Christmas Night, 2024

There have been some times when being ordained for ministry has gotten in the way of doing and being like other folks.  There have been interrupted vacations, middle of the night crises, and special worship services that have competed for family time.  Being a pastor is not a job done according to a time clock, but one that requires a willingness to go when needed.  It is not always easy.  Sometimes things have to be given up which are hard to let go.  

After a time of seasoning, most pastors who stay the course, realize that the ministry provides an invitation to share the joys and sorrows of people's lives in a way not afforded to everyone.  Tonight as Christmas day had turned into darkness, I was privileged to be with a couple in the hospital.  We gathered to share communion together, but it occurred to me within the moment that I should offer baptismal reaffirmation to the man who had spent too many long days in a hospital bed even as his wife had done the same thing in a recliner that only promised sleep.  There have been other such occasions over recent years.  Each one is treasured as a gift.  Tonight was no different. 

Tonight as the water remembering baptism did its holy work, I saw coming from the edge of his eye a trail of water that spoke of a heart being touched by the Spirit.  What a joy and privilege it was to be standing there at the intersection of human need and God's grace!  It will be a moment which will linger in this spirit of mine as long as breath and memory remain in this body God has gifted to me.  Would I trade the unscheduled life of a pastor for a nine to five job in the marketplace?  Not a chance!

Christmas Day, 2024

Christmas Day looks different now than it did when I was a boy.  Christmas trees are not mandatory and most of them never touched the dirt.  The packages under the tree are wrapped in brown paper instead of colorful red wrap with winter scenes stamped all over them.  Christmas stuff no longer comes in Santa's sleigh, but a prime truck.  The elves have been replaced by minions dressed in brown suits.  Of course, no one goes into a store these days since the internet malls never close and Black Friday is every day.   

Other things are different, too.  When I was growing up, no one in their right mind would go to church on Christmas Eve.  In the current day, churches have multiple services to accommodate the overflowing crowds.  Even the Protestants have finally decided not to let the Roman Catholics have all the fun.  Of course, one of the surprising things about today as compared to yesterday is the desire people have for Holy Communion on the night the birth of Jesus is remembered.  While most Christmas Eve services still conclude with individuals holding little small candles, smart candles have greatly reduced the fire hazard and the likelihood of hands being burned by hot wax has been minimized. 

One things though has not changed.  It is still all about Jesus.  In today's religious culture, one never knows what to expect, but as for now, Jesus in the manger is still getting center stage at Christmas.  The message about Jesus being the Light of the World is still proclaimed and the story from Luke is still being read.  The Christmas music is still the traditional songs that tell of His birth.  Oh, and people still go to churches on Christmas which is something they do not always do the rest of the year.  Christmas still gets a thumbs up.  In most places it is still all about Jesus!

Christmas Eve, 2024

Daylight done come on Christmas Eve,

The Son done gone to shinin' on Christmas Eve,

Jesus done come and started living among us,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Jesus done come!

The Devil done gone 'a runnin' on Christmas Eve,

He know he done gone and got whipped on Christmas Eve,

May take some more persuadin' but he knows he done,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Jesus done come!

Come now, Church, start your praisin' on Christmas Eve,

Join voices with them angels singing on Christmas Eve,

Let heaven and earth start shouting about the King,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Jesus done come!

A Story To Tell

The story we are always eager to hear on Christmas Eve as we gather for worship has its known parts, but like any story from the past, there are moments hidden between the lines that we shall never know.  We can never really know the expression on Joseph's face when his hand first felt the kick of his unborn son.  Only a mother can imagine the sense of wonder which must have swept across the heart of Mary as she felt the reality of growing life within her.  What did they say to one another when the innkeeper said, "No room?"  How chagrined must Joseph have been when he saw the animal stall that would hold his son!  There are so many stories which could be told if someone had only told them.     

On this night before the great story of the birth of Christ is told once again, we are reminded that we all have our own story of coming to Jesus.  We may not have come with the songs of angels in our ears, or with our eyes glued to the heavens, but our story is our story and it is an important story for those who come after us to know.  We can tell the story of the great fish that did not get away, or some muscle car from the past, or maybe one about our walking across a stage or down an aisle, but no story has such life changing effect as the one we have about our coming to Jesus.   

It is a story that set the course of our life.  It is one that shaped our spirit.  It is one that enabled us to give love and live with gratitude.  All the important things about us that speak of the essence of our being are the result of that moment we came to know Jesus and chose to walk with Him.  Like the story we will hear soon in our Christmas Eve gatherings, it is a story for the ages and we need to be sure it is being passed to those we love.

Fear Not

God does not act in a vacuum.  His story of His involvement with His people does not begin like some "Once upon a time..." narrative.  It does not speak of kings and queens who are fictional, or ordinary people who never really lived.  There is no disclaimer in the front of the Book saying that any resemblance to someone specific is purely incidental.  God does not work in the incidental realm, but the one where real people live midst the good and bad which bring blessings and afflictions.   

The story which is about to be read in churches across the land is one which is told in a specific geographic and historical context. "In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria." (Luke 2:1-2).  With those words the stage is set.  It is not a stage which could have existed or a story which was mostly fiction with a sprinkling of the historical.  The story Luke tells is one of fact.  It is one so factual and historical it can be validated by what is known about the period of the context.  The people whose stories are told in the sacred Word are as real as our mothers and fathers.   

This word of God which we read on Christmas Eve and which is read by the faithful of God is one which tells with accuracy the dealings of God with the people created by His own hand.  It is a story as old as Adam and Eve, one that includes the stories being written with the lives of people like us, and one which will end with the chapter telling about the return of the Christ not as a child, but as the reigning King.  We spend too much time looking at the minutia of the present historical moment and not enough looking at the big picture.  As we look at the big picture, we hear the whispering words of God, "Fear not...fear not...fear not."  The One writing the history which includes our lives is God and He is still in charge.

A Morning Prayer

There is an unmistakable silence in the air this Sunday morning.  Even as the sun has not broken into the darkness, neither does it seem that the noise which is somehow always present has broken into the quietness of the new day. It is a moment for anticipating what is surely to come.  The unexpected distant sound of a train whistle as the engineer pulls his load across a crossing reminds me that this moment of emptiness is not going to last forever.  Soon it will fill with the stuff of life and the filling will surely be filled with life's noise.  

In these years of being away from the frantic call of the working world, I have become a fan of the still silence.  While I have for a long time known it was worth finding even when in the world of urban environments where unnatural sounds are ever present, these post pulpit years where morning breaks in the stillness of the creation on the farm have had an unexpected transformational power.  Mornings like this one have soul nurturing power.  Some mornings it seems that there is Someone sitting in the silence with me and like me, He does not always find it necessary to speak.  

There are many words which have become like guideposts in my journey from where I was to where I am going and one of those words is Presence.  He is always with us. This I know and believe.  Yet, as the quiet mornings stack on one another through the course of a season, the sense of Presence becomes not just expected on a Sunday morning, but on any morning and at any minute through the day it unfolds for me.  "Thank You, Father God, for coming in this quiet hour and for allowing it to be a promise of Presence throughout the day.  Amen."

The Face of the Child

There is an old song entitled "It's Starting to look a lot like Christmas."  It is true.  It not only looks like Christmas, but it feels like Christmas in my heart.  It is a strange experience.  The powerful moment of worship which is always a part of Christmas Eve has not come yet.  It is still something which awaits us.  Some things have not yet been done.  The Christmas story about the birth of Jesus has not been read midst the people of God.  "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Joy to the World" are still out there in the darkness waiting for the Light of the Christ child to shine upon them.  

