paravanes:meditations

It's not as difficult of an answer as you might think. What is unique about Christianity is the energy, effort, and movement to break the disconnect between God and humanity are all about God reaching out to us. We are only expected to do one thing. We are not, in the Christian tradition, asked to practice rituals to connect with God. We are not asked to offer sacrifices, whether easy or painful. We are not asked to pray a certain number of times each day. We are not asked to detach ourselves from our surroundings, feelings. or experiences. We are simply asked to believe. Frankly, believing is more of a challenge than doing all of the things previously mentioned. Believing kills pride and the self satisfaction that whispers "I did it. I'm good enough. I'm following the rules. I'm OK all by myself because of what I've done." What are we asked to believe? We are asked to believe that God loves us so much and wants relationship...

Christmas is another chapter in a very old and very long story of God reaching out to us, His beloved--but distantly alienated--children. How many of us will reach back with faith? The final chapter is not written.

Enjoying the planning and giving of gifts as much or more than the receiving? Perhaps this is a sign of spiritual growth?

What will we do with the Virgin Birth? Dismiss it, because our science does not understand it? Believe it without taking the time to ponder its meaning? There is a third path. Be open to knowing and finding meaning in mystery. The best and truest things in life--love, courage, faithfulness, honesty--cannot be diagrammed or outlined . They are simply there.

Christmas reminds us of the folly of regret. God's power changes circumstances and the meanings of circumstances. Being born in a smelly stable doesn't seem like the best way to begin a life. Yet, look what came from that life that began where none of us would chose to be.

Christmas is God "contracting to a span"--(a borrowed quote)--becoming one of us, and giving us the choice of a never-ending life worth living. No compulsion, just an option.

Christmas is God coming near and finding us, because we could never find Him on our own. Because He comes near to us, no one need ever live without love.

He became like us, so that we could become like Him. This is the full circle of love, life, and light.

Christmas is a reminder we are completely worthy of God's love, regardless of what we have done and may do in the future. This is difficult to accept at times, because we have been conditioned to believe only those who are "good" are worthy of love. Perhaps it would be more correct to say only those who are "good" are usually loved by other humans. Everyone is loved by God. This defies reason. Why would God love someone who commits horrible crimes, or someone who denies the existence of God? God loves because that is God's nature. God can do nothing but love. We know that no human person falls into this category.  In our fallen state, we are capable of love, and we are also capable of great hatred and emnity.  We are dual-natured, not single natured. We can't understand the holy-ness (whole-ness) of God, who has only one nature. That nature is to love. One Bible teacher describes the incarnation this way: "God contracted to a span....

This line from the classic Christmas hymn, "O Holy Night", tells us Jesus breaks chains and fixes broken and distorted relationships. How does He do this? The breaking of chains involves stress. I remember this from my elementary grade level science classes. In these classes, we studied the basic machines and principles related to machines. We learned how stress creates change when worked upon certain materials. Faced with enough stress,  the chain will break. Am I seeking the breaking of chains in my life without accepting the stress that may accompany that freedom? Have I declared myself "blessed and highly favored" without understanding how this designation may mean that I will endure pains beyond normal, so  I can faithfully and reliably and honestly testify to others how God can heal and overcome and restore anything that's broken in life? Am I willing to live these experiences so that I can lead and guide others who seek to know this truth? ...

Now that the holidays are over and life has returned to a semblance of normality, I am reflecting upon what the holidays meant and what I can take with me into this new year. This most recent Christmas (2011) was on a Sunday. Once again, discussions arose about what types of services should be held on "Christmas Sunday" and how many people would be likely to attend church service on Christmas morning. After all, won't everyone prefer to stay home, relax, and enjoy their  Christmas gifts and their favorite breakfast foods...and grab another cup of coffee or hot cocoa? Some churches abbreviated their services, others combined services, and a few simply cancelled services. I didn't have a difficult time deciding what to do on that morning. I went to church. I am aware, even though it's seldom spoken, of how my neighbors observe my regular attendance to church on Sundays. I can be relied upon to leave home at a certain time each Sunday morning. Others, especia...

This post's title is a line from one of my favorite hymns, In Christ Alone, by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Why would God choose to become an infant, a "helpless person", totally dependent upon others in His human experience? God with us . Human experiences of weakness, pain, vulnerability, and sadness are not foreign to God. It was God's choice to know what we feel by personally experiencing life as we experience it. Some may say God would never "lower Himself" to live life as we live it, and to directly and personally experience so much of what we know. God's sovereign and  willing choice to know much of human  life, ---without sin--, to know what we know, feel, and experience is an ultimate expression of love, caring concern, and direct involvement. God is love . This is what we celebrate and remember during Advent: a God who loves enough to come close, a God who chooses to experience human frailties without the blinding limitations...

This blog's post title, "Til he appeared and the soul felt its worth" is a line from one of my favorite Christmas/Advent hymns: "O Holy Night." He appeared, and the soul felt its worth . How often do I make mistakes and misjudgements because I do not know or feel my own worth? It is not arrogant or lacking in humility to know my worth because it is God Alone Who Determines my worth, and God values me so highly as to make Himself like humans, choosing to be one of us, and living among us to reveal Himself to us. That is an ultimate expression of love. I mis-step when I allow the world to determine my worth. I mis-judge when I trust other people more than I trust God to tell me who I am and what I am worth. My worth can never be diminished, because my worth comes from God alone. When this truth lives deeply within my heart and mind, I never sell myself short. I never accept second best for myself. I never give up goals and dreams because those goals an...

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." -- 2 Corinthians 1:3 and 4 How closely and deeply am I able to receive the comfort of God? Christmas, the tangible, personal and up-front breaking through of God into the human timeline and experience, means I am able to receive the comfort of God in my personal life. I may use that comfort to see things in a new and different way. I am empowered to share that comfort, without regard for what someone may think. Pride does not stop me from telling my story of God's comfort. I am personally and permanently obligated to share how God's comfort has changed, healed, and restored me. If I remain silent on this issue, it is too easy for someone to look at my life and believe I've just got it all pulled together by my own means. ...

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." -- Isaiah 9:2 With less than a week before Christmas, news reports are offering projections on how much money shoppers will spend during this season. With the spending projections are warnings about paying careful attention to store gift return policies. Many retailers are tightening their policies to avoid fraud. I have (fortunately and gratefully) had enough quiet time during this week to reflect on the happiness of what Christmas represents: because Jesus Christ came to the Earth and served as my "sin offering", I am no longer "stuck with" my purchases. I may return them. Also, I am freed from "re-gifting" those bad purchases! I may return the boredom of wasted, useless hours spent in meaningless activities--and replace them with peaceful, God-ordained, eternally meaningful work and pleasures. I may return unnatural ...