Mysteries Reveled

Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6; Colossians 1:23-27; Ephesians 3:1-2; Matthew 2:1-2


Most of us like a good mystery; it excites the senses and we become fully engaged in the "what's next?" of it all. We also enjoy the feeling when the final "aha!" appears and the mystery is revealed to us.  Sometimes we can follow the plot closely enough that the final "reveal" is somewhat predictable; other times we are truly surprised when the mystery comes to fruition in its reveal.


Our spiritual lives are full of mysteries...and mysteries revealed.


In all the readings today, mysteries are spoken of and mysteries are revealed. In Isaiah, the first true reveals of a coming Messiah are shared. Although many did not grasp the original message, those who allowed their faith to be their guide knew it was the hope of wondrous things to come. In Colossians there is a reveal to assure us further of God's undying love to us through Christ. In Ephesians, Paul--although once again under house arrest--gives his revelations of how Christ's love is for all...not just chosen groups, but for all. And Matthew shares the reveal of the newly born Christ to the Magi who knew the earlier signs and promises of a coming messiah. 


These mysterious reveals were, I'm guessing, both exciting and a bit frightening. Revealed mysteries are in our lives are much the same way. Any time we are awaiting news, anticipating it to be good or not so good, we are in the former, excited and in the latter, frightened. Mysteries do that. They captivate us on many levels. That is why there are so many of us who are such fans of the fictional and non-fictional genre of mystery. A bit of the unknown in otherwise fairly predictable circumstances is true stimulation for the senses.


Are revealed mysteries always what we want? In this life, no. The news is sometimes not at all what we hope for; the plans don't go as we want. Nevertheless, anytime there is a mystery revealed to us through God's word and through the works of Christ and his disciples throughout time, the mysteries are both wondrous and welcomed. And the greatest reward will be that ultimate "aha!" moment when we reach eternity.


Peace be with you.

From Slave to Inheritor

Readings: Isaiah 63:7-16    Galatians 4:1-7     Luke 2:33-40


Mention the word "slave" today, and our blood runs cold. This, of course, is when it is viewed in recent US history. The term "slave", when used in ancient history, had a much broader meaning.


Everyone was a slave at one time in ancient history...everyone.
Even the most royal of the royal.


Childhood back in those days wasn't the marketing dream it is today. Small children were simply seen as little slaves that, if they survived, would have the chance of growing into the title of "son". Kind of harsh, but tough love was pretty much the rule of the day back then.


We won't go where that left the daughters...that's for another time.


However, back to the process.


In accordance with the writings in Galatians 4:1 "What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate," a child had to answer (or be a "slave") to a host of guardians, trustees and, of course, parents, before being deemed by his elders as ready to accept the role of son and heir. 


Now parallel that with our growth in our spirituality--see the pattern? 


We are all "slaves" to so many things of the world; our heads are easily turned. Once we discover the bliss of being truly spiritual, we, for a time, become "slaves" to God's direction through Christ. As we grow, we will be deemed a son and heir. (Thankfully a universal term...all females invited along this time.) Galatians 4:7 "So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."


Sounds great! Sign us up.


But, it's not that easy...remember those times when the Jews were roaming about in the desert?
There was a reason...this slave to son to heir business is not just something we accept and then move on...we need to live it.


In Isaiah 63: 7-16, the people of Israel were shown some pretty tough love then they forgot the live it part of being inheritors of God's love and kingdom. And, as a good parent reluctantly does, God allowed them to understand the feeling of the result of doing wrong. Tough love. These were God's chosen ones. He showered love upon them as no one can other than God. And yet they turned away in defiance. So they became children of sorts again--slaves. They did a lot of wandering and a bit of pondering...I'm guessing a little whining too. Most kids do if they can get away with it. In their ignorance they just couldn't see why God had turned a deaf ear to them. Eventually, their whining turned to repentance and a plea for forgiveness. The wrongs were realized. And God showered them with love once again...the ultimate greatest parent. 


When looking at the roles of slave or son or inheritor, most of us would more than likely jump right on that inheritor bandwagon. Why be a slave when you can be the pampered one?  


