Isaiah 40

My parents milked a television for all it was worth. We didn't get cable into well into the 80's if not 90's. I remember watching reruns of Mighty Mouse as a kid. The bad guy would have someone captive. Mighty mouse would hear a distress call and zoom into the air. And somewhere along the way, you would hear Mighty Mouse sing from the skies, before he got to the bad guy: "Here I come to save the day!"
When I read Isaiah 40, I hear those words "Here I come to save the day!" but this time it is God who is on the way. The prophet/messenger scouts before the Almighty telling all to prepare the way. Nothing will stand in God's way from rescuing his people, his creation. "Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough--to keep God from his creation"
As we journey the wilderness of life, can we hear the cry "prepare the way of the Lord." Can we hear our God sing out "Here I come to save the day!"
Are we preparing the way to encounter Christ again this Christmas? Are the high places of arrogance, pride and self sufficiency in our lives being made low? Are the low places of doubt, regret, and unforgiveness being filled in with the hope, mercy and grace of God?

Advent 2

Matthew 1:23  “Look! The virgin will conceive child!
She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

God is with us. That is good news. And if we ponder the name Emmanuel in light of the Scripture from Romans 5: 6 “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” it takes on a new depth.  While we were busy running our own lives, keeping God out, Christ was born in a manger, walked among us, ate with us, and died for us. While we were enemies of God, busy building walls to keep God and others at a distance, Jesus entered our world, invaded our space, and loved us with his life.  While we were slaves to ourselves, to sin and death, God came to be with us.

Yet the message I hear sometimes from Christians is  “God is with us but not with you.” Oh, we don’t say it so blatantly but we say it nonetheless in word and deed.  In arguments or debates, we say God is against you because you are a sinner, a democrat, a republican, fill in the blank ____________ by calling them heretics, sinners, unbiblical. I wonder how many times when I pulled back from someone’s touch that was homeless or sick, I sent the message “God is not with you.” Yet the message of the Incarnation is “God is with us.” Christ came and touched the untouchables. I wonder how many times I have placed boundaries between me and someone else because of political or theological differences, sending the message “God is with me but not you.” Yet when Christ was on earth, he bridged those divides, tore down the walls which separated humanity and God, as well as people from each other. By being in his presence, the people were called to new life and changed. They were not required to change and then God would be with them. The Good News was and still is---“hey sinners! God is with you!”

We celebrate the Incarnation—God chose not to allow our sinfulness to keep us from him. In fact, while we were yet sinners, the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.  May we reflect the truth God is with us—sinners and saints, republican and democrat, homeless and middle class and upper class, sick and healthy, imprisoned and law abiding, straight and not. God is with us.  Let us journey deeper into that truth. Let us live like God is with us and with those who are not like us.  Let us trust God to bring us to life again.  I want to declare with my words and my life “Immanuel!”

Advent--Day 1 Isaiah 64

^{Isaiah 64 
1} Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down!
      How the mountains would quake in your presence!
 ² As fire causes wood to burn
      and water to boil,
   your coming would make the nations tremble.
      Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame!
 ³ When you came down long ago,
      you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations.
      And oh, how the mountains quaked!
 ⁴ For since the world began,
      no ear has heard,
   and no eye has seen a God like you,
      who works for those who wait for him!
 ⁵ You welcome those who gladly do good,
      who follow godly ways.


Yes! Open the Heavens and come down! Let your salvation spring up from the ground. Let nature declare you are God. Set things right! Let those who mock me, who hurt me, who hurt my friends, my nation know I was.....I mean....You are right! Show them all God!! You welcome those who follow your ways and do good. So come, Lord Jesus, come! Set everything right.

But you have been very angry with us,
      for we are not godly.
   We are constant sinners;
      how can people like us be saved?
 ⁶ We are all infected and impure with sin.
      When we display our righteous deeds,
      they are nothing but filthy rags.
   Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
      and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
 ⁷ Yet no one calls on your name
      or pleads with you for mercy.
   Therefore, you have turned away from us
      and turned us over^[c] to our sins.

Yes, show those ungodly people we, your people, are right.......wait, what? "we are ungodly?" Excuse me, Isaiah, but I think you made a mistake. We are the people of God. And when Christ comes back all those who are not part of "us--godly people"--you know, those who are ungodly-- will be shown the error of their ways and God's people will be shown to be right. How can we be part of the ungodly?
Ok, I will admit that I haven't forgiven that person yet....but she hasn't asked for forgiveness. But that is such a small thing, isn't it?
And, yes, I guess sometimes my "prayer requests" are bordering on gossip, but if it gets others to pray.....no, its not justifiable.
What? My attitude about those in poverty or those of the opposing political opinion? Well they are just lazy and ignorant......oh, you're right, I am generalizing and not hearing their story. I could probably be a little more Christ-like in this area too.
Now, yes, I am angry and bitter towards that person but he acts like he has the perfect theology and uses Scripture as a weapon against me. I mean, does he not see that I Corinthians 13, the fact we see things dimly now means he sees things dimly now?!? What? That verse is for me too? I see things dimly too and probably should be a bit more humble? Well, I can see your point.
Well, you're right, I am quite impatient, judgmental, selfish, quick to talk, slow to listen....ok, ok.
I am ungodly and I don't call out for your help but rely on my own strength to be a good person. I am comfortable as I am. I want you to right this world but let me be. I am part of the ungodly.


