Category: Christmas

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

This is the nature of light and dark.

We instinctively fear the dark and crave light.  In fact, a flashlight or candle or somesuch is near the top of every emergency supplies list. And it’s not just for the practical value–light is also, by its very nature, comforting and encouraging.

The deepest, blackest darkness can be pushed back by the light of a single candle.

Metaphorically and literally

An alternate translation of this verse is, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it. As though if only the enemies of God could really understand his light, his love, his purpose for us…everything would be different.

If only the darkness in me could truly understand…

Someday, Beloved.

Happy Thursday

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (John 1:4).

Through him all things were made…

Even us.

That life that was breathed into Adam, that spark that separates us from all other creation…

That’s from Jesus.

At the cross, he gave his life to redeem us. But at creation, he gave of his life to bring us life.

Perhaps that is why accepting Christ feels so much like coming home.

Breathe deeply today, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3).

Not a random collection of happenings

Not an impersonal, unknowable force

Not a philosophical construct

But a person, a personality, an artist who spoke this world into being with a desire for beauty and the knowledge that one day you would be here to enjoy it.

Nothing random about it.

One of the reasons Jesus came to us was so that he could identify with us, experiencing this life and this world as we do. I wonder what he thought as he gazed upon the night sky, or a storm-tossed sea, or a flower or a bug or a sunrise or…

I wonder if he thought, “Wow! I done good.”

Of course, Jesus had better grammar, because bad grammar is a sin, but still.

Enjoy the world he created for you, Beloved.

Happy Tuesday

‘Tis the Season to start thinking about the Reason.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).

Before the tomb

Before the Cross

Before the trial

Before the betrayal

Before the garden

Before the temple

Before the mount

Before the desert

Before the river

Before the wise men

Before the manger

Before the star

Before the angel

Before the prophecies

He was.

And he was God.

Happy Monday, Beloved

Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6)

We know him by many names.

Jesus Christ

Alpha

Omega

Emmanuel

I Am

Lamb of God

Prince of Peace

Mighty God

Light of the World

The Bright Morning Star

Wonderful Counselor

The Amen

Man of Sorrows

Lion of the Tribe of Judah

The Word

The Author and Finisher of Our Faith

Bread of Life

Living Water

God calls him by another name, the name which is above all names.

Son

And here’s something really crazy.  Because of Christ’s sacrifice, do you know what God now calls us?

Yes, you do.

How can that be?  What can that mean?

Chew on that today, Beloved.

Happy Christmas

Everlasting Father,  (Isaiah 9:6).

I hope you have a great dad.  I hope he is loving and strong and gentle and a daily blessing to your life.  I hope this, not only to make those family Christmas dinners a little less awkward, but because it will give you a better picture of God.  You see, God presents himself to us in many ways through Scripture, but I think the one that hangs most people up is the image of a father.  It can be difficult to see God as loving and caring if your earthly father was cold, distant, or absent altogether.

Look, I’m not gonna get all psychological with you, but I need to point something out:

 Whatever your earthly dad does well, your heavenly father does even better.  Wherever your earthly dad messes up, your heavenly father gets it right.  

He is the perfection we all fall short of.  

He is the goal we can never quite attain.  

He will always be there to cheer you when you win, and comfort you when you lose.  His advice will always be perfect, and his discipline will always be just.  He will come to all your ball games, all your dance recitals, all your spelling bees.  He will be there at the hospital bed and at the wedding altar.

He will always love you.

Always, as in Everlasting.

Walk in his love today, Beloved.

Merry Christmas Eve

…Mighty God,  (Isaiah 9:6)

We’re almost there. The “Sleep in Heavenly Peace” part.

 So why are we stressed?

With two days to go, all sorts of emotions are getting stirred up.  Although we would like to say we are focused strictly on the birth of our Savior, the fact is this can be a really crazy time.  Perhaps you are rushing to wrap—or get—or think of—those last gifts.  Maybe you are frantically trying to get ready to travel—tickets, luggage, ohnowhatdowedowiththedogwhilewe’regone.  Could be you’re receiving guests into your nightmare of a house—good luck with that.

Or you’re moving.

Or someone you love is sick.

Or you’re broke.

Or things are just falling apart.

Given all that, I feel pretty spiffy that you’ve taken the time to read this.  Since you have, make the most of the moment.  Let the words soak in:

He is Mighty God.

Read it again.  Go on.

Now, say it out loud.

This King we serve, this Lord we love, this Savior we celebrate is fully capable of meeting the challenges of your day, be they mundane or monstrous.

And he will.

Because you are his Beloved.

Because you are his, Beloved.

Happy Thursday

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, (Isaiah 9:6)

There can be a lot in a name.  My name is Michael, which means, “Who is like God?”  I like that—it’s a constant reminder of the answer…Nobody.  When I begin to get a little too big for my proverbial britches, my very name brings me back to Earth.

Jesus has been given the name Wonderful Counselor.  Think about it—what does a counselor do?  A good counselor does three things—listen deeply, see to the heart of the issue, and offer wisdom.    So, we serve a God who actually listens to us—listens deeply.  He doesn’t just pretend to listen to you while he is mentally planning out his day, the way I might.  He actually considers every word you speak—and those you don’t.

Jesus also sees to the heart of your issue—after all, he knows you better than you do—remember Psalm 139?  You couldn’t hide the truth from him if you tried, so knock it off already.

Wisdom?  Uh…do I need to point out that his words are the very words of God?  Literally?  Yeah, worth listening to.

You, Beloved, have a Wonderful Counselor.  Walk in his wisdom today.

Happy Thursday

…and the government will be on his shoulders. (Isaiah 9:6)

Here’s the thing with governments—they’re generally made up of people.  And, well, I hate to tell you this, but people tend toward selfishness and greed.

I just heard a bubble burst out there…sorry.

Democracy works, except when the people are ignorant, selfish, and lazy.

Oh.

Same holds true for Communism, republics, feudal societies, even theocracies.  On paper, they look great.  It’s when you add the people that things go winky-wonky.

Frankly, the best, strongest, most efficient form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.  The problem, of course, is that you can guarantee the dictator part, but not the benevolent bit.

Yet.

But guess what, Beloved?  The day will come when we will have an absolute monarch, a king of kings, who will rule with complete authority over all nations.  His reign will be perfect, unhampered by greed, unsullied by sin.  He will know what’s best, want what’s best, do what’s best.

He will be what’s best.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…  (Isaiah 9:6)

I don’t know if there is anything more exciting than the birth of a baby.   The feeling of joy, of life, that you get from holding a newborn—it’s astounding.  It doesn’t even have to be your child.  It can be a nephew, or a cousin, or the child of a friend.  Hey, it could be a random kid from the maternity ward that you grabbed just for the experience.

Not that you would ever do that because that would be wrong and earn you psychiatric evaluations and the serious threat of incarceration.

My point is this: Hope arrives with every baby.

How wonderful is it that God chose to bring Christ to us in this way!  Think about it—the Christ could have appeared fully grown, striding out of the desert on a Thursday morning.  He could have simply walked into the temple and started preaching.  Instead, we get to see him as a baby—yes, so that his genealogy could be verified and so that prophecy would be fulfilled—but also so that we could see a God willing to humble himself by birth, as he would one day humble himself by death.

Your God loves you so much that he sent a baby—the epitome of life—to call you to eternal life.

Heed the call, Beloved.

Happy Tuesday