The Gift of Hope

Christmas is coming! Just like the stockings I will be hanging and stuffing soon, the days ahead will be full of people, music, family, long enjoyed recipes and of course beautifully lit Christmas trees. Amidst all of the wrapping, parties, concerts, carols, card writing and family visits, this time seems to me to be one that is saturated with hope. Hope, in the form of a God designed plan, the sound of prophets’ pleas, in steadfast hearts of many. Hope in the action of God becoming man.

Jesus came in the most unlikely of circumstances; not what the random observer expected for the 

Creator God and Holy King. He came, fully God and fully man, in a method that brings hope still today - as a baby. He who designed our legs to walk and knows every language, chose to come as a baby who learned to walk and speak by toddling and jabbering. Tiny, dependent, and utterly precious; he chose to defy our expectations of the extraordinary.

Hanging ornaments and singing songs, the memories of family come flooding back. Ornaments remind me of my own family, a perfect time for considering again God’s use of the ordinary to create the extraordinary. The cry did not well up from the streets that the King of Kings had come. It was the arrival of a baby and the gift of life to give us the most extraordinary thing of all, giving us grace.

Luke’s excitement over the details of these events were captured in his letter to Theophilus. He shared the story of the gift of hope with us. 

“Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.”

Luke 1:1-4

Between the Game

   I will admit that I am not the biggest football fan out there. It’s not that I’m opposed to football, I just don’t really understand it. I was in band and my personal thought is that the football game is the entertainment for before and after halftime. Okay, okay… I can practically hear people groaning. Anyway, yesterday was the Super Bowl. I watched the interview with the president and the reading of one of our great founding documents.

   The Declaration of Independence, what an amazing document. Written and signed by men who represented colonies of people, nearly separate countries in their thinking and economic planning. This is such an amazing declaration in part because the possible severity of what would have occurred to the signers if the events had been different. If you have never actually read the Declaration of Independence, I would encourage you. There is a list in there of grievances against the king. Stating the complaints, the colonies declared their separation from the thing which was causing the problem.
   Do you need a Declaration of Independence? Do you need to declare yourself separated from the trouble in your life? Where does trouble come from? Well, if God is peace then the opposite of that is being troubled; therefore the devil brings the trouble, sin brings trouble. What do we do then with that realization. I propose that we sign off on the declaration of independence, the acceptance of salvation that God provides us. I hope you enjoyed the game and watched the commercials. But, between the game and commercials and the reassertion of your normal schedule, I hope you think about your declaration of independence.
   Oh, and I will admit – I do enjoy watching my neighbor play football because I can sort of follow him around the field, or at least I am learning to.

Welcome

   Hello new year, welcome and happy arrival! As the new year is going to be ushered in, I am looking forward to quiet evening with the family. Right now, if I look over my shoulder, I can see a blond lab face snoozing along quiet content. A black lab is laying dreaming next to my leg and a chocolate is a little farther over. It’s not the exciting hotspot of entertainment that some others will have, no ticker tape parades, no fireworks and crowds of party goers. I’m okay without all the noise and excitement, but still want to recognize the ending of one year and the beginning.

   One year ends, three hundred and sixty five days that have come and gone. I can’t change them, can only remember them and grow from them. Now, a new year begins. As the year begins, I wish you many days of deep belly laughs that are so strong they bring tears to your eyes and make your ribs ache. I hope you have friends who love fiercely and with great loyalty. I pray that you find God finding you, and that your heart aches for God’s presence. May your lessons be easy and your learning be swift. I hope that there is a hand to hold when yours is empty, and that your hand can reach out to someone else when needed. Most of all, I pray you experience grace, peace, and faith. Happy New Year!

Mayella

   Her hands were dirty, her clothes mussed, her countenance plain and without any adornment. Her home was full of broken things, mismatched furniture, chipped and peeling paint. Her life was much the same. The people who saw her judged her and excluded her. The people she saw she judged and she excluded them. It left her without much hope for change and very alone. In pots, flaking and damaged, there were red geraniums, carefully tended to. Amidst the squalor and terribly sad conditions, there was some part of this young woman crying out for beauty.

   She had a beautiful home. Every spot perfectly designed, every item in place. Her clothes were at the peak of fashion, moving with the seasons. Her life appeared much the same. The people who saw her judged her and included her to maintain their political status. The people she saw she judged for their lack of decorum and her rampant paranoia that they do not really care about her. She was surrounded by beauty and crying out for true friendship.
   She was the ungraceful misfit. She was always seemed to trip over her own feet, said the wrong things, and never knew which fork she was supposed to use. She wanted to please so badly that people took advantage. Then in a fit of anger and the abuse, others would shun her. The people who saw her judged her for her awkwardness and discomfort. The people she saw she judged for how she thought they perceived and used her. She was surrounded with discomfort and crying out for an elegant dignity.
   She was the graceful one, the one full of talent. She could seem to do anything with ease and confidence. Inside, she felt completely unsure and checked and rechecked her stage presence of life to make sure that the character she was playing was maintained. The people who saw her judged her for her seeming stress-fee and laissez faire life. The people she saw she judged for how she perceived herself, not for how they saw her. She was capable and polished and crying out for reality.
   She was a young woman in a book, a story character, or is she?

