gift

There has been only one Christmas - the rest are anniversaries.

~W.J. Cameron

I don't know if Cameron was thinking of the advent of the Savior when he said this, but it certainly is where my mind went. In Isaiah 9:6 we read, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Most, when asked, would correctly answer that we celebrate a birth at Christmas, that of Jesus. Scripture tells us that not only was a child born but a son was given. The Son. Jesus.

This year, this season, this Christmas, this birthday, this anniversary of the giving of a son, the Son, if you don't know Jesus, then accept the greatest gift of all. In Matthew 11:28, he says, "Come to me..."

the giving of thanks

For the last several years, whether it be a blog post or teaching a class or leading a small group, I at Thanksgiving have shared the proclamation from George Washington that initiated the holiday of Thanksgiving in the United States. If you've never read it (or even if you have,) you can find it in my post from last Thanksgiving.

This year I feel a sense of quiet and contemplation, and my thoughts are on how flippant I think we can be when we offer thanks to God for his many blessings. I feel like I want to apologize to God for the many who seem to live independently and selfishlly through the year and then offer thanks on this particular day. I'm not saying that such thanksgiving is insincere--praise God that he knows the heart! I just don't want my thankfulness (or anyone else's) to be perfunctory.

It has been a busy fall for me and my family (as evidenced by the decreased frequency of my blog posts) and as we slow down a bit, I want to be, and to stay, mindful of God's hand in my life. This quiet time is a chance to reflect on him and how worthy he is of my trust.

For the rest of my life I'm going to trust that God is always at work in all things, and give him thanks long before my simplest prayers are answered.

- Nancy Parker Brummett

The next time you see me, ask me if I've given thanks today.

music for my soul

This morning I awoke and, after laying there for as long as my cat would let me, I got up. I ate, prepared a cup of hot tea, and turned on my stereo. I love music, and about the only time I just sit and listen is on Saturday mornings.

I really enjoy music of all kinds. I love music. On the rare occasion that I can just sit and enjoy it, I really get into it and it speaks to me. I'm not talking about anything mystical, but as Richard Dreyfuss' character in the movie Mr. Holland's Opus said, "Music [is] the language of emotion."

When I was a kid in school, my parents paid for guitar lessons for me, but I lacked the personal discipline to study, practice, and learn the basics. You see, God had given me "an ear for music," and so, rather than practicing and really learning to read and play music, I more or less ignored my instructor, and "picked out" each new song. I could hear it and then "play" what I heard. However, because I did not learn and develop the proper foundation, today I really can't play an instrument other than a stereo.

Even though I have regrets about not being able to "give" musically, I consider it a great gift to hear and appreciate music, to be moved by it, and I have often enjoyed discussing feelings evoked by this song or that. Even more, it is awesome to give praise to God for the musical talents he has bestowed on some of the people I know, such as both my kids, or my friends Tony, Billy, Eric, Wayne, and others.

Perhaps you're wondering where I am headed with this musing. Jesus told his disciples of something they had been given, and it kind of jumped out at me recently when I reread it. Today I quote my Lord, from Matthew 13:10-11:

And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted."

I have long known of and have heard from other believers about the hunger satisfied, the various emotions evoked, the need filled by reading the scriptures. And, of course, I've had others tell me they get nothing from reading the Bible. I don't remember thinking of that understanding (itself) as a gift, but it is. Certainly the Spirit by whom we understand is a gift.

Sometimes my music is playing and I'm not moved by it--it's just on. Sometimes I read my bible and there are just the words--I don't hear. But just as I sometimes let go, focus on the music, hear the meaning as well as the sound, God has granted to me (and to all believers) to know Him and what he has revealed in the words of scripture. All I have to do is listen--it's like music for my soul.

on pride (again)

Make a list of what you believe to be your strengths. Your gifts, talents. Things that you enjoy doing. Things that, when God lays it on your heart to serve someone, you would first think to do. If you are convinced that you know of a spiritual gift that God has blessed you with, be sure that you include it in your list.

