Father Christmas

On December 24, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 1: 18 – 21

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Santa Claus is an icon, the world over, for kindness and giving but who is this Santa Claus? He has many names and is idealized in many forms and costumes. He is ageless and has magic powers. For all his iterations, there is but one inspiration, your very own father.
I have thought about Santa Claus quite a bit this year. The word “Santa” means holy. Who is more holy than our Father? Some don’t like to focus on Santa Claus because that image may take away from the real message of Christmas. While it’s true that some people see nothing but reindeer and a jolly old man as the image of Christmas, I love what Santa means to me.

I am still a child at heart so I wouldn’t enjoy the fullness of Christmas without the bells and bows, Santa and snowmen. I love it all and I like how it all makes me feel but Santa is more than a jolly old soul to me. He is an image of my heavenly Father. When I hear the word “Santa” I hear “holy” and that makes me think of Yahweh. I love the Christmas cartoons with their jovial yet inspiring messages but all of that is a mere shadow, a reflection of the great joy our Father brings. Only God could provide the inspiration for a character as benevolent as Santa Claus. And I think, Virginia, the real Santa Claus is Yahweh, our beloved Father and God.

Christmas is the celebration of the first gift isn’t it, the gift of a son who is Immanuel, God with us, but also a savior, the perfect, spotless lamb destined to be the sacrifice for a people who were lost and dying. Our Father gave us His own son on what has come to be known as the first Christmas morn. Santa Yahweh gave the most precious gift ever conceived, which we continue to celebrate thousands of years later. He is the jolly gift bringer who still bestows gifts upon His children. His entire being is that of joy and benevolence. He is the perfect image of Santa Claus and more. He is the Christmas Spirit we hear about but fail to recognize.

Enjoy your Christmas, enjoy it as fully as ever you have. Be filled with all that Christmas means. Gaze upon the nativity scene on your table and ponder the miracle of that glorious day. Let Christmas carols warm your heart and when you see images of Santa, grin to yourself because you know the real Santa Claus. You know the original, rather than the imitations. Let the Father, and the season fill you with real Christmas cheer.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Until next year, Happy New Year and Blessings!

 

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Tend the Sheep

On December 12, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Luke 2: 8 – 9          NLV

In the same country there were shepherds in the fields. They were watching their flocks of sheep at night. The angel of the Lord came to them.

Did you ever wonder why the angel appeared to shepherds? Why not clergy or statesmen? If an angel came with a message today, to whom would he appear? The answer, to those who tend the sheep. Selah.

There is speculation about these shepherds. Who were they? I offer you, rather than answers, food to ponder. We know they were shepherds near Bethlehem who were keeping the night watch. That alone is enough to fuel the imagination as it conjures thoughts of the boy David who was lowly and humble. While his brothers were celebrated as soldiers, little David was out in the fields keeping watch over, “those few sheep,” (1 Samuel 17: 28) as his brother taunted him. Mock as you will, big brother, for what city was the Savior, Messiah born but in the city of David. And, who had to save the day, and the nation, when the soldiers all trembled in their boots at the giant Goliath, but the little shepherd boy, David.

Shepherds were not a favored group of people, part of a lower caste. It is interesting that the angel would appear to a group of people who did not rank well on the social ladder. Because they were not people who were looked up to they would seem the least likely to be able to get the message out about the new king. Who would listen to a group of dirty shepherds?

Of course, any mention of shepherds is incomplete without a discussion of Jesus who is the shepherd. Was God, showing us that this newborn child would turn out to be the great shepherd by revealing his coming to a group of shepherds? Another connection to shepherds is that Jesus is often referred to as meek and lowly. He certainly was not a proud or arrogant man. His connection to shepherds doesn’t end there though.