⁸ And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
      We are the clay, and you are the potter.
      We all are formed by your hand.
 ⁹ Don’t be so angry with us, Lord.
      Please don’t remember our sins forever.
   Look at us, we pray,
      and see that we are all your people.


So when you come in your glory, don't forget me, please. Please don't leave me in my sin and brokenness. As you make the rest of the world whole and right, please make me whole and right. Don't just rend the Heavens but rend my heart too.

December 17

I have not blogged in a while and I am sorry. It has been a tough week. I have hit some low points, feeling out of control in many areas of my life. A lot of things seem to be going wrong despite my best intentions. And so I found myself calling out to God. "I need a miracle." Then suddenly, it hit me. This is advent. The time between the Old Testament and the New Testament was a time of oppression for the Jewish people from one occupation to the next. How many times did God's people call out, "we need a miracle. We need a Deliverer."? And we want our deliverer now. We want to get to Christmas. It is only one week away. Why can't we start the celebration?
Why? Because Isaiah reminds us those who wait, rise up on eagle's wings. We are reminded time and time again in Scripture, God's timing not ours. Despite coming to some low points, despite feeling out of control, this December has been peaceful. I am not rushed through the madness of the season. I am not feeling like I need more things or to get more stuff for others. I am at peace in the midst of out of control circumstances. But Emmanuel was not spoken into the best of times. No, Emmanuel came in dark, hard times. God is with us, in the midst of our brokenness. Thanks be to God.

December 9

Psalm 37: 1-18
Do not fret because of evil doers but trust in the Lord and wait on the Lord.

That is easier said than done. As we watch the bankers and wall street brokers who helped drive us into the recession get bonuses and watch unemployment go up and receive phone calls from bill collectors, it is hard to not fret because of the unfairness of the system. It is hard to just wait for God to make things right when there is so much wrong happening. The people we love and care for being stricken with cancer, homes burning down, children going hungry. How can the psalmist say just wait and God will make your righteousness shine like the midday light. The psalmist promises in a little while the wicked will be no more. The promise is the meek and peacemakers will inherit the earth. So as we wait on the Lord in the midst of injustices, the call of Scripture is not to take justice in our own hands, like Christ didn't take justice in his own hands on the cross. Have we given peacemaking a chance? Stopping the violence and injustice by not rewarding violence and injustice with more violence and injustice.

The Lord is My Refuge

Psalm 16
The Psalms are the cry of human hearts to God, sometimes the cry of a raw, broken heart. As we walk through Advent, we are called to remember our brokenness. John the Baptist calls us to repent and be ready for the coming Messiah. Isaiah reminds us we have not been faithful. The Psalms remind us as we cry out in our brokenness to God, God is faithful to heal and bring hope. Psalm 16 says God is our refuge. God is faithful to show us the path of life as we journey through the darkness. God will not abandon our souls.
As we feel the weight of our brokenness, as we feel the weight of the expectations of the season, as we feel the coldness of December, can we see the path of life God is leading us on? How is God showing us the path of life this Advent?

The difficulty of Advent

Perhaps it begins in our youth, the need to rush Christmas. The rush continues as adults in our preparation for the holiday season. We want to get the shopping done quickly. We want to sing the hymns of Christmas during Advent. Why must we journey through Advent?
It is a difficult season. Advent calls us to walk through our brokenness waiting for our Deliverer. It reminds us we are still going on to perfection, we have not reached it yet.
Advent also reminds us that the problems of this world are not easily dealt with. The rush and commercialism of Christmas can not be thwarted by cute sayings and more family time. No, we overcome through self sacrificing. That is what Advent calls us to. It reminds us that the greed of this society can only be diminished by our generosity. Advent reminds us that the selfishness of our culture must be faced with our laying down our rights. It is a reminder we are to fight the anger and hatred of this world with forgiveness and peacemaking. Advent reminds us we can only combat the violence of humanity with turning the other cheek and praying for the happiness of our enemy. Love in the face of hatred and anger. Forgiveness in the face of hurt and frustration. Sacrifice in the face of greed and the ever growing cry for "My Rights". These are the weapons of Christianity. Advent reminds us the way of the Cross is not comfortable. It goes against my instincts and my nature. Advent calls us back to this reality--the reality of the Kingdom of God coming in a helpless baby, saving the untouchables, dying on a cross, rising from the dead.

