TerryLema

One of my favorite Christ-mas carols is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. While I love the words expressed in the many verses, I love the small “chorus” that comes at the end of each. “O Tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, oh tidings of comfort and joy.”

 I love that word comfort.  God is our comfort.  David expressed that wonderful truth in that most blessed Psalm 23. “I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” [vs 4]

I was a Hospice Chaplain in California before coming to Idaho. I conducted a lot of funerals. Too often, the elderly were unable to attend church and as churches changed pastors or congregations, they lost touch. I did some for others also who just never made a church connection. I tried to make each service as personal as possible, but I almost always recited Psalm 23 just prior to the closing prayer.

Our LORD is our comfort. Jesus identified Himself as the Great Shepherd. Because He is, we can fear no evil. He is always with us. His rod to protect and correct, His staff to lead and guide bring comfort to our souls.

Comfort. During the holidays we often reflect as much on what we have lost as what we have gained. Many have lost loved ones, family, or friends. Some have lost income, or experienced divorce. Children have grown up and perhaps left home. Christ-mas reminds us that what we used to have may not be ours anymore.

That is when we need those “tidings of comfort and joy” that flow from the Nativity. God has come to comfort us. We have a LORD who knows what it is to experience loss and pain with us, who mourns with us, who weeps with us. In that I find the greatest of “comfort.”

Who’s Talking Now? That’s a great question! The answer seems to be “Everyone!”

We are in one of the most bitter and vicious presidential elections I have ever experienced in my seventy-seven years. Presidential candidates are constantly attacking each other. Everyone is talking. And not just talking. They are shouting, swearing, pointing fingers, name-calling, and even challenging each other to physically fight.

We can add incendiary media to that mix. The left-leaning media is culling out the most hurtful words and actions from the right-leaning candidates and displaying them on the national media. The right-leaning media is doing the same thing in reverse. It is ugly.

Who’s talking now? Everyone! BUT … Who is actually saying something worth listening to? Only One.

“Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son [Christ Jesus]. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” [Hebrews 1:1-4 HCSB]

Christ Jesus is talking now. He’s telling us He is Creator, Redeemer, Savior, LORD. He is declaring that He is our hope, our peace, our future. He reminds us that His Presence in our lives gives strength, courage, love, victory. He is our anchor in this storm, our anchor beyond the veil.

The great question is not, “Who’s talking now?” The great question is “Whom are we listening to?”

I did several things on my birthday last week. I met with a young woman in the afternoon who recently lost a child. Then Bob and I went to dinner at Cracker Barrel and afterwards drove through a living nativity scene.

It was very well done with Roman Soldiers, pilgrims heading to Bethlehem, wise men, shepherds and their flocks, prophets, an angel and choir, and finally Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child. As we drove through there were signs with verses from Luke Chapters 1 and 2.

There was also something that had me laughing when I noticed one group of pilgrims heading toward Bethlehem accompanied by a labradoodle. He was having a great time greeting all the other pilgrims along the way.

As I drove through this living nativity I was deeply touched by its portrayal of Christ’s birth. My heart had been heavy most of the day as I thought about those experiencing loss and grief. Driving through the living nativity I saw a living example of what Christ-mas is all about – the Joy of Hope.

Christ came. As a babe. Destined for an ignoble cross. Through His resurrection, He became our Living Hope that this life, with all its sorrows and tears and partings, is not all there is.

“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” [1Peter 1:3 HCSB]

My daughter and son-in-love blessed my heart for my birthday this year. They ordered angels to add to my outdoor nativity set. They were shipped from Orlando, Florida. They were supposed to be here by December 1.

They were delayed to December 2. Then I was notified they were in Colorado and would be here on December 4. On the 4^th, they were in Salt Lake City and would arrive on December 5. (Bob said they could have flown here faster.)

They finally got here December 5, five days late, and were immediately added to the nativity scene.

It led me to think about the real angels that glorious night. When Jesus was born, an angel suddenly appeared to Shepherds with a wonderful message. “Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

Then a multitude of heavenly hosts joined the angel praising and saying: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!” [Luke 2]

That first Christ-mas morning, the angel and heavenly hosts arrived right on time. Just as God always does.

Don’t you love children’s letters to Santa.  One little boy wrote, “Santa if you brining presents with batteries bring the batteries.” That sounds like a child who has had to wait in the past for his parents to do a rush trip to a store before he could play with his toys.

One little girl wrote, “You better bring my pony this year. Or there will be consequensis.” She even drew the pony and everything so Santa could get it right.

But my favorite is one I read a few years ago and shared with The Way congregation at the time. “Dear Santa, there are three little boys who live at our house. There is Jeffrey; he is 2. There is David. He is 4. And there is Norman; he is 7. Jeffrey is good some of the time. David is good some of the time. But Norman is good all of the time. I am Norman.”

 Norman is good all the time. I have never been a ‘Norman.’ In fact, I have almost always been a ‘Norman-opposite.’ I have seldom been good. Growing up I was the one who was in trouble all the time. My younger brother, Mike, was more a ‘Norman’ than I was. That did not always serve him well since it often drove me to get him in trouble or blame him for what I had done.  (Thankfully, he still loves me, and I was able to make up for some of the things I did to him long ago!)

