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Christmas All Year Long

Christmas All Year Long

My wife will likely be unhappy with me for sharing this, but I’ve always liked living on the edge.  So here goes …

The truth is that we still have our Christmas tree and decorations up.  I imagine this is shocking and even unimaginable to some readers.  However, the fact is that if you keep them up long enough, you don’t have to dig them back out and put them back up again! 

Though this seems rather practical to me – rest assured, this is not our intention. 

The simple reality is that this past year has been one of massive transition for my wife and myself.  Really, for our entire family.  Suddenly, none of our children live with us anymore.  (Which is part of the issue: there’s no one to help take it all back down like the past 25 years or so!)

But the bigger issue is that my wife and I are both fully immersed in full-time service to the Lord.  So much so that while we’re kinda settled, we’re still a lot not-settled.  (I know that last sentence has some improper words and grammar, but I like it; it seems to sum up our situation well.)

In short, there is precious little spare time for extras like packing up the Christmas things.  And especially for her, who commutes to her school and is gone 12 hours a-day for 5 days of the week.  That leaves only the weekends for her to get all of her other personal stuff done.  And by the way, as a pastor, weekends are extremely busy for me.

Which is why the Christmas tree still commandeers a corner of our living room, the stockings are still hanging off the fireplace mantle, the wreath still occupies the front door, and the Christmas knick-knacks and do-dads still remain where they were originally placed.

With God’s blessing, they’ll be dealt with in the next few days.  (Which unfortunately means I’ll have to drag them all out again next winter and put them all back up again.)  Nevertheless, the visuals of Christmas will get tucked away.

Even though the tree and all the other Christmas sparklies will be returned to their proper storage boxes, and the boxes returned to their storage places, it is appropriate for us all to remember that Christmas is something we can and should celebrate all year long. 

I recognize that this next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday … the first day of the Lenten season when we spend six weeks remembering our Savior’s suffering and death.  Consequently, it may strike some as odd to mention Christmas now.  Yet, I stand by my statement: Christmas is something worthy of continued celebration, no matter the date. 

Had Jesus not be born, he could not have been crucified.  Had he not allowed himself to be killed, he could not have risen back to life.  In fact, the primary purpose for Jesus’ birth was so he could eventually take his holy life to the cross to make atonement for sin.  And his resurrection was the holy receipt that full payment had been made by the true God, whom death could not hold.

They all tie together in the most necessary and wonderful way!

Christmas is incredibly pertinent through the entire church year, and through the entire calendar of our lives as well.  And so is Good Friday (Jesus’ crucifixion day).  And so is Easter Sunday (Jesus’ resurrection day).

These cardinal events are not just highlights of the church year … but of every day of our lives!  They are, in fact, the most significant events in the history of the world!  Consequently, they are worthy of celebrating any day.  Every day! 

Christmas in February?  August even?  Certainly! 

Easter in December?  Definitely!

The Holy Spirit moved the writers of the Scriptures to combine these mind-boggling and eternity-altering activities a number of times in God’s Word.  Jesus’ miraculous birth, his holy life, his horrible death and his glorious resurrection are often listed as corresponding parallels on Jesus’ path to saving us.

Such as when Paul wrote, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures …”  (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

Even more lengthy, detailed and remarkable summaries are included elsewhere in the Bible, such as Isaiah 53 and Philippians 2.  (See below!)

Which means Christmas décor is never out-of-date or out-of-place.  It’s always appropriate because for Christians it’s always Christmas.  And it’s always Easter too!

So merry Christmas, blessed Good Friday, and happy Easter to you all – today and every day!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Philippians 2:5-11
… Christ Jesus … being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Isaiah 53:2-12
[Christ] grew up before [the Father] like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on [Jesus] the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.

 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

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How Is Your Health?

How Is Your Health?

One of the many things one must do when moving to a new city in a new state in a different part of the country is to find local doctors.  My wife and I have finally gotten around to that, and we both have appointments set with our new docs to get acquainted.  Which sparked the concept for this post. 

Of course, we know what awaits us on our annual doctors’ visits.  We are about to undergo the usual poking and prodding, checking and examining, questioning and updating.  Much of it is innocuous; some is annoying.  But all I suppose is necessary.

As I “look forward” to my physical checkup, I began to consider what would be examined in a routine spiritual checkup … if there was such a thing.  It’s an intriguing question.  Here is the list that came to my mind:

SE Level – SE stands for “Scripture Exposure.”  How frequently are we hearing or reading God’s Word, and for how long?  The SE Level is the most significant indicator of, and contributor to, good spiritual health.

Senses Functions – Our five senses play significant roles in our spiritual well-being.  We hear God’s Word shared in Scripture, sermon and song; we see God’s truths as we read and sing them, as well as seeing the cleansing waters of Baptism of others (and perhaps feeling them if we are the one baptized); we smell, feel and taste the wafer and wine in the Lord’s Supper.  The more active our senses are in the spiritual realm, the more impact the Holy Spirit has, and the more spiritually healthy we probably are.

Heart Health – This is easily monitored physically, but not so easily spiritually.  But a mental assessment can shed some insight.  What fills our heart?  What do we love above all?  What are we living for?  Where is our primary focus and what drives us?  What excites our heart?  The answers to those questions can shed some light on our heart’s spiritual health.

Mental Acuity – This aspect of our spiritual checkup evaluates how much of God’s truths we know.  Not necessarily Bible history, (though this is extremely beneficial also), but rather the simple doctrinal teachings of God’s Word.  Such as, what is our most significant problem? (Sin!)  Is full atonement made?  (Yes!)  How?  (Through Jesus suffering, death and resurrection!)  Why would God do this?  (Because of his immense love for us and his astounding grace!)  How does forgiveness and salvation become ours?  (Through faith in our Savior!)

Temperature – Are we spiritually hot, lukewarm or cold?  To state it a different way, are we “on fire” for God, fairly ambivalent, or caught in a cold “could-care-less” place?  The hotter our spiritual temp, the healthier we are.

Blood Pressure – We recognize our many and deep-seated sins, and they weigh heavily upon us.  Are we relying upon our own sacrifices to make atonement for them, or on the holy sacrifice of Jesus, and the blood he shed?  The weight of guilt is extremely unhealthy, spiritually speaking, but Jesus’ blood alleviates that pressure, (thanks be to God!).

PT – No, no physical therapy, but “Prayer Time.”  How much time do we spend each day in conversation with our God?  Just as communication is a key factor in our earthly relationships, so it is with our most important spiritual one as well.  The more PT in our lives, the more likely our relationship with the Lord is strong

Activity Level – As in, how much spiritual exercise are we doing?  Are we active in worship?  Are we active in service in our church?  Do we carry out spiritual ministry in our personal lives?  Are we ambassadors of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:20) in our interactions with others?  Spiritual activity is often indicative of spiritual health.

TF Reading – Spiritually healthy people exhibit high TF (“Trust Factor”) readings.  That is, they trust the Lord and his promises no matter what is happening.  Though their physical eyes may see problems with no answers, their spiritual eyes envision the wonderful solutions their God is providing and/or the incredible blessings He is bringing through difficulties.  This significantly reduces stress and boosts emotional well-being.

