My "Rights" or My Righteousness

This is how the birth of Jesus came about:

his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,

but before they came together, she was found to be with child

through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was a

righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived

in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him

the name of Jesus, because he will save his people from their sin."

(Matthew 1:18-21)

I admit it:  I've always felt a bit sorry for Joseph during the Christmas season.  In our schools, churches and communities - on stage after stage as the nativity story is recreated and retold - Joseph seems to fade into the background.  We ooh and aah as the little angels come out with their sparkly halos and wings, the barefoot shepherds carrying stuffed animals.  The Magi look so regal in their robes and jeweled crowns.  And who can resist the young, fresh-faced Mary, cheeks aglow, holding that precious little baby.  Throw in a live animal or two and Joseph quickly becomes part of the scenery.  Even scripture doesn't tell us much about this man.  His last appearance in the written Word occurs when Jesus is just 12 years old.

Rather than speculate on what we don't know about the man, we can focus on what we do know.  The gospel writer Matthew says he was a righteous man, and that tells us a lot about Joseph.  He was engaged to a young girl, Mary, who was pregnant.  He knew this child was not his so he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  An engagement in that time was just as binding as the marriage and to end it required a divorce.  If the betrothed was found to be pregnant by another man, it would be assumed she had been unfaithful.  The punishment was stoning.

Joseph's righteousness and his love for Mary shine through in his decision to divorce her quietly rather than expose her to public disgrace and a possible death sentence.  Put yourself in his shoes for a moment.  Feel the temptation to focus on the sense of betrayal, nurse your wounded pride and exercise your "right" to talk about it with anyone who will listen.  When we feel betrayed by someone we love, it's so easy to become self-centered and put our hurts ahead of protecting the reputation of the other party, isn't it?  No one would have blamed Joseph for telling on Mary.  Wasn't it within his "rights"?

I am reminded of another Joseph in the book of Genesis whose own brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery.  After years in slavery and prison, Joseph was elevated by Pharaoh and put in charge of all Egypt.  Many years later when Joseph's brothers came to that country because of severe famine in their land, Pharaoh was so pleased to see them that he wanted to give them the best of the land!

Why would Pharaoh be so generous to those who had betrayed someone so close to him?  Could it be that Joseph never told Pharaoh the terrible thing his brothers had done?  He certainly would have been within his "rights" to do so.  But he, like the Joseph of our gospel story, was a righteous man.

There is another righteous man, the One who on the night He was betrayed washed the feet of His betrayer.  He treated Judas in such a manner that the other disciples present did not even realize this was an enemy among them.  This Righteous One was Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary on that first Christmas two thousand years ago.  The Righteous One "...who being in very nature God...made Himself nothing...by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."  (Phil. 2:6,7)

This is our Jesus, truly God come down in human likeness, coming as a servant to live a righteous life and then to die for men that through Him we might have eternal life.  This same One calls out to us today:

"Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..."  (Matt. 6:33)

Prayer:  Lord, as You humbled Yourself and took on the nature of a servant to live righteously among men, teach me also to live - not within my "rights" - but righteously in You.  Amen.

What's In A Name?

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:

the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and they will call him 'Immanuel'

(Isaiah 7:14)

I am intrigued by names given to newborns these days.  In our church family recent names such as Scarlett Trace and Wren hold special meaning for the parents.  Scarlett was chosen because of its sound and the idea that it is a classic name brought back to life, while her middle name was given to honor her godly grandmother, Tracie.  Cute little Wren was named to honor her grandfather, Warren.

The names today's celebrities sometimes choose for their offspring, however, can defy understanding.  Often these very 'creative' names sound quite bizarre to us:  Sparrow Midnight, Pilot Inspektor and Apple.

In biblical times babies weren't named after relatives or because the parents liked how the name sounded.  Instead names were given to newborns to signify their character and promised future.  Often these names would prove prophetic.

We are familiar with the story of Abram ('father') whose name was changed by God to Abraham ('father of many  nations'). Genesis 17  His son was named Isaac ('laughter') because God brought his mother Sarah great laughter and joy in bearing a son in her old age. Genesis 21    One of Isaac's grandsons was named Levi ('attachment') and indeed the tribe of Levi would attach themselves to God during the incident of the golden calf. Exodus 32

Naomi's sons Nahlon ('sickly') and Kilion ('puny') in the book of Ruth were destined for early deaths, leaving young widows.