It has not been my privilege to be leading a congregation of people through this season; yet, it has been such a long time since I have known my own heart being warmed by the spiritual power in which I seem to be immersed.  Perhaps, it has had to do with the way the church I am attending has been faithful to the Advent message through song and word.  Themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love have stood like sentinels opening gates to joyous celebration and thoughtful reflection.  Or, perhaps, it has been getting involved once again in acts of giving and reaching out to those with whom I share a special bond of love and the caring for new friends who have come my way during the course of the months since last December.  

More than anything it seems my heart has been made more aware of the incredible gift of life and grace.  Life and grace are God's gifts given by God's hands and heart.  They are given not just to a few of us, but to all of us.  While my experience is like the experience of many as I say that some hard moments have been visited upon me, I join the many around me who live with a deep sense of gratitude.  Maybe one of the real gifts of Christmas is seeing the face of the child of Bethlehem and seeing with gratitude the grace of God.

Improbable and Impossible

While it may not be as true today as it was back in the day when I was growing up, or in the day of Mary and Joseph, a pregnancy like hers was certainly the talk of the village.  Some people are always on the prowl for other people's personal business so they can use it as a source of conversation.  Or, gossip.  Surely, Mary must have heard her share of comments that were spoken just loud enough for her to hear.  Of course, Joseph did not receive a pass either. 

No doubt his dream which is recorded in Matthew' gospel is about his inner battle with his ego as well as his trust in the words of the woman he was to marry.  It took an angel in a dream for Joseph to know he could believe the incredible word Mary was telling him.  Mary, too, found her mind stretched to the point of disbelief.  She was young, but not too young to know about sex and love and family and babies being born.  Very little happened in that world that was hidden and unseen.  As she questioned the visiting angel, she was told, "And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren,  For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:36-37).   What Mary did was to go and see.  At six months Elizabeth's pregnancy would be no secret.  If she was pregnant, then Mary would have a piece of external validation of what she had heard from heaven.  

When Mary saw Elizabeth, any doubts must have flown far away as she knew Elizabeth's pregnancy was as improbable as hers was impossible. It is no wonder the Christmas season has always been regarded as the season of miracles.  Sometimes the things we face are improbable and sometimes they are impossible.  God proved in those days and in a thousand days since then that neither improbable or impossible can prevent Him from accomplishing what He sets out to do in our lives.

I Shall Rue the Day

 When this pen shall lie silent

   as if it had a voice to speak,

     I shall rue the day

      for there is still much unseen

       which longs for voice

and for those things I speak.

 

I speak words for the voiceless,

   shedding light on the darkness

     of minds too lost to see,

      too hurried for a slower pace,

       too occupied with life

to see the life being missed.

 

So, good Lord, grant one more day

   to see your glory here

    that Your voice I might be

      for the creation around me

        and the souls who do not know

of their blindness and need to see.

 

 

The Balm of Love

Today is a day I have always remembered.  It is day etched in the mind and heart of both my sister and me.  It is the anniversary of the day in 1955 when our father left home one morning and did not return in the evening.  A collision of airplanes near an Air Force Base and over a beach forever changed our lives.  When our mother died during the covid pandemic of 2020, we lost our last connection with him.  Picking up the phone on the anniversary of that day and talking to her was no longer a possibility so we talk to one another.    

This is not to say that my life was stopped that day.  It is hard to go back and find that boy of age seven to know what he felt, but it is likely he did feel that life was somehow suddenly changed.  Of course, it was.  It always is different when we lose someone we love.  Love does not allow us to simply walk away from our loss.  Instead, we are reminded at many junctures along the way into the future of the pain we carry deep within us.  Love and grief are not inseparable emotions, but what we hope for in our own lives and in the lives of those who grieve along the way with us is the prevailing power of love.  

The Word of God tells us love never ends and that it is the greatest thing we can carry in our hearts.  (I Corinthians 13:8, 13).  I John tells us that God is love.  (I John 4:7). Our grief is a result of our love and love is God's answer to our grief.  Our grief may always be with us.  It will come and go.  And, come again.  But, as surely as we grieve, God will come again and again to bathe our heart with the everlasting healing balm of love.

Reading the Story

 Since I served as a preacher for over forty years,  I have seen a lot of Live Nativity Scenes.  Some were sponsored by a community, or several church through a ministerial association, and a good number were offered as a part of the church I served.  I only remember one.  It was one offered by the youth and children of the Perry Church.  An unexpected thing happened as some of the young actors wanted to play different parts.  About every thirty minutes, the Nativity Scene would suddenly become empty as everyone ran to the building.  Those leaving in angels wings came back as shepherds and some wise man got to play the part of Joseph.  It was fun.  It was joyous. It was Christmas.   

 

It is easy for us to lose this part of Christmas as we become so occupied with details that we are unable to experience what the moment is bringing to us.  For too many Christmas is experienced with a gigantic sigh of relief instead of an overwhelming sense of joy.  We must not forget the message of the angel who showed up out there in the darkness where shepherds watched their sheep.  "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:  to you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord."  (Luke 2:10-11).  Christmas is, of course, about Jesus.  

 

Many times over the years I have heard parents walk around this single truth.  It is easier to talk about Santa Claus and feelings like love and peace.  It is sad.  One day we are likely to have a generation of kids who come to Christmas with the question, "Jesus, who is He?"  A good way to turn the trend in the right direction would be in making the reading of Luke 2 a part of the Christmas gatherings at our church and, more importantly in our homes.

Inconsolable at Christmas

What some people will remember most about Christmas this year will be the people who no longer share it with them.  There is, perhaps, no season which lends itself to so much joy.  It is the season of bright colors, festive wrapping, parties with friends, musical concerts, tables that project the definition of a feast, and gatherings of family.  It is also true that no season lends itself to so much grief.  Grief may initially be experienced in the loss of a presence dear to us, but as days stretch into months and even years of living with them gone, the loss becomes focused on what is lost to them and to us.  Some will find it hard to move through the season of joy without a personal grief which will be unnoticed by most people in the room.

That grief and loss is a part of the story of the Incarnation is something we often miss.  After the wise men from the East came, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child..."  (Matthew 2:13). As Joseph and Mary fled to safety, there was surely relief, but also the loss of family, familiar surroundings, and everything that was a part of their lives.  Herod did search for the child.  Not only did he search, but he also "killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under..." (Matthew 2:16). "wailing and loud lamentations" was indeed visited upon many a family in those days.  It was a time of inconsolable loss and grief.  

It is important that we not miss the grief and loss that some carry into these days. It may be years since some friend has experienced the loss of someone who was greatly loved and very much a part of their lives, but do not dismiss them by thinking they should just get over it.  Grief is not time conscious.  It does not gently knock at the front door of our heart, but instead when it comes, it knocks down the door.  Give grace to those who are forever picking up the pieces.

The Missing Shoe

I wish I did not see all the things I see.  Some folks walked in church this morning and passed by the Nativity Scene characters with a sigh of admiration and appreciation.  It really is something to behold.  There is nothing chintzy about what is just outside the front door.  All the players are on stage and standing there as tall as I am.  This morning though I noticed something odd.  The wise man who was being nuzzled by his camel was not wearing any shoes.  Or, boots.  Or, sandals.  Or, whatever kings are supposed to wear.   

A barefooted king was just too much!  Aside from taking up a collection, I suppose there is nothing that can be done except to recognize that God is like the creators of the Nativity scene.  He is the creator of the unpredictable and full of surprises.  Certainly, Mary and Joseph were surprised with the visit of Gabriel and the message he brought.  Who could have been more surprised than those first century Christians to wake up one morning and hear the news that Saul of Tarsus had become a believer in Jesus?  Of course, a Messiah who died on a cross was too much for anyone to believe!   