The reality is that not a single person reading this list is as spiritually healthy as they could be or desire to be.  Don’t be discouraged!  Rather, go to the Great Physician named Jesus, and find help and healing in his care.  This is what he says to us:

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Mark 2:17).  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  “The LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, … to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:1-3, selected).

So, do you have any suggestions for items that you feel should be included in our spiritual checkup?  Please share them in the comments box below!

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The All-Encompassing Cure

The All-Encompassing Cure

The huge hall was packed with missionaries, evangelists, and pastors from around the world.  They were gathering for the keynote address of the week-long ecumenical Christian conference. 

As the conference was wrapping up, the attendees were reflecting on the insights they had gained on more effectively and economically growing their ministries.  Some were chatting quietly with new acquaintances, comparing notes and sharing ideas.  Others were reviewing their travel plans and checking their flight status on their phones.

The conference folders were strangely lacking on information for this final presentation.  The time and place were provided, of course, but little else.  The topic was listed as “The All-Encompassing Cure,” and the captivating summary was simply this: “The most important presentation of the conference.” 

The presenter was to be E. Manuel.  No other information was given; no credentials, no biography, no place of service.

No one – not even the conference organizers, if the truth be told – quite understood who the presenter was or how he got the coveted gig of addressing the gathered hundreds.  To say there was a bit of unease in the group, and especially among the coordinators, would be accurate.  But there was also a fair amount of curiosity … even fascination.  What were they about to hear?

The hall lights flickered the message that the presentation was about to start.  The assembled church workers turned their attention to the stage.  The lighting was dim, causing many to suspect there were some technical difficulties. 

A man of medium-height and darker complexion strode to the center of the stage.  He wore a beige dress shirt with a striking picture of a wooden cross offset on the upper right side.  His slacks were brown khakis; his shoes simple loafers.  A neatly trimmed beard adorned his chin; his hair was gathered into a “man-bun.” 

He slowly scanned the audience, his gaze sweeping to one side of the auditorium, then sweeping gradually back to the other side.  The speaker said not a word for the longest time.  A stunned silence gripped the hall, and people began to shift uncomfortably in their seats.

When words finally came, they were brimming with power … not just with volume, but with authority. 

“My message will be brief, but it is critical.  I will not cast any judgements today; I will only speak the truth.  Each of you can make your own assessments of yourselves and your approach to ministry from what I share.  Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!”1  A involuntary shudder rolled through the crowd.  Their eyes were riveted on the man before them.

The speaker continued: “You have spent hours-upon-hours this week learning sophisticated ministry strategies.   You are excited about utilizing new technologies.  You can’t wait to implement new programs in your churches.  Most of it has a place in ministry.  Most can indeed be useful.”

“But these are not the ultimate goal.  Rather, they are only a means to the true goal.” The speaker raised his right hand, his pointer finger extended.  “And they are not the key components of ministry.  They are only tools to the true key component.”

The eyes of many listeners widened. 

“The single most important tool in your ministries is … God’s Word!”  The speaker paused and once again scanned the audience.  Those there felt as if he were looking deep inside them. 

Finally he continued.  “Let me repeat: the single most important tool in your ministries is God’s Word!  ALL of God’s Word.  NOT a Bible gutted of truth by picking and choosing what one wants to believe.  And NOT a Bible polluted by adding things God did not say.  But the Bible God has given you.”

“The Bible God has given you is truth … absolute truth.2  It is God’s own Word, and God doesn’t lie or change his mind.3  It is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens!”4 

“Furthermore, the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates soul and spirit!5  The gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes!”6

“God’s Word is the key to a truly successful ministry … that is, a spiritually successful ministry.  Utilize the many ministry approaches you explored this week to do true ministry – which is sharing God’s full Word with as many people as possible.  And let God’s Holy Spirit work through the living, powerful, life-changing truths God has given!”

Another pause.  More shifting in the listeners.  Some were profoundly uncomfortable and desired to leave, but somehow none could.  None dared.

“This is the first part of the all-encompassing cure.  The Lord has given you everything you need in his words to address any earthly situation you or your people may run into in your ministries.”

“Which leads us to the second part of the cure.  Please turn your attention to the screens.”

Two large screens, one at each end of the platform, lit up.  “Let me show you some real people and their very real struggles.”

A sobbing woman appeared on the screens.  There were no captions; no comments made from the presenter.  Yet intuitively every person looking on recognized that she was a lonely wife longing to feel loved and treasured by her distracted husband. 

She remained in view just long enough for everyone to intensely feel her pain, and then another person … a meth addict … came into view.  Again, everyone somehow understood the situation and the man’s feeling of bondage and hopelessness.  And so it was for each example that followed.

A wealthy businessman chasing even more wealth and power.

A twenty-something male confused on what to believe and searching for meaning in life.

A homeless beggar longing to get out of the cold and to eat a hot meal.

A man in a foreign country unfairly imprisoned by an oppressive government.

An attention-seeking socialite consumed with her appearance and popularity.

A young child wondering why her parents were always fighting.

A man struggling to get out of the gloom of severe depression.

A teenaged boy crying himself to sleep and dreading to face the bullies at school again tomorrow.

A middle-aged couple at a significant juncture of their lives agonizing over the difficult decisions they had to make and the direction to go.

A hungry family in a third world country gathered around a fire, dirt-covered and dressed in rags.

A cancer victim in hospice with only limited time left.

A guilt-wracked sinner with his head in his hands, weeping over his sin.

A weary and despairing person, wondering if there is anything better than this world.

The screens went black.  The presenter stood before them with his hands in his pockets and his eyes closed.  Tears were streaming down his cheeks.  And he was not alone.  In fact, there wasn’t a dry eye in the entire auditorium.  How could there be after what they had just witnessed?  So much hurt!

Eventually, the speaker gathered himself.  In a quieter voice, he asked, “What do all these people have in common?”  Only muffled crying was heard in response. 

Finally, a meek voice in front row said, “They need help.”

“Yes, they do.  But their hurts and needs are so different.  How will you help all of them?”

“Love them,” someone else ventured.

“Well, that’s a nice gesture.  But it won’t fundamentally bring them the cure they need.”

“Refer them to agencies that might assist them,” another voiced.

“There may be some help there.  But the fundamental issues remain.”

“Pray for them?”

“A wonderful idea!  But you will undoubtedly be praying that they find the help they need.  Where will that come from?”

“The Word!  Read them appropriate passages from God’s Word, as you talked about earlier.”

“Excellent!  Now we’re getting somewhere!”  The speaker raised both hands questioningly.  “And what does all of God’s Word revolve around?”  Another pause.  “All of God’s Word revolves around God’s love demonstrated to sinners in Jesus-Made-Man.”

“In short, show them Jesus!  All these people need Jesus!  Everyone needs Jesus!  Not some watered-down, rationalized, sterilized Jesus, but the living, loving, caring Jesus of the Bible!”

