My mother always had some wise sayings...one of them was when she told me (in response to my whining that I couldn't do something BIG with my life, or that my circumstances weren't 'fair'), that I should "Bloom where you are planted".
What did she mean? Simply that, no matter what my circumstances were, I should not use it as an excuse for failure or lack of effort. Instead, I should seek to give my all and do my best, whatever the circumstances.
I would like to say I've done that every day since, but the truth is that I haven't. There are too many times that I let my circumstances get me off-track, and discourage me. Sometimes, I have to admit, I'm kindof a 'lightweight' when it comes to things like this.
Daniel and his buds, on the other hand? Now, those were some dudes who knew how to 'bloom'!
In Daniel ch. 2, Daniel has just spoken God's words to Nebuchadnezzer, even though they meant that his reign would eventually come to an end. He spoke the truth, under hostile circumstances, in a foreign country, as a young man, and he gave credit to God in heaven--even though Nebuchadnezzer did not worship his God. He was bold! He was 'blooming where he had been planted'!
The outcome? As you see in Daniel 2:46-49, Daniel's God is praised, and Daniel--along with his buds--is promoted--WAY up the ladder of success and influence in Babylon!
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”
48 Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. 49 At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.(Daniel 2:46-49)
Daniel surely could've crawled into a spiritual or emotional 'hole' and shriveled up when he was forcibly moved to Babylon--away from family and everything he knew...but he didn't! He served with everything he had...he did his best, and he committed himself to God's care, knowing that God knew him and was with him WHEREVER HE WAS! Daniel, along with his 3 friends are promoted to positions of HUGE leadership and authority! God can do that!
The same is true for us--if, through faith in Christ, we are God's children and we faithfully serve and depend on Him. Wherever we're at, whatever our circumstances, you and I can also "Bloom where you are planted"!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
"...but there is a God in heaven..." Daniel 2
Daniel...young man, forcibly removed from home and placed in a foreign country. Indoctrinated with the ways of that country, yet he remains committed to the the God he knows...the God of his people.
King Nebuchadnezzer has a dream that he is frightened by, and he calls all of his normal 'wise men' to interpret it for him, but with a twist: He will not tell them the dream! He wants them to come up with his dream, AND the interpretation!
Their response? "Impossible"!
Of course it is! Who can read minds?
Nebuchadnezzer is furious, and demands that all 'wise men' be killed--along with prophets, etc. from the foreign lands (like Daniel).
How does Daniel respond? He calls a prayer meeting with his 3 friends...
He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said:
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
Daniel responds to this direct threat by praying! He calls together his 3 friends, and they pray throughout the night that God would give him the dream and it's interpretation...and He does!
So, Daniel is able go to Nebuchadnezzer and give him the dream and it's interpretation...but he is clear: This is NOT because HE (Daniel) is all that special...it's because GOD IS!
"No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries."
Despite trying circumstances, despite pressure, despite a possible death sentence, Daniel knows where to go--to the God of his people! HE is the key to Daniel's success and security.
...and, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, HE is the key to OUR success and security as well!
Your need may not be for a dream to be interpreted, but whatever your challenges and trials, whatever circumstances you find yourself in, remember..."There IS a God in Heaven!"
King Nebuchadnezzer has a dream that he is frightened by, and he calls all of his normal 'wise men' to interpret it for him, but with a twist: He will not tell them the dream! He wants them to come up with his dream, AND the interpretation!
Their response? "Impossible"!
Of course it is! Who can read minds?
Nebuchadnezzer is furious, and demands that all 'wise men' be killed--along with prophets, etc. from the foreign lands (like Daniel).
How does Daniel respond? He calls a prayer meeting with his 3 friends...
He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said:
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
Daniel responds to this direct threat by praying! He calls together his 3 friends, and they pray throughout the night that God would give him the dream and it's interpretation...and He does!
So, Daniel is able go to Nebuchadnezzer and give him the dream and it's interpretation...but he is clear: This is NOT because HE (Daniel) is all that special...it's because GOD IS!
"No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries."
Despite trying circumstances, despite pressure, despite a possible death sentence, Daniel knows where to go--to the God of his people! HE is the key to Daniel's success and security.
