Jaidin and Jesus: The Passion

I had the most touching spiritual conversation with Jaidin on the way home from church Wednesday night. I asked her about what she learned in Girls GEMS club, like I always do, and she shared her memory verse and a few tidbits from class. And then she got real quiet and said “You know mom, you should have been at chapel today at school. You’d have really liked it”.

“Oh yeah”, I said. “What was it about”?

“It was about Palm Sunday”, she replied. “About how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, and how the people were so happy to see him, so excited they were waving palm branches and laying down their coats for him. Pastor Riley brought palm leaves, and each of us got some. It was pretty neat. But then he talked about how the same people that were so excited to see Jesus  were the exact same people that a week later were yelling ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ “

Then she said the most amazing thing to me.

“You know mom, I hope I’m never one of those people who praises Jesus and says I love God, and then turns around when things get crazy and does something like deny him, like those people did.”

Wow! I was blown away. And convicted. Because how many times have I totally been on fire for God, praising Jesus and following after Him, and then BAM! one little change in circumstances or a bad influence from someone else and my tune changes. In my years as a Christian, certainly I’ve gotten better about not being swayed by the wind or tossed about by rough seas. But I still strive to have the kind of faith that is not shaken, no matter the circumstance.

I told Jaidin that I would pray for her to always have faith, to always do the right thing and to never deny Jesus. But I also told her that there will be times when she will probably doubt, and not do the right thing, but God gives second (and third, fourth, fifth…) chances and as long as we’re truly sorry about whatever it was, He forgives us.

She said she knew that and was so glad that Jesus gave us a second chance through the crucifixion. Then she said “Do you think me & you & Daddy could watch the Passion movie?”

I hestitated, because while I think it’s a tremendous movie, I also think it may be a bit too much for an 8 year old.

“How do you know about the Passion of the Christ?” I asked

“Some of the kids in my class were talking about it at recess”‘ she said. “They said it was a movie about Jesus and that it made Riley’s mom cry.”

So I told her, “It made me cry too. I’ll talk to daddy about it. That movie might be a little too graphic for you.”

She was quiet for a minute, and then said “By graphic, do you mean real?”

Then I got quiet. Yes, REAL. That’s exactly what I was thinking.

As I drove quietly for a minute, the Holy Spirit spoke to me.

“The crucifixion WAS real. She’s asking for more than a movie. She’s asking you to help her understand exactly how much her sin cost.  To see what all sin cost. Show her.”

I was floored.

So… we’ll be watching The Passion of The Christ soon as a family, and I know that God will prepare her little heart to receive the full message of the Cross (and hopefully not not have nightmares!) If you have kids – have they seen The Passion? What was their reaction. What kind of a discussion did you have as a family afterward?

When a Curse Becomes a Blessing

A couple weeks ago, I was asked if I would consider being the editor for the newsletter published by our women’s ministry at church. It was a no-brainer to say yes. I enjoy writing, I’m a stickler about grammar and spelling, and I’m pretty computer proficient. Sounds like a good fit right?

Then, once I’d committed, Kristen – the director of the women’s ministry said, “One of the things I’d like to implement is an article in each newsletter that highlights one of the ladies in our church. We all see each other, week in and week out, but never really get to know things about each other that are below the surface. Since you’re putting together the newsletter, why don’t you be the first woman we feature? “.  How could I say no? So I agreed. Simple enough.

Except that I hate writing that kind of thing. Or maybe it’s not that I hate it, but really that I don’t want to sound boastful when writing about my successes and accomplishments. I don’t think I’m one to toot my own horn, and I struggle to share about all I’ve been through in my short 35 years because the glory is all God’s. When I share with anyone about where my life has come from, how it’s been changed, and why I hold the hope that I do, I never want people to think that it’s at all because I think I’m such a strong, talented person. Truth is my past (and even some moments in the present) is littered with hardships that without the love and grace of Jesus Christ, I never would have overcome.

I’ve been incredibly blessed that He’s taken what at the time seemed to be a curse, and turned it around into the greatest blessing imaginable. From my sickness and suffering, I’ve been able to find my ultimate purpose.

 

Anyway – many people have asked if I ever finished the article. I did – and here it is in it’s entirety. Maybe I’ll write my memoir one day afterall…

 

Remember your teenage years? Wanting the right hair and clothes, having a crush on that special someone – who didn’t know you existed? Recall feeling awkward and out of place…all alone? Remember trying to fit in? Now imagine that you had a chronic illness that required surgery to save your life. What if on top of all the “normal” adolescent issues, you used the bathroom through a pouch on your side, because your diseased intes­tine had to be removed. How’d you like to miss your birthday party, the big game, even prom, because you were in the hospital- AGAIN! Sounds like a bad dream, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately for Kristin Knipp, this was a reality. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 9, Kristin spent much of her childhood in the hospital. When she was 15, she had her diseased large intestine removed, leaving her with a condition called an ostomy. The ostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdomen through which doctors bring a portion of the bowel and the person then wears  a prosthetic ( called a pouch) that waste is collected in.

“My teenage years were trying, for sure. There’s a certain stigma attached to going to the bathroom ‘differently’, and when you’re a young person, that stigma seems magnified. It’s very isolating”, says Kristin. “For many years I asked ‘why me?’. I didn’t know Jesus back then, so no real answer ever came. In fact, the lack of answers, coupled with recurrent surgeries and medical trials, led to one very bitter young lady. I was mad- mad at my body, mad at my circumstances, and mad at God for allowing it. It wasn’t until I was 17 that things slowly began to fall into place.”