“The Jesus who loves them so much he died for them.  The Jesus who rose back to life and walked out of the tomb.  The Jesus who ascended to heaven to resume his rightful throne and to prepare a place there for all who believe in him.”7

“The Jesus who is both in heaven and still always with them.  The Jesus who answers their prayers, who provides for them and protects them; the Jesus who guides them and accompanies them through all their difficulties.  The Jesus who loves them with all his heart!”

“Jesus is the All-Encompassing Cure.  No, he doesn’t always take all the hardships away, but he always carries his people through them.  He always eases the hurt and he always brings help and blessing.  Show Jesus to your people.”

The speaker’s head tilted upward, and his arms raised heavenward.  “The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve.  To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”7

He lowered his gaze back to the people before him.  “Everyone needs Jesus.”  He pulled back his sleeves and held up his nail-marked wrists.  “Everyone needs these, and the one who loves them enough to suffer these.”  

With that, E. Manuel – “God With Us”10 – turned and walked briskly into the shadows. 

  1. Mark 4:9
  2. John 17:17
  3. Numbers 23:19
  4. Psalm 119:89
  5. Hebrews 4:12
  6. Romans 1:16
  7. John 14:3
  8. Matthew 28:20
  9. Isaiah 61:1-3
  10. Matthew 1:23

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I don’t really presume to know what Jesus would say to such a group; I can only guess.  However, in light of how the Bible is being attacked, undermined and disregarded, and recognizing how Jesus, the Savior, is being pushed into almost irrelevance … even sometimes in the church … the Lord might very well say something like this. 

As always, I pray that these words are thought-provoking, and ultimately a blessing to you.  Cherish God’s Word, and God’s Son which God’s Word shows us.  They really are the cure for all that ails us.

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title and start typing.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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A Thoughtful Reflection at a Significant Time

A Thoughtful Reflection at a Significant Time

This weekend marks my 60th birthday AND my 199th Heading to Heaven post. 

Neither of those events are probably all that significant to you.  But they are to me.  I’m honestly not sure which is less likely: to have reached 60 years old or to have shared almost 200 posts over the past 3 ¾ years. 

Those who know me well know that I was a wild one when I was young.  Not immorally wild, but risk-taker wild.  It is not an exaggeration to state that I should have been killed multiple times due to some of my adventurous and impetuous decisions.  Yet, here I am.

Nor was it ever an expectation of mine to share a weekly blog for almost four years.  Not in my wildest dreams.  Yet, here it is … with great thanks to all who follow this website and read its posts.

Neither of these significant (to me) events would have happened were it not for our faithful God. 

And as I considered what to share in this post to mark both (significant?) occasions, I really wanted to share something … significant.  I prayed about it and pondered it.  The conclusion I drew crystallized quickly and clearly: our awesome Lord is always faithful. 

You nod your head and think, “Well, of course he is!  I already know that.”  But when was the last time you really considered this attribute of God?

The Lord is many wonderful and incredible things, certainly.  But perhaps the very best of them (at least in regard to his dealing with us) is summarized with that all-encompassing adjective “faithful.”

It’s a description of God that is used often in the Scriptures … and especially in the hymns of God’s Old Testament people (the psalms).  Over-and-over-again the Lord is praised for his faithfulness.  In fact, one of the refrains used repeatedly in the psalms are these words: “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies” (Psalm 36:5).

Not only is the concept of God’s faithfulness rejoiced in, but the extent of the concept is as well!  The Lord’s “faithfulness reaches to the skies” (Ps. 36:5), “continues through all generations” (Ps. 100:5), and, in fact, “endures forever!” (Ps. 117:2).  He is “a compassionate and gracious God, … abounding in love and faithfulness” (Ps. 86:15), and “faithful in all he does” (Ps. 33:4).

Of course, the ultimate example of God’s faithfulness was literally embodied in the incarnate Jesus. 

In his birth: “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Galatians 4:4-5).

In his death: “… [Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).

In his resurrection from the dead: “God … raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:24-25).

And in his ascension, resuming his heavenly reign, and his ultimate return … as Jesus himself said: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).

Faithfulness throughout!  From the Lord’s first promise of the Savior in the Garden of Eden to the fulfillment of that promise in Jesus to the moment when God’s believers are ushered into heaven … God is faithful.  Always faithful.  Were he not, we would not be saved.

This is incredible!  But God’s faithfulness isn’t reserved only for our redemption and salvation.

It extends to our physical lives as well, impacting us on a daily level.

We wake up each morning, our heart beating and our body functioning, because God is faithful.  We climb out of our beds in homes God has provided, get dressed in clothes God has given, and eat breakfasts God has supplied … all because of his faithfulness.  And our day is just beginning! 

If only we open our spiritual eyes, we see the bounty of God’s faithfulness all around us all day long, every single day.

Even in the confusion of our uncertainty and the deep dark of our difficulties, our Lord is faithful.  His inspired Word assures us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).  And who doesn’t need that comfort now and again?

Many were the times I floundered through the dreary valley of extreme challenges – wondering, struggling, seeking, longing, praying – only to emerge in the Son-light and find Jesus smiling at me, and to realize in astonishment that he had been faithfully holding my hand and leading me all along (Mt. 28:20).  I suspect you have experienced the same.

Our God is eternally and extraordinarily faithful.  It’s who he is!  This is true in hugely important things … and in seemingly insignificant ones.  The events of our lives are all tied together in a lovely and loving chain of God’s faithfulness.

60 years.  199 posts.  Those benchmarks occurred only because the Lord is faithful.  The same is true of every other “accomplishment” and blessing I … or you! … have ever experienced.

Indeed, “your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies” (Psalm 36:5).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Psalm 89 – selected verses
1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? 7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. 8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

13 Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. 16 They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness. 17 For you are their glory and strength …

52 Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

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To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title and start typing.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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When Red Makes White

When Red Makes White

After thirty years in the moderate Pacific Northwest, the Lord was gentle with my wife and me early on in our first winter back in Michigan.  Temperatures have been unseasonably warm; the days remarkably pleasant for much of the past few months. 

In fact, I went fishing off our dock a day or two after Christmas!  The weather was almost balmy and the lake was ice-free – something that is nearly unheard of in central Michigan in the center of the winter season.

However, it seems the Lord has determined that it’s now time for us to experience true Midwestern winter weather.  As I write this, the wind is howling and the snowflakes are falling.  And both are supposed to continue for much of the night.  Then, if the forecasts are accurate, the temps will be plummeting like an icicle dislodged from a roofline.

The snow is certainly lovely!  I’ve always thought of it as God’s way of wrapping the world in white … covering over the flaws for just a little while with a gorgeous white coat.  The evergreens decked with God’s glimmering mantle of snow are especially eye-catching; I find them breathtakingly beautiful! 

Contemplating the heavy layer of white that is accumulating outside, I recall the striking words of Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

If one pauses to consider the Lord’s words, they seem to offer a strange contrast.  Red sins becoming white?  Why those choice of colors?  And how can that happen?

The comments in the verses preceding those thought-provoking words offer some clarification.  Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord is sharing some harsh but crucial criticisms to his people. 

