Christmas Musings Day 25

Everything For Him

John 1:3 (ESV) ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

               If you watch my Facebook feed, aside from finding out that I’m quite boring, you will come to know that I enjoy astronomical phenomena. I greet each new image from either the Webb or Hubble Space-Based telescopes with great joy. I find the vast panorama of stars, galaxies, and dust-clouds entrancing. I spend too much time gazing and imagining. I like to think of creation, not the argument between the old and new earth crowds. No, I like to think of incomprehensible intellect that conceived of such grandeur and beauty and then breathed it into existence from nothing. Imagine the might that brought our reality into existence deciding to enter into it as a participant.

               He planned and executed the very star that heralded His birth, making sure it started shining at just the right time. He conceived of hay, knowing that His first bed would be lined with it. I do not know if the swaddling cloths were wool, cotton, or linen, but He thought of those weavable materials, understanding that they would warm against the chill of that first night. He envisioned and then fashioned pregnancy and then spent nine months, or so, of His life in a womb. He placed a hill outside Jerusalem, knowing that He would die there. He orchestrated all of it, understanding that one day He would alter Himself to participate in it. The one who flung the stars into space and set up the orbits of the sun, earth, moon, and other planets would one day crane His neck to gaze in wonder at the beauty He created. 

Christmas Musings Day 24

Rascal Rehabilitation

Genesis 28:4-5, 14 (ESV) ⁴ May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” ⁵ Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother…¹⁴ Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

               Normally, we do not recount the story of Jacob as part of Advent. I understand why. Jacob does not play a pivotal role in the birth of the Messiah. He does hold a place in the lineage of Jesus, making an appearance in both genealogies. But we do not read about him in any of the Advent accounts; consequently, you will not find a Jacob figurine in any Nativity set. Perhaps we should reconsider. Jacob starts off as a bit of a rascal. He’s not the kind of guy you want to hang out with, or if you do, keep your hand on your wallet. In fact, when God extends His promise to Jacob, he is fleeing his brother. Despite his character flaws, God extends the promise to him and Jacob responds positively. God works with him, rehabilitating him, making him something new. So new, that God changes his name from Jacob, “supplanter,” interpreted as someone who seizes, circumvents, or usurps to Israel, meaning “contended with God.” Israel emerges from the ashes of Jacob and takes his place as part of God’s great Advent story, which gives me great hope.

               You see, those who know me most intimately know that I’m a failed person. Oh, I’m better than I used to be. Life has a way of scuffing off rough edges; but, I still have foibles, some grievous ones. But these weaknesses do not keep me out of God’s plan. As He worked with Jacob, turning him into Israel, He works with me, weaving me into the tapestry of His plan. He takes me as I am but is unwilling to let me remain a rascal. He bends with the remover to remove. So in those dark moments of self-examination when I realize the true depth of my personal failure, I can rest assured that He still has a plan to redeem my life. That is what Advent is all about, redeeming the rascals. 

Christmas Musings Day 23

Empty, Away

Luke 1:53 (ESV) ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

               I like to think of myself as average American Middle-Class, neither too poor nor too rich. In some ways, there is a certain amount of intellectual snobbery involved in this. Whenever the conversation turns to what “the rich” ought to do, I am talking about someone else; however, that is not reality. If look worldwide, I’m among the elite wealthy. Depending upon which calculator I use, I fall somewhere in the upper ten percent of the world’s population. That puts me closer to the Donald Trumps and Bill Gates of this world than most of the rest of the teeming masses that populate our globe. I do not like thinking of myself this way and it bothers me to type these words. But if you are reading this missive, the same would be true for you. As citizens of the U.S. “middle-class,” we enjoy a historically unprecedented affluent lifestyle. No matter how you parse the data, we are rich. Through Advent, God says some challenging things to us.

               Mary, in her beautiful outpouring of adoration, speaks to the purpose of Advent. God engaged in the Advent story to radically alter how our world functions. We place great emphasis on power and the acquisition of wealth and influence. It is hard to escape this mindset. But the Lord wants to shake things up. In the Magnificat, Mary provides the details. Later Jesus would say similar things in the Sermon on the Mount. Those of us who are proud can expect to be humbled. Those of us who enjoy positions of power can expect to lose our place. Those who endure lowly place can expect to be lifted up. The poor and destitute can expect to find fulfillment. Those of us who are rich can expect to be sent, empty away. Empty away. That is the antithesis of what I expect at Christmas, but Mary, and the prophets of old, cry out with this sobering message. But if I fear the Lord, His mercy is great. Perhaps if I let Him have His way, I can be part of His reorganization of this world, helping those I meet that have great need.

