Revelation 5:5 – “…And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
In Bible times, lions inhabited the swampy, overgrown Pride of Jordan where the Sea of Galilee flows south and meets the Jordan River. Across a narrow road today is Yardenit, the popular representative (not actual) baptismal tourist site visited by one-half million tourists per year.
David killed a lion there at close range by grabbing its beard and piercing its heart. He prevailed because his shepherd’s heart to save his flock was greater than his desire to protect himself.
How do we react when lions growl? The summer when I turned nine, while the Clyde Beatty Circus set up camp a half-mile from our house, a lion escaped. That fascinated and terrified me. The radio said to stay inside. Instead, I hid inside the sheltering branches of our weeping willow tree watching for the beast until it grew too dark to see. The truth is, I had no weapon and those branches gave no protection. Instead of grabbing the lion’s beard, I would have run like a chicken or been his lunch.
Close-up encounters involve loud snarls, bad breath, and sharp claws. Only the Lord can provide the courage to stand fast or race toward our enemies and not cower in retreat. Prayer, His living Word, and Praise are all weapons to stop the lion’s heart and secure victory!
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
In his first letter, the apostle Peter was writing to Christians, probably both Jews and gentiles, in what is now Turkey (1 Peter 1:1). He reminded them that they were “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9 NIV). That is, he said that they were the new people of God, the new Israel. Peter also said that they had been rescued from darkness and brought into God’s kingdom of light. Then he added, “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10). This makes sense since he was partly writing to gentiles, who once were not part of God’s people but who had now become part of God’s people through faith in Jesus.
But there is more to this image. Peter was quoting from the Old Testament prophecy of Hosea. Hosea was told by God to marry Gomer, a prostitute/unfaithful woman. This relationship symbolized Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. God had made Israel His special people through a covenant (similar to a wedding covenant), saying, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people” (Leviticus 26:12). But Israel was unfaithful to that covenant. As a result, Israel was separated from God. In Hosea’s time, most of the Israelites had already been exiled for their unfaithfulness, and those who remained, the Jews, would also soon be exiled. God told Hosea to symbolize the Jews’ separation from God through the naming of his children: Hosea’s first daughter was to be called Lo-Ruhamah (“not loved”), and his second son was to be called Lo-Ammi (“not my people”). But then later, after Gomer had returned to prostitution, God told Hosea to buy her back from sex slavery. This symbolized God’s promise to restore the Jews from exile and to restore His relationship with them. God said, “In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God’ (Hosea 1:10). Further, God said they would as numerous as “the sand on the seashore” (Hosea 1:10), fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:17). And they would “appoint one leader” (Hosea 1:11) and “seek the LORD their God and David their king…in the last days” (Hosea 3:5). Peter understood all of these phrases, not as referring to the Jews’ return from exile, but as referring to both Jews and gentiles coming to faith in Jesus. After the Jews returned from exile, they were not too numerous to be counted, but the members of the worldwide community of Christians are that numerous. It was Jesus who taught His followers to call God their Father and gave them an opportunity to become “children of God.” And it was not the returning exiles but the Jews and gentiles of a later period who sought “David”—that is, Jesus, the Son of David.
During a recent visit to a church, I was chatting with a young woman I’ll call Joy, who shared her story with me, telling me about when she became a Christian. Joy said at the time she was a teenager and her mother was not a Christian and wasn’t supportive of her beliefs.
She went on to tell me that one of the women Joy met at her church visited Joy’s mother to share the gospel with her and to talk with her about the Bible. This woman spent six hours with Joy’s mother. They didn’t just talk about the Bible. It wasn’t a lecture about what the mother should believe. Instead, they got to know one another, they fixed a meal and ate together, and discussed Christian beliefs.
The woman from Joy’s church took the time to reach out because she cared about this family member and she cared about Joy. And her efforts were well spent. The mother did become a Christian according to Joy.
There are lessons to be learned here about the importance of reaching people for Christ and the way we do it. No lectures. No barbed Bible verses. Just genuine love and an obedience to God.
So what can we do? I have to admit the only time I spend six hours with a person is when I’m on vacation with them and have the time. However, there are takeaways for me too. I enjoy meeting someone for coffee or lunch. It’s a shorter time, but small pieces of time can also be productive if I’m focused on part of that time being used to talk about Jesus—and I love the idea of sharing food or drink.