He informs his supposed followers that their many sacrifices to him hold “no pleasure” for him (Is. 1:11).  Their offerings to him are “meaningless,” their incense “detestable,” and their assemblies “worthless” (Is. 1:13).  In regard to the religious festivals they observed … (which God himself told them to celebrate!) … the Lord states, “I hate them with all my being” (Is. 1:14).

If that wasn’t severe enough, God goes on to state, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.  Your hands are full of blood!” (Is. 1:15).

Now the contrast between red and white becomes clearer.  God’s own were following God’s instructions on how to worship him, but “their hearts were far from him” (Isaiah 29:13).  Consequently, their hands were red with the blood of pointless sacrifices.  Furthermore, their hearts and lives full of iniquity … including the blood of fellow humans who suffered through their loveless actions … also stained their hands crimson.

It’s not a pretty picture.  Blood is messy.  It seeps everywhere.  And when on one’s hands, it gathers and congeals in the creases, sticks between the fingers, and creeps under the fingernails.  It takes some serious effort to clean it all off.

Even more so when the blood is a spiritual stain.  In fact, that crimson can’t be removed!

But then the Lord in love makes an incredible offer to these blood-stained people: “Turn to me and I’ll settle this matter – I’ll make your scarlet sins as white as snow!”

Of course, many (most even) of the people in Isaiah’s day disregarded the Lord’s merciful proposal and continued to simply go through meaningless motions in their worship and selfish, hurtful actions in their lives.  But some took God’s words to heart and rejoiced in his loving and graceful promise.

Yet the faithful couldn’t begin to understand how the Lord would bring it about.  They didn’t realize that all those countless lamb sacrifices God commanded weren’t the atoning factor.

Rather, they pointed ahead to God’s own ultimate Sacrifice of his Son – Jesus, the Lamb of God, who could and would “take away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  In the most perfect example of love, Jesus would offer his holy life as the all-atoning Substitute for the sins of all sinners on the altar of the cross.

Jesus bloody birth in a barn was his first step to the bloody cross.  His life on earth began in blood, and it ended in holy blood … deliberately and specifically shed so that he could remove the unholy blood from our hands and our lives.  (For our hands are every bit as stained as the people in Isaiah’s day!)

What a concept!  The pure Jesus poured his blood over our blood-stained hands (and hearts), and instead of making them bloodier, it washed them clean!

That’s the affect Jesus’ blood has!  It is his blood that “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).  It is his blood that makes it possible for sinners like us to enter salvation.  The white robes worn in heaven gain their gleam from being washed in Jesus’ blood (Rev. 7:14).

Yes, the snow is lovely.  But not nearly as lovely as pure souls miraculously and wonderfully washed white in the red blood of our Savior!

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The Best Is Yet to Come

The Best Is Yet to Come

December 21st is always highlighted on my calendars.  The Winter Solstice is extremely important to me.  No, not because it’s exactly a month before my birthday.  Rather, it marks the end of the shrinking amount of daylight and ushers in the beginning of the “days” growing longer. 

I celebrate the Solstice every year!  Not with some radical or unusual activity, but with a moment (or a number of moments!) of joyful reflection.  We are finally trending toward Spring!

I actually enjoy aspects of each of the four seasons.  There are unique activities to engage in and events to enjoy regardless of which page on the calendar is currently displayed. 

But of the four seasons, Winter is my least favorite.  This was true when we lived in soggy and seemingly sunless Western Washington at this time of year; it is still true now that we live in snowy and icy Michigan.

December 21st is a marker of change; a turning of a corner; a day of hope; a reminder that more desirable seasons (at least to me) are on the way!

Which got me thinking.  There are a LOT of similar situations in life – times when we endure less pleasant prelims with our eyes on the better things that are yet to come.  So much of our current existence consists of getting through the “less pleasant” so we can enjoy the more pleasant.

Here are a few examples that came to my mind:

I well remember the grueling, gritty task of baling hay … and the fantastic feast the farmer’s wife laid out which followed.  Similarly, I recall being sweaty and filthy from working in the fields for summer jobs … and the refreshing jump into the Sebewaing River off the local railroad bridge to cool off and clean up.

Other examples would be mowing the lawn or weeding the garden or flower beds … and the pleasure of looking on the manicured result.  Similar interior tasks might be vacuuming the carpets, sweeping the floors, dusting the furniture, washing the dishes, or doing the laundry … and the satisfaction that follows.

A more extreme situation might be cleaning the toilet bowls … and the fresh smell and nicer appearance afterwards.

Even edibles can offer some cons before the pros that follow.  I find peeling potatoes a pain … but I thoroughly enjoy tators with my meat.  Or how about the typically monumental pre-holiday meal prep … which culminates in the magnificence of tables covered with delicious food surrounded by loved ones?

Cleaning fish isn’t pleasant … but a fish fry of fillets is scrumptious!  Eviscerating a newly harvested deer is messy, and deboning and processing the meat time-consuming … but the steaks and sausage that end up in the freezer make for many enjoyable moments the rest of the year.

Also, I’ve never particularly enjoyed waking up early in the morning and walking into a forest or woods in the dark.  However, being there as the woods “wakes up” is priceless.  Not to mention the anticipation of what might happen shortly.

It’s even that way before vacations.  I know I’m not alone when I say it’s almost too much work to go away.  This is often true about most extended trips, but especially when preparing for a camping, fishing or hunting trip where extra gear is involved.  But then one catches their breath and experiences the joy and blessings of being gone!

This preliminary unpleasantness followed by satisfaction creeps into many (maybe most or even all?) life events.  Christmas decorating, shopping, and wrapping all happen before the celebrating.  Many hard years of education lead, finally, to graduation; much planning and preparation precedes the wedding; and a tremendous amount of time, work and stress are involved in moving … until finally getting settled.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention nine months of uncomfortable pregnancy – and painful labor and delivery! – that the wonderful women in our lives endure before holding a newborn baby in their arms.

So much of life involves difficulties leading to blessings.  It could even be said that life itself is a challenging preliminary to what follows! 

Certainly God fills our lives with astounding blessings and allows us to enjoy incredible experiences.  Yet, sin is always with us, and our sinful lives lived in a sin-wrecked world carries a good share of hardships and heartaches. 

The Apostle Paul addresses this very thing, and suggests a very specific mindset about it.  “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Simply stated: Life is hard!  So lift your eyes off your temporary troubles and focus instead on your eternal home in heaven where there are none!

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him ” (1 Cor. 2:9) – THESE are the inconceivably wonderful blessings our Savior has waiting for us in his salvation.  We are comforted and encouraged when we concentrate on them while struggling in the here-and-now.

Even if perhaps someone dismisses the concept that life in this world is a struggle, I would think they would have to agree that the very end of life certainly is.  Death is no picnic.

But even there, the undesirable leads to the most desirable thing!  For believers in Jesus’ atoning suffering and death, and his victorious resurrection … death is but the doorway to life.  True life. A perfectly joyous, pure and unending life with Jesus – the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

Yes, the best is yet to come!  As the name of this blog infers, by God’s grace we are “Heading to Heaven!”  And that indeed is the very best conclusion of all, making everything else easier.