Christmas Musings Day 22

In the Fullness of Time

Galatians 4:4 (AKJV) ⁴ but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, … You might note that the ESV uses the same phrasing,

               As an English teacher, I love scripture. The writers, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, penned some of the best texts ever. While I normally read from the English Standard Version, I do love the full resonate words in the King James Version. They very carefully crafted that version to read well, and it does. They labored to find the exact words, even inventing new words and phrases to try and carry the meaning. This scripture demonstrates the good effect of their care exceptionally.

               “When the fulness of time was come.” One of the great mysteries of Advent is this idea of the time being exactly right. All the lines of history, spiritual and human, and all the physical components of the universe aligned properly. Then came the pregnant pause. All creation holds its breath as the Creator readies Himself for His grand entrance, but when the fulness of time was come, He appeared. And the vast majority of His creation missed it. A few shepherds showed up because they got a special invite. Some time later, perhaps three years later, a wandering band of magi showed up, but the rest of the world simply continued to turn unaware of the magnitude of Advent, and not much has changed.

               Each year we must fight the temptation to give in to the crush of the holiday season. All the hurry distracts from the contemplative side of Christmas. Advent calls us to slow down. The fulness of time has passed. We can take a few moments to consider the impact of Advent, historically and within our hearts. What things are ripe for enacting? Are there words of contrition or encouragement that I need to speak? Are there weak and halt near me that need some help at this time? What fulness of time has come for me?

               

Christmas Musings Day 21

Dependence

Luke 2:7 (ESV) ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

               I enjoy teaching high school students…most of the time. When motivated, they engage in near-adult conversations, often developing thoughts that surprise and teach me; however, they bring their own special challenges to the classroom. Chief among these challenges is a burning desire for independence. All my students make the casual assumption that they do not need any help with anything. With all the seriousness that they can muster, they will look me in the face and tell me that I do not know what I am talking about, or that what I am teaching them has no real application in their future. They find it impossible to conceive of a problem that they cannot answer. They yearn for independence. Every year I have students that connive and plot to graduate early, thinking they have nothing left to learn. Sometimes I must bite my lip to avoid laughing in their serious faces. I was just the same, though not as vocally rude about it. There is something about our makeup that rebels against depending upon anyone; but, the creator of the universe gladly made himself dependent upon a very young, inexperienced woman.

               If you can, imagine what that jarring experience was like. One moment you’re managing the universe, ensuring that the planets move in their appointed path, that the sun continues to burn at the right temperature, and that the tides rise and fall appropriately. The next you’re a drooly baby that cannot feed itself or change a poopy diaper. All you can really do is cry when you want something and coo or gurgle happily when your teenage mother meets your needs. This is a major exercise in dependence. The voice that spoke our universe into existence, can only wail hopefully when it needs burping. The hands that crafted woman from a rib can only flail aimlessly. The feet that strode across the stars, and soon a small sea, will have to learn how to crawl, stand, toddle, and then run. The true master of the universe agreed to be so helpless and powerless that a mere teenager was more powerful and wiser. If the Son of God could submit to that kind of humiliation, what keeps me from bending my knee to help the helpless?  

Christmas Musings Day 20

The Word Became Flesh

John 1:14 (ESV) ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

               Advent awakens wonder in me, childlike wonder. As a little boy growing up in West-Texas, I loved the Christmas season, lights, decorations, carols, movies, food, and the presents combined to create a sense of wonder and enchantment which made the Holiday Season special. As I aged, my understanding of Advent deepened. Christmas took on a more nuanced meaning. Do not misunderstand me, all the Christmas traditions still thrill me. Sometime in the next few days, I will drive around Lubbock enjoying all the lights. My scale reminds me that I still love holiday foods. Each evening Christy and I still enjoy our traditional favorite Christmas movies…and some new ones. But now, Advent introspections push me in a different, hopefully, deeper, direction.

