Fixing Christmas

In our Christian circles we preach to one another that Christmas is not about glitz, glitter, presents, and busyness.  Christmas is about Jesus.  So we read Scripture, think about Jesus' earthly entrance and light advent candles in anticipation.  Even so, we tend to get caught up in the fun and frolic apart from Jesus or remain stoic, removed from the celebration.

Like Christmas, our ministry efforts tend to warble and wane.  We get easily distracted by meetings,  classes,  fellowships, and rules, both written and invisible.  We lose heart, measuring godliness by human standards, forgetting that other's lives and reflections are nothing less than carnival mirrors, distorted, stretched, and warped by sin and tendencies.  
What funny creatures we are!  No matter what we do, we can't get it right.  A few weeks ago I slumped in the church van and sighed, "I can't be nice one more minute!  I've prayed, I thought I was relying on the Holy Spirit, but I am done.  D-o-n-e. Done."  A young voice chirped, "But you're only human."   The pang of truth!  How right he was.  It's not possible to get it right every time or do it perfectly or achieve success to the same degree as others.  We're only human.

It is not until we come to the end of ourselves that we look to God Himself.  Perhaps we struggle with confused priorities, or a need for humility, or the sidelong glances of others.  Regardless of the excuse, this is the root of our error; the root of disbelief, of tossing to and fro. God is not at the center.  He is unknown, unsought, unheeded.

In our despair, we cry out and draw near, squinting and prodding through Scripture like a blind man seeking shelter, only to discover He is not what we imagined.  He no longer fits the mold of our comfortable beliefs.  The harder we look and the farther we follow, the more different He is. Like Alice in Wonderland, we have entered a new world of spiritual focus and dimension.  But as we gaze upon our Savior, our Lord and King, we are changed.  We have become different from ourselves; different from those around us. 

And, as God sees fit, He blesses us in quiet moments to reveal that we are doing good, seeking justice and reproving the ruthless, defending the orphan and pleading for the widow without realizing it.  Not because of who we are or what we can do, but because of who God is and how He lives through us.  This is the obedience--not the jump-in-the-mold-of-everyone-around-me--that pleases God. 
And Christmas?  Christmas is not about me.  It's not about my family.  It's not about those in need.  Christmas is about God.  It's about Jesus' obedience and love as He left the wonder of worship, took on human form along with its limitations and made Himself our sacrifice.  As we look closer into the person of Christ, Christmas becomes much more...and much less.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord.

“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.
'When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?

Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.'" (Isaiah 1:11-18)

 

When Joseph Wrapped Jesus

It was work for a coroner--and parts of that intrigue me.  The human body is amazing.  But a dead body.  A dead, beaten body?  Who are these people who wash, manipulate and care for the dead?
Joseph of Arimathea was one.  Nicodemus was another.  And their service to the dead, unrecognizable body of Christ touches me in a way I'm not sure I can communicate.

As I read the account of Joseph asking Pilate for Jesus' body (Matthew 27:50-61), I was initially impressed with his means, influence and confidence. God knew hundreds, thousands, even eons, of years in advance about Joseph. He told humankind a few hundred years beforehand (Isaiah 53:9), which I find incredible. In my journal I wrote: Joseph was exactly who God intended Him to be.  He was in the right place at just the right time and he did not miss His calling because God's hand was in it all!  Application:  I will not miss God’s call on my life.  He will provide the means and timing necessary to do exactly what He has for me to do. 

The next day I wondered what it looked like; what was the physical condition of Jesus' body after being scourged, spat upon, struck, beaten and crucified? What would it have taken to lift, transport, even wash it?  According to Jewish tradition, the body would initially be held vertical by one person while another poured water over the head and worked from the top down, cleansing and washing.  This body, unlike most, would have been difficult to piece together and cover.  It would have required great care and tedious wrapping.  As an expression of devotion and generosity, Nicodemus brought seventy five pounds of spices to apply to Jesus' body (John 19:39).

It was a messy job. Dirty. Uncomfortable. Wet. Cold. Uncertain.  Frightening. Was it something they'd done before?  Doubtful.  Certainly no one other than Mary had cared so intimately for the Son of God.  It is not something we dwell on for obvious reasons, but it is there.

And I can't help but wonder if, through His Spirit and by His Word, God has equipped His people to minister to His Body when it is beaten and afflicted and sore and wounded and weeping?  To the persecuted church, the deserted mother, the fallen pastor, the imprisoned brother, the neglected child, the hungry beggar, the discouraged teacher....  May God enable and empower us to be in the right place at just the right time.  And may we be willing to roll up our sleeves and get dirty as we love and minister to the wounded Body of Christ.  It's all about Jesus.

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

"Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:34-46).

Apples of Gold? God Has Bushels!

It's late.  I'm late.  Usually you've heard from me, but not today.  Today was hard.  But good.  Heart rending.  Freeing. As someone who didn't know or own personal preferences a few years ago, I've come a long way.  God continues to free this heart and mind from the approval of others and tie it to His goodness and righteousness.  How grateful I am to serve a Master who accepts the sacrifice of praise in the place of labor, piety or deprecation!
Most recently I was convicted that pride was marring my relationships with others in three distinct areas: 1)  Interrupting, 2) Tardiness, 3) Public eating habits.  Laugh if you must, but I am writing to tell you that God cares! And He is helping me.  God has been feeding me apples of gold in settings of silver.
As I read about Jesus' time in the temple after Palm Sunday, the groups of people that challenged and tested Him rolled, one after another after another.  Have you noticed that Jesus never interrupted?  Not only did He think He knew what they were going to say.  He knew.  He knew what they would say.  He knew what was in their hearts.  He knew the entire plan, play by play.  And never, not once, is Jesus quoted as interrupting His adversaries or those who came for help or His stumbling disciples.  He listened.  Full stop. 
If God desires me to be Christ-like (Romans 8:29), then He is calling me, by grace, to listen--and He will help, because it's His will and desire according to His Word.  The downside is, trying to apply truth in one area often leads to manifestations of self in another--like the blurty burst of babble that spewed with intensity after I'd waited sooo long and tried soooo hard not to interrupt!  Oops.  Humanity spill. 
Today, after reading about Jesus before Caiaphas and the elders, I was struck by the phrase, "But Jesus kept silent" (Matthew 26).  And wouldn't you know it was the day I would give a deposition for the first time.  How good God is.  I went into my day realizing that 1) Interrupting is loving myself more than someone else and 2) Being silent is a means of trusting God with the outcome.
In the end, what was said, not said, implied or otherwise stated is immaterial.  God is actually capable of taking care of things without my words.  Now there's a thought that should last a while.... with practice.
"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver...." Proverbs 25:11
Now, on to tardiness.