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Did some different examples of unpleasant prelims leading to pleasant results occur to you while reading this post?  If so, please share them in the comments section below!  I’d love to read them.

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Revelation 7:14-17
And [the angel] said [to John], “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Revelation 21:3-7
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” 

Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 

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Time at the Manger

Time at the Manger

“Christmas time.”  They are common words and a common concept at the end of December.  Usually they are supposed to denote a super-special and extra wonderful time of year.  Technically, the word “Christmas” translates to “Christ-worship.”  In reality, “Christmas time” actually seems to equate with “crazy-busy time,” leaving very little time for anything else. 

Especially, it seems, for Christ.

There are so many things to do, see, hear, smell, taste and experience during the holiday!  So many attractions and distractions that demand our attention, and we invariably find ourselves distracted by the attractions, and attracted to the distractions.  Obliged by the obligations, consumed by consumerism, overrun by the running – the season of peace tends to be anything but! 

Family and work obligations, attending or hosting holiday parties, tree trimming and special decorations, gift-buying and wrapping, travel time, Christmas cooking and baking, and an assorted menagerie of expectations keep us hopping and not-always-so-happy during what is supposed to be a joyous season. 

It’s a time for exuberance!  Unfortunately, we’re exhausted.

This quantity of typical Christmas doings is not what Christmas is about!  Rather, if we want to do Christmas right, there is only one proper approach.  We must spend quality time at the manger.

Of God’s countless miracles and on-going actions of love, this was undoubtedly the greatest.  Or at least the most significant to sinners who recognize their need for a Savior! 

God himself sequestered himself in a womb for nine months, wrapped himself in flesh, and was born in common fashion.  And not even in top-notch accommodations, but in a smelly cattle stall!  And not to be exalted and honored as the Lord that he is, but to be ignored, rejected and ultimately killed by people he had created and to whom he had given life.

“Christ Jesus … being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!”  (Philippians 2:5-8).

What god is like our God?  What god would be so great in power … and yet so good and so gracious and go to such extremes of love for undeserving people as our God did?  There is no other.  Our God is incomparable in every measure!

“This is what the Lord says — he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; … he says: ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other. … There is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.’” (Isaiah 45:18 & 21)

With the multiple demands of the Christmas season, may we never forget the magnitude of the love of our God.  It brought him to the manger to rescue a world of people who rebelled against him – the only true God and their very Creator.  Thirty-three years later, he would also become their Savior.  Which is specifically why Jesus was born in the first place.

There is no God like our God; there is no love like the love he demonstrated.

So if we are going to properly observe Christmas, we must worship Christ.  We must spend some time at the manger.  Not out of obligation, but gladly!  Willingly!  Eagerly! 

We come in awe.  We approach in wonder.  We kneel in adoration.  We weep in joy.  Our hearts gush in thankfulness. 

Manger scenes on our mantles or under our trees are wonderful reminders – often precious and beautiful, but always somewhat sterile.  Rather look in the real manger in Bethlehem.  See the mold forming in the corners of the feeding trough and the slobber and spittle left behind from the livestock.  And see the Baby nestled there, wrapped in strips of cloth, sprinkled with bits of straw and hay, and making his tiny baby movements.  He’s real, and he’s really important to you and me.

Christmas is a time of bright adornments.  Ornaments and tinsel on trees; wrapping paper on presents; candy sprinkles on cookies and cakes.  Pass them by and kneel in the dirt, straw and dung beside the manger.  The Baby we see there doesn’t look all that special, but there has never been a more special Child or a more beautiful sight.

Holiday lights are eye-catching.  But go to the manger and look upon the Light of the World.

Most can’t imagine Christmas without a tree.  Cast your eyes on Jesus’ manger, and recognize the shadow of the cross … the “tree” … that hangs over it. 

Christmas music is beloved.  But sidle up to the manger and the shepherds gathered there and listen to their description of the angels’ praises to a God who sent his Son to rescue the lost.

Presents will be given by us and to us.  We’ll buy them, wrap them and open them.  But peer into the manger and see the first and greatest Christmas Gift of all. 

Many relationships are treasured and enhanced at this time of year.  But step into the stable and have your heart warmed by the gurgling of God’s Son, lying in love in the manger … born solely to save us. 

With all the busyness of the holiday season, certainly take time for worship at your church.  Greet God’s people there and glorify God.  Sing the hymns and hear God’s Word.  It is good for us to be there!  Important even!  But while there, may the worship take us to the manger, and God’s Son resting on the hay inside it.  Because it’s not being in churches that is most important at Christmas time.  It’s being beside Jesus’ “cradle;” it’s bowing at Jesus’ manger.

Christmas.  “Christ worship.”  There’s nothing like spending time at the manger to foster our adoration of our God who loves us so very much that he would be found there.

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To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title and start typing.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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Having Everything

Having Everything

Charles Dickens’ classic story, “A Christmas Carol,” was an ingenious concept that has touched millions of people through the years.  It can’t be improved upon.  However, I thought I would provide a bit of a different twist to the concept, and be a bit more direct in the three different “insights” provided.  Dickens was a devout Christian and hinted at these truths.  I trust he would approve of the content of the messages in this version. 

May this story be thought-provoking and ultimately bless all who read it!

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Randy Thomas swung his leather-covered swivel chair slowly around, indulging himself in the sight of his luxuriously appointed office and his above-the-city view.  Nice.  All very nice.  And everything around him was the fruit of his own ingenuity and grit.  He had accomplished it all himself. 

It had been a grueling ascent, but it was behind him now.  He was fabulously wealthy and “on top of the world.”  And the best thing about wealth – he could now afford to hire the very best employees to keep his company prospering. 

Perhaps this would be a good time to check in with Simpson on that multi-million-dollar contract.  He stood, stretched, and sauntered out of his sanctuary. 

Drat!  Lousy timing!  That irritating Johnny Johnson was restocking the snack dispensing machine in the break area of the office.  Maybe Johnson wouldn’t notice him?

“Morning, Mr. Thomas!”  (Clearly he had noticed.)

“Hello, Jansen.”

“It’s Johnson.  But you know that, Mr. Thomas.”  Randy grunted, and Johnny smiled. 

They didn’t come any more gawky than Johnny Johnson.  Long and lean, he seemed all arms and legs; elbows and knees.  His ears stuck out perpendicular from his head, and a sharp, thin nose like a shark’s fin dominated his face.  He sported a small patch of hair centered on the front of his bald head … barely more follicles than protruded in obvious abundance from his nose and ears.

Randy didn’t even pretend to be kind; the man irritated him to no end.  “Why do I seem to run into you every time you are here, Jansen?”

“Just lucky, I guess,” the other man replied, with a grin.  (How could he be so frustratingly nice!)

“I can’t believe they haven’t replaced you yet.”

Johnny showed no response to the insult; he simply continued stocking the machine.  “Good workers are hard to find these days, Mr. Thomas.  You should know that.”  (Hard to rattle this guy!)

Johnny closed the vending machine door, locking it tight.  He stood and looked directly into Randy’s eyes.  “Mr. Thomas, I’d like to give you something.”