               During Advent, the miracle of the Incarnation, and all its attendant implications, consumes my thought-life. During the past two millennia, theologians have struggled mightily to understand the Incarnation with varying degrees of success. I cannot expect to add anything new to the mighty pile, but the marvelous wonder of Advent compels me to try. That God would send His son, stripping Him of His might, glory, and incandescence, to live as one of us, His creation, amazes me. As a soldier, I lived and moved in a rank-conscious world. We worked hard for every promotion and cherished the honors that came with them. Freely setting them aside never entered our minds, not for a moment. But Jesus willingly set them aside and entered His creation as one of the created to rub shoulders and truly get His hands, now that He had them, dirty. Most of us would not willingly give up our parking spaces, much less transcendent creative power. Jesus endured time’s greatest downgrade to save me. He traveled from the palaces of heaven to a straw-lined manger so that I might live. 

Christmas Musings Day 19

A Personal Cost

Luke 1:38 (ESV) ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

               We live in an age of self-gratification, ease, and comfort. I struggle to get my students to read difficult novels. If I do not administer a quiz over reading assignments, they will not do them. Even with the threat of a poor quiz grade, many students accept a lower course average rather than complete an onerous task. When I ask them why they fight me so, they settle on one of two answers, “it’s boring,” or “it takes too much time.” They struggle with complex readings that require multiple passes to apprehend. They want everything in bullets with the bottom line up front. They consider personal comfort a prime motivator, and I’m not any better.

               We recently purchased some new furniture and I spent a lot of time in the store testing out the comfort level of many recliners…not a bad gig if you ask me. I too find myself measuring goodness in either time saved or personal comfort. I chafe when a business takes too long to get back to me. When I’m working with a computer, I want lightning-fast download speeds. Latency drives me nuts! Like the rest of my culture, I want things done my way and I want my comfort. I disdain things that bother me. In Advent, God shows a shocking disregard for the comfort level of those He called.

               All of the prime players in Advent found their lives disrupted, significantly disrupted. In some ways, it seems like God sought to make their lives uncomfortable as if participating in Advent entailed a commitment to suffer. Joseph endured whispers of either indiscretion or being cuckolded, neither a good thing. Yet, he agreed to serve the Lord as requested. He endured an additional nine months of celibacy, followed by a long trek with a pregnant mother to Bethlehem. Then, as if that were not enough, just as things settled down, he uprooted his family, fleeing to Egypt. Being the father of a newborn is difficult when things go well. Then Joseph found himself serving as the earthly father of the Messiah, a truly monumental task. To walk as Joseph did, by faith, implies acceptance of disruption to our daily schedule or even life plan. Advent makes me consider how seriously I take God’s call on my life. Advent plunged Joseph’s life into turmoil and is quite likely to have the same effect on mine. What areas of my life do I withhold from God’s continuing celebration of Advent?

               

Christmas Musings Day 18

What Dreams May Come…

Matthew 1:24 (ESV) ²⁴ When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife…

               I enjoy and sometimes endure, a rather vivid dream life. Most of the time they vanish with the morning mist. Sometimes they linger, particularly the ones in which I’m back in the Army. A very few stick with me for a long time, even intruding upon my waking hours. Like most of us in our modern world of empirical data-driven decisions, I do not give my dreams much weight in decision-making. I assume that for the most part they are products of synapses firing randomly in the night, or my subconscious sorting through various happenings trying to make sense of this chaotic world. Whatever their source, I do not expend much time trying to divine meaning from my dreams, unlike Joseph.

               Joseph faced a potentially devastating problem, especially in his cultural milieu.  A pregnant fiancé indicated either premarital relations or some sort of extracurricular dalliance. Matthew also notes that Joseph was a “just,” or righteous man, implying a high degree of character. Then later, he dreams and receives instructions in the night, and follows them. What level of faith does it require to make such a life-altering decision based on guidance from a dream? Advent calls us to take risk, great risk. God took great risk in sending His son, and He calls us to take similar risk. 

