Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!

(YouTube: CelticWomenVivo)

NOTE: This will be my final post of 2013. I will resume on January 1, 2014. I'm looking forward to spending another encouraging year with you.

Suddenly a messenger of the Lord stood in front of them, and the darkness was replaced by a glorious light—the shining light of God’s glory. They were terrified!

MESSENGER: Don’t be afraid! Listen! I bring good news, news of great joy, news that will affect all people everywhere. Today, in the city of David, a Liberator has been born for you! He is the promised Anointed One, the Supreme Authority! You will know you have found Him when you see a baby, wrapped in a blanket, lying in a feeding trough.

At that moment, the first heavenly messenger was joined by thousands of other messengers—a vast heavenly choir. They praised God.

HEAVENLY CHOIR: To the highest heights of the universe, glory to God! And on earth, peace among all people who bring pleasure to God! (Luke 2:9-14, The Voice)

I searched YouTube for "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing". There are a ton of videos (I'm not sure how one weighs videos, but you get the point) by various artists. I just picked the Celtic Woman version because I like them.

I am struck today by the deep theology in Charles Wesley's hymn text. This isn't a simple, sweet song about a baby in a manger. Check out these words:

"God and sinners reconciled"

"Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity"

"Mild He lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth."

This song contains a powerful expression of the gospel. The baby of Bethlehem was God in the flesh, who laid aside the glory of Heaven to be born so that we might be born again spiritually and reconciled to God.

Wow! I don't think I can add to that, so I will wish you a blessed Christmas and look forward to seeing you back here on January 1, 2014.

Why Bother Arming for Battle?

(photo credit: culture24.org.uk)

"No matter how well you arm for battle, victory is determined by Him." (Proverbs 21:31, The Voice)

At first glance, one might assume from this passage that preparation is inconsequential. God's gonna do what God's gonna do, so you might as well go on about your business and roll with it as it comes.

Some Christ-followers even take verses such as this to mean that we should never make plans or goals, or consider strategies toward those goals. If it happens, it must have been God's will; if it didn't, it must not have been.

In some extreme cases, "I will pray about it" means "I have no intention of doing anything."

But what if we saw a life of prayer as the central part of arming ourselves for battle? What if we asked Him to inspire our plans and goals and give us discernment into the best strategies? 

What if "I will pray about it" means "I will surrender myself to God and seek His wisdom about my next step in this process"?

Question: How might such a perspective change your approach to preparation, planning, and goal-setting?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.


NOTE: Friends, I am going to post tomorrow morning (12/22) and then take the rest of the year off. Holiday travel and holiday guests when we are home make it difficult to schedule writing time each morning. I am going to renew and recharge and be ready to kick off again on January 1, 2014. I am looking forward to spending another year with you. 

Focused Faithfulness

(Photo credit: masstransmit.com)

Earlier this morning I posted this quote from Oswald Chambers: "People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.”

Sometimes we don't realize that the thing that is keeping God from blessing us is ... us.

I'm not talking about a lack of faith. That's the message of the "prosperity gospel". 

I'm not talking about a lack of good works. That's the message of legalism.

I'm talking about a lack of focused faithfulness. I'm talking about the difference between doing our own thing and hoping that God will drop some blessings on us OR allowing Him to take His rightful place at the center of our lives. There is no greater blessing than knowing that we are walking in step with Him and that He is calibrating our lives to His purpose.

Question: What do you need to do today to refocus?

Please leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Journey of Surrender

(Photo credit: matthewscottwallace.com)

"I have been crucified with the Anointed One—I am no longer alive—but the Anointed is living in me; and whatever life I have left in this failing body I live by the faithfulness of God’s Son, the One who loves me and gave His body on the cross for me." (Galatians 2:20, The Voice)

I have often heard Christian speakers talk about having a "life verse". I've also been a part of many discussions where people talked about having a favorite verse or passage of Scripture.

I have resisted both those concepts because God has spoken to me through so much of His word. My favorite verse is like my favorite song; it is the verse or song through which God is speaking to me at the moment.

Having said that, I acknowledge that Galatians 2:20 comes about as close as possible to being a life verse for me. It is, at the very least, one of my "anchor" verses.

It is a reminder to me that God is not nearly as interested in what I do for Him as He is interested in what He does in and through me. If I am concerned for God's glory, I can take two approaches: 

(1) I can try to be sure that whatever I do, I do my very best for Him.

(2) I can surrender to Him so fully that His life and His glory are lived out in me.

Notice that I did not say that I can take "one of two" approaches. This is not either/or; it is both/and. It is process and progress. It is a journey of surrender.

“The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us.” (Oswald Chambers - "My Utmost for His Highest”)

Question: What will you do today to take your next step on the journey of surrender?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

He Wrote You Into His Story

(Our Nativity scene on our piano)

During this Advent season, I have been reading Janet Denison's 2013 advent devotional "Looking forward to Christmas".

One thing she said on today's reading has really stuck with me. (In fact I already posted the quote on Facebook this morning). "Jesus is not a 'character' in the Christmas story; he authored the Christmas story to reveal his character."

Wow! What a powerful truth! The author of history knows the story He wants to tell to all the world, so--just at the right moment--He writes Himself into the story and changes everything.

Furthermore, at the time of His choosing, He wrote each of us into the story to participate in the larger story of history. Mind boggling!

John 1:1-2, 14 (New International Version): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning ... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

Question: What can you do today to focus on how Jesus has written you into His story?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

What If I Could Guarantee You Success This Week?

(Photo credit: vaughanmerlyn.com)

"We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:1-3, New Living Translation)

If you are like me, Monday morning begins with reflection on the plans and responsibilities for the week. Talk about making your list and checking it twice!

These verses this morning remind us to put our plans in perspective. Several things are worth our attention in these few short words.

1. Plans are good. There is nothing in these verses that discourages the making of plans.

2. We are not ultimately in charge. Our plans are for us. They are not for God.

3. Our perspectives are often skewed. We sometimes focus on what looks good. God goes much deeper to focus on what is good.

4. If we submit our plans and our work to God, we WILL succeed. Notice that it does not say we will have the outcome we planned. It says our plans will succeed. 

Does that seem like a contradiction? Not at all! The success is in the submission of our plans and our work to God. Outcomes are beyond our control. Success in the eyes of God is measured by faithfulness to Him.

Question: What are some ways that you have found helpful to commit your plans to the Lord?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

A Full Face Smile

(Photo credit: uber-facts.com)

"A warm, smiling face reveals a joy- filled heart, but heartache crushes the spirit and darkens the appearance." (Proverbs 15:13, The Voice)

As I read this verse this morning, my first thought was that I have seen smiling faces that in no way revealed a joy-filled heart. I've seen phony smiles, angry smiles, cruel smiles, disgusted smiles ... you get the point.

But then I pondered a little more the words "a warm, smiling face." That's the difference! All those other smiles have a coldness about them. Perhaps an emptiness in the eyes keeps the smile contained to the lips. The joy-filled smile is not simply a smile, but a warmth that envelopes the entire face; it is internal joy that cannot be contained.

The converse is true as well. A spirit crushed by heartache shows up in the face as well. The lips may smile, but you can see the emptiness, hurt, and exhaustion the eyes.

Sometimes we move so quickly through our daily activities that we only notice smiles and frowns. We don't see the whole face. Consequently, we miss opportunities to apply encouraging words and actions to the wounds of those around us.

Question: How can you be more sensitive today to the faces you encounter?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.