Again!  He offered the same thing again!  Every time they talked, Johnny made the same overture!  An exasperated Randy replied, “Why do you keep offering that?

“Because I have something you need.”

“What could you possibly have that I need?  What can you give to someone who has everything?”

“But you don’t have everything, Mr. Thomas.”

“Go away, Johnny.  Just go away!”  Randy wheeled around and stormed back to his office.  Only after he sat back down did he remember he had intended to chat with Simpson.  That stupid Johnson!

Later that evening, Randy nursed a drink while gazing out over the skyline from his penthouse.  Strangely, it wasn’t the business transactions of the day that engaged his mind, but the irritating repeated offer of that goofball Johnson.  To his great annoyance, Randy was intrigued.  What could Johnny’s gift be?  Undoubtedly something meaningless.  Certainly something he already owned, and probably three times over!  Yet Johnny claimed it was something he needed – something he didn’t have.

The man was beyond exasperating!  He was infuriating!

Randy’s thoughts tracked further down the rabbit-hole Johnny had dropped him in.  He was one of the wealthiest men in the world.  There was nothing he wanted that he lacked.  And if he happened to actually find something else he wanted, he wouldn’t lack it for long … no matter the price!  Few people in the world could claim that. 

He allowed himself a moment of honest reflection: “So why do I feel so empty when I have so much?”  There was no easy answer to that.

Randy shrugged and made his way to bed.  Unsettled, he tossed and turned for a while before the alcohol pulled him into a deep sleep.

Gradually it registered on his consciousness that he seemed to be falling face-first from his high-rise apartment.  While plummeting to the street below … faster and faster … the air rushing past him increased in intensity.  His pajamas were pinned to his body; his hair flopped and pulled against his scalp.  Randy was terrified! 

Suddenly, a man with golden hair, piercing blue eyes and a glowing white robe stood suspended in the air below him … his hand held upwards in a halt gesture.  Randy slammed to a stop above him.  Slowly his body rotated until his feet were below him and he was suspended beside the startling gleaming man.  And just that quickly, they were both standing on the ground in a fog-filled field.

“Greetings, Randy.  My name is Soniel.”  His voice was rich, deep and strong … like a ship’s horn melodiously forming words.  “I have been sent to show you things that most never get to see … at least not before their lives end.  You will see … and then you will see or not see.”

Randy swallowed hard.  “Who are you?” he sputtered.  “I mean, what are you?”

“I am a messenger of God bearing a three-fold message to you.  I urge you to watch and listen carefully.  Eternity rides in the balance.”  The angel stared intently at Randy.  Randy wanted to look away, but somehow couldn’t. 

The angel continued.  “Message one: you believe you have everything.  Here is what you really have.”

Soniel swept his arm to the right and pointed.  A casket materialized in the mist.  It was overflowing with his possessions.  Gold and silver bullion, his Rolexes and favorite jewelry from his jewelry chest, fancy clothes from his closets, precious paintings from his homes, titles of his properties and registrations of his vehicles.  Even his personalized and personally-fitted golf clubs. 

The angel spoke.  “Meaningless!  Meaningless.  Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.” (Ecc. 1:1)

As he looked on, Randy suddenly realized with horror that there was a body … his body! … in the casket.  He could see his pale face peeking out amidst his piles of possessions!

The shock hadn’t even settled in when riches began to cascade off the mounded up treasure and his naked corpse rose upward, levitating above the casket.  There was a huge void in his chest; a dark emptiness where his heart should be. 

Soniel’s voice resonated yet again.  “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mt. 16:26)

No sooner had the words been spoken when the casket burst into flames – the stockpiled riches incinerating in the conflagration.  The heat was all-consuming.  In short order, there was nothing left but smoldering ashes where just moments before had been a fortune. 

Randy’s dead body remained suspended in the air … seemingly untouched by the heat. 

“You brought nothing into the world, and you can take nothing out of it,” (1 Tim. 6:7) the angel said.  “Therefore do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world passes away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 Jn. 2:15-18)

The angel turned back toward Randy.  “Your everything is absolutely nothing.  Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions, (Lk. 12:15) so fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

Randy felt himself shuddering.  He wrapped his arms around himself to try to stop the shaking.  It didn’t help.

“That is message number one.  Here is message number two.”  Soniel swept his other hand in the opposite direction from before, his top two fingers pointing at the vision manifesting there.  “This is where you are headed.”

Randy reluctantly turned his attention where the angel directed.  A small, gray shimmering oval appeared, expanded rapidly and then burst open.  The fabric of the physical was pierced and a view into another world was suddenly revealed.

Initially all he saw was the deepest blackness.  But his nose was immediately filled with the gagging smell of decay and vomit, and his ears were overwhelmed with agonized shrieking.  Women screamed shrilly and men bellowed; sobbing and wailing prevailed.  Meanwhile, the voices of clearly spiritual entities filled the darkness with cursing and manic demonic cackling.  “You’re all doomed!  Doomed! Doomed!” More disturbing and unsettling laughter.  “You’re all doomed to this place and this pain and this darkness with us!  Forever!  Forever!  For-ev-er!”

Randy shuddered involuntarily.  He was profoundly moved.

Gradually his eyes assimilated and he began to discern that the place was filled with black fire – the edges of each flame tinged with the faintest orange.  The flames were broken up by the outlines of writhing bodies, trying but failing to escape the licking reach of the fire.  And though the flames burned furiously, the bodies never burned up.

Randy was horrified!  “Hell is real!” he shouted.

“Yes.”

But then something even more horrifying became evident.  Above the blackness was a “sky-light” revealing a bright view of Jesus on a throne surrounded by countless people singing and laughing and rejoicing.  The light from that place didn’t stream downwards into the blackness below, but everyone below could clearly look through that “window” and see that bright and beautiful world.

“Heaven’s real too!  And they can see it!”

“Yes.”

“That’s cruel!”

“That’s just.  They made their decisions in life, and now they can see life, but have only death.”

Soniel flicked his fingers and the view disappeared.  “It is too much to bear for those still in the physical world.”  He paused.  “It is too much to bear for those in that world as well, but bear it they must and bear it they do.”

Randy didn’t even realize that he had begun sobbing uncontrollably until once again in the silence with Soniel.  “No!  No!  No!” he cried out.  “I have nothing!  Nothing now, and nothing after!”  Tears streamed down his cheeks.  “N O T H I N G!” he repeated in the shock of the revelations.

Randy tried to compose himself … to no avail.  He asked in a shuddering voice, “Can I bear your final message, Soniel?  I am terrified to hear it!  Is it that you are taking me to that horrible place now?  Please, not that!  Please!”

The angel actually smiled.  Not unkindly, but lovingly.  “You are now ready for my final message.  It is quite different from the first two.  It is to reveal what God has done.”  He spread both arms wide.  “Behold!”

The view of Jesus on his throne reappeared.  Beside his throne was another one, where a brilliantly gleaming essence resided.  Jesus stood and bowed to the other throne.  Then a golden whirlwind swirled around Jesus and he disappeared.  The glowing stream grew brighter, arced upwards and then swooped downwards.  Randy watched it rocket past stars and planets on its way to earth. 

