"Weak and wounded sinner, lost and left to die, raise your head for Love is passing by."
The above is from the song "Untitled Hymn" by Chris Rice, my all-time favorite Christian pop song. That line speaks so deeply to my heart, I suppose because I was once a weak, wounded and lost sinner who had given up on life. Only Jesus could turn a life around so completely. Such love is incomprehensible to me. It’s like trying to ponder the lengths and depths of the universe. It simply can’t be described, but only accepted, experienced and shared.
When I think of all the times I have sinned against God and man, it makes my head spin and my stomach churn. To know that I directly contributed to the suffering of Jesus on the cross produces an ache in my heart that can only be alleviated by Christ Himself. My Father sent His one and only Son as a humble infant, so that He could walk in my shoes. As a person, Jesus was perfect in every way, a healer, a teacher, a servant, a friend. Yet despite His perfection, despite His willingness to love me unconditionally, I rejected Him, sometimes vehemently. My Father knew that His one and only would die an unspeakable death. God’s Son was beaten, spat upon, His precious flesh nailed to a cross so that little, insignificant me – a weak and wounded sinner – could live. Love seems too dispassionate a word.
I recently read a beautiful narrative by Beth Moore describing God’s sacrificial love: "John 3:17 tells us God gave His Son for the salvation of people by sending Him into the world. You see, God only had one arrow in His quiver. The most perfect arrow ever to exist. This arrow was a masterpiece, priceless to Him. Cherished far above all the hosts of heaven. Nothing could compare. His only heritage, His only Son. But as God looked on a lost world - desperate, needy, and in the clutches of the enemy - His heart was overwhelmed. Though we sinned miserably against Him and few sought Him, God could not love us less. Love reached sacrificially into the quiver and pulled out the solitary arrow. The quiver would now be empty. His cherished arrow in the hands of hateful men. Yes, God so loved the world, but God also loved His only begotten Son with inexpressible, divine affection. The divine dilemma: two loves. And one would demand the sacrifice of the other. Only one weapon could defeat the enemy of the soul - God's arrow. He positioned the weapon, pulled back the bow, steadied His grip, aimed straight for the heart, 'And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.' (Luke 2:7)."
Christmas is the day to celebrate the night that love descended from the heavens to walk among us and set us free, but each day of our lives should be Christmas and Easter in one. Because Jesus was born in human flesh, we know that we can come to Him with anything. Because Jesus chose the cross and claimed victory over sin and death, we can know that we are not lost and left to die. Jesus pursued me to the depths of my sin and despair, humbled me, and lifted me up into life. Against all odds, against all logic, Jesus has shown me that I am someone worth dying for. So are you, friends.
Love has come in swaddling clothes to a manger. Let us come and worship Him at Christmas and always. Let us allow God’s arrow to pierce our hearts anew, and let us become a human arsenal in His divine quiver. Let us "come to Jesus and live."
Monday, December 19, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Through the Eyes of a Child
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. (Luke 18:17)
This morning, my husband, daughter and I joined my in-laws for an annual tradition on the Saturday before Christmas. My in-laws' church provides food baskets and gifts to numerous individuals and families in the Middletown area. Our duty in this annual endeavor is to transport these items to the families' homes. For the past five years, I have not participated, opting to stay home with our daughter instead. This year, however, we felt it was time for six year-old Sarah to join in.
For those who know Sarah, she is a calm, kind-hearted child with a steel trap mind. She is exquisitely observant of nearly all things in her surroundings, so I took some time before heading out this morning to prepare her for what she would see. I knew that she had never encountered living conditions like what she'd see today, and I didn't want her to "comment" about her observations in front of the folks we would meet. I knew that she would not say anything mean-spirited, but I feared comments such as, "Where's your furniture?" I encouraged her to think - but not speak - about the things she would hear and see, to ponder how fortunate she is to have what she has.
Sarah did not keep her comments to herself, but her chattiness was, to my surprise and delight, nothing to be feared. For every person and place we encountered - some extremely humble - she never failed to find and celebrate a common thread. One home had a dog that reminded her of one in our neighborhood. One apartment had a Christmas tree similar to ours. One elderly lady had a cane that reminded her of her great-grandma's. Regarding the people themselves, she said things such as, "Did you see her pajama pants? They had cats on them. I LOVE cats!"