Another surprising thing which has never failed to surprise is that God called me to preach.  I always figured when He called me, He was scraping the bottom of the barrel.  Regardless of how we end up living our lives, it is always true that God has blessed us in surprising ways.  When we look back over the span of the years He has given us, we always marvel at the way His hand has brought us to the life we now know.  The life we now know is something which we think of as better than we deserve and also something that is simply another way of naming grace in our life.

A Savior in Bethlehem

The story found in the second chapter of Luke is one that does not grow old.  Every year we long to hear it again.  Christmas is not complete until we sit and listen to those words written so long ago.  Some people hear it in Christmas Eve worship and, indeed, such a setting somehow enriches those sacred words.  Others read it each year around the Christmas tree before any packages are opened.  Even as the Jewish community remembers their story of deliverance each Passover, so do we want to be sure our children know the story of the Christ coming into our world at Bethlehem.   

No matter how many years we have heard it read, there is always a sense of wonder and awe which comes over us as we listen.  We hear the story and catch glimpses of the journey to the City of David.  We hear the story and we look heavenward for the angels which showed up in the fields while shepherds watched their flock.  Finally, we hear the story with ears listening for the sound of a new born baby crying out its first sounds. For those who truly have hearts that are hungry, the words of the story are heard again and again as if for the first time.   

There was truly something holy and mysterious about that night long ago in Bethlehem.  How can our finite minds fathom the reality of God emptying Himself of all the glories of heaven for a moment of birthing midst the smell of hay and animal dung?  Who can put together the wooden cradle and the wooden cross which awaits the child of Bethlehem?  How can such a life and death as His set us free from the regrets of life lived wrong, the guilt of those choices, and the sin which seems like a heavy unbearable and impossible to remove weight upon our soul?   There is the story we read each Christmas and then there is the story of salvation, deliverance, and resurrection which is written between the lines.  A Savior was born that night long ago.  He is a Savior still needed by each and every one of us.

A Grandfather's Story

We were there that night, my son, 

  a night just like every night,

   the sheep were all settled down,

    the embers were mostly gone,

      old Benjamin a' snoring,

        Jonas out there on watch,

         the rest of us hunting sleep

while sitting around, watching.

A dark night it was, my boy,

  the moon somewhere out of sight,

    suddenly came a warm wind

      sending hot fire in the air,

        lighting again the dark sky

         just before the angel came,

          with hundreds more all around

we shepherds fell to the ground.

Still we heard their words, my child,

  about a boy born that night

   in the town of Bethlehem.

    We stood, looked at one another

      and without a word we went,

       moving quietly, but with haste

       to see one named Messiah,

in the city of David.

 

Forget not these words, my son.

  A Savior was born that night

   Who forever changed my life,

    by forgiving me of my sins,

     making in me someone new,

      all because we left those sheep

       alone in the field that night

and saw God's own Son, Jesus.

       

The Holy

I have always been a bit shy about angels.  I know they show up all over the place in the Christmas story which is, of course, not the only page of the Scripture where they appear.  They are not partial to the New Testament since they show up in the Old Testament as well.  There is the angel Gabriel who appeared to Daniel and again to announce the birth of Jesus.  There are also the famous "angels unaware" (Hebrews 13:2) who show up when you least expect it and a host of others as the moment merits it.  I know they are mentioned often in the Word and I know they are as "they" say "all around."  

My problem has always been with the way folks talk about angels.  They often are spoken of as some buddy who hangs around unseen.  They linger on the four corners of the bedposts, on the head of a pin, and surely must bump into each other as the hover over us.  While I know it all sounds a bit sacrilegious, and I do not mean to be, such familiarity with the sacred has always been somewhat troubling.  For example, I know Jesus spoke of calling us friends, but I still cringe when someone speaks of Jesus being "my buddy, " or God as "the man upstairs."

I suppose I am a little old fashioned, or maybe too hung up with the traditional.  I will blame my mother.  She taught me growing up to address my elders not by their first name, but as Mr. or Mrs.  She said to treat people, especially the older ones, with respect.  She felt the same way about God.  God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit and those of the heavenly realm have been around a long time.  I will continue to show respect and honor and reverence for the Holy present in our midst not because of age, but because the One who created us is the set apart and the Holy One.   

A Call to Repent

A very special Christmas gift came in the mail a day or two ago.  Someone from long ago who has become a good friend in recent years sent the gift in an envelope.  It was a card with a note inside which said, "A gift has been made in your honor to share God's love with others by providing food to hungry people through the Society of St. Andrew.  The gift will share more than 300 servings of fresh, nutritious food with those in need."  I was deeply touched to be remembered by my friend in such a way.  It also sent me to a search for the ministry provided by the Society of St. Andrew.    

It reminded me, too, of the way so so much is spent in frivolous pursuits during this Christmas season.  I am not against giving gifts to one another.  Being able to give brings us joy and being gracious recipients brings joy to others.  When I received my gift in the mail the other day, I was first grateful, and then as time has gone on I have found myself mindful of how more generous I could be to those whose needs are much more basic than a new gadget which will live its life in a drawer, or an over priced box of candy that will only add inches to the waistline.  

From that moment of painful awareness, old John the Baptist came to mind.  Is he not the one who takes a moment on center stage during this week of Advent?  Did he say something about repentance?  I think he did.  Could he be speaking to folks like us who are so extravagant in giving to those whose needs are met and so stingy in giving to those who are truly destitute and in need?  Is there not room in the leftovers of our affluence for both kinds of giving?  My answer is the same as yours and it is with a heaviness in my heart that I know repentance requires expressing this lack of balance in my care for those I love easily and those I do not know, yet, am called to love.  In Your mercy, Lord Jesus, forgive."

Preaching and Music

In these days of December I find myself once again amazed at the power of music.  The Santa songs may tickle our ears, but the spiritual songs of the season have a powerful way of stirring our hearts.  Years ago I might have said that I had sat through two Christmas musical programs of the church, but this time around it is more like I have been blessed by two musical programs which have lifted up the Christ and His work in our hearts.  As a pastor for some forty years, I learned that the first person to be hired on the church staff is the one who directs the music ministry of the church.   

I am one who has always believed in the power of preaching.  Strong persuasive preaching is the foundational ministry of the church.  I say this not because I am am a preacher, but because of the way it provides spiritual leadership in the present and spiritual direction for its future.  No preacher should think what happens from the pulpit on Sunday morning is of little consequence.  It matters.  It is also true that music in the church matters.  Preaching takes a circuitous route to the heart as it goes through the head to the heart.  Music has a way of going straight to the heart.  It has the ability to touch us quickly at a deep emotional level.   

I heard a preacher say not too long ago that no one leaves saying the words of his sermon, but that he often hears people leaving humming or singing the songs of worship.  Good preaching and good music are two hands which when working together can be used by the Spirit to transform the lives of those who gather for worship.  The Scripture is filled with the words of those who speak "Thus says the Lord..." and it is also filled with the songs of the people of God.  Both bring God's blessing to us in their own unique way.

Morning Musing

I know Genesis tells us that the Lord God regularly took walks in the garden "at the time of the evening breeze,"  (Genesis 3:8) but I have always thought that God must be partial to the mornings.  Mornings and God seem to go together.  Mornings speak of new beginnings and God takes delight in offering new beginnings to folks like us who have messed up and need a moment to start over.  He does not give "do-overs, instead, He gives us a fresh slate to go out and meet what is new.  We do not have to go meet what is new as we drag the past along with us as we would with a "do-over."  With God everything is new.  

The Scripture tells us of one person after another who is invited to step into a new beginning.  Adam and Eve had a go at it as they left the Garden. Abraham had more than his share of new beginnings.  Moses was a murderer and was given a new opportunity to do it God's way instead of his.  Jonah certainly was given a fresh start as was Simon Peter and Saul of Tarsus.  Of course, there are others.  The one we know the most about in terms of being forgiven and given a new beginning looks at us in the mirror every morning.   