...and, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, HE is the key to OUR success and security as well!
Your need may not be for a dream to be interpreted, but whatever your challenges and trials, whatever circumstances you find yourself in, remember..."There IS a God in Heaven!"
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
What's in a Name?
What is your name? Do you know what it means?
Take a minute to consider 'What does your NAME represent?" When people hear your name, or the name of your family, what do they think? "Good worker"? "Nice people"? ...or do they think something different, like "Wierd family"? "Rude people"?
Daniel was a young man who was forcibly taken from Judah when it was overthrown by Nebachadnezzer of Babylon. He was forcibly removed from his family and brought to Babylon, along with his friends, to be indoctrinated in the ways of Babylon. This meant that he would have to eat what they ate, wear what they wore, etc. He would also be indoctrinated with Babylonian philosophy and religion. In fact, in order for Daniel to survive, he would need to be immersed in Babylonian culture.
...but that did NOT mean that he had to change who he was at his 'core'!
In fact, we are told that Daniel--in another act of humiliation--had his name changed.
"6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:
Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego."
Daniel and his friends were going to be immersed in the ways of the power of the world! The obvious goal was that they would become...'Babylonians', on a practical level!
But Daniel would not play along...nor would his 3 friends...seems that you can change a name (ie. the external title), and not touch the identity (the internal, heart-level person).
" 8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king."
Daniel and his friends sought (and were granted, due to some special work of God) special permission to eath a fruit/veggie diet (and so not to eat 'unclean' or 'defiled' food, which was part of his religious identity). The one in charge of them gave them permission and, after 10 days, found them to be even healthier...so he let them continue!
Daniel would learn many lessons in his years in Babylon...but one of the most important was that it is CRUCIAL that he not lose touch with the God of his people...that is, deep down, "WHO he really was".
How about us?
Have we become so 'indoctrinated' by the ways of this world that we've lost touch with the God we love? Is our faith watered down and mixed with so much of our world that it's hardly recognizable?
If so, we need to take a lesson from the young man, Daniel...and (after confessing it to God and repenting of it) we need to declare again WHO WE ARE--followers of God, through Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit!
What's in a name? What does YOUR name represent?
If it doesn't represent Jesus Christ, and His power to change a life, then maybe you need to learn a bit more from Daniel.
You may not be able to change the external circumstances around you...but you don't have to let those circumstances change you!
Take a minute to consider 'What does your NAME represent?" When people hear your name, or the name of your family, what do they think? "Good worker"? "Nice people"? ...or do they think something different, like "Wierd family"? "Rude people"?
Daniel was a young man who was forcibly taken from Judah when it was overthrown by Nebachadnezzer of Babylon. He was forcibly removed from his family and brought to Babylon, along with his friends, to be indoctrinated in the ways of Babylon. This meant that he would have to eat what they ate, wear what they wore, etc. He would also be indoctrinated with Babylonian philosophy and religion. In fact, in order for Daniel to survive, he would need to be immersed in Babylonian culture.
...but that did NOT mean that he had to change who he was at his 'core'!
In fact, we are told that Daniel--in another act of humiliation--had his name changed.
"6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:
Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego."
Daniel and his friends were going to be immersed in the ways of the power of the world! The obvious goal was that they would become...'Babylonians', on a practical level!
But Daniel would not play along...nor would his 3 friends...seems that you can change a name (ie. the external title), and not touch the identity (the internal, heart-level person).
" 8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king."
Daniel and his friends sought (and were granted, due to some special work of God) special permission to eath a fruit/veggie diet (and so not to eat 'unclean' or 'defiled' food, which was part of his religious identity). The one in charge of them gave them permission and, after 10 days, found them to be even healthier...so he let them continue!
Daniel would learn many lessons in his years in Babylon...but one of the most important was that it is CRUCIAL that he not lose touch with the God of his people...that is, deep down, "WHO he really was".
How about us?
Have we become so 'indoctrinated' by the ways of this world that we've lost touch with the God we love? Is our faith watered down and mixed with so much of our world that it's hardly recognizable?
If so, we need to take a lesson from the young man, Daniel...and (after confessing it to God and repenting of it) we need to declare again WHO WE ARE--followers of God, through Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit!
