merry christmas

Today, Christmas, is the day that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Last week I heard a news story entitled "The War on Christmas." It was about various efforts to ban public acknowledgment of Christ in Christmas--lawsuits over manger scenes on court house lawns, insistence on using phrases such as "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" in preference to "Merry Christmas," etc.

I don't really want to argue such points with anyone--whether online or in person. If you are a Christian then you know the love of the Lord and the accomplishment of his life on earth. Really, every day is a celebration of his life and the fact that it was easier for him to bear the sin of the world than the thought of me (and you) being separated from God for all eternity and helpless to change it. At church last Sunday, a lady told her story and shared that, having come to know the Lord, she leaves a manger scene up in her house all year long. I think a great Christmas verse is John 1:14: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, may I invite you this day to read the story of his birth in the Bible in the gospel of Luke, chapter 2. You may or may not be one who takes offense at manger scenes or the mention of Christ; either is OK, just read a story. While you're at it, consider this observation by Blaise Pascal:

Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.

good

How often have you heard someone say, "God has been so good to me?" Have you ever said that? I have. The thing is, that statement frequently finds basis in our experience. Restored to health; got the job. We tend not to talk about God's goodness if things aren't going as well. As we grow in Christ, He builds in us the character that allows us to live thankfully, no matter what our experience is. We learn from his Word that God is good by nature; it is part of his very being.

The error that can sneak into our thinking is that our positive experiences are indicative of God's goodness and therefore less than positive experiences are not. This is why it is so important to base our relationship with God on the truth of the Word rather than our experience. It is a matter of faith to know that what God reveals about Himself in his Word is true whether our experience would support it or not. Consider this observation from Philips Brooks:

Faith says not, I see that it is good for me, so God must have sent it, but, God sent it, and so it must be good for me. Faith, walking in the dark with God, only prays Him to clasp its hand more closely.

People who do not know God have difficulty with this idea; when bad things happen, one might say, "Why did [a good] God let this happen?" A Christian knows (or should know) that bad things happen as a consequence of living in a fallen world, and his hope (through faith) is that one day God will be faithful to keep his promise to make the world right again.

In the meantime, when I lift up requests to God in prayer, I try not to watch expectantly for the answers I want but to content myself with the knowledge that God is able. If I truly believe what I profess, that God is good, loving, wise, and all-powerful, then I know that his answer, according to his plan for me, will be best for me--whether or not I understand or agree.

God usually answers our prayers so much more according to the measure of His own magnificence, than of our asking, that we do not recognize His benefits to be those for which we sought Him.

—Coventry Patmore

spiritual health

As a Christian, when I realize that I am in a "dry spell," a time when my relationship with the Lord seems to have cooled, when I have little or no zeal for the Word, it is a pretty safe bet that He has been replaced by someone else. Not something else, but someone else. That someone is invariably me.

This can come about for many reasons, but the net effect is that my thinking is off and that my focus moves from outward to inward. The irony is that one of the symptoms (little or no zeal for the Word) is a huge obstacle to the remedy: To get back into the Word so that He can renew my mind.

Reading in Philippians immerses us in the love of Christ and reminds us to regard others as more important than ourselves. This was the attitude that Jesus had and that we are to have. To serve others, focus on their hurts, pries my mind off of myself. As Abraham Lincoln said,

To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.

Such service, motivated by the love of God, is service that honors Him; it glorifies Him by allowing His life lived in me (not my life) to shine in the world.

What is it to serve God and to do His will? Nothing else than to show mercy to our neighbor. For it is our neighbor who needs our service; God in heaven needs it not.
--Martin Luther

The Christian needs regular input from the Word, not merely because that's what Christians do but in order that we see God's transforming power at work in us as our minds are renewed. When "spiritual anemia" sets in, remember that Christ Himself is the cure:

Above all the grace and gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.
--Francis of Assisi

strugglin'

About a week ago, I ran across this from Jim McGuiggan:

Those of us who are most familiar with the Spirit's promises are in the greatest danger. ... familiarity may not breed contempt, but it takes the edge off awe ... promises that drop the jaws or widen the eyes of newcomers but provoke no more than a raised eyebrow in the old-timers who have ceased to dream.