Some scholars speculate that this group of shepherds was tending a specific group of sheep, which would explain why they would be near the town of Bethlehem and why they would be tending sheep in the open fields in winter. This may have been a flock of sheep selected for the sacrifice. How poignant would it be if the angel appeared to a group of shepherds who were tending the sacrificial lambs in order to announce the coming of the lamb whose blood would be offered for the salvation of all people? That is a pretty powerful thought. I told you Easter is embedded in the fabric of Christmas. From the day baby Jesus was born, his sacrifice was revealed.

Jesus’ first heralds were the angels, but they were followed by a group of dusty, lowly, peasant class shepherds. Those shepherds proceeded immediately to Bethlehem to see this miracle birth and having seen the babe, began to tell the good news received from the angel.

A child is born, a humble birth, proclaimed by shepherds rather than church or cultural leaders. To this day, Jesus is the friend of the lowly and savior of all.

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What’s Love Got to Do With it?

On December 11, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 9: 4

For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.

There was a popular song by this title. I admit, it always rankled a bit because it is a song right from the heart of pain and brokenness and that is where we all were before love entered and repaired the injury of our past.

Yesterday we favored a popular verse from this chapter. Verse 6 is the good news – a child is born; a son is given. Yahoo! But, what does love have to do with it? Look at the verse which precedes the giving of the divine child for the answer. The premier Father of all saw the slavery, the heavy burden upon the shoulders of us all. He saw the oppressor’s rod beating us down. The weight of our lives was too much for our shoulders; the oppressor too strong. The burden of simply surviving weighed upon humanity, and indeed, each of us so oppressively that drawing air was all we could manage. Under the might of the oppressor’s rod we had no strength to mount a defense much less an offensive attack. Therefore, Love, sent a child.

Does that even make sense? Love sent a child to break the yoke of slavery and oppression from our backs. Thank you, beloved, for this first of all Christmas gifts. And, it is this gift which we celebrate at Christmas. As we thank God, our Father, for removing the yoke of bondage from our shoulders, we may also pause and remember that there are still many people who do not know the freeing gift of Christ. They still live in the pain and the turmoil of a bitter, hard life.

Jesus came to grant liberty to the captives, freedom to all who are enslaved by any type of burden. Truly, those who are without Christ suffer and are as bound as the Israelites in Egypt. Perhaps, they suffer even more because their spirit and soul suffer torment while they have the illusion of being free because they are not physically chained. Anyone who can call love a secondhand emotion has never experienced it.

What does love have to do with it? What does love have to do with anything? Absolutely everything. Love is the answer to the question and to every question. If we stop and ask what love has to do with each situation of life, the true answer will present itself because God will show us the way. Love sent a baby to earth to free you, and me, from pain and from all those things which attempted to enslave us.

Love sent the first Christmas present, a child. Now, I send you love as this year’s present. Merry Christmas!

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A Child is Born

On December 10, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 9: 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.

I find this a heart-warming passage as it brings to mind images of the baby Jesus and Christmas. It is also fascinating to me. In this one passage is so much explanation of the once foretold, now realized Messiah. Remembering that this is an Old Testament passage creates an understanding of pre-Christ expectations. Yet, I suspect most people who lived before Christ and even those who experienced Jesus didn’t fully appreciate what this passage reveals. I wonder how much I fail to see in it.

The book of Isaiah is my favorite Old Testament book and you can see why. The revelation God gave Isaiah of the Messiah was very detailed and complete. It was also imbued with the passion of Christ which, amazingly, Isaiah was able to transmit to us through his writing. We feel the enthusiasm of the coming Messiah even as Isaiah revealed that this Savior would come as a baby. That had to have rocked a few people off their feet. I am sure they were expecting a powerful, glorious being to descend from heaven to right all the wrongs and restore the nation of Israel. Instead, they got a baby, but hey, they shouldn’t have been so surprised. Isaiah told them a baby would be born and that this baby would be the son who is given to us from God; a gift of love.