At 17, Kristin attended a summer camp for teens that had ostomies and other bowel and bladder diversions. For the first time, she met other kids that had experienced illness, surgery, and the same struggles she’d been facing. Finally, she didn’t feel alone. This camp, called Youth Rally, was ultimately the vehicle through which Kristin was introduced to Jesus.

“My second year as a camper, I met a young man who was also a Crohn’s patient and an ostomate. We were drawn to each other – initially because of teenage hormones and young love, but after camp ended and we returned to our respective homes, we maintained our friendship and I began to realize that we had a special relationship. Every time we talked, he offered me hope regarding whatever circumstances I was facing, and assured me after every conversation we had that he was praying for me. It wasn’t long before I realized that the thing that drew me to him most was his relationship with the Lord. In 1997, I visited him and his family in Tennesse, and it was there that I attended my first ever church service, and gave my heart to Jesus.”

It didn’t take long after welcoming Jesus into her life for Kristin to recognize how God had placed His hand on her  long before that moment, and had been weaving a tapestry that on the under side appeared messy and disheveled. But now that she could see it clearly, through spiritual eyes from God’s perspective, she began to see the answer to her “why me?” questions.

Kristin has returned to Youth Rally for the past 12 years to volunteer as a counselor and offer hope to teens facing life with an ostomy.  Volunteering with Youth Rally brought to Kristin’s attention the lack of support and resources for young people living with ostomy surgery, especially young adults, and in 2005 she founded YODAA (Young Ostomate & Diversion Alliance of America) a national network for young adults living with ostomy or diversionary surgery. Eventually the organization joined the United Ostomy Associations of America(UOAA) as an affiliated support group, and YODAA is still growing strong today.

In 2006, serving while serving UOAA as National Conference Planning Chair, Kristin was approached by the organization’s president about running for a national board of directors position. Kristin knew that it was something she was called to do.

“My life had come full circle”, she says. “At 15, receiving an ostomy had felt like a life sentence. Now, I was in a position to share my experience with an ostomy with others and let them know that it is indeed a LIFE sentence. Life is the key word. An ostomy gave me back my life, and this was my opportunity to use my experiences to change the course for others facing the same road. This was a significant answer to my WHY from so many years ago.”

 

Kristin threw her hat in the ring for the election, and was installed as the President-elect of UOAA in 2007. She served in that capacity for 3 years, and in January 2010, began her term as President of the organization.

“ While serving UOAA as president, I had the opportunity to travel the United States and abroad and use my God-given talents to work to improve the lives of ostomates around the world.  I’ve lobbied on Capitol Hill for legislation important to those living with an ostomy, I’ve been to Mexico and seen the plight of ostomates in foreign countries who have little or no access to specialized care and ostomy supplies. I’ve been honored to serve on a selection committee that extends scholarships and awards to people who’ve made a ‘great comeback’ from ostomy surgery, and have been blessed to be a spokesperson for several campaigns aimed at eliminating the stigma that is attached to ostomy surgery. God has granted me the influence to affect change and the responsibility to help others along their journey”.

Kristin now works for a company that makes specialized undergarments for people that have had ostomy surgery, and feels incredibly lucky to be able to combine her vocation with her avocation.

“Every day, I have the opportunity to minister to someone who’s in need of a little hope. It’s not traditional ministry – I don’t work at a church and I don’t have a title, but I have the love and grace of Jesus Christ in my heart, and I’m able to share it every day in the form of knowledge and encouragement to help others along their journey. My WHY has been answered, and no longer is Crohn’s disease or an ostomy a curse. It’s been my biggest blessing.”

What he said…

I met Aaron once, around 6 years ago when my friend Matt got married. He’s the lead singer of Spur58 and a really honest, real and organic believer. I enjoy reading his blog because he says some really sage things that often confirm for me things I’ve felt in my spirit.

This is his post from today – and all I have to say is “ditto”.

http://aaronivey.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/in-black-and-white/

Tears and inspiration from a survivor and friend

I’m exhausted. I returned from Chicago today after wrapping up the UOAA Strategic Planning meeting. More about that later. But I wanted to share an email that was shared with me this weekend that absolutely touched my soul.

Those of you that know me well know of my admiration for Tony Snow, former White House press secretary. I had the pleasure of meeting Tony in February 2007 (you can read about it HERE). Tony is a colon cancer survivor, former IBD patient and an honorary Great Comebacks award winner. His cancer returned this past year just weeks after I met him at the Great Comebacks awards ceremony. I’ve not only followed Tony’s journey with cancer because of the IBD and ostomy connection, but also because of his strong faith and the spiritual journey his disease has taken him on.

At the meeting this weekend, a fellow board member and past Great Comebacks award winner shared with me an email from Rolf Beinerschke, former San Diego Charger kicker and founder of the Great Comebacks program.

Tony Snow may be losing his battle with cancer, but the grace and humility he has shown in his journey, and the lives of those he touches along the way will leave a legacy that reaches far beyond the grip of death.