One day, I will stand before God. And I will give an account of my life. “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” [Romans 14:12 HCSB]

When that moment happens, I will not be able to claim I am a ‘Norman,’ who is ‘good all the time.’ Neither will I be able to “make up” some of the bad stuff with good stuff like I did with my brother.

But I will be able to claim something even more remarkable … I have placed my trust in Jesus!  Hallelujah! Amen!

Psalm 3 is a song written by David as he was fleeing from the rebellion instigated by his son Absalom. It is in two parts. In the first part, David beseeches God on account of his enemies. In the second part, David expresses his confidence in God’s deliverance and protection.

It is all about finding peace amid storms. You can hear David’s confidence in God throughout the song, but my favorite verse, the one I repeat when I am in the midst of a storm, is verse 3.

“But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.” [HCSB]

Whatever the storm, we can boldly say … “But You, LORD ….” 

No matter how great the storm, we can boldly say … “But You, LORD, are a shield around me….”

No matter how strong the enemy facing us, we can boldly say … “But You, LORD, are … my glory ….”

No matter how much life and the enemy of our soul wants to bury us with discouragement and distress, we can boldly say, “But You, LORD, are … the One who lifts up my head.”

The Christ-mas season is oft a time of struggle for many. But no struggle, no matter how great, is greater than our LORD. He will be strong on our behalf if we but call upon Him and trust Him.

I turn 77 years old today, whether I want to or not, whether I like it or not! We can fight the aging process, but in the end, it is going to win. I remember reading a sign once that asked the question: How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

That sign annoyed me when I first saw it, it still annoys me. I know how old I am. My body reminds me every day. All I must do is pass a mirror or catch a glimpse of my reflection in a window. I am reminded also when I climb out of bed with most of the same aches and pains I went to bed with – or sometimes even with new ones.  Sometimes I Feel ancient.

But other times I Feel like a child. Christ-mas, hearing the carols, seeing the nativity scenes, watching the snow fall. When I see the little kids in the neighborhood playing, I wish I could play too. When I see the young people in church jumping for joy in the presence of the LORD, I want to join in. Of course, I don’t jump anymore, my knees have forgotten how … but I still want to!

I also Know that deep inside me, in the part of me that really counts, I am now and will eternally be a child of God. The calendar that counts the years cannot change that. The body that refuses to jump when told cannot change it either!

1 John 3:1:  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 

One of the new customs for the Christmas season is to read one chapter a day from the Gospel of Luke beginning on December 1. I was amazed by Luke 8, the chapter for tomorrow. It begins by telling us that women who had been healed and delivered were supporting Jesus and His Disciples. Then Jesus gives the Parable of the Seed and the Sower, along with a reminder that we are to be light for all to see. At one point, Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him but were unable to get through the crowd. 

The part of the chapter that truly touches me begins in verse 22.  After a long day of preaching and ministry, Jesus got in a boat with His disciples and told them to go to the other side of the lake. He was so exhausted He fell asleep and did not even awake when a fierce windstorm arose and threatened to swamp the boat. [Luke 8:22-25]

Finally, the disciples woke Jesus and told Him, “Master, Master, we’re going to die!” [vs 24 HCSB]

Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and the raging waves and they immediately obeyed Him, and the storm ceased. In its place was a great calm. Of course, that frightened the disciples even more than the storm did.

As I thought on that passage all of a sudden I saw the storm in our country that is going on right now, and I started to chuckle. Let me explain why I laughed. Every politician, from local mayors to state governors, to congressional leaders, president, and president-hopefuls think they can calm the storm with their proclamations, directives, and strategies. But they cannot. They think – in a way – that they have the power over the storm when they are really in the same boat as the disciples! “Master, Master, we’re going to die!”

Only Jesus has the power and the authority to stop the storm. Even when He was at a low point, exhausted from ministry, He only had to say a word and the cosmos obeyed. After quieting the storm Jesus had one question for His own, “Where is your faith?” [vs 25 HCSB]

We might ask ourselves that same question!

As we get closer to Christ-mas I am thinking about the wonder of Christ’s birth. Merriam-Webster defines wonder as the quality of Exciting, Amazed Admiration. We’ve heard the Christ-mas story so many times, perhaps we’ve lost a bit of that Exciting, Amazed Admiration.

Joseph and Mary had to travel eighty miles to Bethlehem. God orchestrated through a heathen kingdom (Rome) their arrival to that insignificant village where seven hundred years earlier Micah had prophesied the Messiah would be born (Micah 5:2)

It would have been a miserable journey with Mary full term. It ended up in a place that was more than likely filthy and smelly. Inns in those days were mainly a series of partially enclosed stalls that opened into a shared area where the animals were kept.  When Luke said there was no room for them in the inn, he meant there was no room for them in those stalls. They likely ended up in the yard where travelers secured their animals.

Mary had traveled all this way, far from her family, far from the female support system she would have had at home. She was probably around 14-16 years old. She was alone, except for Joseph. She had no birthing coach, no meds, no clean sheets, no soft music playing, no attendants – just Joseph. His hands would have been calloused and rough from his work. He was good at working wood, probably not so good at midwifing.

And into this miserable, wretched, dishonorable scene, the Son of God was born. “She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”  [Luke 2:7]

If that doesn’t take our breath away in Exciting, Amazed Admiration, I’m not sure anything will.

The King became a pauper. God became a babe, completely dependent upon a young teenager for sustenance and a rough carpenter for protection. Wonder of wonders!