Jesus often shared with people over food or a meal. In fact, the last time He met with His disciples before the ascension, He shared food with his disciples and taught them. In the 24th chapter of Luke, the disciples are together and Jesus shows Himself to them.
“And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures…” Luke 24: 38-45
Maybe we should be more intentional when we reach out to others. Pray about the person God wants you to encourage. Set a time to meet with them over a meal or a coffee. Consider what verses God would have you share, but also be pray during your conversation and be prepared for God to give you something you hadn’t expected.
Then be sure to follow up with the person. Send them a card, message them to let you know you’re thinking of them, greet them when you see them, and maybe have a follow-up get together. Encompass everything with prayer and be willing to reach out to that person who needs Christ.
Think of how Joy was blessed when her mother became a Christian and the lasting impact the friend’s visit had on that family and on the family of God. Strive to make that same impact in someone else’s life. I know I will.
Dr. Coggins, you are a trained historian and an amateur theologian. What wisdom do you have for us today?
I’m always glad to help. Here is my thought for this week. January 6 is a very important date for me, and it has a lot to do with wisdom.
The calendar says January 6 is Epiphany. What’s that all about?
In the ancient Christian calendar, Epiphany is the day when the wise men brought gifts to the infant Jesus. Epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning “a sudden and important manifestation or realization.” The idea might be that this was when Jesus was revealed to the wise men.
Why is Epiphany on January 6?
The coming of the wise men is the last act of the Christmas story, and so it comes at the end of “the twelve days of Christmas.”
Why are there twelve days of Christmas?
No good reason. It was just because the Council of Tours in 567 declared that the twelve days after Christmas would be a festive season.
But Jesus was not actually born on December 25?
Almost certainly not.
So, there is no justification for thinking the wise men arrived in Bethlehem on January 6.
None whatsoever. The odds are 364 to 1.
So why do you think Epiphany makes January 6 an important date?
I never said it did.
Well, then, were you thinking that January 6 is the date that Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas?
Certainly not. And you’re confused. Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, but they start their celebrations on Christmas Eve, January 6. Further, Eastern Orthodox Christians don’t deliberately celebrate Christmas on January 6 or January 7. They celebrate Christmas on December 25 like everyone else. It’s just that because of a confusion in their calendar, they think that January 7 is December 25. I don’t think confusion is a good reason to make any date special.
Did some other Christian event happen on January 6?
Yes, the Mennonite Brethren Church was founded on January 6, 1860.
You were a member of the Mennonite Brethren Church, weren’t you?
Yes, but that was a long time ago.
So, is the founding of the Mennonite Brethren Church the reason January 6 is an important date?
No. It does not matter when a church was founded. What matters is what it is doing today.
Are you thinking about the Capitol riot in the United States in support of Donald Trump?
That happened on January 6? Certainly not. Neither the United States nor Donald Trump are as important as they think they are. I don’t pay much attention to them.
So, why is January 6 an important date, and what does it have to do with wisdom?
That is the date I married my wife Jackie, and that was the wisest thing I ever did.
So, Epiphany has nothing to do with it?
It has everything to do with it. Every year, when I get a new calendar, I look at the first page, and on January 6, it says “Epiphany.” That is a great reminder. It means I can never forget my anniversary.
I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions. Mostly because I can’t keep them. In the past, I’ve resolved to lose a few pounds, be more organized, work harder on getting rid of clutter. Sad to say most of those resolutions lasted about a week.
For the past few years, I’ve prayed about it and chosen a word that I believe God laid on my heart for the new year.
This year my word is Gentle. Kind of unusual I know, but I want to be gentler in the way I treat others. Listen more without given advice unless asked. Be gentle with those precious things God has entrusted into my care. . .like my family, friends, my writing for Him.
And gentle in the way I respond to those people who would normally upset me. This is my weak spot for sure. It’s so easy to give back to people what they give to you, but this year, I want to treat them gently even when they don’t return the gesture.
I can tell you now that I’m going to fail many times, but I’m hoping to pray about it more. Confess when I fail. Remember all that the Lord has done for me. Treat others as He would like me to not the way I feel they deserve. And pray for those who upset me more.