At the end of the day, Sarah declared herself the ultimate ham-carrier (that was her job on our deliveries), and she had so much fun she wanted to do it again. Not even in the privacy of our own car or home did she offer comments of shock or disbelief at the things she had seen. She went about her merry way, playing and laughing as usual, as if this morning had been just another trip out the door with Mom and Dad.
I'm not too proud to say that my daughter humbled and convicted me to the core today. Every year, these basket deliveries leave me feeling happy to have helped, but sad for those who live in such poverty. I try to imagine what life must be like in such conditions, and it brings tears to my eyes. My daughter reminded me, however, that so long as God is part of the picture, it's all about perspective. Regardless of our living conditions, we are all loved and accepted by our Father in heaven.
Each of us is a child of God...sometimes we just need to remember to think like one.
This morning, my husband, daughter and I joined my in-laws for an annual tradition on the Saturday before Christmas. My in-laws' church provides food baskets and gifts to numerous individuals and families in the Middletown area. Our duty in this annual endeavor is to transport these items to the families' homes. For the past five years, I have not participated, opting to stay home with our daughter instead. This year, however, we felt it was time for six year-old Sarah to join in.
For those who know Sarah, she is a calm, kind-hearted child with a steel trap mind. She is exquisitely observant of nearly all things in her surroundings, so I took some time before heading out this morning to prepare her for what she would see. I knew that she had never encountered living conditions like what she'd see today, and I didn't want her to "comment" about her observations in front of the folks we would meet. I knew that she would not say anything mean-spirited, but I feared comments such as, "Where's your furniture?" I encouraged her to think - but not speak - about the things she would hear and see, to ponder how fortunate she is to have what she has.
Sarah did not keep her comments to herself, but her chattiness was, to my surprise and delight, nothing to be feared. For every person and place we encountered - some extremely humble - she never failed to find and celebrate a common thread. One home had a dog that reminded her of one in our neighborhood. One apartment had a Christmas tree similar to ours. One elderly lady had a cane that reminded her of her great-grandma's. Regarding the people themselves, she said things such as, "Did you see her pajama pants? They had cats on them. I LOVE cats!"
At the end of the day, Sarah declared herself the ultimate ham-carrier (that was her job on our deliveries), and she had so much fun she wanted to do it again. Not even in the privacy of our own car or home did she offer comments of shock or disbelief at the things she had seen. She went about her merry way, playing and laughing as usual, as if this morning had been just another trip out the door with Mom and Dad.
I'm not too proud to say that my daughter humbled and convicted me to the core today. Every year, these basket deliveries leave me feeling happy to have helped, but sad for those who live in such poverty. I try to imagine what life must be like in such conditions, and it brings tears to my eyes. My daughter reminded me, however, that so long as God is part of the picture, it's all about perspective. Regardless of our living conditions, we are all loved and accepted by our Father in heaven.
Each of us is a child of God...sometimes we just need to remember to think like one.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Advent Week 3: Joy
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
When we think of birthdays, we often think of fun and games, cake and ice cream, gifts, and lots of smiles. In other words, it’s a joyful time. I’ll always remember our daughter’s first birthday. Sitting in her high chair, she had no clue what to do with the round chocolate cake in front of her – that is, until her daddy gently shoved her chubby little hand deep into the middle of the cake. From there, she seemed to know exactly what was expected of her. Lots of giggles and photos later, she was covered from head to toe in chocolate - a bouncing, delightfully messy embodiment of pure joy.
Why don’t we celebrate Jesus’ birthday with as much enthusiasm? Okay, maybe we don’t need to shove handfuls of cake into our mouths, but why isn’t there more laughing, more fun? December 25th being the birthday of the Savior of the world, we have two important reasons to be joyful and celebratory. First and foremost, we are celebrating the earthly birth of our King. We are acknowledging the amazing gift of God in human form, sent to earth to experience life as we do and to save us from our sins. If ever there was a birth deserving of celebration, surely this is it. Secondly, we are celebrating our rebirth through Jesus. December 25th may not be the exact date that we received Christ, but it’s an appropriate day to express boundless joy for what He has done in our own lives. A life transformed by Christ cannot help but to feel joyful, so let’s express it!