Just be careful...words have many meanings.


When Joseph and Mary took their baby to the temple for his presentation, it was prophesied then and there that  Jesus would, indeed, be a Son and Inheritor. But that same prophesy carried with it the words to Mary, "And a sword will pierce your own soul, too" (v.35)  Being the Son and inheritor would bring the greatest of joys to Christ's mother, but also the greatest of sorrows. Being an inheritor is not always being the pampered one.


So where does that leave us? Starting to think that staying at "slave" status with scads of caregivers and over-seers the safest place to be? It sounds tempting at times. Just hunker down and let the world go by. 


But we're made in God's image...we are inheritors.


Come the bad with the good, the sorrows with the joys, the responsibilities with the perks, we freely accept the inheritance of eternal life and sharing the beyond belief good feeling of being on a higher spiritual plane. 


We all start out as slaves on our life's journey...the inheritance is ours for the taking. 
Be a good heir.


Peace be with you.

Looking for the Endings--Missing the Beginnings

Readings: Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Isaiah 40:9-11

Philippians 4:4-7

John 1: 19-28

How often do we let anticipation take over our lives?

We get to a long-awaited time of relaxation and immediately our minds time travel to the end of the rest period.

We purchase something new and begin bemoaning the fact that it will, before we know it, be old and out-of-date.

We're just funny that way.

It's almost as if we can't toleratre or allow ourselves becoming engulfed and living in the moment. We're too busy racing through time in our minds to find an end to the moment.

We spend so much time looking for the end, we miss the beginnings...

In the book of John,  the Jewish leaders sent by the Sanhedrin to question John the Baptist about his true identity were convinced he was the representation of the end of time. They became quite agitated when be broke the news to them that he wasn't Elijah returned to Earth, and that he wasn't the Prophet coming to Earth to declare its end. They were actually disgruntled when John informed them he was preceding the Messiah--the true Messiah that wasn't coming to destroy the world, but to save it.

They spent a lot of time looking for the end--they missed the beginning...

In Deuteronomy, God proclaimed  that there would be, as a gentle reminder, a prophet of each generation proceeding Moses that would share the good news of a Messiah that would come to us. And not just a Messiah--the Messiah. Still, as history serves, as soon as one prophet came into being, people immediately started looking for the end of time, fully missing the Messiah's time in their moments of life. And, as in verse 19, in all their searching for the end, they failed to heed God's words, "If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account."

Looking for endings--missing beginnings...

We don't need to dwell on the end. It's in God's hands. We're not in charge of of arranging for the next prophet or the next coming. All the itinerary is taken care of for us. We needn't start that proverbial "first day" of vacation only to dread the end.

And how do we know this?

"He tends his flocks like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young" (Isaiah 40:9-11).

That's why.

We're in good hands. Tender, gentle hands that have only our best interests in mind during our short journeys here on Earth and for our eternal lives beyond.

No need to dread...

No need to worry about endings...

Stop looking for all the endings in life--there are beginnings all around.

Breathe.

Enjoy.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again; Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all, the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God. which transcends all understanding, will guard your heats and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:4-7). 

Peace be with you.

A Voice in the Desert

Readings: Isaiah 40:1-8; I Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 11:2-10


Ever feel like you're just not being heard no matter how hard you try? You see a situation rising where someone near and dear to you will be hurt. You try and try to help him/her see how things will turn out, yet it falls on deaf ears. Frustrating?
Absolutely.
Unique?
Hardly.


John the Baptist was that voice in the desert. He shared, he preached, he warned, he pronounced the coming of Christ to mankind's less than pristine world. Did many listen?
Nope.
Later, (in Matthew) when asked about John the Baptist, Jesus himself referred to John as one of the most blessed; that seems like a true definer of credibility. Did many listen to Jesus about John?
Nope.
Still later, when Paul was giving the Corinthians a good tongue-lashing, he was--more or less--just another voice in the desert. 
Few listened.