What's in a name? What does YOUR name represent?
If it doesn't represent Jesus Christ, and His power to change a life, then maybe you need to learn a bit more from Daniel.
You may not be able to change the external circumstances around you...but you don't have to let those circumstances change you!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Smack me upside the head!
Been reading Malachi a bit lately...and it's messing me up a bit!
Reading chapter 1, I was stricken by the fact that in some ways, I may be like the Priests at that time, whom God confronted for "showing contempt for (His) name" (v. 6).
How? By bringing 'defiled' offerings to Him.
In that day, they were to make animal sacrifices...spotless, unblemished, perfect lambs, goats, etc.
It was a foreshadowing--a "type" of Jesus Christ--who would be the perfect "Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29-36).
...but before Jesus came, it was still the Priests who had the responsibility and the priviledge of making those offerings to the Lord.
...and they had apparently begun to treat that with contempt, in that they had started offering blemished, lame and imperfect lambs. It had become common for them to say 'good enough' in this. Giving God their 'garbage' in a sense, and hoping He was happy with it. God says "When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the Lord Almighty." (v 8).
In other words, they had started to show disrespect to God by offering Him their leftovers, their garbage--stuff they wouldn't think of offering to an important human being! (Yet He is "the Lord Almighty"!)
Today (thankfully) we don't offer animal sacrifices...and we (thankfully) no longer have to fulfill the duties of The Law (because Jesus fulfilled them all on our behalf)...but this smacks me upside the head because it makes me look at how I treat God...do I give him my 'leftovers', and my 'garbage', or do I give him my best? Do I say "God doesn't care", or "He'll forgive me later", or do I really prioritize pleasing, worshipping and honoring HIM--THE LORD ALMIGHTY above all others?
Ouch!
Some call it "2x4 therapy"...and it's a smack upside my head!
What about yours?
Reading chapter 1, I was stricken by the fact that in some ways, I may be like the Priests at that time, whom God confronted for "showing contempt for (His) name" (v. 6).
How? By bringing 'defiled' offerings to Him.
In that day, they were to make animal sacrifices...spotless, unblemished, perfect lambs, goats, etc.
It was a foreshadowing--a "type" of Jesus Christ--who would be the perfect "Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29-36).
...but before Jesus came, it was still the Priests who had the responsibility and the priviledge of making those offerings to the Lord.
...and they had apparently begun to treat that with contempt, in that they had started offering blemished, lame and imperfect lambs. It had become common for them to say 'good enough' in this. Giving God their 'garbage' in a sense, and hoping He was happy with it. God says "When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the Lord Almighty." (v 8).
In other words, they had started to show disrespect to God by offering Him their leftovers, their garbage--stuff they wouldn't think of offering to an important human being! (Yet He is "the Lord Almighty"!)
Today (thankfully) we don't offer animal sacrifices...and we (thankfully) no longer have to fulfill the duties of The Law (because Jesus fulfilled them all on our behalf)...but this smacks me upside the head because it makes me look at how I treat God...do I give him my 'leftovers', and my 'garbage', or do I give him my best? Do I say "God doesn't care", or "He'll forgive me later", or do I really prioritize pleasing, worshipping and honoring HIM--THE LORD ALMIGHTY above all others?
Ouch!
Some call it "2x4 therapy"...and it's a smack upside my head!
What about yours?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Mighty God
"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, [a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
This child...this Baby...the "Mighty God"?
Yup!
Isaiah had prophesied that GOD would come IN THE FLESH--that God would be "with us", and become one of us. He would be "Immanuel" (God with us.)
But He would not cease to be God.
That meant that his attributes would stay with Him (even though He didn't actively use all of them while on Earth).
One of those attributes was His MIGHT. His strength (not like my nephew, Tim, who is a physical specimen)...but His strength over nature, over illness, over satan and his cohorts...
The kind of strength this baby had was strength to free people from slavery to sin...to give them HOPE! His strength was the kind that led people from darkness into light.
He Walked on water (John 6); Calmed the storm (Mark 4); Delivered from demons (Matthew 17); and even Raised the dead! (John 11).
...and He still does!
The 'storms' that we see...the demons that still enslave us...the obstacles we still have to overcome...the death that we still fear--Jesus gives freedom from all of that!