There there is Jacob ('heel grabber, supplanter') whose name implies trickery and deception; he lived most of his live deceiving and being deceived.

It wasn't until one night when he feared for his very life that Jacob cried out to God.  All through that dark night he wrestled, wept and begged for God's favor.  At dawn the Lord did bless Jacob by giving him a new name, a name which called him to a new character and a new future.  He would no longer be known as Jacob the deceiver but by the name Israel ('one who struggles with God, God prevails').Genesis 32, Hosea 12  Out of him would come the nation Israel and out of that nation would be born another Child - One Who calls all men everywhere to a new character and an eternal hope.  His name is Immanuel.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord

by the prophet, saying,

the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and they will call him 'Immanuel' which means 'God with us'.

(Matthew 1:22, 23)

This mysterious God Who spoke the world into creation kept the promise He made through Isaiah and left the glory of His throne to be born as a little baby in a manger on that first Christmas night, so that He could be 'God with us'.

He is still with us, keeping His promise that He will never leave or forsake us, He will be with us always to the very end of the age.  He will forever be Immanuel and He still offers men everywhere a new character and a new future.

Perhaps you, like Jacob, struggle with who you are.  You have lived too long under an identity that you wish to leave behind.  You long for a new character, one with a hope and a future.  Do you wonder if it is possible to start this day as a new creation, with a new name?  Come to Bethlehem; come to the baby born in a manger so many Christmas's ago; come to the One Who is named Immanuel - God with us; this Christmas He has a new name for you.  Come.

Prayer:  Thank You Lord for choosing to be 'Immanuel' and calling us to a new name in You.  May we mature into that new character and new future as we grow in You.  Amen.



Finding God

Once there was a little boy who liked to wander in the woods behind his home.  His parents grew concerned with the time he spent there; after all who knew what danger could be waiting in the woods.  One day they decided to talk to their son.

"Son,"  his father said, "we have noticed that you have been spending part of each day in the woods and we wonder why it is that you go there."

The little boy replied to his parents, "Why, I go there to find God."

"We are so pleased that you want to find God, son," said his father, "but don't you know that God is the same everywhere?"

"Yes," responded the son.  "But I'm not."

The magical season of Christmas is upon us once again.  It's one of my favorite times of the year.

I love the anticipation of all that it means:  the celebration of our Lord's birth, the kids and grandkids flying in to spend time together, the house filling with the delicious smell of baked goodies and big, home-cooked meals.

Presents specially picked out, wrapped in bright paper and ribbons, sitting under the tree.  Oh the tree!  Beautifully decorated with tiny twinkling lights and the smell of fresh pine in the air!  Yes, Christmas is upon us once again.

Of course all these preparations mean that I have been busy!  Perhaps too busy?  Every once in awhile at this time of year I need to remind myself to seek God, to not let Him get lost in all the preparations, parties and just plain busyness.

Like the little boy in the story, I know that God is the same  everywhere, but I am not.  I need to take the time to seek Him, to come away to a quiet place and let Him speak to me.

This season I'll be posting a series of Christmas reflections on this blog, in the hope they will be one path to that quiet place where the Lord speaks.

Love,
Jeannie

Thanksgiving Blessings

"Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves...They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.  The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children"  (Matthew 14)

"Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, and when He had given thanks, He broke them and gave them to the disciples and they in turn to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied.  Afterward the disciples picked up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.  The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children."  (Mark 8)

The miraculous feeding of the 5,000 by Jesus from only five loaves and two fish is a familiar story from the gospels.  Oftentimes though, we forget that another time Jesus fed 4,000 with seven loaves and a few small fish.  In both instances all the people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples were able to fill up baskets with leftover pieces. 

We miss it in our English translations of the Gospels, but the baskets used in both instances to collect the surplus were actually two very different types of baskets. 

When the disciples collected 12 baskets of leftover pieces from the feeding of the 5,000 the baskets were small wicker baskets that a Jew would use to carry his provisions when travelling, usually just enough food for a day or two.

 The seven baskets used to collect the broken pieces after feeding the 4,000 were made of ropes or wicker and were used for storing grain.  They were man-sized.  

