Devotions

“O Tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, oh tidings of comfort and joy.”

I wrote yesterday of my love of the Christmas carol God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I especially love those words above that come at the end of every verse. Comfort and Joy.

David who wrote Psalm 23, which always brings comfort to my soul, also wrote Psalm 30. He concludes that song with these words, “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.” [vs 11-12]

God turns our wailing (our mourning) into dancing. He removes our sackcloth (our grief) and clothes us with joy. He gives us songs in our silence.

Not only comfort, but joy. I remind people often, as I have done in these devotions, that the opposite of the “Joy of the LORD” is not sadness nor tears. It is weakness and defeat. Even amid our greatest losses, where we need God’s abundant comfort, we can have the “Joy of the LORD.” It is that joy which births songs in our hearts and allows us to come to our Blessed LORD with thanksgiving.

The chorus of “tidings of comfort and joy” expresses so much. With the coming of the Christ Child, God brought both comfort and joy to this fallen world. Now, while we walk our path through life, we are assured and reassured that He will give us songs in the night to comfort our souls. “Oh tidings [such great tidings] of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, oh tidings of comfort and joy” are ours.

One of my favorite Christmas 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 did a lot of funerals. Too often, the elderly were unable to attend church and as churches changed pastors or congregations, they lost touch. As chaplain I was often called upon to conduct their services. 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 the home. Christmas 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.”

Last Thursday we decorated the church for Christmas, and on Friday, Bob and I finished the outside decorations on our house. The one thing I noticed about both times was that our garland and lights in both places were a tangled mess when we took them out of storage. Apparently, we weren’t too careful when we put things away last year. Because of that carelessness, we had to sort through all the tangles and twists before we could decorate for the Christmas holiday season.

A tangled mess. Christmas itself has become a tangled mess. I asked Google what the most popular Christmas movies were; it listed 15 of the top holiday movies based on google search interest. They are from #1 to #15: A Christmas Story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Polar Express, Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, White Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Bad Santa, Die Hard, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Jingle All the Way.

Somewhere in all that tangled mess is the truth of Christmas. It’s about the coming of a Savior, who is Christ Jesus the LORD. The Nativity cannot be separated from the Cross. The Cross cannot be separated from the Empty Tomb. The Empty Tomb cannot be separated from the Exaltation to the Right Hand of God.

Christmas is about the ultimate LORD-ship of Christ Jesus. The Book of Revelation reminds us that “All … will worship him …the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” [Rev 13:8 NKJV]

John reminded us that “grace and truth came through” Him. [John 1:17]

In our day, that grace and truth has become tangled up with elves and reindeer, santas and grinches. But when we untangle it, we will find the simple truth that Christmas is about Christ Jesus. As someone wrote, if you remove “Christ” from “Christmas,” all you have left is a “mas [mess].” A tangled mess.

A beloved family at The Way Assembly of God gave me a mug for my birthday that I absolutely adore. Inscribed on that mug are two words, “Grace Wins.”

I grew up in a denomination that incorporated the rite of confirmation. Confirmation was an acknowledgement of both adulthood and a “confirmation” of the vows taken by my godparents at my infant baptism. They acknowledged faith and rejected the work of the devil for me as a baby. At confirmation I acknowledged those vows as an adult (I was 12).

In this rite of confirmation, I was also to choose an additional name to add to my baptismal name of Teresa Kay. I chose the name of my sponsor. Her name was Grace. So now, at least according to that denomination, I am Teresa Kay Grace. Grace Wins!

I had no idea when I chose the name Grace, how much grace would mean to me. God took me to a small church in the little town of Loomis, California, a few years after I was saved. The pastor was a preacher of grace. He taught me well. I am now a preacher of grace.

I know in my heart that we are born again by the power of God’s grace, given in Christ Jesus. We live every day in the power of God’s grace, given in Christ Jesus. And one day when we stand before the LORD our GOD our MAKER, we will be there by the power of God’s grace, given in Christ Jesus. Yes, Grace Wins!

Zechariah 4:6-7: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”‘” [NKJV]

I came across a YouTube video from a Gaither Vocal Band and Janet Pascal rendition of a song called, “Tell Me.” (I love this rendition and put a link to it at the bottom of this devotion.)

“Tell me the old, old story. It shall be my theme in glory. Tell me once again about His love.”

After tomorrow there are two Sundays left before the Christmas holiday, and one Sunday directly after. Every year I’ve struggled with coming up with something new or different to say about the Christmas Story in my Sunday messages. Should I look at it from the viewpoint of the participants, or the songs or the genealogies in the Gospels? What haven’t we heard before?

Then I realized that it isn’t about what we haven’t heard before … it’s all about what we have heard before. It’s about that old, old story that never ever grows old. It’s about God’s love on display. It’s what I’ll, and you’ll be singing about in glory for all eternity!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16 NKJV]

It’s about God’s loving so …. It’s about God’s giving …. It’s about everlasting life …. That’s the old, old story that shall never grow old. That’s what I want to focus on this year. I want to sing the old carols that have been sung for centuries. I want to read the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke, just hear the inspired words of the Scriptures and allow them to flow deep into my being. I want that old, old story to be my theme this year … after all, it shall be my theme in glory. Why not get a head start!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsPXZSSdaD4

I am reading the accounts of the birth of our Lord Jesus as I prepare messages for the Sundays leading up to Christmas. As I read the story in Luke, I came across a familiar announcement … it was spoken by the angels to the shepherds. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” [Luke 2:11]

 The thing that struck me are two words, “to you.” A Savior has been born “to you” the angels told the shepherds. I would not damage the context I’m sure, if I said it this way, “A Savior has been born ‘for me,’ [or for us] he is Christ the LORD.”