Dear Great Comebacks family,

Earlier this year we had the privilege of meeting Tony Snow and his family at the National Great Comebacks Award celebration in Washington DC when we presented him with the 2007 Honorary Great Comebacks Award for overcoming the challenges he faced as a result of colon cancer. As we’re sure you will all agree, it was a very powerful evening. Ironically, however, ten days following the celebration Tony learned that the cancer had returned and he again had to endure the difficult chemotherapy treatments. Rolf just received a copy of Tony’s testimony and asked me to send it to all of you who had the opportunity to meet him. It is tremendously articulate and well written and a powerful reminder for all of us of what is really important. Please keep Tony and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Warm regards,

Barb on behalf of Rolf

 

This is an outstanding testimony from Tony Snow, President Bush’s Press Secretary, and his fight with cancer. Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush Administration in April 2006 as press secretary.

Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007 , Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen,- leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but has resigned since, “for economic reasons,” and to pursue ” other interests.”

It needs little intro… it speaks for itself.

———————————————————————

“Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, – in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases – and there are millions in America today – find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God’s will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence “What It All Means,” Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

The first is that we shouldn’t spend too much time trying to answer the “why” questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can’t someone else get sick? We can’t answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don’t know why I have cancer, and I don’t much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this, – or because of it, – God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don’t know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.

To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life,- and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts – an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, exuberantly – no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, – but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension – and yet don’t. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.

‘You Have Been Called’. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet, a loved one holds your hand at the side. “It’s cancer,” the healer announces.

The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. “Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler.” But another voice whispers: “You have been called.” Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter,- and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our “normal time.”

There’s another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing through the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes ( Spain ), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.

There’s nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, – for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.

We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God’s love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples’ worries and fears.

‘Learning How to Live’. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God’s arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.

I sat by my best friend’s bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was an humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. “I’m going to try to beat [this cancer],” he told me several months before he died. “But if I don’t, I’ll see you on the other side.”

His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn’t promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, – filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, – and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.

Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don’t matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, – to speak of us!

This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.

What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don’t know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God’s hand.” T. Snow

Christmas Re-Post

I was reading through past blog entries this morning and came across this post I made last year at this time. I had just had major surgery and was experiencing some pretty major crises and chaos in my life. Truthfully, I feel much the same this year as I did last, and although this year has initiated major growth in me, I know there’s a ways to go.

But this post sums up how I’m feeling now, and I’m reposting it as a reminder to myself that every story has multiple sides, woven together like a tapestry and without the bad, we would never learn to appreciate the good…

From Dec. 2006: I came across this article that so eloquently conveys thoughts I’ve been pondering in my head all week. I’ve had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. The world seems to be spinning out of control around me. So much is uncertain…things aren’t bad per se, just unsettled. I want to feel the “warm fuzzies” and genuinely want to exhibit “goodwill toward all men” in my thoughts and actions. But it’s not been easy. I haven’t been able to “psych myself up”. So I’m thankful that this article and some revelation from the Holy Spirit have reminded me that while the story of Jesus’ birth is about peace, joy, grace and salvation, it is as much about turmoil, tribulation and brokenness.

As the article says, “God didn’t prepare a pristine time where his Son could be protected and coddled!”. What makes me think I deserve a life free of difficult and sometimes scary circumstances and situations?

A Free-For-All Christmas by Phil Ware

Have you noticed that the Christmas season is more like “let’s get ready to rumble” than it is “O holy night”?
The midnight releases of video consoles, video games, movies, books and specialty gifts have caused rowdy stampedes. We’ve seen grown adults trample each other and get into fistfights over places in line and who got to a toy first. Yikes!Then from many who come from the normally dysfunctional family, there is all the family baggage that gets unwrapped with the Christmas presents. Innocent statements are misinterpreted resulting in hurt feelings. Stiletto sharp innuendos are used to carve up folks who are supposed to love one another. And then fights break out because someone corrects or disciplines someone else’s child. Double yikes!

Even the pilgrimages back to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of Christ are complicated by the ongoing war between Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the very place where Jesus was born. These tensions threaten all of world peace in the land where the Prince of Peace lived, died, and rose again. Triple yikes!

While there is much about the Bible’s account of Jesus’ birth that is precious and touching, I believe it is also important to remind us that the Jesus story is not all sweetness and light. One of the most horrific stories in the New Testament is centered around the birth of Jesus. This story is sometimes called “The Slaughter of the Innocents.”
Jesus’ apostle Levi the tax collector records it this way:

Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them about two years earlier. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah:

A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah — weeping and mourning
unrestrained. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be
comforted—for they are dead. (Matthew 2:16-18 NLT)

What are we to make of this?

The Lord himself said, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed … (Matthew 24:6 NRS). We live in a free for all planet where sin has marred every level of relationships. The whole story of Jesus’ coming is tied to the real world in which we live. God didn’t prepare a pristine time where his Son could be protected and coddled!

Jesus was born into a vicious world of hate, war, struggle, and jealously. These fruits of hell would be ever-present for each step he took on the little blue planet he created. God had to use an angelic vision to warn Joseph and Mary to take the baby Jesus away to prevent his slaughter. Even from the first moments of Jesus’ arrival, even while listening to the angelic choir singing “gloria in excelcis deo”, we hear the rumblings of Herod’s jealous and paranoid bile.

So when things seem bleak or difficult or fractured in the coming days of Christmas, please remember, these are as much a reminder of why Jesus came as are the sweet sounds of angels, the excited presence of Shepherds, and the mysterious journey of the magi. Jesus came to save a broken world. He didn’t do it from afar, but from up close … in person … beginning in a manger … going to a cross … before conquering death and leaving behind an empty tomb.