How thankful we are that it is in the heart of God to give beginnings to us that are as fresh and new as the morning that comes with each sunrise.  One of my favorite verses of Scripture is I John 1:9.  "If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  It sounds kinda like a definition of morning.  If making such a connection is too far a stretch, we can all agree it sounds like a new beginning, a fresh start, something we all need.

The Power of Fear

I know Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid," (John 14:27) but sometimes my heart is still troubled.  I wish it was as simple as reading the words.  I wish reading the words would send the trouble on its way and my heart would be filled with peace again.  I know the word of Jesus is dependable and I know He can handle my trouble, but the first problem has to do with my initial response to the trouble swirling around me and, perhaps, within me.  My first reaction always seems to be the natural reaction.  

When trouble stirs my heart, I look for ways to fix it.   Jesus said these words in a moment which precipitated the world of the disciples being turned upside down.  They had depended on Him.  They could not imagine life without His presence.  The status quo which they knew with Him was on the cusp of changing.  Their world was going to be shattered.  It was in this setting that Jesus spoke these words to those disciples and anyone else whose heart was overcome by unexpected and unmanageable trouble.  

What we often miss as we read these words are the words, "do not let them be afraid."  Fear is such an immobilizing emotion.  It causes us to feel powerless.  Fear's assumption is that there is nothing we can do.  Fear would make us its victim.  Our hearts become troubled because they are taken hostage by our fears.  The one thing to remember when we finish reading the page and hearing the words of the Scripture is that God is still in control and in charge.  Even in the midst of life's worst, He has a way forward and He calls us to wait for it to unfold.

The Voice

 John the Baptist is known for many things.  His first appearance in Scripture comes while he is still in his mother's womb.  When Mary went to see her kinswoman, Elizabeth, in search of some external validation concerning the words of the angel to her about the birth of Jesus, the Word tells us "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child within her leaped in her womb..." (Luke 1:41).  The child who leaped in his mother's womb was John.  But, John is not known for his leaping ability, but as "The voice"  whose mission was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah centuries earlier.  John the Baptist was "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness."  (Luke 3:4...Isaiah 40:3).   

John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus.  He announced His coming.  He declared Him to be "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John1:39).  He was a man willing to let go of his own disciples that they might go after Jesus.  John was a shadow dweller.  He was content to live in the shadow of Jesus.  Like the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist did not call attention to himself, but lived to point people toward Jesus.  He lived fighting the currents created by those who wanted to shut him up and he boldly spoke his unpopular message because the knew repentance was at the heart of what was needed by his people.   

The need for a voice like John the Baptist still exists in our society and in our church.  Too many speak a message about sin that is so compromised it is hard to conceive of it coming from the Scripture.  A recent definition offered by a church leader defined sin as something that hurt you and hurt another.  It is a word which falls far short of the way sin is disobedience to God and disregard for His ways.  John the Baptist would not likely be welcomed in some churches of our day, maybe even most, but his voice is surely one which needs to be heard.

The Means of God

I thought I had arrived at church early yesterday, but as I was approaching the sanctuary door, I saw that I was not as early as the three wise men.  They had already arrived in the church nativity scene.  Tradition tells us they got to the manger sometime after the birth event.  The shepherds who watched their flocks in the field by night arrived shortly after the birth of Jesus.  Their story is told by Luke and is in that beloved Christmas story read from Luke's gospel.  Matthew tells us that the men from the east arrived after the birth of Jesus. Matthew even speaks of them coming to a house and not a manger so the implication is that they arrived after the Bethlehem event.    

Alongside of this bit of Biblical trivia is the church tradition which celebrates the arrival of the men from the east on a day known as Epiphany.  Epiphany shows up on the church calendar twelve days after Christmas.  The point of all of this is that the men from the east are a bit out of place in the manger scene since they did not really make it in time.  Some traditions even go a bit farther in trying to be historically accurate by not only omitting the wise men from the nativity scene, but also keeping the baby Jesus out of it until Christmas Eve.    

So, forgive me for laughing as I noted the early arrival of the men from the east.  I mean no disrespect.  They are welcome anytime.  They were certainly welcomed by Mary and Joseph.  They brought expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  The nativity couple must have been overwhelmed by such lavish gifts.  They were poor and had very little, but they had a trip to Egypt still to take and a time of living as refugees in that faraway place.  The gifts of the men from the east provided the means for the journey as well as for the life to be lived in Egypt.   The men from the east must surely be seen as a part of God's plan for caring for the holy family in the difficult years of exile.

The Unexpected One

Advent is the season of surprises.  The first big surprise comes on the first Sunday of Advent when Jesus shows up in the clouds on His return instead of showing up in the manger of Bethlehem for His birth among us.  While still reeling and fussing about the first disappointment, the second Sunday of Advent comes.  Expecting Jesus to show up, we are surprised again as John the Baptist strides on center stage.  Finally, we thought baby Jesus would start stealing the show and we get that wild looking man from the wilderness.    

The truth is the church is never really ready for John the Baptist.  The lectionary gospel lesson and tradition bring him forth every year about this time, and as always, he is both an unexpected and unwanted presence in  the church.  We simply do not want him or his message.  Physically, he is a mess dressed in homemade camel hair clothing, unkempt with honey matted beard and locust breath, and breathing a message that there is something wrong with all who hear his message.  His message is not about love and peace, but sin and repentance.  There is something we must do to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ and it is not decorating a tree or running a string of gaily colored lights across the front of the house.  We err in thinking that Advent is about celebration when it is really about a spirit of preparation that allows itself to be taken over by a waiting, expectant, and repentant heart.  

The message of repentance which John the Baptist preached is a word which called the people of his day and our day to turn away from those things which hinder us on our journey toward oneness with God.  There were things in the lives of those first century listeners and there are things in our lives even today.  John the Baptist says we need to look at ourselves, see what it is that hinders us in our walk with God, and turn away from it.  Only then will we be ready to come to the manger to see the Christ child.

The Iris Will Bloom

The iris will bloom

   when we are all gone,

      sending color forth

        as winter's hold wanes.

          Tho' we dig and plant,

            we shall all be gone

when the iris blooms.

Short timers are we 

  who walk as life's lords

     thinking we shall be

       now and forever,

         yet always tis' true,

           we shall all be gone

when the iris blooms.

Maybe we shall see,

   one more time in Spring

     the shades of purple

       on the bearded one

         but lest we forget,

           we shall all be gone

when the iris blooms.

Decades of winter

  may blow against us

    as grace will allow,

      God's purple glory,

        even as we know

          we shall all be gone

when the iris blooms.

 

This bearded flower

   brings us assurance

     that even though we die,

       we shall surely live,

         tho' it is still true

          we shall all be gone

when the iris blooms.

    

Now Visible

Whenever a blog is written, it comes at the expense of blank white paper. I read somewhere some time ago that creative work is about bringing into view something which has been invisible.  What the writer was offering for consideration is the possibility that what becomes seen has always been there.  It has only been invisible until the moment creativity is given freedom to do its work.  I would like to think this is true of writing.  It is certainly true of great pieces of sculpture which remind us of the creative genius of those who see a huge piece of stone like the rest us, but unlike us, something more.   

The Great Creator and Master Artist brought each one of us into being.  The first chapter of the book of Genesis speaks of that which had not yet been seen being brought from the invisible realm into the visible one.  It was in such a moment of divine creativity that "God said, 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness..."  (Genesis 1:26).  In the 139th Psalm the Sacred Word says, "In Your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed."  (vs. 16). Another similar word is found in Jeremiah 1:5 where we hear the Word of God being spoken to Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you."  Is it not true that we were at one time "not yet seen" but now truly revealed?   