Why do we not listen? Because we're human. Human=fallible. We get to a certain point in our lives and we think we're there...we've arrived. Our consciences couldn't be clearer; we're good people.
Think again...that was God's, John's, Jesus', and Paul's suggestion--to think again, that is.
Is the conscience clear or is it full of self-righteousness?
Remember? Fallible?
Maybe we do need to listen just a bit.


On the other side of the row, what makes these people then and people yet today try and try and try again even though they themselves realize they're just talking into the wind?


Stewardship...pure and simple. We are all called to be stewards; few heed the call. Fewer still are willing to carry on through the suspicious or incredulous looks, the push-back, and the basic dislike received for being a good steward of God. Face it, you're not going to win any popularity contests. You can't be liked at all times by everyone and be a good and aggressive steward...just doesn't work that way.
John the Baptist literally lost his head for it.
Paul spent a load of time in prison for it.
Christ gave his life for it.
Not an easy job.
But we still can't give up...it's too important to others.


And, there's that secret. With more and deeper knowledge of God's plan, comes greater insight to that secret--that wisdom.
It's also our duty; our destiny.


Being good is great--being self-righteous can be time-consuming for everyone involved.
A little humility goes a long way. God's gives us reason for a bit of humility in Isaiah 40:8: "The grass [mankind] withers, and the flower [mankind's glory] falls, but the word of our God stands forever."
His word also speaks of the humbling of the mighty, the self-righteous, the judgmental: "Every valley shall be raised up--every mountain and hill made low--the rough ground will be made level and rugged places a plain" (Isaiah 40:4-5)
We're all on even ground; we're all called to be stewards to one another.


Let's get hopping on that. Let's join our voices together in this desert. Let's learn more of the glorious secret of eternal life.


Peace be with you.

Guarantees and Assurances

Readings: Malachi 4:1-6; Romans 15:4-13; Luke 21:25-33

Our mortal lives seem to revolve around guarantees and assurances.  Purchase something and, before you get through the check-out process, you’ll more than likely be asked if you want an extended warranty on something to guarantee repair as needed for a reasonable price or for no cost at all. Our first impulse is to say, “Sure! Sign me up” What could be better than a worry-free relationship with the item we just bought? However, most of these warranties and guarantees are conditional. Lots of “ifs” and “buts” rear their ugly heads; lots of fine print appears. Ultimately, once we study all the fine print and the ifs and the buts, we find that it will probably be worth the gamble to save the money now and then spend it later if needed.

As we expand and move on to the larger necessities in our modern lives, insurance and all its guarantees and assurances merge into the picture. We have assurances non-stop from nice little ladies and gentlemen on the television and over the radio that if we buy insurance they’re touting, that all our worries will cease to be. If something happens to us, the insurance company will come riding in on that white horse and protect from all that is wrong.   Until that unforeseen event actually happens. Then that “white knight” is more like the “dark knight” in most cases. We start drowning in a sea of red tape, we need our own army of attorneys and interpreters to wade through all the fine print, and our “guarantees and assurances” aren’t quite as shiny as originally presented. Once again, lots of “ifs” and “buts” accompany our policies that we purchase. Nevertheless, we are at the mercy of taking the gamble of protecting ourselves against the catastrophic. Not a comfy place for us to be.

Simply put, mortals can have their moments of shiftiness.  We don’t like being cheated—just ask anyone. However, we continue to write policies and guarantees and assurances full of wiggle words that will guarantee and assure one thing—the company in charge of the policies will be on the winning end the vast majority of the time.

How refreshing it is to turn to the one true source of guarantees and assurances we can trust. Throughout the scriptures, we are guaranteed a number of things. These things, however, are not exactly the rosy world that we mortals like to deceive one another with through materialism. No, these are flat-out guarantees about our eternal lives. In all three readings, there are guarantees of destruction to all mankind. Guaranteed. You might not think that a very refreshing thought. And it’s not; no one likes to think of one’s own destruction. The pleasing part of this guarantee is the element of truth. No sugar-coating, no wiggle words. Malachi 4:1 states, “’Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All of the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty.” How much more straight-forward can it get? Not much. That’s a guarantee.

More guarantees throughout the Bible: in Luke 21:25 the words are written, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.” These are very factual and tangible events. No gray areas. We can see these things, we can hear them. We have solid proof of their existence.