Tall goals, right? Maybe I’ll update you this year on how my gentle goal is going? We’ll see.
So, what about you? How do you plan to go forth into this bran-new New Year?
Philippians 4:5 5 says, Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Each year I pray for a word or theme that I can focus on. The Lord has been faithful, offering words that direct my prayer time, and in return, confirm things I had been praying about.
Last year was shift, and that was dead on. I watched loved ones shift, some by zip code with literal moves that came out of no where. Some changed jobs.
I prayerfully thought we’d see a shift globally, and throughout the year I noted headlines where leaders were voted out, passed away, abdicated, or resigned. This wasn’t just political, but in business as well.
The word for 2024 came to me in prayer in October, I believe. I think it fits perfectly with shift. In fact, with shift came shake, and shaking is still happening. If anything, it’s accelerating. How do I know?
Illuminate.
The definition as I prayed is two-fold. One, the Lord will expose people and choices that are sinful, completed in “back door” settings where they think they are getting away with it. They. are. not. This will be again global in the political and business arenas. I believe it will be nationally, regionally, and locally. There will be people we have put on a pedestal whom God will expose.
Is the illumination a humiliation tactic? Bright lights hurt my eyes. I certainly don’t want a spotlight on me. It’s hot and uncomfortable. For that, I want my life to reflect integrity and choices that measure up when you’re with me and when you’re not. For those with scandal, fraud, and literal crimes covered up, that spotlight is needed.
God longs for us all to repent.
We are in a season where we have two choices: repent or rebel. There’s no in-between, no sitting on the fence. When it comes to illuminate and the first aspect of it, Chuck Colson comes to mind. He was part of Watergate and faced prison time. He gave his life to Christ, repented, and his legacy wasn’t Watergate, it was the prison ministry he spent the rest of his life putting a spotlight on. He took his scandal and repented. He was glad for the exposure and illumination.
Illuminate also means light, and common sense tells you light overcomes darkness. Whether you crack the door a little in a dark room or swing it wide open, light takes over. Light dominates. God wants us to remember that.
Times ARE dark. They are bleak. But Christ overcame the world and His light overcomes. If we are His followers, His power and authority gave us the same promise. We have light. We illuminate because of Jesus. Whatever darkness we’re looking at, we are, in Christ, that crack of light. Instead of slamming the door in fear, swing those circumstances wide open in faith. You’ve got this. How do I know?
Jesus has you.
Already I’m seeing illuminate play out. Google the word “Diddy” and you’ll see alleged crimes and famous names. A partial Epstein list was released this week. Same deal. Trust me, these illuminations are just getting started.
I believe the church will see illumination. At first, the definition will be about exposure. The Body of Christ is too entwined with the world and horrifically tainted. That needs changing. I believe we’ll see leaders and scandals uncovered. I pray everyone repents.
Then, my sense is there will be a shift. I’m starting to see it. The Body of Christ will become Kingdom minded and return to a Biblical foundation where Jesus is Lord and His Word stands. We can’t serve the broken people that are starving for truth, and they are coming. The more God illuminates the sin, the more devastated people will be. We need to be healthy and right with Him ourselves.
Deep, I know. But 2024 isn’t a time to play around and hope for the best. It’s time to prayerfully get our hands and knees dirty. Stand up for Biblical truth. Believe and pray for restoration. And let the light of Jesus shine brilliantly in and around us in 2024.
Can you believe it’s already 2024? Where did 2023 go? I know where my 2023 went–writing two 95,000-word books — Fatal Witness and Deadly Revenge and launching the first book in the series, Counter Attack! Not planning on doing that again. 🙂
Another thing I don’t plan on doing is missing my posting date! That happened on December 21, and I have no excuse other than I thought my date was the 28th.
One thing I did was to read through the Bible. There is a story behind that. Nineteen years ago I worked in the schools, teaching abstinence to middle and high school students. At one small school, the teacher seemed different. Calmer, happier, and I asked what her secret was. Her answer surprised me.
“I’m finishing my tenth year of reading through the Bible,” she said.
Oh, wow! was my response. That blew me away. I’d read the whole Bible in bits and pieces, but never from start to finish, let alone in a year. Then she did something else that surprised me. She challenged me to do the same thing. Never one to back down from a challenge, I accepted.