Of course, all of these words of Holy Scripture bring additional light to one of the great mysteries of the creative power of God.  We find it it in I Corinthians 5:17 where we read, "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new."  Something never before seen comes into being when we each say "Yes" to Christ and open our heart for Him to do a work of bringing into existence someone who has never existed until that moment.  Hebrews 11:3 reads, "...so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible."  Is this not what the power of God does in us through the work of salvation?  The unseen in us becomes visible...finally and at last!  God does not see us as we see ourselves, or as others see us, but as He created us to be in that moment of beginning long ago.

The Longing Heart

 In the deep darkness

    it is quiet and still,

      noise has disappeared

        nothing is stirring

          except the longing

            within me for Him

to come and to be.

Nothing do I want,

     nothing do I need, 

       no gifts from His hand, 

         no acts of favor,

           nothing do I seek,

             only Him alone

here beside, within.

Come now, Lord Jesus,

    fill this longing heart,

      linger here with me,

        pull up alongside,

          stay awhile with me,

            so that I might know

You in this stillness.

       

   

Getting Real

It is a frightening thing to live in a world where Christ is King.  Actually, we live in such a world.  We simply do not truly acknowledge it.  We talk about Jesus being Lord.  We talk about the way He directs our life and the importance of living according to the values of His Kingdom.  What we also know is that talk is easy.  Fleshing out the talk is hard.  Our own agenda and what we know as peer pressure often is such a force in our life that we end up somewhere short of living in abandonment to the way of Christ.  We want to be one of those who belongs to Jesus, but not all the time.    

For most of us the problem is not a visible one.  We know the right thing to do in most situations and if we feel the scrutiny of someone watching, we can make the good choice even it is made with silent reservations.  The true measure of who we and our loyalty to the Christ comes in those moments when no one is looking.  In those moments what really motivates us and who is in control of our decisions is revealed to us and the Christ who is always present.  We can choose not to speak the harsh or unkind word, but if we simply refrain from speaking it because someone will think less of us, Jesus would say the word is already in our heart and we are as guilty as the one who speaks it.    

Anyone who seriously reads the Sermon on the Mount knows that it takes us into the realm of the heart.  We can make the right choice, perform the right action, but if we do it without love as the reason then we have missed the mark.  Jesus never lets us off the hook at this point.  We can join others in looking righteous.  We can do the right thing.  What we do though is not as important as what is in our heart.  It is in our heart, the  place where no one else sees, that the real issue of obedience is determined.  If Christ is not King in our heart from which all our visible actions spring forth, then we are only giving lip service to the matter of living in abandonment to Him.

Advent Waiting

We do not wait very well.  Even if we arrive somewhere early and our appointment time has not yet come, we find ourselves fidgeting and wondering what is taking so long.  If the places which impose waiting upon us did not have some kind of music filling up the room from hidden speakers, or a blaring television to entertain us, we might end up acting like Flannery O'Connor's character, Mary Grace, in the short story entitled, "Revelation."  We simply do not wait with ease and grace.  It is no wonder that the season of Advent is so distressing to so many of us.  It calls us to wait.  

While we know the Scripture is always calling us to wait upon the Lord, the waiting of Advent challenges us beyond measure.  Everything within us tells us December is about Christmas and here is this invitation to gather not around the Christmas tree, but in a silence and stillness which is broken only by the sputtering of flickering candles.  In most churches the moments in which quiet waiting might take place during the Sundays of Advent are filled with some kind of music much like it is in the secular waiting places.  

Years ago in an attempt to underscore the fact that Advent is about waiting and anticipation instead of celebration, the choir did its usual procession into the Sanctuary, but in silence instead of singing.  Much to the dismay of many in the pews, we sang no Christmas hymns until two Sundays of Advent had passed.  It was only on Christmas Eve that songs like "Joy to the World"  and "O Little Town of Bethlehem" were heard in a moment of worship.  While some fussed, it was an effort to create Advent's sense of anticipation and expectation by withholding certain elements of worship to the point that we would long for them and look forward to the joy they unleashed in our hearts.

Wistful Longing

Advent has what might be described as a wistful dimension.  Or, maybe the right word is that it gives expression to the sense of longing in all of us.  We look around at the world in which we live and we long for a reality which could be, but is not yet.  We see brokenness and we long for wholeness, we see injustice and we long for rightness to overcome, we see the killing of war and we long for peace to forever prevail.  We see people who are hungry midst visions of lush green fields, people who are shivering in the cold while smoke rises from nearby chimneys, and suffering people dying at the doors of research labs preaching, "Soon, but not yet."    

We long for the child to no longer be harmed by the snake, the lamb to no longer fear the wolf, and the cow to graze alongside of the bear.  (Isaiah 11:6-8).  We wistfully long to see the not yet come to pass visions of our heart.  We wait for what is not yet.  We hope that one day soon the things invisible now to the human eye will not only be seen, but will be the norm in which all people live.  In these first days of Advent we long for the Kingdom of God which is promised to come as reality in our world.    

Jesus taught us to pray for this Kingdom.  With the ears of His disciples turned toward Him, He said pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." (Matthew 6:10). It is a word which teaches us to pray that the peace which hangs heavy in heaven's air will come to saturate everything upon which it might fall on earth.  The Kingdom is here in our midst.  The Kingdom is not yet here.  Both are true.  As the ancient Witness said to the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos, "Surely I am coming soon."  And the people of God on the threshold of Advent respond with words of longing, "Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20)

The Coming Christ

Years ago when I first got acquainted with the season of Advent, I was surprised that the first Sunday focused on Jesus coming, but not in Bethlehem.  Instead, the focus is Jesus coming in the clouds, or coming again.  The message of the first Sunday of Advent is that the Jesus who has come is coming.  It should not have seemed strange back then as the gospel tells us about a Kingdom that is both here in our midst and coming.  The  gospel is this mysterious message that tells us about God being on His throne and dwelling in our hearts.  We worship a God who is here and there, one who speaks with no Voice, and one who is invisible and constantly revealing Himself.    

Let no one say the Holy Word is not about mystery.  Let no one say it is not a word which reveals mystery to us.  On this first Sunday in Advent our minds want to travel on ahead to Bethlehem to behold what is indeed a great mystery:  The Incarnation.  The God with us moment.  Yet, instead the emphasis of the day calls us not to look behind us to that mysterious event in human history, but forward to still another which will come.  It is a day for remembering the words of two men in white robes who stood with the disciples as Jesus was lifted into the clouds at His ascension, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?  This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven."  (Acts 1:11)  

During the season of Advent we are caused to anticipate and wait for the moment when we celebrate the Christ event on Christmas Day, but there is also a call to live with an expectation that the One who has come is coming again.  In many ways, it is the forgotten and ignored part of the gospel message, but ignoring this coming event does not change its inevitability.  As we say during the Holy Communion, "Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!"

The Unwanted Season

Advent is precise.  There is no sloppiness in it.  Start at Christmas Day, count back four Sundays, and the first day and first Sunday of Advent appears.  Advent begins today.  In retrospect it has always seemed like the season on the Christian calendar the church does not want to observe, or celebrate.  When the page on the secular calendar is turned from November to December, the rush to Christmas is fast forwarded.   For most folks, even those within the church, December is about Christmas and not Advent.  Advent is about slowing down, paying attention to the present, and waiting.  December never knows such concerns as it races forward.   

The heart of the Advent season is about looking ahead, anticipating the celebration of the Christ child being born in Bethlehem, and quietly waiting.  Christmas is the moment of celebration Advent anticipates and without the anticipation the celebration is diminished.  It might be compared to celebrating Easter without the sorrow and horror of Good Friday.  Without the cross the empty tomb is diminished and so it is with a Christmas without Advent.   In some ways the children with visions of Santa in the their head point the way for the church.  Once Christmas appears on the horizon of the child, there is a growing sense of anticipation and wonder which is finally culminated on the long anticipated gathering around the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.  