He is STILL the Mighty God! (Philippians 4:6-19, where we read "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.")
This Christmas, remember: That Baby WAS the Mighty God "in the flesh", and He still IS the "Mighty God"...but now He shows up in our lives, by faith!
Let Him use His "Might" for you!
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, [a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
This child...this Baby...the "Mighty God"?
Yup!
Isaiah had prophesied that GOD would come IN THE FLESH--that God would be "with us", and become one of us. He would be "Immanuel" (God with us.)
But He would not cease to be God.
That meant that his attributes would stay with Him (even though He didn't actively use all of them while on Earth).
One of those attributes was His MIGHT. His strength (not like my nephew, Tim, who is a physical specimen)...but His strength over nature, over illness, over satan and his cohorts...
The kind of strength this baby had was strength to free people from slavery to sin...to give them HOPE! His strength was the kind that led people from darkness into light.
He Walked on water (John 6); Calmed the storm (Mark 4); Delivered from demons (Matthew 17); and even Raised the dead! (John 11).
...and He still does!
The 'storms' that we see...the demons that still enslave us...the obstacles we still have to overcome...the death that we still fear--Jesus gives freedom from all of that!
He is STILL the Mighty God! (Philippians 4:6-19, where we read "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.")
This Christmas, remember: That Baby WAS the Mighty God "in the flesh", and He still IS the "Mighty God"...but now He shows up in our lives, by faith!
Let Him use His "Might" for you!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wonderful Counselor
The Child.
The One who would come and offer us Light, instead of Darkness.
He would offer us LIFE instead of death, FREEDOM instead of slavery...
And He would offer us more!
"And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor..." (Isaiah 9:6)
What does it mean that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor?
Among other things, it means that He is the source of Truth, He is the source of our wisdom, He is the key that unlocks the door to God--and all that God promises.
Jesus said it this way:
"I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father, except by me." (John 14:6)
He said "I am the Gate" (John 10:7)
"I am the Good Shepherd" (John 10:11-14)
"I am the door" (John 10:9).
Jesus--the Child of Isaiah 9, and of the Christmas Story--is the the key to it all.
All the wisdom we need for life--faith in Him opens it up.
He sends us (as seen in John 15 and 16) "the Counselor"--the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand Jesus' words, as well as the entire Scripture. The Holy Spirit changes our hearts and minds, making our character more like Christ's.
God--the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit--"Counsels" us in the sense that He teaches us how to live. The Word of God--the Bible--is the key to understanding His ways, His heart, His character...and that "Child" is the key to it all.
If I let it, this will impact everything in life!
My relationships, my thoughts and actions, my work, my money, my time...EVERY AREA of my life is impacted by this "Wonderful Counselor".
Have you ever been to a 'counselor'? Ever received 'counsel' from a wise and caring friend? What is the key to it?
Our response.
If we respond to this counsel in a humble, teachable way then we will benefit from it.
If, however, we write it off or shut it out, then the best counsel in the world will do us no good!
The absolute Best Counselor in the Universe is right here--represented by the Child at Christmas.
This Christmas, I'm asking God to help me continue to seek, listen to, understand, and be changed by, this Wonderful Counselor...will you join me?
The One who would come and offer us Light, instead of Darkness.
He would offer us LIFE instead of death, FREEDOM instead of slavery...
And He would offer us more!
"And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor..." (Isaiah 9:6)
What does it mean that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor?
Among other things, it means that He is the source of Truth, He is the source of our wisdom, He is the key that unlocks the door to God--and all that God promises.
Jesus said it this way:
"I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father, except by me." (John 14:6)
He said "I am the Gate" (John 10:7)
"I am the Good Shepherd" (John 10:11-14)
"I am the door" (John 10:9).
Jesus--the Child of Isaiah 9, and of the Christmas Story--is the the key to it all.
All the wisdom we need for life--faith in Him opens it up.
He sends us (as seen in John 15 and 16) "the Counselor"--the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand Jesus' words, as well as the entire Scripture. The Holy Spirit changes our hearts and minds, making our character more like Christ's.
God--the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit--"Counsels" us in the sense that He teaches us how to live. The Word of God--the Bible--is the key to understanding His ways, His heart, His character...and that "Child" is the key to it all.