Christmas Musings Day 17

A Total Reordering

Isaiah 9:5-6 (ESV) ⁵ For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. ⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

               Several uniforms hang in my closet, a set of Desert Camouflage Uniforms I wore on my first deployment to Iraq, a set of Class A dress uniforms, a set of Dress Blues, and a set of Mess Dress uniforms, all carefully preserved. They all have special meaning to me. In fact, during our school celebration of Veteran’s Day (Armistice Day), I squeezed myself back into the Dress Blues. Twenty-seven years of service does not easily slip away. I am proud of my service. While not a great soldier, I went from Private to Lieutenant Colonel and served honorably. I enjoy the thanks of a grateful nation. But every year, Advent forces me to rethink my sense of pride, my priorities, my trust. Advent announces God’s order, the order we should support and trust.

               The prophet speaks of a coming day in which my uniforms, complete with the medals, will be burned as fuel for the fire. In God’s economy, the things that give me great pride, that hang carefully preserved in my closet, are so much tinder for a fire. Advent ushers in the great reordering. A bright light dawns, pushing back the darkness of evil. We will find those cultural institutions with which a nation flexes its power, weak and insubstantial. Instead of the politician, king, or tycoon, a child will assume the role of leader. The old has passed away and behold something new takes its place. Advent heralds this great change and it comes in the form of a helpless infant laid in a manger. 

Christmas Musings Day 16

It’s a Matter of Choice

Ruth 1:16 (ESV) ¹⁶ But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

               Almost forty years ago, Christy made a choice. She got on an aircraft bound for Manila. A few days later, she and I pledged our troth (faith or loyalty when pledged in a solemn agreement or undertaking) in front of God and witnesses. At that moment our lives radically changed. Christy read that passage to me as part of our service. Just like Ruth, she made a choice, becoming part of a new family. Ruth had no idea that her choice would result in the inscription of her name in the family lineage of the Messiah. In many ways, Advent is all about choice.

               Long ago, before the clock was off and running, Jesus made the choice to create, knowing He would have to become one of us. Abraham made a choice to move on. Ruth made a choice to leave her family and country. Joseph made a choice to endure the questioning looks of a pregnant fiancé. Mary made a choice to say yes to God, and these are just a few of the choices required to make Advent a possibility. In Advent God chose us, undergoing something so radical it defies easy definition or even full comprehension. The weight of glory is just too much. The next question is, what will you and I do with Advent? What is our choice?

Christmas Musings Day 15

 Advent and Rights

Isaiah 11:4a (ESV) ⁴ but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth…

               When I think of Advent civil rights do not usually come to mind. I normally concentrate on the mystery of the incarnation, the dreams, the virgin birth, and the visit of the magi and their role in the message of Advent; yet, even a casual reading of the prophetic scriptures concerning the birth of the Messiah reveals an intense messianic interest in the rights of the poor. Our contemporary political discussions do not include much about the “rights” of the poor. Oh, we wrangle over how to treat them, or more specifically, whether or not to help them; but, we seem to think that most of them arrived at their low estate through poor life-decisions of their own making. Most of my students seem to make a casual assumption that the poor somehow deserve their low status. If asked what the rights of the poor are, they would struggle to find an answer, and truthfully, so would I.

               I think of the poor as needing my help but would find adequately defining their rights difficult. Prophetic scripture speaks of the Messiah as deciding for the poor. In God’s economy, Advent ushers in a new dynamic that radically realigns my understanding of justice. Often, we think of the courts being staked in favor of the rich. Sometimes it seems as if the rich enjoy a system that is weighted in their favor. After all, we regularly witness the powerful use their wealth and status to secure a favorable outcome in the courts. We casually assume that being poor indicates defective decision-making, assuming their poverty is somehow the just result of their flawed character. Advent makes me reconsider how I view the poor and what types of policies I support. Advent makes me think about justice for the poor. It is just one more aspect of the radical realignment Advent portends for my heart.

Christmas Musings Day 14

What About Power

Isaiah 11:6 (ESV) ⁶ The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.

               We adore displays of raw naked power in all aspects of our lives. Every day I drive in Lubbock, someone blasts by me with a “low-restriction” muffler designed to show off the power of a truck, especially diesel-powered ones. Many of my students follow Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bouts with near-religious fervor. Of course, I watch the NFL which thrives on very large men moving at very high speeds running into each other. Many of our leaders have discarded decorum to “own” their opponents in an attempt to flex their political muscles, regardless of the corrosive effect on civil discourse and problem-solving. Our nation continues to increase our defense spending despite serious questions concerning the level of threat we face. In most municipalities, police cruise around in large SUVs kitted up as if they were getting ready to patrol the streets of Baghdad. We revel in blatant displays of power and force. Advent urges me to consider other options.