Since I saw it, I've been meditating on it (kind of in the background.) It struck home with me because I for a little while have had the spiritual doldrums. My faith in God is strong, but I seem to lack zeal for my personal study of the Word, fellowship with my dearest friends and with people in general. A sort of fatigue.

And friends have noticed (bless you!) "Where are you?" they say.

During this time of pondering, I've been reminded of something my friend Bill said many years ago during a Bible study. Quoting some preacher somewhere, he contrasted the new believer with the "spiritually mature" as "Ignorance on fire" versus "Knowledge on ice." If you've been a believer for a long time as I have, perhaps you've become aware of how easy it is to lose the sense of wonder about God and all he has done, is doing, all that he is. God wants us to know him better and better, but we must guard against a familiarity that "takes the edge off awe."

I don't really know [yet] if this lines up with the sense of fatigue that I'm currently feeling, but I intend to heed McGuiggan's danger warning. In the past when I have encountered people at various plateaus in their walk with the Lord, I have counseled them to read Paul's letter to the Philippians every day for a week. It isn't a long letter and it is a great tonic. For encouragement and uplifting, it can't be beat! So as God leads me out of this funk (as he has always done) I'm taking my own prescription for the next week. Will you join me?

thanksgiving

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we learn that it is God's will that we live thankfully. Every day is therefore Thanksgiving Day. Most people take so much for granted (I will not excuse myself from this fault) and offer little more than perfunctory thanks other than on the fourth Thursday of each November.

Well, instead of griping that we should all be more thankful and mindful of God's provision (no matter how true it is,) today I though I'd share the proclamation that originally set aside Thanksgiving Day as a special day.
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WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficient author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been able to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

know who did it

This morning, I am sitting in my campsite, enjoying a portion of God's creation. Trees. Wildlife. Sunshine. Earlier there was fog. Nature is quite a work, composed of wondrous brush strokes from the Master's hand. I love it, and even though I won't attend church today, I find it very easy to worship Him.

When one talks of creation, I believe that certain specific things typically pop to mind, such as elements of nature. You and I were created by God. If you know Jesus Christ as your savior, as I do, then you are a new creation of his, and he uses us in his good works, his ministries.

I awoke this morning thinking of my friends out in Mississippi. They are wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ; when I was serving as webmaster for my church's website, God used me and others to help them get a small church started (their first contact was through our website.) The wonderful friendship started ten years ago did not start because of me or my service; the little church in Mississippi was created by God according to his will. Their enduring friendship is the blessing God gave to me.

Whether it's our own salvation (spiritual new birth) or the outcome of any ministry, good work, or service we offer, let us always keep clearly in mind who did it. As John Calvin said,

We must always speak of the efficacy of the ministry in such a manner that the entire praise of the work may be reserved for God alone.

recent reflections

The turning point in our lives is when we stop seeking the God we want and start seeking the God who is.
- Patrick Morley

I have over the years thought about the fact that even the most mature Christian will tend to reduce God to understandable bounds. Not necessarily even consciously--it's just very easy to depend on what we know or understand rather than living by faith in the Lord. In Him. Several dear friends whom I greatly love and respect have talked about this here and here.

Recently I have been reflecting on this again as there are several people that I have come to know who do not know the Lord. One has even said something to the effect of, "I've read the Bible and it makes no sense." To see their lives (rudderless,) to listen to them speak (lost,) I hurt for them and pray for the right (better, the opportunity) to be heard by them and to address that error. After all, "...the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." (emphasis mine.)

Even though I began with Patrick Morley's observation on the point, I've recently been mulling over several other quotes that have been brought to mind by all this, and I think that they are excellent thought-provokers for everyone, whether one knows the Lord or not:

If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshiped.
- Evelyn Underhill

A God who let us prove his existence would be an idol.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

One of my favorite books is Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer. I believe it is an excellent resource in helping us think rightly about God.