As I reflect on these two miraculous feedings, I realize that sometimes the hand of the Lord provides an abundance that overflows, as in the instance when seven man-sized basketsful were left over.  And sometimes the hand of the Lord gives us just enough provision to get through the next day or two, as in the instance of the 12 small baskets.  

This Thanksgiving I am grateful that our Lord always provides -  sometimes in abundance and sometimes just enough for the day.  I am thankful, too,  for family and friends with whom I can share and who share with me.

Love in Christ, from Whom all blessings flow!

Jeannie

The Prodigal

Two rabbis were sharing a meal when the first rabbi said, "I love you; you are my best friend!" 

The second rabbi responded, "Really?  Then tell me what breaks my heart."

Jesus once told a parable about a man who had two sons.  The younger son demanded his father give him his share of the estate, so the father divided his property between the two sons.  I think it must have broken the father's heart, but to Jesus' listeners this would have been a shocking request worthy of the father's outrage and banishment of the son from the community.  It was a request that would bring shame not only on the father, but also on the community as a whole.  Such was society in this Middle Eastern culture.  Jesus continued:

Not long after that the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.  When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired hands have food to spare and here I am starving to death.  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:  'Father I have sinned against heaven and against you - I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Make me like one of your hired men.'  So he got up and went to his father.  But, while he was still a long way off his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him  He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  (Luke 15)

Again, Jesus' listeners would have been shocked by the actions of the father.  For a father to run and welcome home a son who had brought such shame not only on his family but also on the whole village was scandalous; the father was doing something that would bring ridicule.  But he didn't care because, as Jesus said, the father was filled with compassion.  When the son returned in repentance the father ordered his servants to bring the best robe to put on his son, to put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  He ordered they have a feast and celebrate that this son of his who was lost had now been found!

When I reflect on this parable I can't help but wonder what it must have been like for that father whose son  had turned his back on him and went to live in direct opposition to how he had been raised.  What thoughts and emotions, longing and grief, the father must have felt when this child decided to walk away.  In spite of what everyone else in the village would have said to the father - 'your son has brought shame on you; he has given your family a bad name; he has despised your love' - this was his son whom he loved.  Could he share his broken heart with anyone in the community? He must have sat up many nights alone longing for him, waiting for him, hoping he would return.  You can almost picture him sitting at the door of his tent, looking out over the countryside hoping to catch a glimpse of his son returning.

When Jesus told this parable I think He had a certain picture of the father in mind:  a picture of His Father.  Perhaps He was thinking back to the words spoken to the Nation Israel who had turned their backs on God.   Listen to these words from Isaiah 30:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation...but you would have none of it...

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show compassion.

Yet the Lord is a God of justice...

How gracious He will be when you cry for help!

As soon as He hears, He will answer you."

In Hebrew the word for 'repentance' is shuv and it means to turn back, to stop your direction, turn back to God and commit yourself to His way.  It's the picture of that prodigal walking away from the father, taking his own path in the opposite direction and when he finds himself in a pit which he dug with his own hands, he 'comes to his senses' and turns - literally - and walks back to the father.  Repentance is not just stopping doing something wrong; it is turning back to God.  And what picture do we get from these verses about God the Father?  Our Father longs to be gracious to us; He rises to show us compassion.  Can you see the father in the parable of the prodigal son here, filled with compassion when he sees his son a long way off, returning home? 

Picture God - God! - waiting and longing for you or a loved one to turn and start back home so He can rise up from His holy throne to show compassion!  How gracious He will be when you cry for help!  As soon as He hears, He will answer you!  "Yet" the prophet Isaiah writes, "the Lord is a God of justice."   Because He is also a holy  and just God He will wait, but it is with longing for His child to turn, to cry for help, to utter sounds of sorrow, to acknowledge sin.

We all sin and fall short of the glory of God; it's just part of our human nature and living in a fallen world.  If you have been a prodigal who has returned, bless God for His compassion towards you, His child.  If you have a prodigal or know someone who does, pray to the Father Who longs to rise from His throne to show compassion and welcome His child home.  And know that you are not alone in your sorrow for that loved one; the Father also longs for his return.  Perhaps we will be able to celebrate together soon.