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As I sat reading Jude 24-25 late one evening, I wondered what it will be to really, finally see Jesus. The passage says,  "To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

I thought about the smell and feel of a new car; the excitement of driving it off the lot and knowing it's mine. I remembered our wedding day--the jitters, the uncertainty, then the final, overwhelming confidence that this was the beginning of the rest of my life. Moving into a new home came with hopes, dreams, and unknowns. Yes, there would be work, but the thought was thrilling and joyful. Then there are indescribable joys: the birth of children, silent friendship, heartfelt, shared worship....

And it struck me that of all the good,exciting, new things I had experienced (or could think of), meeting Jesus was everything at the same time--without tarnish, without loss over time, without burden or care. I can try to imagine, but the reality is beyond human experience..

Then, to picture Jesus at the gate of Heaven, ready to welcome me in.... What does "great joy" look like for Jesus? Will He stand with His arms full in the air? An open smile on His face? Head thrown back in laughter? All this to welcome me?

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In and through it all, He is the One who keeps me from stumbling; the One who brings me before His glorious presence. It is His righteousness, not mine--and because of that I can rest in His love, grace and power. My job is to take God at His Word; to rest, trust, believe, obey and persevere. He is the only God. Our Savior (did you notice it's collective?). He owns, He is, He deserves all glory. All power. All authority. And He has shown that glory, power and authority through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ--the "Ka-Pow!" that echoes from eternity past through eternity future.

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
    in the assembly I will sing your praises.”
And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”
And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:9-18 NIV)

Fattened Hearts

We tried something new this year--after Thanksgiving we decided to clean out the cupboards (i.e. not to buy groceries) until Christmas. This may be standard practice for you, but we had amassed canned, dried and frozen goods at our house--things we "didn't prefer." Oh, were we excited for Christmas!

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When the load from the store arrived, I had plenty of help--and there was a lot of celebrating as we filled the cupboards. It renewed my sense of how fasting from regular routines and behavior makes celebrations more enjoyable. God instituted feasting and celebrations--they're His idea. He loves a good party! But enjoyment, feasting and celebrating are magnified by moderation.

A few months ago I chewed on the verse, "You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter." (James 5:5). And I asked, "What does it mean to 'fatten your heart?'"

The cows in our barn are on a slaughter-fest. For many months they simply grazed in the pasture. But now, with a slaughter date fixed they get unlimited corn. Twice a day our daughter pours buckets of corn in the trough. They know when it's coming. Standing at the door, they bawl outrageously until she appears. Unbeknownst to them, the goal is to fatten them--quickly--for their doom.

With that picture in mind, we (Americans in particular) fatten our hearts daily. We belly up to the trough of pleasure, entertainment, food, leisure activity, achievement, etc. etc. And if the trough doesn't have what we want, we bawl exceedingly. It is our due! It is ours! But, oh, the consequences of a fattened heart.... Failing to see beyond the immediate pleasure, we rarely, if ever, sit back and look at the outcome.

As I watch young people indulging in leisure and desired activities, I wonder at the long-term effects of parenting and personal choices. Training does not happen in a year or two--it is a life-long process. And then I look at myself. I am no different. In looking at what I've been given, I wonder how my time--money, energy, thoughts, plans, conversation--could be better spent. How might I "put on the brakes" and train my heart to say no to pleasure and luxury? Am I looking ahead to days of celebration? Even more, am I seeing ahead to limited resources and the realities of our world? How I've lost awareness of poverty, need, hunger, nakedness, thirst, cold--the very real conditions of many in our world.

May this new year usher in, not prosperity of pleasure, but richness of life and awareness of God's good gifts, of His eternal working in my life and those around me.

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (James 5:1-11 ESV)

A Place to Return

We pulled out family videos over the holidays. There was a lot of "helping" by older children--especially when it came to opening gifts. And we sat through the infamous "Family Olympics" in the backyard. "You mean all we did was run in circles?" one of the girls asked as she watched her dad give instructions and they raced to win. "I was so cute!" another observed.

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Years ago an orphanage missionary gave this advice, "Parents, make memories your children can return to." He pointed out that we have a responsibility as stewards to create pleasant memories. When our children grow up and have a hard day at work, a difficult marriage or financial burdens, we them to have the gift of childhood memories. He asked, "Have you created a place of comfort and joy they can find? A place that reminds them of the beauty and rest of God?"

How often we forget God made a place of love and acceptance for us. It's recorded in the Bible, and we're meant to revisit it daily. The memory is this: God sent Jesus.

I have a hard time imagining the limitations, struggles and trials of life for Jesus--God in a body. He was placed in a real body living under fallen, human authority (i.e. real parents) in poverty and under governmental tyranny. After living a perfect life and declaring Himself to the world, He suffered and died, offering His life for ours. He took God's punishment for our sin to fully pay the price of our treason against the Lord of the Universe. Then He rose again, demonstrating God's complete acceptance of our debt.

What an amazing memory! What an incredible place to return and revisit! And it is ours. When we struggle to love our enemies, we can think on God's love for us in Jesus. When we endure a difficult marriage, financial burdens, the weight of poor choices--we have a safe place, a place of forgiveness, hope, peace, and wisdom. We are not alone.

We may or may not have fond family memories. We may or may not be living out and creating wonderful memories--but we can return to the safest, most comforting, wonderful memory of all and find everything that is lacking in this fallen, human world. And, as we gaze on Jesus, we will change.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 ESV)

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:1-17 ESV)