               When God chose to deal with the mess we made, He employed a different strategy. He came as a helpless infant. Through Advent, God reminds me that brute force does not solve my problem, in fact, it solves relatively few problems. In Advent, Jesus divested Himself of the incomprehensible power that conceived of and spoke out the universe. He restrained Himself, becoming a child in order to call and lead His people home. The babe in the manger reminds me that gentleness, meekness, and kindness exert more authority than all the brute force I can muster. The Prince of Peace came in weakness, depending upon the tender ministrations of a teenager for succor and protection. 

Christmas Musings Day 13

Misunderstanding

Micha 5:2 (ESV) ² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,

               We like the trappings of power. During my military career, I often worked around general officers and other senior leaders. Some of them truly enjoyed the perks of their higher rank. In Second Armored Division, we had Commanding General (CG) who was quite enamored with the privileges that came along with two stars. He had a large trailer that we had to pull to the field whenever we went out on a field training exercise. It had its own power, heater, and air-conditioner, which at Fort Hood was quite nice. He had numerous communications requirements for his trailer. As the signal officer assigned to the Division Tactical Command Post (DTAC), I was responsible for ensuring that his equipment always worked properly. One of the first things I always did was spend several hours setting up his suite of commo equipment. Then we got a new CG, General Ivany.

               During his first exercise with us, I was in his trailer setting things up when he arrived. He came in, looked around, and called for his Command Sergeant Major (CSM). When the CSM arrived, MG Iveney asked him, “Sergeant-Major, do all my troops have trailers like this to sleep in while in the field?”

               The CSM snorted and said, “Oh, no sir.”

               “Then take this away. Bring me a GP-Small (small tent), a standard Army cot, a field desk, and a folding chair,” then turning on me, “SIGO (Signal Officer), all I need as a field phone and a secure field phone. Take all the rest away.”

               “Yessir,” I replied and got busy. The word soon went out that our new CG did not require special treatment and would live like we did in the field. He did live like we did, taking his meals off the fender of a deuce and a half in the middle of the night after a training exercise ran late. His troops responded with great respect and high performance. MG Ivany was not the first to do this. He followed in the footsteps of Jesus.

               Eschewing the trappings of kingship, Jesus arrived in Bethlehem of all places, and in a barn. We look at leaders in the world and see men and women that flaunt the benefits of their place. The higher the rank, the greater the privilege. Get way up there and you get your own aircraft. They love to fling their bling. It’s part of how they subdue the rest of us mere mortals; but, our savior laid all that aside to come and rub shoulders with the rest of us. Bethlehem, too small to matter, to even be counted, served as the birthplace of Immanuel. Even His name reminds us that He came to hang out with His friends…God with us. Born in a berg. 

Christmas Musings Day 12

Season of Light

Isaiah 9: 2 (ESV) ² The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

               When I was a young soldier, I participated in an exercise at Fort Riley, Kansas. We were conducting a movement to contact in the middle of the night. The training area was far removed from any city lights and a heavy overcast blocked out the moon and stars. A deep darkness enveloped us. All I could see of the man in front of me were the two bits of luminescent tape sewn onto the elastic band which held the camouflage cover on his helmet. I kept my eyes on those two dim bits of green light as we moved across the prairie. Suddenly, the lights disappeared. Just as I wondered what had happened, the ground disappeared and I found myself falling through blackness, landing on the four or five men who walked off the edge of the precipice before me. Fortunately, the fall was not far, and our muffled cries stopped the formation before the soldier carrying the Hog (M-60 Machine Gun) fell on us. It was not the first time in my military career that night maneuvers did not work as planned, and it would not be the last. We live in such a world.

