Don't miss the signs...

Read Matthew 2:1-3

Remember the classic animated cartoon The Roadrunner? He couldn’t be caught. Wile E. Coyote would be chasing the Roadrunner and he would pass by a sign. The signs might say “Road Closed” or “Watch out for falling rock” or my favorite “US Army minefield—KEEP OUT!” Well, you know what happens. He never pays attention to the sign. The roadrunner speeds through unharmed, but Wile E. Coyote crashes, blows up, or falls off a cliff. All because he missed seeing the sign.

Paying attention to signs of God’s presence is one of life’s great challenges. Our culture provides us with vast amounts of information, an abundance of entertainment, a multitude of time-wasting, mind-numbing diversions, and a boatload of stresses, worries, and challenges. In our very noisy, busy, violent, crazy-paced world it is often very difficult to tell if God is present or active in our lives. Even in church, it is hard to shift our focus from ourselves and our stuff to giving God attention. The common result being that we miss signs of God’s appearing.

The magi were scholars and priests from a far-away land. Their journey would bring them several hundred miles to Bethlehem. They studied the movement of the planets and stars and other celestial events. The ancients believed there were meanings behind these celestial movements and events. They understood that the special star they saw signified the birth of an important king. In all likelihood they had studied the Jewish Scriptures and, as they saw where the star was leading them, they began to understand its significance. The King of the Jews was born!

Compare them with Herod. He lived at the center of this great event. But he did not see the signs. He had chief priests and scholars to advise him…they missed the signs, too. They were so wrapped up in their own stuff that they missed the signs of God’s appearing. When Herod heard the news he was disturbed. He was focused on his own stuff—his status, his power, and the trouble such a person would give him. He missed the exciting possibilities of God’s appearing.

Herod’s world had little room for God. On the other hand, the Magi dedicated their lives to looking for signs of the Divine. That made all the difference in receiving the Good News of Jesus’ birth.

In this Christmas season I invite you to look for God’s presence in the people, places and circumstances of your life. The proclamation of Christmas is that, in Jesus, God is with us. Don’t miss the signs!

Advent Again

“God, make us new again.
Let your face smile on us with favor.
Then we will be saved.”
--Psalm 80:3

In an intriguing episode of the classic sci-fi tv show X-Files, Agent Scully, the female FBI agent heroine, was facing an uphill battle against cancer. Agent Scully was a driven career woman. She had gotten far with her brains, her talent, and her pluckiness. She was trained as a medical doctor and her faith was squarely in science.

Agent Scully was home for the holidays and her mother had a large meal planned. She invited family and friends, among them their parish priest. Father McKay took time to talk with Scully about her cancer and the faith she had forsaken. She firmly told Father McKay to get lost. She had no need for religious faith. Her career and her science would sustain her quite well.

As her cancer progressed and her doctors treat it more aggressively her attitude begins to change. She faces losing her career as she grows weaker and weaker. The science she dearly loved had not been able to save her. She became aware of her need to be connected to a higher power. In a moving scene, she apologized to her mother for being so abrupt with Father McKay and asked that he come to see her. The episode concluded with Father McKay at her bedside as they prayed together.

Agent Scully became aware of her deep need for God. The psalmist recognized this need when he cried out: “God, make us new again. Let your face smile on us with favor. Then we will be saved” (Psalm 80:3). It’s awareness hard to come by. After all, there is bit of Agent Scully in all of us. We fancy ourselves as independent and self-reliant. From an early age we are taught to be self-sufficient. All of this hinders the awareness of our need for God.

The Church calendar calls these weeks before Christmas Advent. In Advent, we anticipate God smiling on us with favor in the coming of Jesus Christ. These days before Christmas bring excellent opportunities to prepare for a fresh coming of Jesus into our lives. Recent events should convince us that there is no amount of money, no politician, no job, no scientific theory … no person or thing… that can be counted on to bring renewal to our lives. A proper understanding of our lives will lead us to an awareness of our great need for God. It is a constant need. Only a fresh advent of Jesus in our hearts can meet that need. We wait…we anticipate…we long for…the promised
coming of the Lord.

Let every heart prepare Him room!

Jesus is coming...invite Him in!

The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will over shadow
you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God. . . . For nothing is impossible
with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Luke 1:35, 37‐8

Standing in the checkout line at the local grocery store one year I noticed the cover of a national tabloid, “Christ will Return on Xmas Day!” According to the tabloid, visions of John the Baptist are signaling Christ’s return on Christmas Day. I don’t put any stock in these tabloid articles . . . but what if? Jesus Christ could come at any moment . . . what if this Christmas is THE day? Would you be ready to welcome him?

Christ’s return on Christmas day this year would be as unexpected as the news Mary received that God would come into our world as a baby boy she would bear. As shocking and unexpected as that news was, Mary invited God’s miraculous presence into her life. “Let it be with me according to your word.” She was willing to let God’s presence touch her. She was willing to go where God would lead her. The consequences and implications of her pregnancy weren’t fully known. But the Lord was with her, and she invited the Lord to work in her life. She said, “Yes!” to God’s
presence and plan.