Televangelism (and mushrooms) make me sick…

I’m home sick today. ( Mushroom pizza for dinner last night. Mushrooms don’t *usually* bother me, but I haven’t had an obstruction in almost a year, so I guess I was due. Curse the ostomy gods!)

Being home sick = too much time reading online. I ran across this article on clevescene.com and it made me ill ( and I thought my stomach was in knots from the mushrooms *roll eyes*). Now, I know my ultra conservative church friends may complain that Scene is a “liberal -left wing  media outlet” intent on bringing a bad name to Christianity. That’s fine, but I really think guys like the televangelists in the article have done way more to bring shame to the name of Jesus than any left wing liberal could hope of accomplishing. I’m ashamed that two of these guys resided in my state.

Reading crap like this makes me nauseated. The article is here

Grab a barf bucket prior to reading…

Kathy Griffin, Petitions, Crazy Christians and Wasted Money

This morning I received an email from a respected leader in my church, asking me to sign a petition created by a group of Christian actors in response to Kathy Griffin’s off color comment during her acceptance of a creative arts Emmy earlier in the month.

Here’s a link to the article that accompanied the request: http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=276713

I’m flabbergasted. While I think Griffin’s comment was controversial, I’m not at all surprised by it. Griffin is known to make off color comments about many subjects, religion included. She’s a comic…that’s her job. Her comment doesn’t offend me. In fact, I thought it a bit witty. How many times, as a Christian, have I watched an awards show where someone gets up and “thanks Jesus” for their accomplishments, all of us knowing full well that it’s probably just lip service? (I’m not judging here…just being honest. No one knows a heart except God, but He does allow us to examine believers by their fruits). Griffin has never (to my knowledge) claimed to be a follower of Christ. Why would we expect her to be respectful of our God?

But most of all I found Griffin’s statements sad. To get up in front of a national audience and claim that “this award is now your God” is a very bold statement, joking or not, and one that she will have to answer for one day.

So instead of organizing protests and petitions, why doesn’t this group of supposedly well intentioned Christians put their time and effort into praying for Griffin? And I don’t mean organizing a public, self serving “prayer service” to draw attention to themselves. I’m talking about asking God, in their secret closet of prayer, to soften Kathy’s heart and reveal Himself to her.

And then there’s the issue of the $90,000 + spent on an ad in the USA Today claiming “enough is enough”? The group claims they just want to “give a voice to those who want to stand up for Christ”. That’s all well and good…except I can’t help but believe that that $90,000 could have been put to much better use feeding the poor, clothing the naked, and a thousand other tangible tasks that exhibit the love of Christ.

I don’t know…call me crazy…

L’Shanah Tovah

Ever since becoming a Christian, I have been fascinated by all things Jewish. I know that sounds contradictory, but let me explain. I remember when my fascination began. I was at a healing conference, and during a time of pretty intense worship , someone began blowing a shofar. It’s an eerily beautiful and haunting sound…one that begs you to lie prostrate before your God in awe and amazement. Something about the sounding of the shofar calling to my spirit gave me chills. To this day, hearing a shofar causes me to both tremble and feel at peace(shalom) all at the same time. This began my search into the signifigance of the shofar, and thus began my love affair.Over the years, I’ve studied more about Judaism, the Hebrew people, Jewish custom and tradition, and the history of the conflict in the Middle East. I love the Old Testament for the way it reveals God’s character, foreshadows the coming of the Messiah through the prophetic word, and reveals the symbolism behind many things in the New Testament. I also love the insight it provides into the political, social and religious climate of not only those times, but also the conflicts we have currently going on in the Middle East.Today is Rosh Hashanah, or the beginning of the Jewish New Year. My friend Jon (who was raised Jewish but is now also a follower of Christ…and who is also always SO patient in answering my questions about Jewish custom and law) explained the history behind this holiday really well this morning in an email.

At sundown yesterday the New Year 5768 began! The month of Elul has come and gone, and today is the 1st of Tishrei. The Bible calls this day the Feast of Trumpets. Jews refer to the day as Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah translated means head of the year. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the month in which God created the world. Rosh Hashanah is also the start of a special ten day period called the Days of Awe. These Days of Awe conclude with the holiday called Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement. Over the next ten days Jews are instructed to scrupulously examine their deeds and, more significantly, their misdeeds during the preceding year. It’s a time of repentance of sins, and to restore your relationships with people and most importantly your relationship with God. On these Days of Awe, Jewish tradition teaches, God decides who shall live and who shall die during the coming year. One powerful instrument used to motivate repentance during Rosh Hashanah is the shofar or ram’s horn, which is blown in the synagogue one hundred times on each of two days of Rosh Hashanah. One of the most well known customs of Rosh Hashanah is the dipping of apples into honey and then eating them. You then wish your family and friends “a sweet new year”. This is a very interesting custom that I would like to expand on more in another email. If you have never had apples and honey before, I encourage you to try it. It’s even sweeter if your last name is Sweet. (Jon’s last name is…you guessed it…Sweet)

Recently I came across and article on http://www.relevantmagazine.com/ that so wonderfully addresses so many of the points I find fascinating about the land of Israel and the Israeli people. I’ve copied it below.

Israel – Why You Should Care
by Andrew Myers

Smaller than New Jersey, mostly desert and less than sixty years old, the nation of Israel is a mere crumb on the plate of earth. Few places, however, draw more attention; fewer still elicit more passion and animosity than Israel.