In our current world, the guarantees we receive are sketchy at best; we have been convinced by ourselves and others that they are a necessary part of life. But are they really guarantees? When compared to the guarantees in the scriptures, they do pale by comparison.  Maybe we should just call them “conditions” or “options”. It seems demeaning to put them on the same level as the true guarantees we have received from God and from Christ.

Another thing that we mortals do cling to are assurances from one another. We want others to tell us what we want to hear. With that initial need, we negate the whole idea of assurances. To assure is to promise or to be so confident that it can be taken as a promise. It has nothing to do with twisting the truth to be told that everything lost to a disaster will be fully recovered, or that the loved one will make a full recovery.  We mis-take the word, and we then feel that others have not been honest with us. Once again, we get ourselves into unnecessary frustrations or periods of hurt due to wanting guarantees and assurances that only fracture their original meaning. It’s just part of the condition of being human.

Is there relief to this disillusionment of mis-taken assurances? Happily, yes. For real assurances that we know will come to pass, we once again need only to turn to today’s readings. They are full of beautiful assurances for all of us who choose to receive the grace of God’s infinite love.  In Luke we are told that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (21:33). In Malachi, “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings” (4:2). And, from Romans, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (15:4). Those  words are assurances. They are promises from the only trusted, tried and true maker of promises. They are told to us from the epicenter of confidence—our hope.

We need to keep all things mortal in perspective—we’re not perfect and our practices throughout daily life will not be prefect, either. We will assuredly be disappointed, disillusioned, and disenchanted throughout life by others and by events and situations. But the thing that keeps us going and makes all these inconveniences pretty much back burner items is the knowledge that it’s just all part of the journey to perfection with the Perfect One. We can be assured that is something indeed  to look forward to—guaranteed.

“May the god of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13)

*Readings used from The NIV Study Bible, 1985.

Gifts?

Anyone who knows me knows  that I am easily entertained by a funny graphic on a t-shirt. One of my favorites from years' past is one of Gandhi getting a gift. He's saying, "An empty box! My favorite!" I always enjoyed Gandhi's implication of the needlessness of so much of the clutter that makes up and sometimes over-takes our lives. Sometimes, the empty box is welcomed. It offers us much more potential. The tabula rasa--blank slate gives us the opportunity to create or fill our lives not with the pre-selected items, but rather with options to figure out what truly matters.

It's incredibly easy for us to get caught up in the stuff of life. The same carries over to our spiritual lives if we're not mindful. In Isaiah 29:13 it states: "The Lord says, 'These people come near  to me with their mouth and honor me with  their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'" We need to be thoughtful in our places of worship. Unfortunately, too many churches are based on "gifts" these days--gifts of comfy, theater-style seating, top-notch performers, everything but the gospel and all of its hard-hitting truths. These showplaces sometimes seem to resemble entertainment venues more than places of solemn worship; like the "shifting shadows" in Isaiah, they will also come and go. It seems that anything that tends to be overly magnanimous by our earthly standards, tends to lead us away from our spiritual focus. Many religions follow the tenet of warning of the difficulties of maintaining a strong spiritual life and reaping the spiritual gifts if too caught up in the limitations of materialism. Many times the solitude of nature is the most spiritual hallowed ground--grass for our seat, birdsong for our music, and meditation one-to-one with our God. How comforting to know that "Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change (like shifting shadows)."--James 1:17 Those are true gifts.

What are gifts we can give to others? How about being "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry," (James 1:19) What gifts can we give to show our obedience to God? "....getting rid of the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accepting the word planted in you which can save you." (James 1:21) Our gifts are already within us just waiting for us to recognize them. Loving one another? The greatest gift of all.

Christ, (during his time with his disciples) reminded them (and us) that we needn't keep our sights small when it comes to heavenly gifts. In the short time before his betrayal and crucifixion, he told them that he would soon be leaving the Earth in his current form as a result of man's intolerance of the truths he brought to light. He explained to them, "Unless I go away, the counselor will not come to you" (John 16:7). Gifts given to us beyond our wildest dreams. Christ giving up his life so we may have eternal life; Christ making way through his death, for God's love to come to us in even a stronger sense.