It is this element of anticipation which is missing in so many churches as its people push the waiting season aside for the day of celebration.  By the time Christmas comes everyone is worn out and only looking forward to Christmas being behind us.  When we long not for Christmas to come, but long for it to be behind us, there is something wrong.  A proper observance of Advent holds the solution, but no one, not even the church, is listening. 

Our Family

In the beginning there was a family.  It was a family of only two, but it was not long before that changed with the birth of two sons.  As the story about God and his people unfolds through the pages of Scripture, one family after another walks across its pages.  As in the case of Genesis, many of them come across as dysfunctional, but still they are families.  All of these families did what families do: people get married, do births and deaths and all the ordinary stuff in between which makes families family.  It could be said with some measure of truth that whatever God does, He does it through a family.   

Certainly, we are reminded of His use of the family in these days before the celebration of the Christ-event.  In Galatians 4:4 the Word of God says, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His son, born of a woman..."  The trek to Bethlehem which culminates with the birth of Jesus clearly places it in the context of family life.  Like it or not, we are all a part of a family.  Some of us may want no part of our biological families, but the majority of folks find themselves being affected by the drawing power of the season.  We want to gather with those we love, who have stood with us through the good and the bad, and to celebrate the memories which bring laughter and as a sense of belonging.   

It is interesting that the writers of Holy Scripture used the image of the family to point us toward our relationship with God, our Creator.  In Romans 8:12-17, we hear words that tell us that we are "children of God" and not only children, but "....heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ..." Perhaps, the strongest and most forthright statement about who we in relationship to God came on that day when Jesus told His disciples to begin their prayer with the words, "Our Father..." (Matthew 7:9).  We all have family.  We are family.  We are a part of the family of God.  We belong to Him.

Old Bibles

There is a special place in my heart for old things.  Long years ago I got interested in collecting pre-1900 religious books.  When traveling I made many a stop at old stores that sold antiques, early American junk, and very old books.  Usually, the old books were in the back of the store in places frequented only by a few souls who were not afraid to breathe generous portions of dust and mildew.  Over the years of endangering my health, I gathered a large number of old literary religious finds.  Though many are interesting, none have proven to have any monetary value.    

One thing which was always on my radar were old Bibles.  This part of the collection does have some value because along the way I have added numerous family Bibles to my shelves.  The Bibles I have which belonged to my parents were void of mold and dust and, therefore, have a place where they are visible even though not really used.  There is something special about holding a Bible read by someone who has nurtured you in your faith.  They are not things to ever be sold, but always to be held close to the heart.  

As a preacher I have more Bibles than I can read at one time.  Actually, I have two that I use.  One is older, a companion of many years, and one that is full of underlined verses.  The second one is much newer and was purchased mostly because it was a Bible in larger print.  It, too, is starting to show signs of an ink pen though I doubt it will suffer as much as its older companion.  I wonder sometimes what will happen to these Bibles which have nurtured my soul for so long.  Of all the things I might pass on to the waiting generations, these are, like my mother's Bible, most important.

The Season of Gratitude

 'Tis the season to be grateful.  Or, is it the day to be grateful?  Actually, the grateful people around us are the ones who practice being grateful every day of the year.  They are the ones who do what seems impossible to so many of us.  They live by the word the Apostle Paul wrote long ago when he said, "give thanks in all circumstances..." (I Thessalonians 5:18).  The genuinely grateful among us do not do it as some forced measure, or as a thought out decision in every circumstance, but as a way of life.  For some of us it sounds too incredible to be true.   

Where such a life begins is by counting blessings.  Life is all about blessings.  Everyone of us is the recipient of a truckload of blessings every day.  Even the days we see as hard, impossible, and dark are full of blessings.  Such is exactly what the Apostle Paul was talking about in his letter to the church.  What we must do in the beginning is to start looking at the world with eyes that never blink, but are wide open to see everything happening around us.  At first we may not see putting both feet on the floor in the morning as a blessing, or being able to dress ourselves, or having some food in the pantry, or an opportunity to give kindness to another as blessings, but how else can we truly define these things so often taken for granted? 

Not even the darkest and hardest moments are without reasons for gratitude.  At a Celebration of Life a few days ago, parents who had lost an adult child gathered with family and friends for uncountable hugs, hundreds of expressions of love, and the joy and laughter of memories that were being carried forward into a new future.  Though they had suffered a great loss, they were also in that moment greatly blessed.  It is so with all of us.  We sometimes just have to step back and count these grace filled blessings.

Storage Units

With more than just a little amazement, I have watched the new construction taking place all around me.  Of course, in many cases, new construction means new businesses are preparing to open.  From the looks of things where I hang out, the hottest thing on the real estate market is storage units.  They are going up  everywhere.  Apparently, we have become a society of collectors who no longer have room in the places we live for all our stuff.  We have become so affluent that we need additional space to store the stuff we do not need and we are willing to pay someone rent to keep it for us.   

Obviously, our stuff is important to us, but the question still lingers out there, "How much stuff will we accumulate until something within us says, "Enough!' "  John Wesley, the 18th century father of Methodism had a saying which is often repeated in Wesleyan circles:  "Earn all you can. Save all you can.  Give all you can."  Of course, Wesley was talking about money, but somehow I suspect what he had to say is relevant to our growing spirit for accumulating stuff.  What Jesus said to one of the affluent folks He met on the road can certainly cause more than just a little soul searching: "There is still one thing lacking.  Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."  (Luke 18:22)  

Let no one say Jesus did not preach a radical kind of discipleship!  The spiritual truth within the radical word is that we can allow our stuff to become so important to us that we forget that life is not about accumulation.  There is something more important.  The man in the Biblical story went away with sorrow because his stuff he held too tightly.  One day all that stuff in the new storage unit will provide someone the stuff they need for a nice estate sale and we will not even be consulted!

The God Bird

 She said it was "The God Bird!"  All the rest of us thought, "Dove."  After all, we were in a worship service and what we were looking at was a Chrismon for the waiting empty tree.  We should have expected something unusual since we were in the middle of a children's sermon because in those moments, anything can happen and usually does.  When I heard the child speak up, I silently said, "Wow! It really is the God Bird!"  Doves are certainly flighty creatures, but they land all over the pages of the Holy Word.  They traveled with Noah, they showed  up in the Temple when Mary and Joseph showed up for a sacrificial moment, and also when Jesus was baptized.  

If you ask everyone except the child who said, "The God Bird,"  you would be told the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  Thus, it is a good symbol for the Chrismon Tree.  The Spirit was surely active in the unseen moment of the Incarnation.  The Spirit not only affirmed the ministry of Jesus at His baptism, but was mentioned often in the teachings of Jesus.  Before Jesus disappeared from the disciples into the heavens, He instructed them to wait in the city for the coming Holy Spirit. The book of Acts could rightly be called the book of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit speaks to us of the working arm of God.  Through the Spirit's activity the Church came into being on Pentecost and because of His presence in us, we have the inner assurance that we belong to God as sons and daughters.  The blessings the Spirit brings to us are too many to name and continue to be poured out into our lives without any word of asking.  What the child called "The God Bird" gives life to the Church and continues to give power to each one of us to accomplish all the things that God wants to do through our lives.

Order in the Church

I knew Advent was coming, but somehow it did not dawn on me that today was Christ the King Sunday until the preacher wearing his white stole of celebration announced it to us.  Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday of the Christian year,  Advent which begins next Sunday marks the beginning of the new calendar year for the church.  Of course, not everyone in every church notes these two Sundays in such a way which is alright as folks are different.   