The hype is justified.

Israel represents humanity’s most intense struggles: religion, politics, racism and war. Investigating Israel means asking uncomfortable questions, broaching taboo subjects, uncovering personal prejudices, traditional assumptions and destructive ignorance. A discussion about Israel cuts to the heart of every important controversy. Israel matters.

Israel matters because its existence is a miracle.

“There are in this part of the world [East and Central Europe] 6,000,000 Jews … for whom the world is divided into places where they cannot live and places where they cannot enter.”—Chaim Weizmann, President of the World Zionist Organization, 1936

In 1948, the unprecedented occurs. A people group that traces its roots almost to the beginnings of history became a nation again. After thousands of years of dispersion and intense, concentrated persecution, the Jewish state of Israel exists anew. After walking around with a target on their back (or a star on their front) since time immemorial, the Jewish people make their home once more in the exact same place their culture was born. Many younger generations take for granted the simple fact that Israel shows up on a map, failing to recognize the miraculous events that revived this country and this people from literal near-death.

Around the turn of the last century, Jewish immigration to Israel experienced an upsurge due to pogroms (organized persecution, often violent) in Europe and Russia. These early settlers purchased land from absentee landlords (often foreign investors) and immersed themselves in an agrarian lifestyle on infertile land. Ingenuity and grace, however, coaxed life from the barren deserts and malaria-infested swamplands. Where no civilization had thrived for hundreds of years, the Jewish people began a new chapter in their history.

This story turned infamously tragic during World War II. The British “White Papers” and U.S. policy denied millions of Jewish refugees entrance into the Palestine region, effectively signing a mass death sentence executed by the Nazis. Once European Jewry was all but obliterated, the U.N. drafted a conciliatory partition plan outlining a two-state Palestine: part Jewish, part Arab. The Arab League rejected the proposal.

Since the end of World War I, the British exercised sovereignty over Palestine. On May 15, 1948, the British Mandate ended, and all British troops withdrew immediately, Israel declared independence, and the newborn country was promptly invaded by seven nations: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iraq.

In all of these wars, numbers, resources and reason suggest that Israel should have been defeated with ease. The result in all cases, however, was that Israel won back more land, simply by defending itself. Demonstrating unprecedented humility and mercy, Israel has returned much of this land to aggressor nations in exchange for peace. In some cases, the land was given back for nothing more than the mere hope of peace, as was the case last August, when Israel forfeited the Gaza strip with no guarantee of capitulation.

Since the 1970s, Israel has risen to become a powerful military force. Unfortunately, this demonstration of strength remains necessary because it helps dissuade the many nations and peoples who would still see Israel’s demise.

Israel matters because hate for the Jewish people still exists in the world.

“There is no doubt that the new wave in Palestine will soon wipe off this disgraceful blot [Israel] from the face of the Islamic world.”—Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, October 2005

There are 56 Muslim countries in the world. Twenty-three Arab nations account for an area twice the size of the United States. Israel, smaller than New Jersey, is the only Jewish country in existence.

At least four times in the past 100 years, Israel has accepted a two-state proposal. The Arab authorities have rejected all such offers (most recently in 2001). Despite the turmoil that has marked its existence, Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, points out, “Israel remains the lone democracy in the Middle East, with all institutions—a free press, a multitude of parties and an independent judiciary—that are at the heart of true liberal democracies.”

Though the perfect government does not exist, Israel’s track record remains among the best. As reported in The International Jerusalem Post, however:

Israel is the subject of more condemnatory resolutions than any other country, it is the only UN member state that is not a permanent member of a regional group, it is alone in being ineligible for election to the UN Human Rights Commission, it is the subject of three anachronistic committees focused on Palestinian rights – and the list goes on and on. (July 1-7, 2005)

Throughout the world, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been likened to Hitler, and Zionism has been equated with Nazism. Germany and France have seen a troubling rise in white supremacist movements over the past few years. Archaic propaganda—notions of Blood Libel and publications like The Protocols of the Elders of Zion—persist in popularity. Even Holocaust denial finds prominent support in circles beyond Arab fundamentalists.

Those who believe that anti-semitism perished with the advent of postmodernism live sheltered from the thriving undercurrent of hatred that flows around the globe. False accusations and lies continue to plague the Jews and Israel. Other Middle Eastern “democracies” continue to flounder. Countries like Uganda, Sudan and Rwanda are torn apart by corruption and ethnic strife. Yet Israel, a peaceful, self-governing, diverse, thriving nation, attracts a decidedly disproportionate amount of scorn and animosity.

Israel matters because it reveals God’s character.

“I think we do not attach enough importance to the restoration of the Jews…”—C.H. Spurgeon (19th century preacher and theologian)

Belief in an omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient God renders void any notions of coincidence in this world. That the Jews still exist—as the nation of Israel, no less—is no random occurrence. Scripture makes it perfectly clear that these events have been orchestrated (TNIV):

Zechariah 8:21: “and the inhabitants of one city will go another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty’ … And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord …

Amos 9:14-15: “I will bring my people Israel back from exile … They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them … I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them.”
Ezekiel 37:11-14; Micah 4:6-7; Jeremiah 50:4-5; and more.