Will you invite the miracle of God’s presence into every aspect of your life this Christmas season? Christian author and teacher Richard Foster observes that God will not enter into many areas of our life uninvited. The initiative to bring God’s presence into your world rests squarely on your shoulders. So invite God into every experience of life. Foster writes:

“We invite God to set our spirit free for worship and adoration. We invite God to animate our . . .singing and praying. We invite God to heal our bodies. We invite God to inform our minds with creative ideas for our business enterprises. We invite God to touch broken relationships and resolve conflicts at work or home. We invite god to make our homes holy places of worship and study and play and love. We invite . . . we invite.”

Our Lord Jesus is coming on Christmas Day! The Lord who saves is coming. The Lord who builds up is coming. The Lord who restores is coming. Invite the miracle of God’s presence into your life this Christmas!

Peace and prayers!
Randy

Let it be with me...

Luke 1:35-38

I read this passage again while I was in Minnesota for my father’s memorial service. I am always struck by Mary’s willingness to accept the lot in life that was set before her. The news that the angel delivered was both exciting and scary. As an unmarried young woman in her culture, the implications of her pregnancy were life-changing…far deeper than simply becoming a mother. She would have to endure much. She risked losing a lot. So her ability to say, “Let it be with me…” was a very big thing.

There is challenge for me, as I believe there is for many Christians, found in Mary’s response. Are we able to accept the lots in life that we are dealt? Are we willing to endure the consequences and the challenges that God allows into our lives? Will we live yielded to God’s way and power so we can say, “Let it be with me…”?

It’s important to recognize that when Mary said “yes” to God, she was also saying “yes” to the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary was not in it alone. God’s Spirit was with her, and in due time, God’s Savior would be with her. Whether life is dealing you hardship or opportunity…whatever challenges or rewards lay before you…there is much to endure and much to risk. Fortunately, we live in the generous grace of God who reassures us that “…nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

To get to the place of saying “Let it be with me...” you and I have to answer a big question. “Will I trust God and the Spirit’s power?” When I read this a few weeks ago I found myself confessing that I was taking on a lot in my life without yielding to God’s power and guidance. I was worn out. God’s gracious word to me was that I wouldn’t get through the challenges of dad’s memorial service and the Christmas season very well without inviting God’s presence and power into ALL facets of my life. I share this with you because I believe many who read this know exactly what I am talking about. My confession is your confession.

The Advent season is a time of preparation to receive God’s Messiah. It’s our opportunity to deepen our trust in God and to yield ourselves to the Spirit’s leading and power. Christmas gives us the opportunity to welcome Jesus into our lives afresh. It is from this place of trust and yieldedness…it is when we can say “Let it be with me…” that we discover the very real power and grace of God.

Looked on with Favor

"Mary in the house of Elizabeth" Robert Anning Bell (1917, oil on canvas, Tate Britain Museum)

Luke 1.39-55

In our day it seems that those who seek to serve God don’t get a lot of recognition. Instead, the people we seem to idolize, the people we think have made it, seem to be the God-neglecting. These people often encourage us to live for pleasure—satisfy our desires—that’s what life is all about. Rock stars, superstar athletes, powerful business executives are always before us--meeting presidents, throwing big parties, making more money than we can imagine, able to go anywhere and do anything they want. At times we may find ourselves envying them.

Who ever notices that person trying to do what is right in his home and community? Who ever notices the person who’s loyal to her family and her children? Whoever gets noticed for putting in an honest day’s work for what seems like an ever diminishing paycheck? How often is one noticed for being a member of a church and serving it faithfully? He or she never makes the headlines…they never gain much power…they’re doing well just getting the bills paid by the end of the month. Who notices him? Who idolizes her? Who sets them up as the ideal of how to live?

God does! God notices and blesses those who seek to follow him and do his will. They may never be noticed by others, but they enjoy God’s favorable attention! Therefore God will bless them with something that all those rock stars, athletes and powerful business men often miss out on. God blesses his humble, faithful servants with the gift of abundant life that comes through the savior. God blesses us with a sense of hope…a sense of purpose…a sense of joy!

How can we live in Christmas joy all year long? Recognize that the greatest way God has remembered and blessed us is by sending his Son Jesus Christ. Each of us has been afflicted with the stain of sin and the pain of death. Each of us needs salvation that only God could arrange. The world needs the salvation and restoration only God can arrange. God remembered his promise to save us. God, the Mighty One, has done a great thing for us through the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

You and I can rejoice knowing that God’s grace will prevail. Jesus is coming! You and I can rejoice knowing that God’s justice will prevail. Jesus is coming! A day is coming when tyrants will be defeated and the callous will be put in their place. A day is coming when the oppressed will be raised up and the poor will no longer lack. God’s mercy and justice may not seem to be at work in the world with any consistency. But the God who has the power to bring hope and joy to a shy, teenage girl has the power to bring hope and joy into your life. Our God has the power to bring hope and joy into this fallen and conflicted world. God has promised it. God has remembered his promise. God’s grace has triumphed! Joy to the world! Let earth receive her king!