Now, consider the list you have made. Do you know that it is also a list of your weaknesses? These are your greatest vulnerabilities because they are areas of life and experience where it is easiest to act independently of God. These are areas where you can quickly forget about Him, both in terms of depending on Him for the power and ultimately giving Him the glory. When someone thanks you for your service, or compliments your devotion, your human pride easily sneaks in to lap it up! Consider this statement by Augustine:

Other sins find their vent in the accomplishment of evil deeds, whereas pride lies in wait for good deeds, to destroy them.

God has recently been showing me areas in my life where, even if there was no overt pride felt or expressed, there were still "cracks in the character" where pride seeped in and motivated my responses to tests and trials, rather than the humility of mind that He desires. That I am shocked to find these weaknesses is telling of the depth of my need for Christ, even after He has grown me for these years.

Praise God for His love and patience with me! I figure that all of my life, most (if not all) of my struggles and failures will be traceable to pride. As C. S. Lewis said,

Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.

always near

If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigor and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning.

—Martin Luther

The world does actively fight the gospel; it is an offensive message to people that any, much less their best, effort is of no avail in securing reconciliation with God or righteousness before Him. The good news is that Jesus accomplished what no other person could, by his sacrifice reconciling us to God and qualifying us to receive his righteous life in exchange for our sin.

When I read the quote from Luther, my mind moved on through the world's reaction to the gospel (generally) to the world's reaction to me (specifically) as a Christian and the message that my life speaks.

Recently one of the men I work with was involved in a traffic accident. He was riding his motorcycle to work when someone turned directly in front of him. He now has one less motorcycle and one more broken leg than before. The results could easily have been more tragic, and although surgery may be required, he will heal all right, thankfully.

It is often said that people just don't see motorcyclists; in the past when I have ridden motorcycles, I've always assumed that not only do other drivers see me, they will try their best to hit me! I figured that such wariness was the biggest contribution to my own safety that I could make. In reflecting on this again recently, I came to realize that there is an analogy to be drawn in my Christian walk.

We learn from scripture, along with so much more, that we have an enemy in life. For safety's sake, a motorcyclist might think of other drivers as adversaries, but in the Bible we are told that Satan really is our adversary. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8.) I have known Christians who don't believe that there is a devil, even though the scriptures declare him real; there is danger for them and for me if I don't take seriously his cunning and scheming.

However, just as my wariness when riding a motorcycle does not guarantee my safety, the power to resist and overcome the schemes of the devil lies not in my efforts or resourcefullness but in God's protecting hand. His promise to never leave or forsake us, the fact that he, in the person of his son Jesus Christ, overcame the world, is safety that I can rest in by faith. My own awareness and God's protecting hand are seen in James 4: Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...

one of those days

Here in the Texas heat, it seems that the last several weeks have been characterized more by perspiration than inspiration, but today God has placed encouragement on my heart that I must share.

Yesterday, I kind of "hit bottom." In the evenings when I go home from work, I habitually turn on the news; if one wants encouragement, don't do this! I had sent a note of encouragement to a close friend; the response so far is silence. Candidly, he owes me no reply, but I'm disappointed. Vacation is over. The culmination of all of this, yesterday, was dejection, poor attitude, emotional fatigue. In short, I spent the day yesterday thinking of myself.

Today has been much better. It began with my brothers at my men's breakfast, spending time together in the word. But the even stronger shot in the arm, and I know it's God by his spirit whispering in my ear, came moments ago, in the form of the "random quote" that came up when I looked:

It is not after we were reconciled by the blood of his Son that God began to love us, but before the foundation of the world.

—John Calvin

The next time you have "one of those days," remember that it really is one of those, like every other: God loves you dearly, warts and all.

being back

I recently alluded to the fact of my family's summer vacation. One of the things that inevitably happens when we return from such a trip is that we get cranky because we are not still gone! I guess it is typical human behavior to complain along with, or rather than, thanking God for his provision of rest and enjoyment along with other blessings. With this in mind, I thought I'd share the comment made by my wife yesterday morning (our first day back) as we prepared for work:

I need some altitude, but I suspect I'll just have attitude.