In my bookcase was a copy of the Chronological Bible a friend had given me at least five years prior. January 1, 2005, I opened the Bible and started the day off reading in Genesis. As the days passed, I continued to read each morning the passage for that day. It amazed me how much better my days went. That’s not to say I didn’t have problems, but I was better equipped to handle those problems.
The year ended and I had actually met the challenge the teacher had issued me. I also understood so much more about the Bible as a whole, reading it chronologically. I saw God’s love like I never had before. In the Old Testament, His people worshipped, then fell into sin, and He corrected them, and they repented. Then the cycle repeated itself. I didn’t see their sinning as much as I saw God’s immeasurable love. I saw David, a man after God’s own heart, worship and write beautiful poetry only to fall into sin. For me, Psalm 51 is one of the most beautiful that he wrote. It’s one I’ve often prayed for myself.
But I’ve read through the Bible, you say. Read it again. You’ll get something new each time you do–I should know. This is my 18th year to read it. For years I used the Chronological Bible, then in 2021, I read it in the Seasons of Reflection Bible. It gives an Old Testament selection, a New Testament selection, and a Psalm or Proverb. Last year, I also read the OT & NT selections in the online Enduring Word Commentary.
This year I plan to use the Seasons of Reflections Bible again, this time doing a study on the psalms and proverbs featured each day.
So…for 2024, I want to issue you a challenge much like that teacher almost 20 years ago issued to me: Make this the year you read through the Bible. It’s God’s Love Letter to us, our how-to on daily living.
The Hebrew word translated “gentiles” in the Old Testament is gowy or goy. It literally means a “massing.” The same word is used to describe herds of animals or locusts. It suggests large numbers. In English, we still use terms such as “the masses.” In the New Testament, gowy is translated into Greek as ethnos, meaning “race, tribe, nation, people.” An image sometimes used for gentiles in the Bible is the sea—massive, powerful, chaotic, unpredictable, and dangerous—in which every drop of water is indistinguishable from the next.
There is also another word in the Old Testament: am, meaning “tribe, nation, people.” The New Testament uses two words for this concept: laos, meaning “people” (from which we get our word “laity”) and ochlos, meaning “throng, rabble, company, multitude.” The Israelites were God’s chosen “people” (am), chosen out of all the other peoples (am).
So, should “gentiles” be capitalized? No. The gentiles were not a specific nation or people but rather non-specific people, the “other people,” those who weren’t Israelites or Jews, the undifferentiated mass of humanity. There is a sense that the gentiles were looked down on as “not special” or “not chosen.” The Hebrew word is not necessarily negative, but certainly not positive, perhaps neutral at best.
It should be pointed out that other nations have similar concepts. The Greeks divided the world into “Greeks” and “barbarians.” The Romans, following the Greeks, divided the world into “Romans” and “barbarians.” Europeans distinguished between themselves and “the heathen,” “savages,” and “the uncivilized.” The European aristocracy also divided the world into “nobles” and “commoners.” The aboriginal peoples of northern Canada call themselves Inuit (the people), suggesting that other people aren’t really people.
It is common among people to look down on other people. This is certainly the attitude many Israelites and Jews had. But that is not necessarily God’s view. When God said that the Israelites were His chosen people, it did not give them justification for taking pride in the designation. It did not mean they were superior. It simply meant that God had chosen this people out of all the other people. What made them special was not their own worthiness but simply God’s choice. The same applies to God’s New Testament people, Christians. Peter said to Christians: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV). This should not lead to pride but to humility, wonder, and gratitude. The apostle Paul said something similar in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29: “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. God 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.” Paul also said: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
Does God make distinctions between people? God has designated certain people as His people, but He invites and welcomes everyone else to join them.
Every year around this time we all say, “I can’t believe it’s a new year!” To say that time flies is an understatement. Another year, another season of life. God had created us in this particular point in time to live a life of honor to him and to care for those we love.
As you reflect on 2023, I hope you focus on the good memories. Sure, not every moment of the year was great, but those moments with loved ones and friends always find a place at the top of the list. Gratitude for all we have, all we gained, should bring a smile to your face.