Gifts? Realize the limitations of the world's gifts. As great as they seem to us now, they many times come with a price. Want a true gift beyond description?  Bask in the infiniteness of God and Christ's gifts to us.

Peace be with you.

Aliens Afoot

It's quite a job to run the universe--I'm thankful every day that I have no part in it save my own backyard. This past week's uprising over an elderly gentleman's well-intentioned albeit mislead attempts at taking on the job fell short and created quite a bit of havoc in the meantime. If only he and his followers had remembered the words in Isiah 40:25-31. "The Lord is ever-lasting--the creator of the ends of the earth."(28) The creator and the one in control. Thank God.
The world as we know it these days isn't exactly an easy place in which to live. Sometimes we Christians feel kind of like aliens. That's not exactly a crazy idea. I Peter 11 states that we "Live as aliens and strangers in the world." Witnessing all the hatred and defensiveness that came from this past weekend's events further strengthens my belief that we are indeed aliens. We're just passing through on the journey. We don't need to get overly caught up in every mundane disagreement and opinion since we won't be sticking around forever. Again, thank God. 
We do remember that if we live as "aliens" on Earth, it's more than likely that we'll be treated as such from time to time. The laws of the land tend to get us in hot water on occasion. Oh, sure, it's easy to see that blatant law-breaking of man-made laws will bring retribution. That's why it's just not a great idea to incite a riot, yell "fire" in a group of people, or bring unfavorable attention to yourself in general.
But sometimes the lines blur...
...and this aggravates non aliens.
In I Peter "breaking the law" takes on a higher standard of moral law. And it gets tricky for folks who like things in nice, neat columns of "okay to do" and "not okay to do."
When it comes to making clear and concise delineations between concrete and moral law, we once again assuredly look to the example of Christ. Being the greatest moral and ethical teacher that ever walked on Earth, his actions were, nonetheless, interpreted by many a rabbi and church elder as breaking Jewish law left and right. He healed folks on the Sabbath; he and his disciples ate grain from the fields on the Sabbath. He questioned the unquestionable. He challenged authority. All moral and ethical laws were up for debate. 
He did, however, make it clear that there were great distinctions between moral law and mortal law. At one time he was asked about something he had said earlier about God's law being above all of man's laws. He replied with an answer that we aliens can easily remember: We give to the state that which is owed to the state; all else is God's. No brainer--done deal.
However...
When we put our contemplation to the higher moral and ethical issues of life, then it gets more interesting. The lines start to divide, and the followers Christ's teachings begin to look and sound a little more alien. We might feel that in a higher sense that a seemingly mundane rule, law, or practice is not acceptable based merely on popular opinion. We go by our rule book; not everyone agrees with it and we get roughed up a little from time to time. 
Sometimes it can get difficult to be the odd folks out; it can get pretty lonely. In John 16, the disciples felt that sense of loneliness when, in the midst of their joy in being in the daily presence of Christ, he told them he would be leaving them. He explained that he would not be visible to them for a time which caused them to grieve the loss. After all that had happened in their time together--the miracles, the lessons, the life-altering events--and now he was leaving them. I'm guessing, in their most mortal moments they had fleeting thoughts of "why?" and "what just happened?" What good has all this chaos and suffering done only to end with Christ disappearing from them and everyone else? Once again, they just didn't yet understand. But Christ did assure them that the grief would be real--but temporary. The joy that would follow would be eternal. Their happiest moments spent on Earth would pale in comparison. And, of course, they believed. He'd never told them anything other than the truth--ever. And they knew it--as we do yet today.
And they did suffer for their relationship with Christ; not all the folks amongst them felt a spirit of love and acceptance of these aliens. And so it is today. It came out in many and various ways during the week and weekend past. We are assuredly aliens. 
But it's okay...as with the disciples, Christ reminds us that any of the grief we feel from being an alien is temporary. 
And, of course, since he is Christ, he never tells anything but the truth.
And we know it. 


Peace be with you.