While certain passages in Scripture speak about specific periods of renewal during the history of Israel, there is an undeniable, ultimate restoration suggested. Shortly after Jesus’ time on earth, the Temple was destroyed. It has yet to be rebuilt, its use no longer necessary thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice. Throughout history, however, God has exhibited a dogged commitment to the Jews, preserving them despite systematic efforts to destroy them.

Why? Because God is faithful. The existence of the Jews proves His faithfulness. In Isaiah 43, God tells the Israelites, “You are My witnesses.” The Jewish people are walking testaments to the One True God, from their lineage came God in the flesh. Mankind’s inherent, sinful inclination is to rebel against this God, this Jesus. And as His collective representation on earth, the Jews feel the brunt of this rebellion.

Because “His own did not receive Him,” the salvation Jesus brought—“first for the Jew”—became available to the whole world (John 1:11; Romans 1:16). Because God has not forgotten Israel, however (according to both Scripture and history), Israel’s eventual restoration will bring much greater riches one day.

For this reason, Satan has not forgotten Israel either, hence the supernatural, mindless hatred bequeathed throughout history to all of mankind, and exacted upon Israel and the Jews. Today, that nation is back, populated by a culture that should be dead—and the Bible predicted all of this would happen. We should pay attention.

The generalities and conclusions implied within the preceding brief summary are not meant to stand as a decisive argument. This pithy survey is meant to serve as but a springboard into greater personal investigation, discussion, and action.

Resources
Check the facts: The Case for Israel, by Allen Dershowitz;
Learn the history: From Time Immemorial, by Joan Peters
Engage the Scripture: Your People Shall Be My People, by Don Finto
Witness the hate: Protocols of Zion ( www.protocolsofzionmovie.com )
Examine your conscience: Never Again? by Abraham Foxman
Go find out for yourself: apply for the Israel Experience College Scholarship Program (email office@eagleswings.to)

I recently met a young Israeli guy while at an international ostomy conference. He graciously stayed up half the night with me one evening, answering my questions about life in Israel and the current political climate. He shared with me many perspectives and thoughts I had never considered and I’m grateful for that insight. I’m grateful that now when I pray for the nation and people of Israel, I have a face and a perspective to put with the passion. It makes it that much more real.

Dare I say that God has given me a burden for Israel. I know that this is the case, but I also know that having that burden holds me responsible to act. Other than pray, what do I do? That is my struggle.

This may sound ridiculous (and you can add me to the “Religious Zealot Update”, if you must) but I know that God will one day call me to Israel. I don’t know in what capacity, or for what length of time. Probably it will only be for a visit, and I have no idea who or how I’ll be called to serve while I am there. But I know that for whatever the cause and for whatever duration of time, my spirit will feel at home.

What is prayer?

From Ted Loder’s Guerillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle

how shall i pray?

are tears prayers, lord?

are screams prayers,
or groans
or sighs
or curses?

can trembling hands be lifted to you,
or clenched fists
or the cold sweat that trickles down my back
or the cramps that knot my stomach?

will you accept my prayers, lord,
my real prayers,
rooted in the muck and mud and rock of my life,
and not just the pretty, cut-flower,
gracefully arranged bouquet of words?

will you accept me, lord,
as i really am,
messed up mixture of glory and grime?

My Symphony

I love how God know’s exactly when you need some encouragement!

A good friend just sent these words to me…and I immediately received them in my spirit. Just what I needed for this moment!

“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury; and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable; and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasion, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.”William Ellery Channing

I love it!

Wish I could say I wrote this…

This is good stuff…

Step into the Backyard

by Aaron Ivey of SPUR58
(aaronivey.blogspot.com and www.spur58.com)

Most things are not what they seem. Very seldom should we take something at face value; our eyes cannot offer a complete picture of everything that may be going on around us.

I just finished a complete makeover of my backyard. Jamie and I are not much for gardening and landscaping; we’ve never been very good at keeping plants alive. Since we’ve lived in this house, our backyard has been uninhabitable. A tropical jungle had taken over from the back door to the fence. Plants that were once mere shrubbery had become giant trees. It was a little humorous to see the absolute chaos in my yard.

While overhauling the yard, I ran across a tree I needed to remove. The trunk was about four inches in diameter, something a chainsaw could easily handle. I borrowed a chainsaw from a friend and quickly cut that joker down. I didn’t think much of it, until I decided to go ahead and dig the roots of the tree out to completely remove it from the yard. With shovel in hand, I started digging a circle around the fresh-cut stump. As I dug deeper, the trunk went from four inches in diameter to six inches. Six inches turned to eight, then ten. Finally two feet under the ground this trunk had a diameter of about twelve inches. I was shocked at how misleading this little tree was! I kept digging around the trunk, each level of dirt shed light on a bigger and more complex tree underneath. Now three feet into the soil, I could see huge roots jetting from the trunk to various corners of my yard. These roots were probably twice as big as the original trunk I saw at the top of the soil.

The menial task of removing a small tree had quickly turned into a long process of sweat, pain, and blisters. I probably spent two hours digging around each root, and then chopped them with an axe. Every time I thought I was making headway, another root would shake its cruel fist at me. I could not believe how deeply rooted this little tree had become. I had always heard that the root systems of trees were complex, but this little guy deeply impressed me. If I were judging him on how well he had initially fooled me, I would give him a 10 and a gold star.