Now, in this new year of 2024, there is so much to look forward to! I pray that all you are hoping for will come to pass this year, including health, happiness, job opportunities, extended family, anything you have your eyes on.
I don’t make resolutions, but I am excited about what the future will bring. I know that as long as I remain grounded in Jesus, no matter what comes my way, it will be an interesting and spirit-filled year ahead.
Happy New Year!
Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com.Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter.
As has been my custom for the past two years, today I am filling the vacant space between Christmas and New Year’s with some of my own poetry, some of it serious and some more fun.
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
That is one of my two favorite Bible verses. It reminds me that life is filled with valleys as well as mountains; defeats and disappointments and well as triumph and joy.
It also reminds me that God didn’t create a robot who would remain unchanged through any circumstance. He created man in His own image, capable of great love and joy, but also capable of despair and tears. The assurance in Isaiah is that God is always with us. For those who believe, He will provide exactly what we need to get through any situation. Sometimes that’s only walking without fainting, but it’s always enough.
This is the time of year when most of us reflect on the past year and tell ourselves we’re going to do better next year. We let the calendar dictate a fresh start. By February or March, all our good intentions are forgotten. We’ve broken half our resolutions and feel guilty.
The remarkable thing about new beginnings is that life gives us the opportunity to start afresh throughout the year. If we learn from every experience and lean on God, we make decisions to leave a stressful job and find a new one, to take care of our mental and emotional health as well as our physical health, to walk away from a toxic relationship, and so much more.
During these times, we know God is with us, providing strength to endure, because we’re leaning on Him. But He also tells us how to leave the old behind and start anew.
“No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise, he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.”
Revelation 21:5
A new beginning is exactly that. Leave the old behind. Shake the dust off your feet and walk away with your faith unshaken, your self-esteem and your character intact, and your heart willed with hope and the knowledge that the Lord God Almighty, the Wonderful Counselor is walking with you.
By now, the presents have no doubt been unwrapped, the Christmas meal eaten. Family and loved ones have gone. For most of us, after December 25th passes, we put away the Christmas decorations. Christmas is over. But in the story of Jesus’ birth, Christmas didn’t end with His birth.
No doubt, it had been a grueling trip. Imagine being pregnant and being forced to take a four-to-five-day on the back of a donkey.
Once you arrive in Bethlehem, you’re tired and there’s no place to stay except a stable.
And then the moment comes, your Baby is born. The One you have been told would be the Savior of the world. I can imagine both Mary and Joseph would have seen the events that led them to Bethlehem and known it was through God’s own hand that these Biblical prophecies had been fulfilled.
As the exhausted couple stared down at their Son shepherds arrived with another amazing story of how an angel visited them in the field and told them about the Baby’s birth. And how the angel was joined by a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God. The young couple must have been overwhelmed with everything they had seen and heard.
Yet still long after the shepherds left, the events that were foretold in prophecy concerning the Son of God’s birth were not complete. There’s more to the story written in prophecy. Much more.
While we don’t know how much time passed before the Magi arrived, we’re told that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were staying in a house when the Magi followed the star to their location bringing gifts fit for the King.
The gift of gold is significant because gold is a symbol of royalty and power. Frankincense is a resin that was used in ancient times for religious ceremonies. A gift fit for the High Priest, it’s a sign of worship and respect. The final gift mentioned was myrrh. Myrrh is a plant that was used in ancient times for its medicinal properties. Most notable in Jesus’ life, myrrh was a key ingredient in the mixture of spices that were used to prepare bodies for burial.
Once the Magi had delivered their gifts and started for their home, Matthew 2:13-23 tells of how an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, instructing him to take the child Jesus and his mother and flee to Egypt because Herod was searching for the Child to destroy Him. Joseph obeyed and remained in Egypt until the death of Herod which fulfilled the prophecy that “Out of Egypt I called my son.
After Herod figured out the Magi had fooled him and were not going to return to tell him where to find Jesus, he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi fulfilling what was said through the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted”.
Once Herod passed away, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
So, Joseph took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene”.
The birth of our Savior that Christmas morning changed everything for us, but there was so much going on. A story of obedience by both Mary and Joseph. Excitement as seen by the shepherds who were the first to see the Baby and proclaim the news. Wisdom and curiosity brought the Magi to follow the star and prepare royal gifts that would be fitting for the Messiah.