Advent Day 3

Scripture: Psalm 6; Psalm 10; Luke 20:9-18
Walking through Advent is uncomfortable. This journey takes us from darkness to light. It has us walking through our brokenness. Today's lectionary reading is no different. The Psalmists lament over their brokenness and the apparent distance between God and the chosen people. Luke tells us the story of the wicked tenants. Who are the tenants? The religious people who are keepers of the law, the doctrine? Those who were entrusted with the Good News and shining the light of God to the nations but instead horded God for themselves?
What in my life is keeping people away from the Good News? Advent is about getting close and personal to the brokenness in my life so God can bring healing and deliverance. It is uncomfortable to be aware of the darkness which still exists in me. But the good news is we are walking towards the light. Our Deliverer is coming!

Advent Day 2

Scripture: Isaiah 1:10-20

Advent is a time of waiting. We wait for our Deliverer--the One who will deliver us from our brokenness, our sin, death. The passage in Isaiah reminds us our brokenness can seep into our religion. Israel was practicing her religion: the festivals and the offering of sacrifices. Yet she remained broken. Her holiness was shallow. What does God require? Seeking justice, learning to do good, caring for the poor.
Have I become satisfied with a religion which makes me feel comfortable and good? Does my brokenness seep into my practice of my faith? I want to let God heal me. I want to be an instrument of healing.

The Journey begins

I grew up in a tradition which did not observe Advent. Yet every year, Christians complained about the commercialism and how we were losing the true meaning of Christmas in our society. But Christmas is not our culture's to protect, it is ours. And I am becoming more and more convinced that if we wish to keep Christmas well, we must first observe Advent well. The past three blogs have been introductions to my attempt to observe Advent well. This blog begins my journey. You are invited to come along silently or join the dialogue.
Today's Gospel from the lectionary was Matthew 24:36-44. As we journey towards the celebration of the past--the celebration of Christ's birthday, we look to the future coming of Christ. We are closer today than we have ever been to seeing Christ face to face, whether it be through the Second Coming or through the doorway of Death. And we are called to be ready.
But I believe we are called to be ready to meet Christ in a new way this Christmas. How will this Christmas be different than last? Will we know Christ better? Christmas is more than gifts and packages, it is more than family time, it is the invitation to join the story of God. How are we going to get ready to meet Christ this Christmas?

Intentional Advent

As stated in my last post, our culture rushes us into Christmas, and for good reason. If we are rushed into the holidays, we leave all rational thinking behind, especially about our finances, and jump into the commercialism. And the pull of commercialism is overwhelming. According to the advertisements on television...
My car tells my neighbors I am bland. My computer is not thin enough or fast enough. My washer and dryer are not smart enough. My oven does not multi task well. My phone does not have enough g's. My television is not wide enough. I am fashionably challenged. And what about my family? If I really love them I will make sure their car tells the world they are classy and hip, their computers will be fast, the televisions wide,etc.
No wonder contentment is elusive in our society. "Blessed are the meek"? What is meek? Advent yells, "enough." We are looking for a Deliverer, not a tech item which will devalue the moment we open it or be out of date the next morning. We are looking for a Savior from this prison of materialism and discontentment. Advent reminds us, "Our Deliverer is coming!"
And so what do we do while we wait for our Deliverer. There is the Advent Conspiracy .
There is the call to spend less and give a goat through World Vision.
One thing I will do is turn off my television or allow myself only two shows in the week. Television will no longer be the background noise when I am home.
What do you need to do this Advent to re-center yourself for Christmas?

Advent visited

Today is Black Friday. The news is about the long lines at the stores while others are braving the Internet in their pajamas. This year stores opened on Thanksgiving. Every year it seems our culture rushes us into the holiday season. Christmas decorations are up in stores earlier, Christmas music is released earlier. Santa and his reindeer are seen in commercials earlier and earlier.
Advent pulls us back. No, it is not Christmas yet. This is not the time for "Glory to God in the Highest" but the time to pray to the God of Glory for deliverance. We recall Israel's story, our story, humanity's story. Long was their slavery in Egypt, long was our slavery to sin and death. We wait for the promised Deliverer. We linger here in the waiting and the longing. We say no to the culture who would demand we rush into Christmas. We wait. We wait so our hope and our joy will be full. We join the story of Israel in Scripture who in exile would recall God's deliverance in the past and call on God to deliver once again. Advent calls us to remember the deliverance from Egypt and the deliverance brought in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ. Advent asks us, "where do we need deliverance today?" "what am I being held captive by?" Now wait expectantly. Our Deliverer is coming!

Advent

And so the holiday season begins once again. And the news is the same....stores readying themselves for Black Friday. Will this holiday season help the stores reach their goals? Will our spending help the economy? All the plans are in full swing where we will spend Christmas and the time for services and family gatherings. We will watch the same movies again, the Grinch will steal Christmas and his heart will grow once more. We will hear the same songs and read the Story once again. Is this why Christ was born?
There has to be more. The bumper stickers calling us to "keep Christ in Christmas" or to remember "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" will be out in force. How do we make these more than pithy little sayings?
I believe Advent holds part of the answer. To fully celebrate Christmas, we must intentionally celebrate Advent--this period of waiting, period of preparation.