People did grab a hold of the part about the government resting upon the savior’s shoulders but they didn’t understand. They thought he would come as a usurper, a military leader and that he would take over the government which ruled the nation of Israel. Of course, at the time of Jesus’ life on earth, Rome ruled over Israel. The Jews expected, therefore, a conquering hero. I don’t believe that is the vision Isaiah saw. The government spoke of was the government of the whole earth. This government truly is about the laws which govern the earth. Those laws go far beyond political institutions to include gravity, hydraulics, and all the physical laws as well as all of the spiritual laws, most of which we don’t even have names for. These spiritual laws are a bit reflected in the close of this verse where Jesus’ titles are given.

How is the babe, who is revealed as the son of God, also known as the Eternal Father? Spiritual conundrum # 1. He is the Mighty God and the Prince of Peace. How do those harmonize? In God’s kingdom, there is not tension between those two roles. Jesus is God the Father and the son, who is a prince. He is the God of might and yet the prince of peace. These two roles sound like they are in conflict, but it takes a God of gentle yet formidable power to bring about peace. His power is not a threat but rather a comfort. His power actually brings peace when we soak ourselves in it. It is His ability to cause all things to work together which ultimately eliminates conflict. There is no need to strive or try to best one another because in Him, all needs are met.

I hope you find comfort and peace in this passage today. Some prayers will make better sense now as you embrace God as Father and Son. In one breath, we speak to the Father, who is the son. The son has come. He was given to us; a child and a king. He is our Lord and yet our best friend, and even our father.

Let me leave you with one thing more to ponder, if Jesus is Father and Son, what does that make the Holy Spirit?

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Easter in Christmas

On December 5, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Peter 1: 20        TPT

This was part of God’s plan, for he was chosen and destined for this before the foundation of the earth was laid, but he has been made manifest in these last days for you.

I really enjoy Christmas and I feel extra close to Jesus during the Christmas season. Yesterday I was celebrating Jesus’ birth and said to him, “Jesus, thank you for being born.” Just think about that.

Jesus was with God when Yahweh created the earth (John 1: 1 – 3). He witnessed and participated in the creation of the world and everything in it. In today’s verse we see that God had a plan for redemption before the earth was even formed. That means that when God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were creating the earth, there was already a plan which involved Jesus coming into the earth as a human being in order to save all humanity. So, what was it like on that Christmas morn 2000 years ago?

Jesus already knew that he was to be born of a virgin as a human baby. He also knew that he would have to sacrifice himself if he was to redeem our lives from the pit of hell. So how did that conversation go?

God: Jesus, it’s time.
Jesus: Time for me to go earth as a flesh and blood person?
God: Yes. It is time for you to leave our heavenly home and to be born a baby, a human baby. You will leave your deity here and become fully human. You will be born a human, live as a human and die a human death. Your birth will be cause for a great celebration which will be remembered for all time. In the shadow of the great event of your birth will be the certainty of sacrifice and death. Are you willing to go?
Jesus: Yes!
God: Are you ready?
Jesus: Yes.
God: Then go, my son. Be born of Mary. Bring joy to the world and save every person the earth has ever or will ever know from the torture of eternal death.
Jesus: Yes, Father. All this I will do.
God: I am proud of you and I love you.

So, in the celebration of Jesus’ birth is the foreshadowing and the promise of Easter. He came to give us life, but our life was in his death and resurrection. That is why I thank Jesus for being born. Had he not said, “Yes” to Christmas, there would be no Easter. Praise God! Thank you, Jesus, for Christmas. Let every human voice be raised in song as we celebrate the savior’s birth.

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Angels Sing

On December 21, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

You know the lyrics to the famous Christmas Carol, “Hark the herald, angels sing, glory to the new born King!”  A herald is a bringer of news, an official messenger.  Hearken to the voice of the messenger, in other words, for he is bringing you good news of a great joy, so joyous, in fact, that the angels sing, “Glory, Glory!  The King is born!”  Think of that, angels celebrating with uplifted voices because the savior has arrived.  I guarantee you they are singing, “Glory, glory,” even until today.