This Savior, Christ the LORD, born to Mary in a humble setting in the city of Bethlehem, came to you, and to me. He came to us.

While the angels announced His birth, they will never experience what it is to know that God’s Son came to set them free from the ravages of sin and iniquity. They will never know the profound blessing of faith, of redemption, of salvation. They will never truly understand what it means to hear the chains of bondages fall to the ground because Christ the LORD has broken every chain that bound us.

This Savior has been born to us, to men and women, tainted by the fall, under condemnation of death. He has set us free, made us alive in God, and taken us by the hand leading us into the family of God. His coming to us allows us to come to our Father God, no longer enemies, but now as His beloved children.

I think I like those two words, “to you.” Thank you, my Blessed Savior.

I came across a clip of a mega-pastor saying that “if you are poor, broke and defeated, all that means is that you are poor, broke and defeated. That doesn’t bring any honor to God.”

As I listened to that clip, I prayed that it was taken out of context, that perhaps later on he explained what he was really saying. I prayed because that statement is so offensive to the Gospel I know. And to the God I know.

Paul faced this kind of arrogance in the Corinthians. They were boasting of their wisdom and gifts and Paul needed to remind them that God has made foolish the wisdom of this world. He reminded them of what they were so that they could view what they are from a position of humility, not arrogance.

“Brothers [and sisters], think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’” [1 Cor 1:26-31]

I am not a proponent of what is called the prosperity Gospel. I am a proponent of the Gospel that embraces humility, service, the giving of everything within us to others and to the glory of God. I believe that as Christians we are to have the power of God indwelling us, we are to have abundant and deep faith. But the power of God is always displayed under control in meekness (as Jesus displayed it), and our deep faith is to be exercised always and only not for our own accumulation of wealth, but in the trials and tribulation of life that we and others endure.

Let’s not boast in our arrogance or prosperity – Let’s boast in the LORD!

I was reminded recently that we live in a fallen world, one where life and death, blessings and sorrows, good and evil intermingle. It’s not always easy to navigate this world. We are pulled one way, and then another.

The prophet Nahum brought a declaration of judgment against the wickedness of Nineveh. The first chapter is one long statement of condemnation on wickedness, except … right in the middle of the chapter God declares through Nahum, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” [1:7]

There are many such declarations in the Scriptures about God being good, His being a refuge in times of trouble, and His care for those who trust in Him. We find them in the Old Testament and in the New. As I thought about that this morning, I realized why it is so necessary to have so many such statements … because (as I opened this devotion) we live in a fallen world.

We need to be assured and re-assured often that no matter what opportunities or challenges we face, God is always good, He is always our refuge and He always cares for His own.

Every year during the holiday season, the world tries to cover its fallen nature with glitter and sparkles. We hang lights and play happy songs and spend money (often money we don’t have). We think we can push aside all the darkness and difficulties that often walk with us. The glitter and sparkle, however, only last for a moment and then they fade.

But, but, the goodness of our LORD is eternal. When the world opposes, God provides a glorious refuge. When we place our trust in Him, He cares for us … with ALL His power and glory.

I sat looking at this date, December 2, for a long time this morning before I began to write. I wanted to pause, just remain here, December 2, for a while. Not sure why? Maybe I don’t want to get into all the hoopla of the season. Maybe I just want to sit and think about Jesus for a little while, think about what God has done.

I do love the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, but this morning I would love to just spend time on December 2 thinking about my LORD. I don’t want to get moving. I don’t want to tackle my list of things to do. I don’t want to think about decorating or shopping or anything else. I just want to think about Jesus.

The psalmist Asaph must have been having a bad day when he began Psalm 77. His distress is palpable in the opening verses, but then at verse 11 something changes. He remembers, and he meditates. “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.” [Vs 11-12]

I’m not in distress like Asaph. I just want to remember the deeds of the LORD and miracles of long ago. I want to meditate for a bit on all His works and mighty deeds before moving on to daily life.

Before moving into this holiday season at the pace life often demands, I want to reflect on the wonderful love of the Father who, before the foundation of the world, before Adam was ever created – long before the fall in the Garden of Eden – this wonderful love of the Father chose to send His Only Son to redeem us, to save us, to deliver us, to indwell us.

I think I can meditate on that love … that miracle of long ago … for a long time.

It’s here! December has arrived. Christmas is around the corner. The crazy season has begun. The stores are in mega-selling mode. Black Friday began about a month ago. Houses in our neighborhood are starting to show their holiday spirit. We are bombarded by Christmas movies, Christmas commercials, Christmas deals. And behind all this hoopla the reason for the season may be obscured.

His name is Jesus. Mary and Joseph were told to give Him that name because, “he will save his people from their sins.” [Matt 1:21]

The name Jesus means “YAHWEH saves” or “YAHWEH is salvation.” A transliteration from the Hebrew and Aramaic is “Yeshua.” In English, the spelling of “Yeshua” is Joshua. In the Greek, it is Jesus. The name carries the meaning of rescue, deliver, or save. The name was quite popular in first-century Judea, so this Jesus was known as “Jesus of Nazareth.”

“When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” [Galatians 4:4-5]

Christmas has a purpose, and it’s not Santa or reindeer or sleigh bells. It is the honoring of God’s purpose of sending His Son, Jesus, to save us. God’s Son emptied Himself to become a humble man. He lived up to His name as none other could.

So, as we begin this season, let’s decide what or whom we are honoring, God’s Son, born of a woman, sent at the appointed time to save us, or fairy tales and commercialism. I know where my focus will be.