And the snow comes down...

We got about 8 inches at my house last night. I woke up early to clear the drive and shovel the walk and make sure the plow guy came to clear the neighborhood streets (oh, the joys of being HOA president). The streets were sloppy and hard to drive this morning. I actually got stuck trying to leave the gas station where I get my morning Diet Coke fix.

But, there's something magical about the snow. In a world where we're always running from meeting to meeting, event to event, always thinking about the next place we have to be, heavy snow seems to give people a respite- an excuse not to worry about getting somewhere. People who wouldn't think about missing a day of work otherwise throw up their hands as if there's no other option. Meetings that seemed important are suddenly pushed back, and we understand, more than most times, how the insignificant details of our life here on earth can easily overtake us.

So, enjoy today. If you live in Central Indiana, enjoy the snow. Go play like when you were a kid. Take time to take time. Look at the beauty of God's creation in awe of Him, and remember not to sweat the details. Maybe I'll see you on the sledding hill.

Peace.

Breaking the silence

So, here's the problem with blogging. Let's say, hypothetically of course, that you go a week or so with no new post. When you break the silence, you feel like it needs to be something big- a soul searching, earth shaking, thought-provoking post. The longer you wait, the bigger the silence breaker must be.

That's the reason for this post. I didn't want it to get to ten days or more. Stay tuned.

Steve

Best. Ending. Ever.

"The Bible ends with a flourish..." begins Eugene Peterson's introduction to the book of Revelation, and boy, is he right. Heroes and villians, death and resurrection, sinners and saints, dragons and horses and creatures covered with eyes- all are present in the last book of the Bible. And what we see, in the end, is that everyone is worshipping the one true sovereign God.

When I read about angels and elders and creatures that are indescribeable and completely frightening, and they are all worshipping Him, it gives me a great feeling that I'm doing the right thing by starting worshipping Him now. But the best part of the book of Revelation (not Revelations, by the way) is this: in the end, Love Wins. God's love for His people defeats the hatred of this world, good triumphs over evil just like any good Western or Sci-Fi or Hollywood script. Only this one is real- a foretaste of what's to come. It truly is the best ending ever.

Happy Boxing Day!

Well, it's December 26 and I'm back at work. Boxing Day is the official name of the holiday today, and I always wondered where it came from.

Did it have something to do with the Boxer rebellion? Is it a traditional day on which to hold a WBA title fight?

Actually, it was originally a day where the wealthy would give gifts to the less fortunate- perhaps after they were visited by the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future? Or, maybe after they get what they want for Christmas and give their hand-me-downs to the poor.

In our house, there's no doubt what Boxing day is. That's the day my wife takes all of our Christmas ornaments and puts them in boxes to haul to the basement, so that after the 6 weeks of Christmas in our house, the furniture can find it's rightful place in the living room again. In fact, I assume by the time I get home this afternoon, the only remnants of Christmas in our house will be a few pine needles, the stacks of boxes and bags to go to Goodwill, and the two Christmas candles on the bookshelf she overlooked. We'll see.

Where our salvation began

It could have happened anywhere. It could have happened anytime. But God chose to have it happen here. In the small town of Bethlehem. In a stable. With animals and stench and filth.

It was here that God became Man. The Word became flesh. Heaven came to earth. Divinity placed itself in a young girl’s womb.

In an instant, the all-powerful became powerless. The creator of everyone became dependent upon someone for survival. He who provided for all was now seeking nourishment from a Jewish girl. God was with us.

He had come not as a flash of light, not as a mighty king, but as an infant born to a peasant girl and a young carpenter. One day, his face would be covered in glory. In this moment, God’s face was beet red and wrinkled like a prune. Soon, his teaching would be heard by all; tonight, his sharp cries pierced the chilled night sky, helpless and far from home.

