Month: December 2019

Seeing 2020

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While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.      2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV

One day Jesus sat down for dinner with a wealthy Pharisee named Simon. During their meal the pleasantness of the scene was harshly interrupted by a weeping woman. She burst into the room and began kissing the feet of Jesus and wiping them clean with her hair. Simon was shocked! It was well known in his community what flagrant sins this woman had committed. How dare she enter his house, and furthermore how could Jesus (If He really were a prophet) allow himself to be touched by someone like her?

Yet Jesus saw the circumstances quite differently than Simon. Jesus didn’t look at the fine tableware or the expensive furnishings. Jesus hadn’t at all been impressed by the beautiful columns or the hand carved door at the entry of Simon’s home. Instead Jesus saw the coldness of Simon’s heart. He had noticed that Simon had not given him the customary kiss on the cheek, or offered water for his feet to be washed. Jesus saw quite clearly the depth of repentance and gratitude of this woman and treasured her acts of love and friendship.

God does not see things as we see them and as we enter this New Year my prayer is for God to give us His 2020 heavenly vision. I ask that we can see the value that Jesus sees in others and how worthless so many things are to which we so tightly cling. The challenges that we meet this year we be better met when we can see and treasure the invisible things of God’s eternal worth.

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The Christmas Lamb

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And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2:16-17 NKJV

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The beautiful manger scene at the entrance to the Assisted Living facility looked a little funny to me the first time that I passed it the other day. I saw wise men and shepherds; Mary, Joseph and lots of sheep but where was Jesus? When I asked at the desk they told me that one of the residents had pointed out that they couldn’t put Jesus in before Christmas because He wasn’t born until then. It seemed pretty logical to me so I shrugged my shoulders and laughed and then went in to sing carols. The following day as I brought some gifts that our church had donated I noticed a change in the Nativity. There was still no baby but someone had felt the empty manger needed an occupant and so a lamb was put in the place of Jesus. What better story could be told than the lamb of God laid in the manger at Christmas and laid and nailed on the cross just 33 Christmases later. God Bless and Merry Christmas!

 

Happy Birthday Jesus!

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“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  Matthew 2:2 ESV

Long ago when we were bringing children from our neighborhood to church we go to know a five year old boy named Dylan. One week when it was almost Christmas they were having a special Sunday school program, but Dylan wanted nothing to do with it unless one of us went with him. So I gently took his hand and we walked down the stairs to the little classroom together. There we sat in a circle on grade school sized chairs as the teacher talked about the Christmas story. Then she passed out cupcakes with a candle for each child.

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“Now Jesus was born on Christmas so let’s sing happy birthday to Him!” the teacher said smiling. First she carefully lit each candle and then we began to sing. Just as the last note faded Dylan happened to look up at a picture on the wall behind the teacher. There was a painting of Jesus but instead of a nativity scene, it depicted the Last Supper. As he looked closely, Dylan’s eyes got bigger and bigger until in excitement he jumped up, pointed to the wall and shouted, “Look it’s Jesus’ birthday party!”

Now, thirty years later, I have forgotten all the sermons I heard preached in that church, but the words of Dylan remain in my heart. This Christmas morning as we remember the wise men, shepherds angels, remember with Dylan whose birthday it is as you offer your heart to Him!