If I let it, this will impact everything in life!
My relationships, my thoughts and actions, my work, my money, my time...EVERY AREA of my life is impacted by this "Wonderful Counselor".
Have you ever been to a 'counselor'? Ever received 'counsel' from a wise and caring friend? What is the key to it?
Our response.
If we respond to this counsel in a humble, teachable way then we will benefit from it.
If, however, we write it off or shut it out, then the best counsel in the world will do us no good!
The absolute Best Counselor in the Universe is right here--represented by the Child at Christmas.
This Christmas, I'm asking God to help me continue to seek, listen to, understand, and be changed by, this Wonderful Counselor...will you join me?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Making room for Jesus
It never fails.
Despite my best efforts...despite my 'resolutions' to do it differently, each year I come up to Christmas day and think "I wish I would have..."
Sometimes it's "I wish I would have done more service (to help show the generous love of God) this Christmas".
Sometimes it's "I wish we would have done more as a family to prepare our hearts to Worship the Christ child this Christmas".
Sometimes it's "I wish I would have had my act together and sent out more Christmas cards" this Christmas.
One thing I ALWAYS wish I would have done more is to take some time--each day leading up to it--and consider what Christmas has meant in my life.
After all, without Christmas--the coming of God to Earth in the form of that baby--the world would be a dramatically different place. (And, my life...if still in existence...would be dramatically different!)
So, here's what I hope to do: Take one scripture about Christ/Christmas and think about the theological and personal implications of it each day.
Wanna join me?
If so, the Scripture will be this: Isaiah 9:1-7.
You can look at it in your own Bible, of course...but if you don't have one, I'll show the sections here. I'll look at a few of the verses each day for the next several days. I hope it helps me--and you--to really prepare your heart and mind to really CELEBRATE CHRIST this Christmas!
Isaiah 9:1-5 (for today)...
1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death [a]
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
Don't get scared away by some of those terms! "Zebulin" "Naphtali"...these are simply cities in the area that Isaiah (hundreds of years before Jesus' birth) was preaching to.
What's he saying here? That a New Day is coming! That the time when his people (Israel) was condemned to live in captivity and slavery would be ending! God was going to send a Deliverer...someone who would lead them out of darkness, into light...out of slavery into freedom...out of war, into peace!
This (of course!) would cause the people to celebrate and worship!
What is it that CAUSES all of this?
(Isaiah 9:6)
"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders."
A child...a Savior...a Deliver would be born. One day, that child would grow and lead them out! It would be a time of freedom and celebration, liberation--like the dawn of a new day!
Was Isaiah talking specifically about Jesus' birthday? Scholars always debate this kind of thing...but even if he wasn't directly conscious of this, I believe he was! God had inspired him to dream--and to prophecy--about coming events that he didn't fully understand!
So, what's this all mean to me, or to you?
Well, is there any sense in which we "walk in darkness"? Is there any sense in which we are "slaves"? I definitely think so!
The rest of the Scriptures teach us that we are slaves to sin, and (as a result), we are trapped in darkness...separated from the light and freedom--the wholeness and peace--of God.
We are stuck in the dark with no hope of dawn!
That's a pretty bad place to be!
BUT, because God didn't want to leave us that way, he sent His Son--"Unto us a Child is Born, unto us a Son is given..." . That Son would grow, teach, lead, love, and ultimately would sacrifice Himself for us, taking the penalty of our sins, and making it possible for us to have New LIFE--freedom, wholeness, peace and joy--with God!
"The government will be upon His shoulders". Again, I think there's more than one meaning here. Ultimately, the Scriptures are clear: There WILL come a day in which Jesus will RULE the Earth, and will make everything right, pure, and holy. In the meantime, the 'government' of our lives can be upon His shoulders...and we can learn to experience that freedom, real joy, and peace that comes from following Him...letting Him be our Leader!
On a personal level, I've experienced this, more or less, for the last 30 years. The times when I'm really letting Him be my leader are the times that I experience the freedom and newness of Life...but the times I try to do it on my own--or I simply let myself get too busy with life (or Christmas shopping!) are the times it almost seems like the "great light" is getting clouded out!