Had this happened today, in 2008, it could very well have been announced on the front page of the newspaper, or on The Daily Show, or World Net Daily. Instead, it was announced with a simple star-- a star that attracted the curiosity of many who saw it, including some shepherds. Told also of his arrival by an angel of the Lord, it was pure mercy on them that their savior had come. Of all God’s people, the shepherds would have had the hardest time obeying the Levitical laws. Part of their job was handling dead animals, a practice that made them ritually unclean by the standards of the priest. And they couldn’t just leave their animals in the field to go perform one of the complicated hand-washing ceremonies required by the religious teachers of the day. So, they must have been just as excited when they got the news as they were puzzled when they ran into town and saw a shriveled, wet baby boy lying in they hay, surrounded by donkeys and sheep. A king among livestock.

Kings were revered in these days, too. Listen to this proclamation made over 2000 years ago:

“The providence which has ordered the whole of our life, showing concern and zeal, has ordained the most perfect consummation for human life … by filling him with virtue for doing the work of a benefactor among men, and by sending in him, as it were, a savior for us and those who come after us, to make war to cease, to create order everywhere… ; the birthday of the god was the beginning for the world of the glad tidings that have come to men through him…”

Listen to the words used here. Virtue. Benefactor. Savior. Make war cease. Create order everywhere. This was said, of course, about the birth of the man who would become Caesar Augustus, the next Roman Emperor. So, a king over the whole world should be even greater than the king of Rome, right?

But, what a strange palace for a king. The only gold is the straw. The only light from a flickering lamp in the corner. No gem encrusted throne. No intricate eastern tapestries covering the windows. In fact, no windows. No royal scepters or flowing robes. Just a baby in a cradle, two scared teenagers, and a bunch of sleepy animals.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

And it all happened here. In a manger. In a small town. In perhaps the most unlikely of all places, on one silent night, God loved us and wanted us to be with him so much, that he came to be with us. Where this story endedis where our salvation began.

Wanna Dance?

So, I was at a Christmas party in Mexico last week. As I watched some of the locals spin and twirl in their colorful garb across the tiled dance floor, it occured to me that following Christ is a lot like dancing. Here's how:

1) Some people are excited to get up and get moving, while others would rather sit on the sidelines. I watched man after man get rejected by some shy woman who would rather sit than dance. As he walked away, dejected, I started to wonder if God feels the same way when we're not willing to serve him.

2) Some that are dancing are joyous and excited, and others are just going through the motions. I saw people- both women and men- full of life, really engaged and smiling and laughing. I also saw people who were obviously there out of obligation and/or guilt. The Kingdom has both.

3) When everyone is moving together to the same sheet of music, it is beautiful to watch. Truly.

There's no escaping God's Grace

"God is good,
a hiding place in tough times.
He recognizes and welcomes
anyone looking for help,
No matter how desperate the trouble.
But cozy islands of escape
He wipes right off the map.
No one gets away from God."- Nahum 1:7-8 (The Message)

Do the Christmas holidays bring out the worst in you? I was talking to a friend today and asked if he was all ready for Christmas. "I'm never ready for Christmas," he grumbled. "It seems like everywhere I go people are pushing and shoving and no one remembers this is supposed to be a happy time."

I think lots of people are like that. It seems to me that for every person who sees Christmas as a joyful, happy time, there is one for whom it is a time of sadness, anger, or depression. Even the happy ones can get hung up in guilt- we haven't gotten our Christmas cards finished yet, or we haven't made cookies for our neighbors, or we forgot to send a gift to so-and-so, and on and on.

Well, here's a novel idea this Christmas- come back to God. This verse from Nahum says that God is the perfect hiding place- that He recognizes anyone looking for help. Chances are, if you're reading this, you already know that, but maybe you have neglected to seek Him out during this stressful time. Here's a thought- spend more time in your bible this month. Spend more time in prayer. Go off by yourself and read and pray. Or, spend time with other believers, building them up and getting yourself built up in the process. This passage also says "No one gets away from God." So- Christians- quit trying to hide this Christmas season. You know, intellectually, that His grace is abundant and sufficient for everyone. You just need to remember that this includes YOU. Even at Christmas.

Peace to you.