The story of Jesus didn’t end with the manager. It continued throughout His life, His death, and His resurrection. It continues through the lives He changed. And it was all planned out perfectly by our amazing God.
Merry Christmas to you from Hong Kong. Those are words I never thought I’d write or say, but this year we are in Hong Kong to celebrate our daughter’s marriage. She married last April, but they are having a reception for her husband’s Hong Kong family and we were invited.
This is my first time outside the United States and it’s been amazing. The city is huge, but very welcoming. The people are so nice and the food is fabulous.
On our first day here, we were taken on a tour of Kowloon, the northern part of Hong Kong. As part of the tour, we were taken to the offices of the Young Life ministry. It was fascinating hearing about their outreach to junior high and high school youth. I was impressed with the many facets of their ministry and how they were able to interact with the young people to tell them about Jesus and His love for them. The young woman in charge said they are rarely in the office because they are out working with kids and reaching out to them at the schools.
On Christmas Eve, we attended church with our son-in-law’s family. The church youth put on a very entertaining program with a godly message. It was so fun. The worship and message reminded me of my church back home. The enthusiasm for Jesus shone in that church.
One of the things that’s impressed me most with this culture is their way of taking time to eat together, to share their thoughts and experiences over food, not being in a hurry. I am reminded of how often Jesus broke bread with people in the Bible and taught lessons during the meal.
Twice, Jesus taught and then had the disciples break up fish and loaves to give to the people. He ate and taught at Mary and Martha’s house. Even at the end of His ministry, He sat down with the disciples and shared important teachings during the last supper.
Maybe we should consider a meal together as more than just the food we’re eating. Yes, the food can be great nourishment and tasty, but the conversation is more important than what is on our plate. What are we conveying to those who are sharing our meal? Are we complaining about circumstances? Are we talking about worldly things that don’t really matter? Consider those conversations and what is being said.
Yes, we can talk about those other things—maybe not the complaining so much(smile)—but we can talk about sports, or books, or movies, etc., but we also need to bring up Christ and the gift He’s given us. We should be excited to share Him with those around us, even when sharing is hard. A meal together is a great time to touch on Jesus and who He is.
We don’t have to wait to travel somewhere to share Jesus. Here in Hong Kong, I’ve been considering John 3:16 and that God so loved the whole world that He gave His only begotten Son. The whole world. We have the opportunity to share that wonderful message whether we’re at home or some amazing destination like Hong Kong.
I hope you have a Merry Christmas and let someone know how much Jesus loves them.
I was ten years old when Christmas bottomed out for our family. Although we didn’t give our situation a name at the time, alcoholism was destroying our lives one sip and forgotten promise at a time.
The tension was palpable. I even remember our Peekapoo, Pookey, walking tentatively around the house, never knowing when yelling would start.
We probably all walked that way.
Despite the fear that honestly has my gut health impacted to this day, somehow I managed to have some cash on hand to buy our mom something for Christmas. I suspect it was a job assigned to me, assigned by my Dad, me and my sister. I took that job seriously. No matter the tension, no matter the state of my parent’s marriage, it was going to be the perfect Christmas because mom would receive the perfect gift.
I ended up buying an iron. It felt like such an upgrade to the trinkets I bought in years past at the school store. I wrapped that beauty up and made sure it had a prominent place under the tree. I knew, I felt it in my bones, this present was going to change everything and bring peace to the chaos.
I don’t recall Christmas Eve what transpired, but I can guess that there was alcohol and a verbal skirmish involved. I do recall feeling like we were living inside a pressure cooker, and that lid was about to blow. That present under the tree for Mom glowed in my eyes. It was going to turn everything around. It was going to be perfect.
Christmas morning, Dad asked who should go first.
And my ten-year-old self blurted,
“Mom, do you want to open your iron now?”
I heard what I’d done as soon as iron was said.
To me, I ruined the only good thing that was going to take place that year. No perfect Christmas. No perfect family.
I was crushed. There was laughter, but not the kind that deflated the tension.
I hated that Christmas.
I also don’t love to iron. But maybe that’s me.
Why do I share this story?