In the coming days, I'll consider the rest of this prophecy...one element at a time...but in the meantime, let's all consider: Have we let Jesus lead us out of the darkness, by faith? Have we allowed Him to be the Leader of our lives?
If so, CELEBRATE the dawn of a new day! If not, I encourage you to pray about that--ask God what it means--so that you can REALLY 'celebrate' Christmas this year!
Despite my best efforts...despite my 'resolutions' to do it differently, each year I come up to Christmas day and think "I wish I would have..."
Sometimes it's "I wish I would have done more service (to help show the generous love of God) this Christmas".
Sometimes it's "I wish we would have done more as a family to prepare our hearts to Worship the Christ child this Christmas".
Sometimes it's "I wish I would have had my act together and sent out more Christmas cards" this Christmas.
One thing I ALWAYS wish I would have done more is to take some time--each day leading up to it--and consider what Christmas has meant in my life.
After all, without Christmas--the coming of God to Earth in the form of that baby--the world would be a dramatically different place. (And, my life...if still in existence...would be dramatically different!)
So, here's what I hope to do: Take one scripture about Christ/Christmas and think about the theological and personal implications of it each day.
Wanna join me?
If so, the Scripture will be this: Isaiah 9:1-7.
You can look at it in your own Bible, of course...but if you don't have one, I'll show the sections here. I'll look at a few of the verses each day for the next several days. I hope it helps me--and you--to really prepare your heart and mind to really CELEBRATE CHRIST this Christmas!
Isaiah 9:1-5 (for today)...
1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death [a]
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
Don't get scared away by some of those terms! "Zebulin" "Naphtali"...these are simply cities in the area that Isaiah (hundreds of years before Jesus' birth) was preaching to.
What's he saying here? That a New Day is coming! That the time when his people (Israel) was condemned to live in captivity and slavery would be ending! God was going to send a Deliverer...someone who would lead them out of darkness, into light...out of slavery into freedom...out of war, into peace!
This (of course!) would cause the people to celebrate and worship!
What is it that CAUSES all of this?
(Isaiah 9:6)
"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders."
A child...a Savior...a Deliver would be born. One day, that child would grow and lead them out! It would be a time of freedom and celebration, liberation--like the dawn of a new day!
Was Isaiah talking specifically about Jesus' birthday? Scholars always debate this kind of thing...but even if he wasn't directly conscious of this, I believe he was! God had inspired him to dream--and to prophecy--about coming events that he didn't fully understand!
So, what's this all mean to me, or to you?
Well, is there any sense in which we "walk in darkness"? Is there any sense in which we are "slaves"? I definitely think so!
The rest of the Scriptures teach us that we are slaves to sin, and (as a result), we are trapped in darkness...separated from the light and freedom--the wholeness and peace--of God.
We are stuck in the dark with no hope of dawn!
That's a pretty bad place to be!
BUT, because God didn't want to leave us that way, he sent His Son--"Unto us a Child is Born, unto us a Son is given..." . That Son would grow, teach, lead, love, and ultimately would sacrifice Himself for us, taking the penalty of our sins, and making it possible for us to have New LIFE--freedom, wholeness, peace and joy--with God!
"The government will be upon His shoulders". Again, I think there's more than one meaning here. Ultimately, the Scriptures are clear: There WILL come a day in which Jesus will RULE the Earth, and will make everything right, pure, and holy. In the meantime, the 'government' of our lives can be upon His shoulders...and we can learn to experience that freedom, real joy, and peace that comes from following Him...letting Him be our Leader!
On a personal level, I've experienced this, more or less, for the last 30 years. The times when I'm really letting Him be my leader are the times that I experience the freedom and newness of Life...but the times I try to do it on my own--or I simply let myself get too busy with life (or Christmas shopping!) are the times it almost seems like the "great light" is getting clouded out!
In the coming days, I'll consider the rest of this prophecy...one element at a time...but in the meantime, let's all consider: Have we let Jesus lead us out of the darkness, by faith? Have we allowed Him to be the Leader of our lives?
If so, CELEBRATE the dawn of a new day! If not, I encourage you to pray about that--ask God what it means--so that you can REALLY 'celebrate' Christmas this year!
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