Soniel began speaking again – but more quietly now.  Randy could actually hear the wonder in his voice.  “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  He paused, then continued.  “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned …”  (Jn. 3:16-18a)

A young dark-haired woman came into Randy’s view.  Her pregnant belly glowed with golden light.  Randy somehow realized that the aura wasn’t evident to anyone but him. 

The previous view faded and was replaced with the same woman resting on a blanket on a bed of straw.  Beside her a newborn baby boy, glowing golden, wiggled in a feeding trough, while a concerned man knelt between Baby and mother. 

Soniel again.  “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that they might receive adoption to sonship.” (Gal. 4:4-5)

Another scene took shape.  It was a bloodied and battered man hanging from a cross … again faintly glowing golden.  He lifted his head and in a hoarse voice cried out, “It is finished!”

Soniel explained.  “God shows his love for humans in this: while they were still sinners, Christ died for them (Rom. 5:8) … the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18).

Yet another view was revealed.  Angels like Soniel effortlessly rolled a huge stone away from a tomb.  The living Jesus stood just inside the cavity, waiting and smiling.  Then he stepped into the early morning light. 

The angel before Randy laughed joyfully.  “Praise be to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given believers new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you …” (1 Peter 1:3-4)

Then it was only the two of them again.  Randy was sobbing again, but no longer in terror.  He choked out, “I loved the last message!”

“Without the first two messages, it would have meant nothing to you.  I will leave you now.  Do not dismiss my messages.  Do not forget them.  They are truth.”

“Never!  I never will!”  The angel nodded.  “One more thing, if I could,” Randy asked timidly.  Again the angel nodded.  “Why did you come to me?”

“This is certainly not the usual approach, but someone has been praying for you relentlessly, so the Lord sent me.”

“Who has been praying for me?”

“Let’s just say it’s someone who has wanted to give you a gift.”  Randy was stunned. 

The angel disappeared.  And there again was Randy’s body.  But the gaping cavity in his chest was filled with a glowing Baby in a manger.  He began crying again.  He finally truly had Everything, and everything else he had would be used for Him.

Wait until he saw Johnson again!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A few important comments:

I fully recognize that the concept of an angel sharing these in-depth messages with an unbeliever is NOT how the Lord typically works.  (At least there are no examples of anything similar in the Scriptures.)  God has entrusted the crucial task of sharing Him and His truths to you and me.  (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).  However, I approached it this way simply to attempt to share crucial messages and provide insights in a hopefully impactful way.  That is the benefit of stories.

Hell is often described in the Bible as fiery, but often as darkness as well.  How does one reconcile the two?  I did my best to include both aspects.

Jesus’ account of the rich man in hell (Luke 16:19-31) is absolutely fascinating (and heart-breaking!).  Was Jesus simply sharing a powerful story to pass along powerful truths, or was he giving a glimpse of how things really are?  Or some of both?  I don’t pretend to know.  However, it is a story unlike any others he told.  Therefore I borrowed concepts from it, feeling that if Jesus used these pictures, then I can safely do so as well. 

One of the striking lessons Jesus was teaching in his story was summarized by Abraham to the rich man when he begged that Lazarus be sent back to warn his brothers.  Abraham stated, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets [i.e. God’s Word!], they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”  Taking this to heart, it is clear that even an angel and the remarkable things he could reveal wouldn’t be sufficient to turn a heart either.  Consequently, I had God’s angel share God’s living, heart-altering words with the rich man.  Finally, it is the Holy Spirit working through Scripture that brings faith and changes perspectives.

Despite the licenses I took, I pray that this story glorifies God and brings blessing to God’s people.  Perhaps especially to some who are losing sight of the most important things – their Savior and their soul.

Merry Christmas, everyone!  We have Everything in Jesus!

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So You Have Things Figured Out?

So You Have Things Figured Out?

It’s been an interesting few days.

God-willing, our youngest son will be returning to our Michigan home shortly on his Christmas break.  He is currently competing on a team in an intramural bowling league at the college he attends.  He was excited to know that there was a bowling alley less than a mile from our house.  He intended to visit it frequently to improve his skills.

This week that 6-decade-old facility burned to the ground, making news across the state.  He’ll now have to travel a bit further to work on his delivery and spin, and he’ll get there less often.  A shocking and disappointing turn of events.

Friday morning my wife climbed in her van to drive to the school where she teaches.  The van wouldn’t start.  Her wonderful husband (me!) tried to come to her rescue.  But a quick inspection under the hood revealed a battery leak and damaged battery cables.  No immediate rescue possible.

This set off a chain reaction of unexpected results.  My wife had to call in and excuse herself from teaching.  I had to drive our other vehicle around town to prep for the repair.  Arrangements were made to tow the van to a shop.  And I had to postpone my multiple visits scheduled for the morning to deal with the unanticipated dilemma.

In short, the day went very differently than either my wife or I expected.

It’s not the first time unforeseen circumstances have happened in our personal “world,” and it certainly won’t be the last.  Nevertheless, these interesting few days led me to some introspection.

As humans, our usual approach to life is to orchestrate our activities day-by-day, fully expecting to see our plans come to fruition.  Often they do (by the grace of God).  But every now and then the Lord has to remind us that we are not in control of events as much as we like to think we are.

And sometimes the Lord really shakes things up to show us our complete incompetence at running our lives and reining in circumstances.  (Or reigning over them, for that matter!)

This is good for us!  We need reminders of who the true God is, for we are far too prone to crown ourselves as gods.  We are God’s creation and not the Creator.  We are subject to circumstances instead of ruling over them.  We are carried by the currents instead of directing them; blown by the breezes instead of funneling them.

This is a hard truth to hear, but a critical one to recognize.

Thomas a’ Kempis, a 15th-century German theologian, summarized this fact when he wrote (in Latin) the well-known maxim, “Man proposes, but God disposes.”

The Lord states this truth several ways through Solomon: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9).  Then, a few chapters later, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).

And the principle doesn’t only hold true for individuals, but entire countries! “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples” (Psalm 33:10).

It’s a concept the Scriptures emphasize repeatedly.

For example, James writes, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’ (James 4:13-15).

There is also Jesus’ striking story of the foolish rich man who made extensive plans to enjoy his wealth, only to have the Lord demand his life that night (Luke 12:16-21).  And multiple real-life Bible events as well, such as the tower of Babel, Pharaoh in Egypt, Haman in Esther’s day, and many more.

Even Jesus’ enemies had their own plans, conniving to arrest him, kill him, and “get rid of him.”  Little did they know that they were fulfilling God’s plans and promises, and their selfish and evil intentions only served to accomplish God’s loving purposes to secure salvation, and ultimately to exalt Jesus.

It really is true: “man proposes, but God disposes.”  Stated differently, “man suggests; God corrects.”  Or perhaps my favorite summary of all: “man plans, and God laughs.”