               Look around and you will see that we live in deep darkness. Countries invade one another. Those in power ignore the plight of the poor and destitute, often lining their pockets at the expense of the poor. One group excuses the hatred of another. In some cities, the homeless throng public spaces, seeking shelter. Even the planet seems to reel under the onslaught of various types of natural disasters. It seems as if sin prevails. Right is called wrong, darkness light, and the sad list goes on. The writer of Ecclesiastes counsels us to not look back, the old days were not better. Ecclesiastes 7:10. As a history major, I must agree. All creation groans as we stumble through the darkness. But Advent has come.

               Advent shines a bright light into the darkness. Advent brings hope to the hopeless. In John’s version of the Advent story, he reminds us that the light shines into the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 Though things are bad, we live in the joy and hope of Advent. The true light of the world has broken through the veil and light has dawned. This is why light plays such a pivotal role in our celebration of Christmas. We love to festoon our houses with lights of all kinds. Drive down the streets of Lubbock and you cannot miss the festival air all the lights create. The shining lights of Christmas remind us that the true light of the world shines on us, illuminating the way home. Christmas is truly the season of light. 

Christmas Musings Day 11

Unfair Treatment

Isaiah 53:6 ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

               My understanding of Advent has changed with the passage of time. As a child, I focused on the presents found under the tree or in my stocking. Knowing that the gifts were coming, I eagerly awaited the arrival of the J. C. Penny’s and Sears catalogs. I remember sitting on our blue couch paging through the toy section earmarking toys I wanted, particularly the G.I. Joes. I also enjoyed decorating the tree, watching the Christmas specials and movies, driving around Abilene looking at the lights, and the sublime strains of Christmas carols; but in the end, I coveted the presents. In fact, on Christmas day my best friend Steve Harper and I would get together in the afternoon and compare our gifts. But somewhere along the way, something changed.

               Perhaps it was during the annual Harper, Thompson, and Robinson Christmas parties. Every year we gathered for a meal, Christmas carol singing, a reading of the story of Advent from the gospels, and a small gift exchange. Maybe it was the corporate familial worship, and yes, the HTR parties were family gatherings of the highest order. Those yearly gentle reminders, eagerly awaited, planted a seed that slowly germinated, and ever so gradually I began to understand what was going on during Advent. Most of our parents are gone now, home to be with Jesus, but they gave me a gift that still sweetens my life.

               Amid all the celebration, the music, the lights, the gifts, the food, and family, a stringent truth shines through. My iniquity caused Him to come, caused Him to sacrifice, and caused Him pain. I celebrate because of what He did. I went astray and He came to find me, accepting my guilt and shame, so, I do celebrate, joyously. Of course, there is a sober element to all of this; however, joy fills the season. So, every year during this time my mind goes back, back to the late sixties and seventies. I see the squirming little boy on the couch waiting anxiously to open a gift. I smile, knowing that those precious tender moments singing and reading the Advent story planted a seed that bears fruit today. My sin is gone. He carried it away so I can celebrate. 

Christmas Musings Day 10

 A Truly New Thing

Ezekiel 43:18-19 (ESV) ¹⁸ “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. ¹⁹ Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

               One of the challenges of arriving at the ripe old age of sixty-one is the catalog of failure built up over the passing decades. Sadly, I developed quite the list of personal failures during my life, some egregious and public, others private and just as appalling. By human standards, I have done well; however, compared to the stringent holiness of God I am an abject failure. Those inner hatreds nursed, grudges held, ignoble passions stoked, all the fruit of a prideful failed human heart. This is why I cherish the Advent season so.

               As I make the Advent journey from Eden to Bethlehem, God speaks to me. He counsels and comforts, “Remember not the former things…” Dwelling on my failed past does not sponge away the stain of guilt or provide strength for future battles. Advent focuses me on what God does. He is doing something new, something bold, something unimagined. Here in Lubbock, we often endure long periods of drought, just as we humans endure periodic failure. God says, “I will make a river flow in the desert.” Advent surprises me with new possibilities that I cannot imagine. Advent reminds me that God changes the dynamic of human existence. Failure need not dominate my life. Advent focuses me on the radical possibilities generated by God drawing near and making things new. I am blessed to live on this side of Bethlehem. I enjoy the daily Advent of God in my life. It is present tense, not future. What new things is God bringing forth in your life? 