Because when I look at some of my favorite Christmas movies, from Arthur’s Perfect Christmas to Christmas Vacation to Christmas with the Kranks—perfection is the goal. As an author, I can share what drives a good story or movie. Conflict. And any time a person strives for perfection at Christmas—whether believing an iron will serve as a magic wand to heal a hurting family—or Griswold exterior Christmas lights being the symbol of a perfect family celebration as hilariously played out in the movie Christmas Vacation—disappointment is coming.
Julie Arduini
I don’t know all your personal lives but I know Christmas magnifies loss. Change. Financial troubles. Job transition. Relationship issues. Grief. Depression. Anxiety.
If you don’t surrender this season—your life—and all you are and dealing with to Jesus—you’re going to burn faster than my mom’s iron. Perfection isn’t attainable. We aren’t Jesus. If you’re spending more money than you have to delight a child or grandchild who actually needs to hear they are loved, and told about Jesus and His love, are you really celebrating the reason for the season? If you’re staying up past midnight to ice those cookies so they look bakery perfect, chances are you’re bleary-eyed and miserable. If this is your Christmas with the kids who otherwise split their time elsewhere, are you planning, planning, planning so every moment is filled and just perfect but your insides are tied in knots?
Maybe it’s time we look at my iron and put down the expectations. Give up the fantasy that you can create a perfect Christmas. Mary didn’t birth her Savior in a penthouse suite at the Hilton. Nothing about His birth sounds perfect except the Child. He was born in a feeding trough in a barn during a time the Israelites were oppressed and baby boys were hunted to be killed.
If Mary, Joseph, wise men, angels, and shepherds can rejoice at such a less-than environment, can’t we?
In Ecclesiastes 4:6, ESV it states, “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.”
If our focus is on Jesus and His birth, all the wonder that comes with it, we should be glowing this season. But out of worry and stress do we often look like wrinkled pants in need of my mom’s iron? If my family back then had known Jesus as a Savior with warm, open, loving arms, I suspect our lives would have looked different, even if alcoholism was present. I feel sad for that little girl that was me, and for anyone today who feels the same.
If we put Jesus first, I can’t promise there won’t be adversity or the unexpected. I can promise His peace will pass all understanding. A peace I can’t even define, and I love words. If you’re trying to plan events, juggle the calendar, buy the stuff to fill the fear, chaos, or pressure, whatever it is thinking you must make the perfect Christmas, my prayer is you find me or one of the team tonight and ask us to pray with you.
Ladies, ditch my childhood iron and the perfect expectations you should not be putting on yourself. Place everything about you and your daily life at the feet of Jesus. And have yourself a Merry Christmas.
This blog is being posted on my birthday. It is noteworthy that I was born so close to the winter solstice.
I once asked my sister, “Did you notice that the days kept getting shorter and darker until I was born, and then the days began to get longer and brighter?”
She said, “No, I had not noticed that. But I had noticed that when you were born, it was the darkest day of the year.”
It all depends on your perspective.
I once asked my mother which of her three children was her favorite.
She said that I was special because I had come home from the hospital on Christmas Eve.
But then she said that my sister was special because she was born first. And my brother was special because he was born last.
Mom should have been a diplomat.
It is appropriate to show some sympathy for those born in the last days of December. Their birthdays are always overshadowed by Someone Else’s birthday. They often get just one present instead of two. And in those hectic days, no one is going to volunteer to organize another party.
The Bible tells us that those of us who believe in Jesus become children of God.
But it is not always easy having Jesus as your older brother.
I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about that other James. The one in the Bible. It can’t have been easy for him. Imagine growing up being constantly compared to Jesus. “Your older brother wouldn’t have done that.” “Your older brother would have handled that better.” Definitely tough. Even though James knew his older brother loved him as only Jesus can love.
James clearly struggled. At one point, he thought Jesus was crazy (Mark 3:20-21). He didn’t believe in Jesus (John 7:5). But then Jesus appeared to him after He had been resurrected from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:7).
In the end, James became a leader in Jesus’ church and described himself as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1).
Being in Jesus’ shadow is not such a bad place to be. We are protected there. He set a good example for us to follow. He loves us and saves us. It is pretty wonderful having Jesus as our older brother.
Christians Read 