Of course, it’s not always so easy to tap into that joy, is it? Due to personal losses and grief in our lives, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time to summon feelings and expressions of joy. It’s not that we don’t understand and appreciate the gift of our Lord, it’s that the loss feels greater at such a time. God watched His only Son be born in human flesh, fully knowing that He would die an agonizing death at the hands of those He was sent to save. He understands our sorrow and He has provided a pathway to joy through that sorrow.
The day before Thanksgiving, I was helping a coworker decorate one of the Christmas trees in the building. I’d only worked here just shy of two months and my office is somewhat isolated, so this was a good opportunity to get to know a colleague. In the midst of stringing lights on a slender tree near my office, she shared with me that her sister had been killed by a drunk driver on New Year’s Eve a few years ago. She admitted that seeing Christmas decorations always reminds her of that painful loss. The year after her sister’s death, she had debated whether or not to even put up decorations. Her parents had opted not to, overcome by grief. She looked me square in the eye and said, "But then it occurred to me that I don’t put up lights for my sister. I put them up to celebrate the birth of our Lord." It shouldn’t surprise you to know that her office is the most decorative in the building.
Indeed, whether or not our circumstances fill us with joy or grief this Christmas, let us remember that the Light of the world has come to rescue us from our sorrow. He has ushered in an eternal covenant with our Father, a joy that knows no end. We can celebrate by earthly means today while trusting that a celebration beyond our imagining awaits us. For now, I think I’ll grab an extra string of lights…
When we think of birthdays, we often think of fun and games, cake and ice cream, gifts, and lots of smiles. In other words, it’s a joyful time. I’ll always remember our daughter’s first birthday. Sitting in her high chair, she had no clue what to do with the round chocolate cake in front of her – that is, until her daddy gently shoved her chubby little hand deep into the middle of the cake. From there, she seemed to know exactly what was expected of her. Lots of giggles and photos later, she was covered from head to toe in chocolate - a bouncing, delightfully messy embodiment of pure joy.
Why don’t we celebrate Jesus’ birthday with as much enthusiasm? Okay, maybe we don’t need to shove handfuls of cake into our mouths, but why isn’t there more laughing, more fun? December 25th being the birthday of the Savior of the world, we have two important reasons to be joyful and celebratory. First and foremost, we are celebrating the earthly birth of our King. We are acknowledging the amazing gift of God in human form, sent to earth to experience life as we do and to save us from our sins. If ever there was a birth deserving of celebration, surely this is it. Secondly, we are celebrating our rebirth through Jesus. December 25th may not be the exact date that we received Christ, but it’s an appropriate day to express boundless joy for what He has done in our own lives. A life transformed by Christ cannot help but to feel joyful, so let’s express it!
Of course, it’s not always so easy to tap into that joy, is it? Due to personal losses and grief in our lives, Christmas can be a particularly difficult time to summon feelings and expressions of joy. It’s not that we don’t understand and appreciate the gift of our Lord, it’s that the loss feels greater at such a time. God watched His only Son be born in human flesh, fully knowing that He would die an agonizing death at the hands of those He was sent to save. He understands our sorrow and He has provided a pathway to joy through that sorrow.
The day before Thanksgiving, I was helping a coworker decorate one of the Christmas trees in the building. I’d only worked here just shy of two months and my office is somewhat isolated, so this was a good opportunity to get to know a colleague. In the midst of stringing lights on a slender tree near my office, she shared with me that her sister had been killed by a drunk driver on New Year’s Eve a few years ago. She admitted that seeing Christmas decorations always reminds her of that painful loss. The year after her sister’s death, she had debated whether or not to even put up decorations. Her parents had opted not to, overcome by grief. She looked me square in the eye and said, "But then it occurred to me that I don’t put up lights for my sister. I put them up to celebrate the birth of our Lord." It shouldn’t surprise you to know that her office is the most decorative in the building.
Indeed, whether or not our circumstances fill us with joy or grief this Christmas, let us remember that the Light of the world has come to rescue us from our sorrow. He has ushered in an eternal covenant with our Father, a joy that knows no end. We can celebrate by earthly means today while trusting that a celebration beyond our imagining awaits us. For now, I think I’ll grab an extra string of lights…
Monday, December 5, 2011
Advent Week 2: Peace
You will keep the man in perfect peace whose mind is kept on You, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)
There is nothing quite like the modern American Christmas season to keep us from the peace of God, is there? Starting with "Black Friday" (or even sooner, it seems), peace seems to fly out the window. Bargain-hungry shoppers trample each other to get the best deal on the latest gadget, and many of us stress about what special gift to get a special someone in our lives. Meanwhile, there are decorations to put up, parties to plan, cookies to bake, gifts to wrap and cards to mail out, all while continuing to work and fulfill our normal daily obligations. Whew!
