would embrace me, open His arms to receive me and His ear to hear my cries as His child? Wow! That’s even bigger.
But another Name has been on my heart. I woke one morning last week with it on my mind. It comes from Psalm 3:3 (ESV). “You, O Lord are…the lifter of my head.” The Lifter of My Head. Double Wow.
So many things, so many experiences make us hang our heads. Sometimes from shame, possibly from confusion, perhaps from exhaustion, maybe a sense of defeat or overwhelming grief. We hang our heads. We hang our heads. I’m convinced that sometimes we don’t even realize our heads are hanging; we have become accustomed to and accepted the defeat of that posture, so let me repeat. He is the lifter of our heads.
This Scripture paints for us a word picture, so make sure you get the complete picture. Naturally, in times of trouble, we hang our heads. So, it would follow to reason that as the lifter of our heads, God brings us out of whatever it is that caused our heads to hang. But go a little deeper. It also means that He will bring us into a situation and time that will cause our heads to be held high. There are several examples in Scripture where heads were lifted up. 2 Kings 25:27 tells us that the King of Babylon lifted up the head of Jehoiachin out of prison, and Genesis 40 says that Joseph foresaw that Pharaoh would lift up the head of the cupbearer and restore him to his position.
If men – Kings, Pharaohs – can lift heads and restore positions and wealth, just think what God can do for us!
It is David who is telling us in Psalm that God will be the lifter of his head. Understand the context of this passage. David’s son, Absalom, had rebelled against him and turned the people of Israel against him causing David to flee Jerusalem with little more than the clothes he was wearing. 2 Samuel 15 says that David climbed up the Mount of Olives, covered his head and wept. He hung his head.
David was King. He had resources at his hand. Though Absalom had turned the people of Israel against him, there were surely others that he could have turned to. He chose to turn to God. Why? You have to look closely at Psalm 3. Earlier in the passage David declared, “You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory” before adding “and the lifter of my head.” David’s choice of expressions – me and my – indicate a personal relationship and intimacy with God.
The past is irrevocable, irreversible and unchangeable. But Joel 2:25-27 (AMP) reads, “I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten…you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the Name of the Lord…I the Lord am your God and there is none else. My people shall never be put to shame.” Translation? He will lift your head!
Reflect on that this week!
Monday: Psalm 3:1 (NIV)
“Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me?”
Questions for Reflection: What or Who is causing or has caused you to hang your head? Have you, like David, cried out to the Lord? If not, why not? If yes, what answer have you heard?
Tuesday: Psalm 3:2 (NIV)
“Many are saying of me, “’God will not deliver him.’”
Questions for Reflection: Do you believe that God will deliver you? Why or why not? What is the evidence of your belief?
Wednesday: Acts 4:12 (NIV)
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Questions for Reflection: To whom or what have you been looking for strength, hope, restoration, salvation? How has that worked for you? What changes do you need to make?
Thursday: Psalm 3:6 (NIV)
“I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.”
Question for Reflection: FEAR is false evidence appearing real. What “false evidence” have you accepted as truth? Jot down your fears and name specifically those things, people, emotions and situations that assail you. Pray very specifically about each one and make note of God’s responses to your prayers.
Friday: Psalm 3:8a (NIV)
“From the Lord comes deliverance.”
Questions for Reflection: Are you positioned and postured expecting deliverance? What are you doing in the meantime?
DISCLAIMER…SPOILER ALERT…EXCUSE…whatever you want to call it. I am telling you up front, there is yet another Alvin Slaughter song linked to this message. I don’t know what it is or why it is – maybe I am in my Alvin Slaughter CD Season of Life. Nevertheless, stop right here, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKhejMWTJPo, listen to the song then come back.
Imagine the following scenarios.
It’s an exciting time in your life. You’ve been working on your advanced college degree, and graduation is just around the corner. Already you’d begun interviewing for new jobs, and you just snagged one of your dreams. You begin a new job, graduate and (here’s a bonus) celebrate Christmas – all in a matter of weeks. You come home to share the good news with your spouse and find a note on the kitchen counter. It reads, “I don’t think I want to be married anymore, so I’ve moved some things out. I’ll be in touch.”
You’re tired, but who isn’t these days, so you just keep pushing; things are bound to slow down soon and you’ll get some rest. You get a note in your inbox that you need to telephone your doctor’s office, so you do during your break. Reception transfers you to the nurse who tells you – over the telephone – that your lab results didn’t look good. “Actually,” she says, “it looks like you have Cancer.”
Home from the hospital. Alone in bed. Healing from surgery. Other people might consider it a bad thing, but this is a good time for you to catch up on your rest, think some things through and craft a new vision and plan for your life – between naps because the Percocet has you drifting in and out of sleep. The phone rings. It is the IRS. They have some questions about your past six tax returns.
Can you imagine?
My question for you, despite whichever scenario you imagined, “What do you do?”
Let’s see.
Scenario 1: Call a Divorce Attorney? Phone a girlfriend? Watch Oprah and Dr. Phil?
Scenario 2: Get a second opinion? Google your symptoms? Start saying your Good-byes?
Scenario 3: Contact an online loan counselor? Buy boxes and schedule a moving company?
Perhaps a better question is, Who do you run to? (Yes, I know it should be To Whom do you run?)
Often we choose from those mentioned above – attorneys, girlfriends, Dr. Phil, Google – or others like them.
John 16:33a (NIV) says, “…In this world you will have trouble…” There is not one of us who cannot testify to the truth of this Scripture. But do you know the truth of the rest of this Scripture? There is encouragement. There is hope. There is a promise. There is a command. There is very present help. We are told to “take heart” because our Lord has “overcome the world.” If we are obedient and look to Him, the source of our help (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV).
Girlfriends are great. I know, I have been blessed with the best. I’ve called a few attorneys and moving companies in my lifetime, and I wish that I had stock in Google. I’ve even watched a couple of episodes of Dr. Phil. But I want the truth of my life to be that when in times of “trouble, pain and fears,” I run to the Lord. Not crawl. Not walk. Not as an afterthought. Not after I have consulted all those other sources.
FULLY ALIVE! 