I happen to be one of those who finds meaning in the liturgical calendar with its seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.  Each season enables the church to focus on a different dimension of  the gospel from Incarnation to Resurrection and beyond.  Along with the liturgical calendar, I always found a great resource for preaching in the Common Lectionary, a series of orderly readings from the Old and New Testament, the Psalms, and the Epistles.  The Lectionary features a three year cycle which means that Matthew is the focus for one year with Mark and Luke getting individual focus in the other two.  The gospel of John gets blended into the mix over the three year cycle.  

Certainly, the church calendar and lectionary readings are not for everyone, but it does provide an orderly and systematic discipline to guide the church as it seeks to proclaim the whole of the gospel.  For me the biggest plus was that it kept my preaching rooted in the Scripture which is where I have always believed to be God's planned source for all preaching.

Looking For Home

 Good Lord, I wait now

     with Your open Word

       and a seeking heart, 

         seeking no things, 

           only wanting You

more now than before. 

Lost it seems I've been, 

     always wandering

       to distant places, 

         constantly alone, 

           ever wondering 

if You look for me.

Forgiveness it says

     is mine now to know,

       but what if I ask

        and You turn Your head

          away and say "No."

Still, good Lord, I ask.

 

Just remember me,

    O Lord, I now pray.

      At the gate, tell me

       what I long to hear

         so that I will know

You welcome me home.

Words for the Heart

The Psalms are probably the most well known section of Holy Scripture.  There are 150 Psalms, but most of us are really familiar with only a few.  Some we can quote without missing a word and others we can remember verses from them; however, the most remain on the page without ever really getting into our heart as a few of them do.  It is interesting in times of trouble or uncertainty how quickly we are to search its words.  They were written by David, a man who wore many hats.  In Scripture he is known as shepherd, giant killer, warrior, and King.  He, like each of us, is both sinner and saint.  It is strange to some that a man such as David could write such words from the heart.   

It is because they are words which speak of what is felt within the heart that we find ourselves opening those old pages to read.  Written in a poetic style, the Psalms cause us to slow down, sit with our Bible in our lap for a moment, and let the words soak into the wounded places of our own heart.  They have a way of healing the wounds, bringing hope to the hopeless moments, enabling us to praise God in the midst of all kinds of circumstances, and giving us the "umph" we often need to get up and get going again.   They are not words to be read in a hurry which is a good thing for most of us who need to heed the markers on the road telling us to slow down.    

Like the poets who see the ordinary things we all see; yet, who reveals the extraordinary with them, the Psalmist speaks of the common emotions of the heart and then leads us toward seeing those feelings within us as a part of the way the Creator has made us.  Things we fear seeing within us, his words bring to the surface where God's grace and mercy prevail.  His words are not words to be dissected and discussed, but words that are like ointment that heal the wounded and broken places of the heart.  They are caring words and words that wrap us in the compassion of God.

Sitting a Spell

The mainstream definition of prayer is pointed toward asking God for some blessing.  It involves doing something, saying some words in the language of prayer, and asking, seeking, and knocking. (Matthew 7:7-11).  In most cases the experience of prayer is briefer than we figure it to be.  More often than not,  prayer is one dimensional.  We talk.  God listens.  Seldom does our praying include a time which is intentionally set aside for listening.  We talk about God speaking; yet, few give time for listening.    

As we read about some of the Biblical characters praying, it becomes a personal and sometimes desperate sharing with God that is full of anticipation followed by moments of encountering God's presence and power.  There is nothing timid about the prayers of those saints who walk across the pages of the book of Acts.  They were in over their heads and knew it.  The only way they could possibly make it, or see the signs and wonders they knew, was through dependence on God.  Praying for them was not so much about fulfilling a ritual as a way of living.   

Too many times we pray without their desperate spirits. We pray and hold tightly to our backup plans just in case God is not able, or willing to do what we want Him to do.  Too many times we ask with doubts about His ability to overcome the obstacles we face in the hard circumstances of our life.  Surely, the better praying comes when we pray with a faith that is expectant and confident that in all things the will of God is going to be done in our lives and in the lives of those for whom we pray.  The better times with friends comes from sitting and sharing the things of our hearts because we love them and it is no different as we enter into our times of prayer with God.  Sometimes it is best to just sit a spell in His presence and listen as one who truly has ears to hear.

The Wooden Altar

 Altars come and go,

     one made to take life,

       another of stones, 

         twelve to be exact,

          the most holy place

            inside the Temple

once here, but no more.

Earth's meeting places,

     intersecting paths

       of raw human need

         God's gracious grace,

            desperate pleading,

              undeserved healing,

miracles everyone.

 

Worn out wooden rails,

     stained with wet tears,

       bearing heavy sins,

         lifetimes of regret

           and deepest sorrows,

             but nary a one,

like Christ's Calvary.

First Glimpses

It is interesting that the story of Saul of Tarsus, the antagonist of Christ, begins after the stoning of Stephen, the martyr for Christ.  What makes it even more intriguing is the fact that Saul was present holding the coats of those who were throwing deadly stones at Stephen.  As the young martyr was dying this violent and undeserved death, he spoke two final words, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit...Lord, do not hold this sin against them."  (Acts 7:59-60).  What Stephen could not know and what Saul could not realize was that a seed was being planted which would change the face of the Jesus movement.    

The seed planted through Stephen's sacrifice took root in the cold heart of Saul and then like a young shoot breaking the surface of the soil, it broke the hard shell around the persecutor's soul.  The ninth chapter of Acts tells us about the new life that burst forth from Saul of Tarsus.  "Now as he (Saul) was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him."  (Acts 9:3)  It was the Eternal Light that brought forth all creation  (Genesis 1:3) and which prevailed against even the darkness of the soul. (John 1:5)   

When the scales had been removed from the blind eyes of Saul by the healing words of Ananias,  Paul would connect his new life with the death of Stephen.  In Acts 22:20 we hear Paul speaking, "And while the blood of your witness, Stephen, was shed, I myself was standing by and approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him."  Saul saw the stoning of Stephen and he also saw the about to die servant of Christ in a moment when "he gazed up into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 'Look," he said, 'I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!' " (Acts 7:55-56).  Saul saw more than he bargained to see that day.  He saw his first glimpse of who he was becoming through the grace of God.

Wind Tunnels for the Spirit

The spiritual energy for the church comes from two sources.  One springs from the hearts of the people of God and the other springs forth from the Holy Spirit.  The first is mentioned in Acts 1:14 where the Word says, "All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer..." and the second is set forth in words like "a sound of rushing wind" and "tongues of fire."  It is clear from reading the first few verses of the second chapter of Acts that the descriptive language is pointing to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  Churches do not flourish without a strong stream of prayer and the intentional work of the Spirit.  

There are several reasons why we know this is true.  The most obvious reason is that the Word of God speaks to this reality in the book of Acts.  Another reason for knowing comes from trying everything else and discovering that everything else is a promising source of spiritual life, but one that dries up very quickly.  Few of us can count the denominational programs and emphases that promised new life for the church and while they may have brightened the flame for a moment, they ended up not as wind and fire, but ashes and smoke.   

One of my favorite verses of Scripture is James 5:16.  While the New Revised Standard Version which is my main Biblical text reads it differently, I have always been partial to the old King James Version which renders that verse, "The prayer of a righteous man availeth much..."  To illustrate his point James goes on to lift up Elijah as one who prayed fervently and whose prayer God used powerfully.  There is no question that the Holy Spirit is ready to act in enabling the contemporary church to become the wind and fire church.  We can only wonder what would happen if the church was committed to praying until the doors and windows of the sanctuaries became like wind tunnels for the Spirit.

A Blessing to Any Church

One of my first remembrances of the prayer ministry of the church comes out of my pastorate to the Zoar Church.  Zoar was one of three churches on the Stapleton Charge, my first appointment.  There were two older women who were such saints that it was often said that they would surely find heaven's gate opened wide for them.  About that I cannot speak, but what I do know is that they were what we back then called "prayer warriors."  I learned early on in my pastorate that they did more than talk about praying.  They prayed and they prayed for their pastor.  They were not the only ones, but they were clearly the spiritual leaders of that church.  