The point is … we make recommendations on our lives, but the Lord is the one who makes the ultimate decisions.  We must recognize this truth and acquiesce to our God.  Our plans are little lines in the seashore sand, and no matter how ambitious or ingenious they may be, it is the waves of our God which refashion them as he sees fit.

So you think you have things figured out?  Not a chance!  But thankfully our God does!

And thankfully, our God is a God we can trust implicitly.  He loves us beyond comprehension, working “all things for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).

Furthermore, he makes this promise to us: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

To which we might reply, “OK, Lord, with your help, my plan going forward is to trust you, and to fall into and follow your plans!”

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Miracle Deer

Miracle Deer

When I was a teenager living in Michigan, I couldn’t wait for the fall.  When the leaves started turning and the crops were being harvested, it meant that hunting season had arrived.  I could join my brother and father on the boat in the Bay to wait for ducks to approach our decoys, walk the farm fields hoping to flush a rooster pheasant, and sneak into my dad’s woods before first light to hunt squirrels, rabbits, and the ultimate quarry … whitetail deer. 

Though I tried hard and came close a number of times, I never harvested a deer in Michigan.  And then I was off to Wisconsin for college and the Seminary, and didn’t really have the opportunity to resume my hunting endeavors in the “mitten state.”  Though I was still able to get out in the timber in the state “across the pond,” I dearly missed those Michigan fields and woods in the fall.  I especially missed my dad’s woods, where I had spent so many enjoyable hours.

Upon graduation from the Seminary, the Lord sent me to Washington state and its bounty of outdoor activities.  I loved the fall opportunities dearly there, (pun intended), and filled a few tags … both deer and elk.  I was even able to share a number of fall outdoor activities with my sons and be with the three oldest ones as they shot their first deer.  Precious moments.

But I never really had much opportunity to hunt my old haunts.  Not for over 40 years.  And then the Lord brought us back to Michigan – a mere hour-and-a-quarter from my old stomping grounds.  This meant I could spend regular time with my Dad and Mom, whom I hadn’t seen much over the past three decades.  It also meant that I could use my days off (Mondays) to revisit Dad’s woods.

I got reacquainted with its layout.  (A lot changes over 40 years!)  I located the deer trails, strapped up a few game cameras, and eventually installed a 16-foot ladder stand.  I didn’t have time to hunt the bow season this year, but I counted the days to gun season.

When it arrived, I was in my stand before first light.  And I actually lost count of all the deer I saw that morning!  Michigan regulations now allow the taking of a doe with a buck license.  Plus, I actually had purchased an antlerless tag.  I could have filled it multiple times that morning, and the next morning as well.

But I had talked with God extensively.  I had seen multiple bucks on my game cameras … some quite impressive … and I had asked the Lord to please let my first Michigan deer be one taken in my father’s woods, and please let it be a buck.  I didn’t expect Him to grant my prayers, but I wasn’t going to be surprised if he did.  I certainly wanted to give him the opportunity to do so!

However, by the third morning with only one little buck spotted, and him not offering me a shot, I was ready to take a doe.  I did see one that morning immediately under my stand, but it was a small yearling.  I passed.

Opening days were gone, and I had three unfilled deer tags in my hunting jacket pocket.  My lovely wife wondered why I hadn’t taken one of the fine deer the Lord had presented me.  I explained my requests to the Lord.  My better half was largely unconvinced and fairly unsympathetic.

The next opportunity for me was the following Monday.  I bunked at my parents’ house for an early start the next morning.  But every indication from my weather apps on my phone was that the wind would be blowing from the worst possible direction to hunt from my raised stand.  None of my other natural ground blinds would work either.  Which meant I had to transition to plan C. 

I had no plan C.

Finally, I decided I needed to enter the woods with the wind in my face and work my way to the thicket where I had seen a lot of activity recently.  The problem was I had cut no trails into it, and it would be a noisy and prickly approach, with multiple downed trees to climb over.

So I prayed repeatedly that night and the next morning.  This was my redundant prayer: “Lord, please lead me to where I need to be … and please lead the deer to me.”

Not much of a hunting plan, I know, but it was my best shot under the circumstances.  (Really, it’s the best shot under any circumstances!)  I was absolutely confident the Lord could do it.  Whether he did or not was up to him, and I would find out in the morning.

An hour before daylight, I was fighting my way through the tangles.  I knew roughly where I wanted to end up, but had no idea if I could even find a suitable spot to take a stand.  I continued to pray my prayer.  Eventually I stumbled onto an area that was fairly open.  I said, “Alright, Lord, I guess this is it.  The rest is up to you. And Lord, obviously you are going to have to bring them close.” 

I was tempted to try to find a better spot.  And although I shifted just ten feet over to a more comfortable spot, I determined I had asked the Lord to lead me, so I would trust that he had led.  Now I had to also trust that he would lead the deer to me.

A few hours later, I still sat there.  I was chilled, but I was determined to wait.  I ate a few mini-Snickers bars for energy and to pass the time.  I heard some leaves rustling over my shoulder.  “Probably squirrels,” I thought, but still turned slowly to investigate. 

I couldn’t see anything, so I turned back.  And a doe was walking briskly broadside 30 feet in front of me!  She took a hard right behind some brush, walked closer to me, and plopped down 15 feet away beside a large fallen tree!  All I could see where her ears above the log, swiveling this way and that to listen.

Well, where there’s one deer, there are often more.  I looked where the doe had crossed and sure enough – there was another deer crossing in the same spot.  This one also took a hard right and came to a stop over the doe … 20 feet away.  The sun was behind it, but when I tilted my head and shifted my view, I spotted antlers.  I whispered a “Thank you, Lord!” and filled one of my buck tags. 

It was immediately evident to me that the Lord had just brought about a remarkable miracle in answer to my prayers.  He allowed me to harvest my first Michigan deer in my dad’s woods, and it was indeed a buck (a 6 point).  Even more remarkable, the Lord led me to exactly where I needed to be that morning, and THEN brought two deer directly to me.  Any closer, and they would have trampled me!

I know many would dismiss it all as blind chance or astounding luck.  What I know is that this deer was a miracle brought about by a God who loves me, blesses me despite myself, and answers prayers in dramatic fashion.

Oh, there’s one more rather amazing event I need to share.  When I turned on my truck to retrieve the deer after dragging it out, my all-time favorite Christian praise song filled my ears: “Holy Forever” by Chris Tomlin.  It’s a song about worshipping our God and Savior forever.  “Your name is the highest.  Your name is the greatest.  Your name stands above them all!”

The Lord didn’t need to remind me what had just happened.  I already knew.  But he emphasized it nonetheless.  I couldn’t help myself; I began to cry and worship.

Our Lord loves us dearly.  He hears our every prayer.  He has unending power.  He still does miracles, even in our lives.  He won’t always, but he always can.

Thank you, Lord.  You are amazing!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Matthew 7:7-8
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Isaiah 65:24
Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

Psalm 77:14
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

Jeremiah 32:27
“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title and start typing.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

To Subscribe – Go to the “Follow This Blog Via Email” column.  If you don’t immediately see that box, click on the “Comments” tag under the title, and scroll to the very bottom.  You should find it there.  OR simply comment you want to follow and I can add you!