Two hours later, the last root was removed and I could finally pull the massive trunk out of the ground. I stood in my yard and gazed at the piles of chopped roots that were now flung across my yard. Above the topsoil, this little tree seemed so easy and maintainable. But underneath all the grass and dirt, a complex system of trunk and roots were keeping this little tree planted in the yard.

I sometimes wonder if every person on this green planet is not the same as a little tree. At first glance, one sees something that is tame, maintainable, safe, happy, content, and pleasant. But underneath the soil lies a complex system of problems, sorrow, broken relationships, questions, doubts, fears, and insecurities to name a few. Sadly our recluse generation keeps us in our houses and above the soil. It is difficult to dig deeply into people’s lives because our faith tends be lived in solitude. How easy is it to completely ignore the people around us? Consider the neighbors, acquaintances, and fellow students that are within reaching distance from you. How many of those have you personally dug into?

We don’t dig into people’s lives for a few reasons. 1) It’s usually a messy process. It may require getting our hands dirty; it takes more attention and intent than just being a casual acquaintance. Living in community with people around us is a dirty process, because people are broken and hurting. 2) We’re convinced the facade is real. We look at people and make assumptions about what we see above the soil. We see outward signs of success, beauty, or happiness and think, “they’ve got it all together!” No one has it all together. Every person on the planet is in need of people in their lives stirring and prodding the soil. 3) We don’t see the trees in our backyard. Some of us are so afraid of the jungle in our backyard; we just close the door and pretend it doesn’t exist. Or we’re just oblivious and have never visited our own backyards to notice there are trees.

Yesterday the exterminator came to my house to get rid of spiders. I was pretty much in my own zone yesterday morning with all that was going on with me, the kids, the band, etc. I had a few things I was trying to get done, and I just needed him to spray the bugs and get on his way. He had asked a few questions about what band I’m in, etc. I just wanted him to do his job. Embarrassingly I was short, to the point, and borderline rude to him. In an instant God reminded me of the tree and the root I had previously discovered, and conviction took over. This day a tree managed to make its way into my home, and instead of taking an opportunity to show compassion and interest to a complete stranger, I chose reclusion. I made my way back into a room he was in, and he started another conversation about music and bands. I discovered he was my age, and as we talked more he mentioned his boredom with life, his discontent with where he was, and how he just wanted to get out his rut and start living. Slowly a few centimeters of topsoil were removed, and the real Jesse was coming to the surface. I was able to encourage him to keep going, to follow his dreams, and to remind him that he did have purpose on this planet.

In the short ten minutes we talked in my kitchen, I was reminded how imperative it is that we open our eyes and take notice of the very people that are within arms reach. Although I may not ever see Jesse again, I hope I did my part in showing the love and compassion of Christ. Ignoring and neglect would have robbed Jesse of the conversation, and me the opportunity to see a real-life tree in my kitchen.

There are trees all around. Let’s get our hands dirty and start gently removing topsoil.

What Easter is all about…

Resurrection
~ Nicol Sponberg

I’m at a loss for words, there’s nothing to say
I sit in silence wondering what led me to this place
How did my heart become so lifeless and cold
Where did the passion go?

When all my efforts seem like chasing wind
I’ve used up all my strength and there’s nothing left to give
I’ve lost the feeling and I’m down to the core
I can’t fake it anymore.

Here I am at the end, I’m in need of resurrection
Only You can take this empty shell and raise it from the dead
What I’ve lost to the world, what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again

You speak and all creation falls to its knees
You raise Your hand and calm the waves of the raging sea
You have a way of turning winter to spring
Make something beautiful out of all this suffering

Here I am once again, I’m in need of resurrection
Only You can take this empty shell and raise it from the dead
What I’ve lost to the world, what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again, again

You have a way of turning winter to spring
Make something beautiful out of all this suffering

Gracious, Healing Rain

This will probably be all over the place…much in keeping with my emotions, thoughts, and life in general lately…all over the place.

The past few months have been a whirlwind- of activity, of opportunity, of dreams, of failures, of heartbreak, of revelation. The pensive realist in me looks at all of it, wanting to analyze and discuss, to “figure it out”, and make it “OK”. The spiritual visionary in me longs to see the hope in all situations, to hold on to the dreams that have been birthed, to view this as just a season, and to believe that all things broken can be restored. My mind is an ocean of thoughts, many of them opposing, creating a turbulent sea that lashes at the shoreline of my heart. It’s overwhelming. I am overtaken by emotion, often to the point of tears without a moments notice. My attitude is fickle – erratic and unstable. All of this is so unlike me. It’s like living with a stranger. Yet on the other hand I feel as if for the first time in my life, I know who I am…what I want out of life… and I am certain I am on the path to my destiny. How can one be such a walking contradiction?

Tonight began with the promise of nothing special. We headed to church (myself quite unwillingly I’ll add), and I wasn’t expecting to receive much. The air had a certain heaviness in it – that springtime heaviness, where the atmosphere is saturated with moisture and a rainshower is imminent.

About half way through the worship service, I was looking out the window during that beautiful twilight time of evening…where it’s not quite dark, yet not really light. It was a time of grayness, and I realized for the first time what is bothering me most about my current circumstances. They’re gray. No black, no white – no definites, no immediate answers, no quick fixes. I am a passionate person, someone who lives by extremes – all or nothing. Gray areas make me uncomfortable.

As I was watching the twilight, the sky opened up, and a strong and steady rain began to fall. I began to imagine myself standing in this deluge, and I could almost feel the heavy drops soaking me to the innermost parts of my soul. While those around me worshipped to the music the band played, God spoke a familiar song into my heart.