On the Other Side of the Table

   I had an opportunity to help pass out food to around two hundred families last weekend. With around 10,000 pounds of food shared, approximately 800 people were helped. It was a beautiful experience. The mobile food pantry works by a truck loaded with food coming. The food contained inside on palates is a combination of canned goods, fresh produce, and items which are considered extras by many grocery budgets - like large bags of walnuts and juices. There were large ripe tomatoes that were bagged up for easy delivery. A family even had picked a truckload full of sweet corn the night before and it was also bagged and added to the stock of food.

   People started lining up about two hours before the registration could even begin. Workers came approximately an hour early to help unload the truck and set up the tables. Registration began and people passed through. Soon, grocery carts were filled with food and people were loading their vehicles full of produce.
   One of the discussions I heard going on was being on the other side of the table. It is a joy being on the giving side. It is a beautiful thing to hand out milk, tomatoes, corn, cereal, soup, and a variety of other foods. It is not always so easy to be on the receiving side of the table. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t gratitude there, but there may also be wounded pride, embarrassment, and feelings of failure. It is not always easy to be on the receiving side of gifts. Especially gifts you cannot pay back.

   And yet, isn’t that what grace is?

One Thing to Say on the Stage

The concert is going on, and the lead singer comes out father on the stage…. “I’ve just got one thing to say.” And generally there is some inane statement that comes out after that. What if you had a moment on stage, something to announce to thousands of people at one time, what would you say?
Standing on the stage, what would you talk about, share? If you could leave one thought or impression with these people, what would it be? With some people, you may only have a moment of interaction, one moment on the stage in life. What will you say, will you impact that life?

Thank you
                                                                             God loves you
                               Good morning
                                                                                                                                      How are you
                                                                                                              Can I help
                Will you help
                                                                    This is beautiful
                                                                                                                    You are amazing
Grace
                                                 Peace
                                                                                                   Hope
                                Joy
                                                                                                                                     Love
Can I pray for you
                                                                   Will you pray for me
                                        Believe

Stranger

I have moved seven times, over four states. That is plenty of times for me to grow a strong dislike for moving boxes and moving companies and moving in general. Each location held challenges, unique opportunities, difficulties, and potential. Some of the places were fairly easy to adjust to and others were much more difficult. But, overall I have had my fair share of days when I felt like a stranger and an outsider in the midst of people who belonged and fit.
“To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia….” (1 Peter 1:1). To the strangers, here we have this addressed to the strangers, those who don’t quite fit in the world around them. But, why are they strangers? I would imagine that many of them grew up and lived their entire lives in that area.
Stranger danger, it’s what we teach children in order to help them recognize the difference between friend and foe. If God’s children, or elect, are strangers in the world, then we must be designed to be at home with each other or within the body of Christ.
As a stranger, as a migrant of sorts in new communities, it can be a lonely thing. Not just getting lost trying to find new grocery stores, but needing the fellowship of the family of friends. But, Peter did not stop with acknowledging the strangers in the world, instead he goes on by saying “…who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood,” (1 Peter 1:2). I don’t want to go into the difficult theology here, but want to point out one thing.
The words through, for, and by. Let me say it this way, “…who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood,” (1 Peter 1:2). Through sanctification or growth in grace through Jesus is provided. This is a promise that the Holy Spirit will work with us through these things for growth. What is the purpose of this growth? To obey and be saved. Obedience to Jesus is to be a Christ follower, listening to and acting in such a way that we are obeying what Jesus tells us to do. Sprinkling by his blood, forget the arguments of sprinkle versus dunk and go to the next word, by. This is not sprinkled by the water sprinkler, garden hose, or shower. This is a sprinkling by the blood of Christ, the blood that saves us from our sins. So, a stranger is acknowledged as such, a stranger to the world. Separated out by the work of the Holy Spirit, obedience to Jesus, and being saved by his blood.
Fellow strangers, don’t forget the next part. “Grace and peace be yours in abundance,” (1 Peter 1:2).

Loaves and Fishes in the Midst

After having such an experience with sharing food with many, I was thinking about the story of the loaves and fishes. You may be familiar with it. There are people and the disciples of Jesus say to send them away so he can get some rest. Countermanding that, Jesus stops them, has them gather their supplies of fish and bread, then proceeds to feed the people.