There are many images of Christmas and we have many demands placed on us at this time of year.  People who are essentially loners are forced into more social gatherings than they can bear.  The social creatures must restrain themselves so they have time for the necessary to do’s.  Amidst all the holiday furor, where is there time for Christ?  Even going to church on Christmas Eve becomes one more thing we have to do.  Even as outgoing as I am, there are moments when I, too, want to run away to Christmas Island with Jesus.

The images of boxes and bows, of Santa and the reindeer begin to crowd out the image of angels crying out with loud voices about the coming of the Christ child.  Our own voices are muted by the stress of the season and our hears fail to hear the Angelic chorus.  Maybe, though, you can sneak away for a few moments.  Maybe you can find solitude in the shower or perhaps you need to take a drive in the country.  A long walk might be the best medicine you can take.  In any event, I pray that you can take some moments, steal some time out of a busy schedule to celebrate Jesus’ birth and what that birth means in your life.  Maybe you can put a Christmas CD in the player of your car and crank the volume so loud that it drowns out your own voice.  Then, perhaps, you can sing with abandon.  This I will promise you, the angels will join your joyous, vocal celebration.  You don’t even have to sing on key because all they hear is the beauty of praise lifted up to the king.  All that is important is that your heart sings.  Believe me, if you will let the joy and the love of the Lord radiate from your spirit, you will stir up the heavenly host.  Isn’t that exciting?  They will join their voices with yours to celebrate the king.

I pray, in the name of our Lord and King, that you have a very blessed Christmas.  I pray that the image of that little child, born 2000 years ago, touches the tender parts of your heart and brings you great joy.  I am going to take off the rest of 2018 and heed the advice I give you.  Until next year, be blessed!

 

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Good Tidings

On December 22, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Luke 2: 8 – 14           KJV

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Sometimes I just like the poetry of the King James Bible. How about you? This passage brings back warm memories of childhood for me. Like most children, I was very visual and I would imagine what the angel looked like. Did he/she hover over the shepherds? The glory of the Lord shone all about them. What did that look like and why in the world are we afraid when we see God’s glory? Then the angel was joined by the heavenly host. What is that? Of what and whom is the host composed? Were there more than angels present? Were there animals in the heavenly host or perhaps beings we have never heard of. What did that look like? Can you imagine?

The angel said to the shepherds, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Hence, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” You see there in the angel’s words that this joyous good news is for “all people.” What do you think of that? It may even include Muslims, or gays. Jesus came to reconcile the entire world and every person and creature in it to the glory of the Father. None are left out. Whether they know it or not, Jesus’ coming is even good news to the people who hate him.

The very first Christmas present was the Christ. This was the gift God gave us. In that gift, though, was the seed of the gift God wanted – you. Thirty-three years after the first Christmas, our God and Father sealed His wish in the first Easter service. When Jesus arose, God got his family.
I love that God’s plan involved sending a babe, born of a woman. He didn’t send a giant warrior, or the head of His legal staff. He sent a baby and that child had to grow up in this world. He lived among regular people and experienced all the things you and I experience and learn through. Jesus had to become a regular person in order to save people. He was completely at the mercy of his mother and father for his care. He had no God powers to feed himself or change his diapers. He experienced birth just as you and I. And think of this, Jesus was once a teenager. Ohhhhh! What was that like?

God’s perfect plan began with a precious baby born in a little town in the east. On that special night, wheels were set in motion that would change the world. The Father gave his only child to come to earth to be with us. That child had to grow and learn what it means to be human so that he could save all humanity.

This Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of the savior, try to put yourself in the place of those shepherds and experience the glory of God’s gift to us. Let your heart hear the angelic chorus singing Hallelujah to the King. Perhaps your heart will rejoice as never before. Be free and be happy. I wish you unparalleled joy this Christmas and God’s blessings upon you and your family. Merry, merry Christmas!

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