Healing rain is coming down
It’s coming nearer to this old town
Rich and poor, weak and strong
It’s bringing mercy, it won’t be long

Healing rain is coming down
It’s coming closer to the lost and found
Tears of joy, and tears of shame
Are washed forever in Jesus’ name

Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I’m not afraid
To be washed in Heaven’s rain

Lift your heads, let us return
To the mercy seat where time began
And in your eyes, I see the pain
Come soak this dry heart with healing rain

And only You, the Son of man
Can take a leper and let him stand
So lift your hands, they can be held
By someone greater, the great I Am

Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I’m not afraid
To be washed in Heaven’s rain

To be washed in Heaven’s rain…

Healing rain is falling down
Healing rain is falling down
I’m not afraid
I’m not afraid…

I was then reminded by the Spirit of this song

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see so clearly

Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me
Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me
Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away

When we’ve been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We’ve no less days to sing Your praise
Than when we first begun

Grace is defined as: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification.

I stood still and received His unmerited divine assistance as it rained down upon me. It was like a steady stream, flowing over me, calming me, quieting me.

And when I got home this evening, God brought me this scripture and more revelation through a friend’s blog:

Psalm 23 – a psalm of David

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, ^[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

I have read, quoted and prayed this scripture many, many times over the years, but tonight a new revelation was deposited in my spirit.

My emotions are raw. I am sad…mourning even. I am confused by God’s plans, and angry at the circumstances I created. I am hurting, and I have hurt people. Yet I have a peculiar peace. I was led beside quiet waters tonight. There is glory for Him when we have a stillness in our turmoil and pain.

Am I ok? No. Do I know what the future holds? No. Do I have any answers? No.

But I don’t have to. He is leading me down a path toward something good. It may feel like the valley of the shadow of death, but wherever I go, He is with me. And wherever He leads, goodness and love are sure to follow. Only He can restore my soul. So for now, I’ll bask in His grace at twilight and remain still.

Until…

Let Your Light Shine

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us.

We ask ourselves ‘who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marianne Williamson

A Free For all Christmas

I came across this article that so eloquently conveys thoughts I’ve been pondering in my head all week. I’ve had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. The world seems to be spinning out of control around me. So much is uncertain…things aren’t bad per se, just unsettled. I want to feel the “warm fuzzies” and genuinely want to exhibit “goodwill toward all men” in my thoughts and actions. But it’s not been easy. I haven’t been able to “psych myself up”. So I’m thankful that this article and some revelation from the Holy Spirit have reminded me that while the story of Jesus’ birth is about peace, joy, grace and salvation, it is as much about turmoil, tribulation and brokenness.

As the article says, “God didn’t prepare a pristine time where his Son could be protected and coddled!”. What makes me think I deserve a life free of difficult and sometimes scary circumstances and situations?

A Free-for-All Christmas?, by Phil Ware

Have you noticed that the Christmas season is more like “let’s get ready to rumble” than it is “O holy night”?

The midnight releases of video consoles, video games, movies, books and specialty gifts have caused rowdy stampedes. We’ve seen grown adults trample each other and get into fistfights over places in line and who got to a toy first. Yikes!

Then from many who come from the normally dysfunctional family, there is all the family baggage that gets unwrapped with the Christmas presents. Innocent statements are misinterpreted resulting in hurt feelings. Stiletto sharp innuendos are used to carve up folks who are supposed to love one another. And then fights break out because someone corrects or disciplines someone else’s child. Double yikes!

Even the pilgrimages back to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of Christ are complicated by the ongoing war between Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the very place where Jesus was born. These tensions threaten all of world peace in the land where the Prince of Peace lived, died, and rose again. Triple yikes!

While there is much about the Bible’s account of Jesus’ birth that is precious and touching, I believe it is also important to remind us that the Jesus story is not all sweetness and light. One of the most horrific stories in the New Testament is centered around the birth of Jesus. This story is sometimes called “The Slaughter of the Innocents.”
Jesus’ apostle Levi the tax collector records it this way:

Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted
him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem
who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him
the star first appeared to them about two years earlier. Herod’s
brutal action fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah:

A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah — weeping and mourning
unrestrained. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be
comforted—for they are dead. (Matthew 2:16-18 NLT)

What are we to make of this?

The Lord himself said, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed … (Matthew 24:6 NRS). We live in a free for all planet where sin has marred every level of relationships. The whole story of Jesus’ coming is tied to the real world in which we live. God didn’t prepare a pristine time where his Son could be protected and coddled!

Jesus was born into a vicious world of hate, war, struggle, and jealously. These fruits of hell would be ever-present for each step he took on the little blue planet he created. God had to use an angelic vision to warn Joseph and Mary to take the baby Jesus away to prevent his slaughter. Even from the first moments of Jesus’ arrival, even while listening to the angelic choir singing “gloria in excelcis deo”, we hear the rumblings of Herod’s jealous and paranoid bile.

So when things seem bleak or difficult or fractured in the coming days of Christmas, please remember, these are as much a reminder of why Jesus came as are the sweet sounds of angels, the excited presence of Shepherds, and the mysterious journey of the magi. Jesus came to save a broken world. He didn’t do it from afar, but from up close … in person … beginning in a manger … going to a cross … before conquering death and leaving behind an empty tomb.