Peace on Earth

In my readings today, I came across this Advent theme of "peace on earth". It seems like peace evades so many people. We live in a time where darkness seems all around us. Yet, we must cling to this person of peace no matter what may be occurring. The prophet Isaiah, some 700 years before Jesus' coming proclaimed in Isaiah 9:6-7a,
"6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace..."

In Jesus we have the prince of peace. The one whose life brings a settled faith in God as the ultimate ruler and judge, and who is full of life and peace for those who are willing to cling to him.

In Luke 1, the Advent story begins with Zechariah, a priest, who was visited by the angel and the birth of John the Baptist who would be the "forerunner" of Jesus is declared. Later, when John is born, his father exclaims in Luke 1:76-79 (NASB)
76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE Lord TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

John's life serves as a model for life in Christ for us. We also have the privilege of sharing the good news of Jesus. To give to others the knowledge of salvation, by way of the forgiveness of their sins, because God is tender in his mercies. This he does to those sitting in darkness, even in the shadow of death. All around us is a world that is thirsty for peace. People who are desperate for inward peace. Who have filled their souls with many things, except for the one thing that brings real peace - Jesus.

Later the angels come to announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds and they proclaim in Luke 2:14 (NASB)
14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

God is pleased to grant to us peace, let's receive it with faith and trust in the one who is real peace.

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How precarious it must have been

Sunday School and carols sing about the birth of Jesus and the role that Mary played as the mother of Jesus, and of Joseph, at first not only skeptical, but clearly hurt and wounded by the thought of his bride getting pregnant outside of marriage.
The nine months of Mary's pregnancy is more vivid for me today with two daughters - my daughter-in-law Sarah now in her 40th week awaiting our next Grandson, and my daughter Lindsay in her 34th week with twins, a boy and a girl.
Over the weekend we got word that Lindsay had to be hospitalized with high blood pressure and a concern for a condition called pre-eclampsia. She's being taken care of in a hospital, resting, and having tests done to see if there is unusual amounts of protein in the urine.
As a father, I'm concerned, and happy she's being taken care of. Our son-in-law, Peter, is keeping us abreast of what's happening, but being 4000 miles away with an ocean in between makes it all very anxious.

So, I've been meditating a bit on God's decision to send his son across the universe to be born into a young virgin...no hospitals to care for her and her baby. The infant mortality rate must have been high. Sarah is "great with child" and hopefully soon to have their second, and ours, son/grandson. Lindsay is "great with children" and waiting to see if the condition is not severe, or whether she will need to have a C-section and early birth for the twins.

I don't know if the Father ever gets nervous, but I know I wait with prayerful hope and a bit of nervous desire to have it all be ok.

Jack Hayford wrote:

"That you came is a wonder to me --
That you came in a manner so lowly,
Came to earth to live; came Your life to give.
That you came changed all history.

That you came brought the glorious Word--
Son of Man, named Jesus, the Savior.
What a gift the Father gave,
His only Son He sent to save me.

That you came changed my destiny.
That you came is a wonder to me.

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2nd Sunday in Advent - Living With Tension

We live in the beautiful tension of the Holiness and Grace of God.
John 1:14,16-17 (NRSV)
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-17 (NRSV)
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

God's holiness leads us to the truth about ourselves, and about the world around us. We, and those around us, indeed the whole world, need a savior. We need grace to counteract the selfishness of our resident sinfulness.
We die to self in receiving the grace of God. It is that grace that relieves us from pretending to be good and allows us to confess and receive from the well of God's grace...and most importantly, it allows us to let others be imperfect and stops our judgment. The grace of Christ offers us forgiveness, love, beauty for ashes, a crown of righteousness for the garments of despair.

Here's a thought for today... The desert father, Abba Moses, gave this instruction: "Do not let dislike dominate your heart."
Why not make a list, hopefully short, but a list nevertheless, of those whom you dislike. Then start with one and pray for their blessing from God. Pray for God's grace to be lavished upon them...pray that your heart will be free of judgment.

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Bethlehem Rhapsody

This is amazingly cute, and the singing is pretty good too!

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An Advent Saturday

I often wondered if I, and the people of God, prepared for Sunday as much as we prepare the setting for a day of football, would we get much more out of our worship experience?

Remembering how the Christmas story began is part of this: Luke 1:5-11
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth...
8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

The setting was an angelic visitation during his worship. The visit of God's messenger frightened Zechariah, even as it would frighten us today.

We're not use to seeing the heavenly up close. The incarnation story begins with a worship service. It begins with a priest doing his priestly thing. He's doing the normal, the typical, the everyday-priests-do-these-things service.

Sunday, after Sunday, after Sunday, don't we also "go" to worship? The question is "do I expect anything to happen?"

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White Christmas

I don't know why it is that there's such a desire for many of us for a white Christmas. Is it the sentimentality of it? It is nostalgic? It certainly is partly crazy!

We got our first real snow fall last night. It meant traffic jams and slippery roads, and gingerly walking from the parking lot to the building I teach in.

White Christmas? The movie White Christmas is classic...the song, I believe, is the most recorded song in all history. Bing Crosby's rich voice and Rosemary Clooney's accompaning...it doesn't get any better than that. Remember?


I don't think it's just White Christmas that has immortalized it. Who can forget George Bailey running through the snow on the way back to his house, or the snow blowing on the bridge, or the scene in which he plows his car into the tree?
There's so many movies that have played off of that theme. It's engrained within us.
Of course a white Christmas is limited to the northern latitudes; but did you know that weather forecasters get inundated this time of the year with inquiries into whether or not there will be a white Christmas?
As a Wisconsinite, there's huge disappointment when the grass is still visible at Christmas time. Still, this morning out in the driveway, I was not singing the song as I shoveled off the first snow...I was thinking about buying salt! There's go the romance.
We had our first snow last night...there's more to come they say. It's almost certain that it will be a White Christmas.

Christmas is about Christ, and memories...and this snow is about tradition and "it's time" for Christmas once again.

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Praying through Advent

A Scripture Reading from Luke 1:46-50,
46 And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
49 "For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.
50 "AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.

I cannot read the Messianic prophecies, nor the announcements by angels in Luke and Matthew, and not see that the only response that makes sense is prayer.

I have a confession to make. I have always struggled with prayer. Early on in my walk with Christ, I approached the pastor of the church and asked him, "Why do I struggle so much to pray?" You would think that after 40 years, 37 of them as a Pastor myself, I'd be able to laugh and say that was those days when I was young and not very spiritual. Well, I'm older, and although I can't speak to the very spiritual part, I still struggle with prayer. Are there reasons? Sure...and I'm aware of some of them, but not all, I'm certain. And, does it make any difference? Not really. One of the things I'm most comforted by in knowing God is that my personality, disposition, and even ways of acting and reacting are not foreign to him. He does not look at me, nor us, with a surprised look, as if to say "I didn't know you thought like that", or, "Wow, you shocked me with that response."

I take great comfort in what the psalmist says in Psalms 103:8-14 (NASB)
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

I have been a 25 year reader of Henri Nouwen, a now-home-with-the-Lord Catholic Priest whose writings moved me to a deeper awareness of Christ than most writings did. I have one book entitled "Advent and Christmas", and I read my way through it during the Advent season. I love Nouwen's prayers...they are simple, full of life, and truth, and always make me say "Amen Lord, wished I could have said it that way."

Here's an Advent prayer of Henri Nouwen that beckons us to seek God in quiet ways:

"Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, 'Come Lord Jesus!'”

May we each find a quiet simple place during Advent to pray, "Lord come to me and prepare my heart to hear you every day."

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