Christmas Musings Day 9

 A Role for Me

Matthew 1:1 (ESV) ¹ The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

               When I was younger, I often gave in to the temptation to skip the genealogy of Jesus as recorded in Matthew and Luke. The names are difficult to pronounce, and the long list seems rather boring and inconsequential. Why take the time? How do people, mostly ancient Jewish men, relate to me, a twenty-first-century white man some two millennia down the road? I would jump over to what I considered the meat of the story, the Annunciation, the Magnificat, the Angelic visit to the shepherds, the visit of the Magi, and most important the birth. This habit robbed me of a special lesson of hope woven into Advent.

               Reading the long list of names reveals one of the great miracles of God. He regularly uses imperfect, egregiously failed humans to forward His plans and desires. Their abject failure pales when compared to His mighty and powerful purpose. Look carefully into the genealogy of Jesus and you find adulterers, murderers, liars, and cheats. There are even non-Jews in the Messianic lineage. For His own reasons, God revels in restoring and using failed humans to flesh out and complete His strategies. For me, a grievously failed goy, this is good news. His love and plan overpower my sin and failure. There is hope for me. Through Advent, not only do I find forgiveness, but I also find purpose. Advent proclaims that there is a place for me in the broad sweep of God’s plan for restoration and wholeness. 

Christmas Musings Day 8

 Desperate Need

Genesis 16:2 (ESV) ² And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

               I like to think of myself as self-sufficient. I fully imbibe in the West-Texas myth of pulling myself up by my own bootstraps. After all, I worked hard most of my life, and aside from a period of wandering in late high-school and shortly thereafter, I have stayed true to the Lord…at least that is how I see it. Even though my logical thought-self understands the fallacy, my heart-self truly thinks I am a pretty good guy, after all, I do not commit any of the biggies…any more. In my mental and spiritual calculus, I worked off those indiscretions long ago. Like Abram and Sarai of long ago, I designed a plan to help out God. But God, through the Advent journey, reminds me of my desperate need.

               Some time after the birth of Ishmael, God appears to Abram, reminds him of the promise, and changes his name. Abram has the temerity to remind God of Ishmael, saying, “¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” Genesis 17:18 (ESV) He’d worked out a plan to fix the problem of Sari’s bareness. But as usual with mankind, his plan failed to account for the majesty and power of the Lord, as well as his own depravity. God gently reminds him, “…No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.” Genesis 17:19 (ESV) God is insistent. His plan will be the one. Our own maneuverings fall woefully short.

               Reviewing the long-unfolding story of Advent serves to remind me that no matter how hard I might try, whatever machinations I might develop, they all fail to meet my needs. My good efforts just do not stack up. They may be nice. They might even make me feel better, but the truth is, I need God’s help to solve my fundamental sin and guilt issues. As I consider the wonderful and poignant journey of Advent, I must come face to face with my own desperate need and the overwhelming love of God that pays my debt. I stand on the common ground of human need in awe of a God that would come so far just to be with me. 

Christmas Musings Day 7

 Still Useful

Hebrews 11:12 (ESV) ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

               Twelve years ago, I retired from the Army and chose to pursue a new career, wanting to step through a different door. Throughout my time in the Army, I had observed many men that retired and took jobs as DA Civilians or contractors. They loitered on the edges of military life, reminiscing about their days in uniform. They were trapped in the twilight watercooler region of marginal purpose, living on memories and “war-stories.” I deisred something different, a new challenge, and settled on teaching. Next year I will turn sixty-two and be eligible to collect Social Security. Fortunately for me, a teacher does need great physical prowess to keep on working. I still provide a function society considers useful, even important in some circles. Unlike many, in a world devoted to youth, I enjoy a life of meaning and purpose. For many people my age, life loses direction and purpose. But that is not God’s plan for us.

               As I make my way through Advent, I think of Abraham. In both Romans and Hebrews, scripture notes that Abraham was as good as dead. Men moved by the Holy Spirit penned that seemingly harsh judgment. The dude was as good as dead, but God still had a purpose for his life, something important for him to do. God’s actions in bringing about Advent remind me that He often uses the improbable to achieve the impossible. In many ways, Advent is a several millennia-long string of dubious, or even unbelievable, events hung together culminating in God breaking into our mean and meager existence with breathtaking results. Advent teaches that age is not the deciding factor in living with purpose…or into purpose, faith is.