This commercialized version of Christmas is an animal that seems to have taken on a life of its own, and none of us is completely immune to it. There's nothing wrong with having parties and buying gifts at Christmas - after all, it is a time of celebration and joy - but it's too easy to get caught up in the process while forgetting the reason. And there's nothing like a major holiday to bring out family stress, am I right? Bitter old resentments have a tendency to bubble to the surface, and even if they don't, the anticipation creates a sense of dread we'd just as soon avoid. I've witnessed family members lose weight and develop migraines over the stress of having to face relatives they'd rather never see again. Even though we realize that this is no way to observe the birthday of our Lord, we can't seem to help ourselves. After all, the human condition is powerful - so powerful that only the Prince of Peace could overcome it.
Whenever I feel my blood pressure rising due to the hectic pace of the Christmas season, I need only ponder what Mary must have felt like. God had chosen her to carry and give birth to the Savior of the world. She was forced to give birth in less-than-ideal surroundings, and shortly after the birth, her new family was forced to flee due to death threats against baby Jesus. I don't know about you, but even the thought of all that is stressful! But Mary had confidence in God. She trusted that He would see her through such an enormous responsibility. What exactly am I so stressed about, then?
It would be nice if the world could live in peace, if war were nothing more than a concept, rather than a reality. But as long as evil exerts his influence, we have no choice but to push back against it. I know I don't have the ability to stop nations from warring against each other, but I do have the power to stop myself from warring against a neighbor, a friend, a relative, even an enemy. In the way I interact with others in my life, I have the ability to choose peace. During this season that celebrates the birth of the Prince of Peace, the least I can do is immulate my Lord as best I can.
Father, keep our minds on You, so that we may be kept in perfect peace. Amen.
There is nothing quite like the modern American Christmas season to keep us from the peace of God, is there? Starting with "Black Friday" (or even sooner, it seems), peace seems to fly out the window. Bargain-hungry shoppers trample each other to get the best deal on the latest gadget, and many of us stress about what special gift to get a special someone in our lives. Meanwhile, there are decorations to put up, parties to plan, cookies to bake, gifts to wrap and cards to mail out, all while continuing to work and fulfill our normal daily obligations. Whew!
This commercialized version of Christmas is an animal that seems to have taken on a life of its own, and none of us is completely immune to it. There's nothing wrong with having parties and buying gifts at Christmas - after all, it is a time of celebration and joy - but it's too easy to get caught up in the process while forgetting the reason. And there's nothing like a major holiday to bring out family stress, am I right? Bitter old resentments have a tendency to bubble to the surface, and even if they don't, the anticipation creates a sense of dread we'd just as soon avoid. I've witnessed family members lose weight and develop migraines over the stress of having to face relatives they'd rather never see again. Even though we realize that this is no way to observe the birthday of our Lord, we can't seem to help ourselves. After all, the human condition is powerful - so powerful that only the Prince of Peace could overcome it.
Whenever I feel my blood pressure rising due to the hectic pace of the Christmas season, I need only ponder what Mary must have felt like. God had chosen her to carry and give birth to the Savior of the world. She was forced to give birth in less-than-ideal surroundings, and shortly after the birth, her new family was forced to flee due to death threats against baby Jesus. I don't know about you, but even the thought of all that is stressful! But Mary had confidence in God. She trusted that He would see her through such an enormous responsibility. What exactly am I so stressed about, then?
It would be nice if the world could live in peace, if war were nothing more than a concept, rather than a reality. But as long as evil exerts his influence, we have no choice but to push back against it. I know I don't have the ability to stop nations from warring against each other, but I do have the power to stop myself from warring against a neighbor, a friend, a relative, even an enemy. In the way I interact with others in my life, I have the ability to choose peace. During this season that celebrates the birth of the Prince of Peace, the least I can do is immulate my Lord as best I can.
Father, keep our minds on You, so that we may be kept in perfect peace. Amen.
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