I just had to go back and reread that, seeing what kind of reaction was there and how I could learn more about God. Winding up in Matthew 14, I started reading and it clicked with the other factors going on that day.

“On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked,” (Matthew 14:6-7). This girl, with some coaching from her mom, asked for the head of John the Baptist delivered to her on a platter. Herod wasn’t real thrilled with this, but had given his oath – so he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was delivered on a platter to the girl who gave it to her mother. The disciples took John’s body away and buried it and then went, telling Jesus what had happened.

Can you imagine the scene? There must have been many tears, strong words, questions, and fears. How could this happen? Why John? What kind of retribution can God rain on Herod’s head? Jesus must have grieved over the news and the knowledge of how and why John, his cousin died. Talk about feeling like being in too great a need to serve.

Ever feel that way? There is need in the midst of pain, hurt, business, or just regular life. We often need to pull away in those difficult times, as did Jesus. “He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place,” (Matthew 14:13). Jesus came back, the boat landed and he saw a crowd. Seeing them, he had compassion on them, healing them, putting away his hurt in their midst. The disciples must have seen the fatigue, felt their own, and as evening approached, they tried to get Jesus to go and get some rest. Sending the people away, the thought was that would go to the villages and get some food.
Jesus said that the people didn’t need to leave, just feed them. We are talking a lot of people – over 5,000 gathered, which would require a great deal of food. The disciples pointed this out, “we have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” (Matthew 14:17). Jesus took the food and gave directions for the people to sit on the grass. He took “the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaves, gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied,” (Matthew 14:18-19). Ate and were satisfied! All ate and were satisfied. Then, the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Five loaves of bread, two fish fed over 5,000 people with twelve basketfuls left over!
So, when I am fatigued or overwhelmed, I can still have compassion on others and help meet needs. When I am trying to meet those needs, I can thank God and ask for His provision. Then, faithfully wait to see the blessing that He loves to bestow.

The Greener Grass

The Greener Grass

Have you ever heard that expression that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence?  This looks pretty good, but over there in that yard they have had a lawn service and wow is it lush and so green.  I could just walk around in that barefoot for hours and it would feel so good…

I think that there was a mom once upon a time that dreams of greener grass for her songs.  “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling down, asked a favor of him,” (Matthew 20:20).    Here was a mom who had an idea of greener grass.  And, really – who could blame her?  She has caught the idea of Jesus as the son of God and wanted something great for her sons. 

“‘What is it you want?’ he asked.  She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’”  This is a mom who wants greener grass for her sons and perhaps for herself. 

Jesus points back the spotlight onto her own grass.  “‘You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them.  ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’  The grass, it’s not so green right here.  In fact, it’s full of moles, thorns, and weeds.  Don’t walk barefoot because your feet are going to get cut!  But, that grass still looks really good and green, so the answer comes. “‘We can.’”

What cup is that?  In this case, the cup is the acts in the coming days, the terror and horror of each moment.  Instead, the reply came, “‘You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or let is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’”  Sorry, that grass isn’t for me to share.  I am respecting the authority of the one who owns the grass. 

The grass, the perception of something better, it’s not such a bad thing.  Yet, in this case there was a loss of focus in yearning for the green, the better.  Sometimes, you have to take stock of your grass realistically and learn first to work and remove the weeds through hard work first. 

I think we all do that sometimes.  And not necessarily for things, but sometimes for situations.  Wow, I would love to have that family, home, relationship, child, job, opportunity, skill, education, dream, ability, etc…  I wish I could have that kind of patience, faith, hope, trust, love…  I can’t say that I have ever yearned for the right or left hand of God in his kingdom.  But, there are other things I have wished, pined, ached for.  Yet, the cup, the path, that God has prepared for me is a special one, a unique one.  I need to trust that the grass is just the right patch of grass for me right now.  Dig in, weed, and make it as best as I can.

Layers

Panes of glass stack up with painted layers between.  A delicate theme prepared on the bottom layer has grace and strength in it.  More layers are added, delicate baby colors, colors of little league teams, band uniforms, and school colors.  Collegiate layers are added, scripts of text painstakingly prepared in notes.  Adulthood layers are added with heavier tones of responsibility.  Choices add more layers, choices that the individual has made, choices that have been made which affect the individual. 

The first layer, many presume it is lost in the midst of the other layers.  The delicateness belies it’s persistent strength.  Like a ray of light which is shown through, the shadow reflects from the first layer onto the others, leaving an imprint. 

Hope, truth, love, shining onto the layers, shone from God onto his children, where the delicate cords of grace are prepared for them.  The layers continue to add.  But in each, there are additional ways that grace is shone through.