I said often in the years to come that every young preacher should be so blessed!   Zoar was not the last church I served that had people dedicated to prayer.  As I remember the churches served, I remember a few in most every church who believed in prayer and prayed.  At the Vidalia Church there was a widow who kept pictures of the staff of the church taped on a mirror as a way of praying for the church each day.  At my last appointment there was a man who sat on the steps just beyond the door leading from the pulpit to the outside hall while I was preaching and prayed for me.    

Folks who are committed to prayer are worth far more to the Kingdom's work than any organized prayer ministry.  Prayer ministries tend to come and go with the enthusiasm of the moment, but people who are the "prayer warriors" "...do not grow weary in well doing..." (Galatians 6:9) and they can only be characterized as those who "...pray without ceasing..."  (I Thessalonians 5:16)  Any church blessed with a few such folks is blessed indeed!

The Jabez Prayer

When I remember the many prayer ministries of the churches I served, I remember one which just happened without any effort on my part.  It happened when Bruce Wilkinson wrote the little volume entitled, "The Prayer of Jabez."  It was a book which captivated the hearts of so many people.  Without any effort folks read the book, embraced the spirit of what was being said, and it propelled the church forward in its prayer life.  While some of its critics voiced concern that it was a prayer too self centered, it struck a positive chord with a great number of people.   

The prayer of Jabez is recorded in I Chronicles 4:10 and reads, "And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!'  So God granted him what he requested."  The book Wilkinson wrote was a very small volume that lifted up the four major concerns of the prayer, but overall it was a prayer that God would grant a larger sphere of influence for work of God's Kingdom.

The point of the prayer never seemed to be personal gain so much as a prayer that sought gain for the Kingdom of God.   I remember those days when the book was much talked about within most church circles.  It was a time when small groups were reading it, discussing it, and committing themselves to praying the Jabez prayer daily.  Praying the Jabez prayer, or any prayer for that matter that seeks growth for the Kingdom, can only help and strengthen the church. 

Prayer Rooms

After serving Methodist Churches for twenty eight years, Terry Teykl heard a call from God to involve himself in equipping churches to pray.  He wrote several prayer manuals and traveled all over the country.  As I have been thinking about various prayer ministries of churches I served, he came to the forefront of my memory.  He led prayer workshops in some of the churches I served and always left with my folks inspired and motivated to pray.  One of his emphasis was to establish Prayer Rooms in local churches.   

As he noted back then, a lot of churches have space dedicated for worship, fellowship meals, Bible teaching, youth and children's activities, but not many have space that is set aside for prayer.  Not only do most churches not have Prayer Rooms, but very little money is spent on prayer ministries.  When we look at the energy and resources committed to this particular ministry, it causes one to believe that church leadership talks a lot about prayer, but talk does not translate into an intentional ministry.  

When Terry Teykl left the Perry Church a small group of people created a Prayer Room and designed it so that it could be used safely twenty four hours a day.  Volunteers even signed up to be in the Prayer Room on a schedule to answer the phone which was a tool for the ministry.  I do not know if the ministry is still serving the church and community, but it is an example of what can happen when a few folks heed God's call to make prayer important in the life of the church.  We could use more Prayer Rooms in our churches and certainly we could use more people who do not just talk and read about prayer, but pray.

Written Prayers

Most of us pray.  Even the people who make a claim to not praying are often heard in a moment of impending disaster crying out in a spontaneous manner, "Lord, help me!"  Prayers come in all sizes and shapes, but the One who upon whom we call is the same.  Those of who are intentional about our faith journey understand the life enriching and life giving power of that ongoing relationship with our Creator through the discipline of prayer.  As one who has prayed all my life, I have no doubt about its value in my spiritual life, but it has not always been something that I have done with the discipline it requires.   

When we get in a rut, or run into a dry season, it might be a good time to look at some ways of expanding our prayer life.  One way of expanding our prayer life is to reach back into the past and pull up some of the prayers that have sustained the saints and been offered to God by them or the church in centuries past.  Some turn away from such prayers because they are "written" and, therefore, less effective than some prayer which breathes the air of spontaneity.  It is an unfortunate conclusion because some of these ancient prayers open our spirits in ways that we might not experience otherwise.  Of course, even the diehards who refuse to pray a written prayer still pray the one we know as "The Lord's Prayer!"  

There are many resources available which can open the door to us to the rich prayers that have passed through the centuries.  There are prayers in the Bible, many of our hymns can be prayed, and worship resources provided by different denominations can be an invaluable tool as we avail ourselves of them.  Prayers come from the heart.  A prayer from the past can infuse our heart with new power and life.  The important thing is not to read the written prayers, but to allow ourselves to slowly pray them.

Extending our Prayer Time

Back in the days when I served the Perry Church, we had a prayer ministry program which invited people to get up at five o'clock every Sunday morning and spend the hour in prayer.  Over a several year period there were always around twenty folks who rose early at their home knowing that partners in prayer were doing the same in the parish area.  One of the things learned was that it was not a prayer experiment for the faint hearted!   

At first it was a daunting task for all of us.  We were not accustomed to having a devotional time that lasted that long.  Fifteen or twenty minutes a day would have earned folks a certificate of sainthood had there been such a thing.  The point is that most of us were not spending a lot of time in our quiet time with the Lord.  One of the things we learned about extending  our quiet time in the morning was to divide the hour up into fifteen minute segments.  One segment might be filled with a couple of devotional readings and prayer for those on a prayer list.  A second segment might be devoted to reading some Psalms and praying for the leadership in the church.  Using the smaller increments of time approach enabled us to cast a larger net in our praying as well as growing in our own spiritual lives.    

One thing is certain.  We are not going to get from where we are to where we feel God is calling us to be by a commitment to what has gotten us where we are.  In other words, if we continue to practice our disciplined life in exactly the same way over and over, the results are likely to stay the same.  Attaining higher ground often requires being willing to risk doing things differently.  Of course, a good way to move forward in our devotional life is to ask God what He would have us do.  His design for our quiet time might be quite different than what we might plan so it is always a good thing to ask.

Praying Scripture

When we look at how we are spending our devotional time, there is often a real disparity between the amount of time we spend reading the Scripture and praying.  It is easier to read about spending time with God than it is to spend time with God.  We read about some of the spiritual giants of the faith who not only rise early to pray, but spend big chunks of time actually praying and we wonder how they do it.  We pray and pray and pray, cover the entire waterfront of intercession, and are amazed that we have spent only ten minutes actually praying.   From the looks of the time we spend in prayer, God might come to the conclusion that we love Him a lot, but only want to spend a little time with Him.  Part of our problem with spending so little time in praying is that we live with a narrow definition of prayer.  

Learning to pray the Scriptures is one way of enlarging the scope of our praying.  For those unacquainted with such praying, praying the 23rd Psalm might sound something like, "Lord, You are indeed my Shepherd.  I thank You for constantly providing care and protection for me.  Help me, Lord, to know the difference between what I want and what I need and then help me to be content with what You provide.  Give me a heart to heed Your leading so that I might live a balanced life, a life of trusting in You for what I really need, and a life where the needs of my inner being are clear to me so that I might go after them instead of some lesser things.  Lead me in the right way, Lord, keep me from wandering and help me to live so that others see Your hand on my life."  (Psalm 23:1-3)    

By a thing as simple as changing the pronouns, this prayer can become a prayer not for ourselves, but for someone we love, or someone who has asked that we remember them in our prayers.  The one certain thing is that when we pray the Scriptures, we are praying inside the heart and will of God for these are the words and thoughts He has placed on the inspired page we hold in our hands.