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Today’s Readings: 2 Chronicles 13, Revelation 3, Haggai 1, John 2

Good morning readers! We’re inching ever closer to celebrating Jesus’ birth! Are you buried in shopping bags, wrapping, cards and holiday calendar conflicts? I spent my weekend working at the hospital and as usual it brought lots of opportunities to reflect on the sanctity of life and the importance of being in the moment. I held lots of elderly hands, met with families in crisis and even got to witness a passage to heaven. Now, as I sit in front of my blinking cursor I’m struggling to find the right way to share all the literal connections God is making with us through today’s scripture. So instead of writing my usual journal, I’ve decided to share a bit if my process instead. God has so much to say to us that for me it can be overwhelming. Sometimes I read and read and end up saying, “I really didn’t get anything out of any of that!” One way I have been able to start a meaningful conversation with God, is by taking a few verses and writing a bulleted list of how those words apply to my life. Today I chose Haggai. He’s not exactly one of the big four (Matthew, Mark, Luke of John). But his words are still powerful. I feel like I can identify with the Jews. They’re caught up in the hustle and bustle of house building and interior decorating. They don’t want to miss that sale at Hebrew Depot on black Sabbath-day! (I know I’m terrible, don’t quit reading yet!) I learned and grew from unpacking this set of verses. I hope you will too.

² “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” ³ Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? ⁵ Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁶ You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. ⁷ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. ⁸ Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. ⁹ You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. ¹⁰ Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. ¹¹ And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.” Haggai 1:2-11

• Verse 2: It’s just not time yet
  • Haggai is one of the first prophets sent to the Jews after they are settled in their new land. He is sent to encourage the Jews to rebuild the temple. The Jew’s are sort of dragging their feet. They clung to the message that they had 70 years to rebuild but by now 69 have passed. How often do I say “no” to God because it’s just not a good time for me? Do I turn from opportunities because I’m just too busy crossing off items on my personal agenda? For me, change is hard. I’d rather stay in a situation and complain about it than take the steps to change it.
• Verse 4: You first
  • Haggai calls the Jews out in a big way in verse 4. Can you hear the reproach in his voice when you read this verse? He says, “is it time for you to dwell in your paneled house?” I love that word dwell. It’s so easy to dwell with our family and friends this Christmas season. We feel as if we are entitled to staying comfortable. This scripture has really convicted me to take an inner look and consider who may be feeling left out this Christmas. Who am I excluding? Have we left Christ’s house in ruin while ours are glowing with light and love? We live in a “me first” society just like the Jews. I’m still resisting the urge to buy for myself each time I head out for Christmas shopping! Haggai’s words are well timed; build the Lord’s house and your dwelling will follow.
• Verse 5: Consider your ways
  • It was God that restored the Jew’s from captivity. How quickly they have forgotten. Are we the same way? Do we prioritize ourselves and let time with Him slip away?
• Verse 6: Ye have sown much
  • We often pray to God for prosperity. We work and work to gain that financial security we crave. God will not bless us in any of our labor unless we rebuild his temple and restore worship in Him. This verse is full of wisdom for us! That last line spoke to me! “And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.” Please tell me that just changed your life!
• Verse 9: Ye looked for much
  • What we can do on this earth will amount to little if it isn’t for His glory. Our riches here will be blown away by Him like specks of dust. As I search for money and the cutest shirt and get the latest haircut it amounts to so little in my Father’s eyes.
• Verse 10: Dry Land
  • Just as he withheld rain from the Jew’s, He withholds from us. Not to hurt us but to guide and teach us. Just as a parent to a young child, we withhold the sweets until the homework is done. We teach honesty, respect and gratitude. God is teaching the Jews and us in that same parental way. He wants us to grow up to be like Him.

Today’s reading:  2 Chronicles 10; Revelation 1; Zephaniah 2; Luke 24

Our family birthday tradition is that each family member gets to choose where they want to celebrate their birthday dinner. The locations have changed pretty significantly over the years.  It started with places like McDonalds when my kids were young, and has progressed to places like Ruth’s Chris and Trulucks of late.  (My wallet longs for $20 birthday dinners at McDonalds!)  For my birthday last year, I decided we would go to my favorite fondue restaurant in Lincoln Park.  We reserved a hotel, headed up to Chicago, got all dressed up, and took a cab to the restaurant.  This was going to be so much fun…

After the first cheese course arrived, my 11 year old started in. “Hey, I thought this was going to be nacho cheese.  This is nothing like I thought it would be.  Nacho cheese would have been way better than this stuff Mom.”  The second course came, and we had fun cooking our meat, seafood and vegetables.  Other than a minor fire started from trying to fry the garnishing greens, the second course was a success.  On to dessert – chocolate fondue.  Who doesn’t like a huge vat of melted chocolate with pound cake, marshmallows and fruit to dip, right?  Well, my kids were disappointed the dipping sauce was dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.  As we got back in the cab after dinner Freddy summed up his sentiment well.  Five spirited words – “YOU OVERHYPED THIS PLACE MOM!”

By now I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m telling you this story. Our assigned reading has us in Luke 24, the account of Christ’s Resurrection, today.  As I was reading and reflecting on the story, I couldn’t get past its significance.  The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the focal point of the Christian faith.  In fact, without it there wouldn’t be a Christian Faith.  Unlike my favorite fondue restaurant, the significance of the Resurrection cannot be overhyped.  Why?

It revealed Christ’s power over death – We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him (Romans 6:9).

It secured our victory over death – But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-7).

Today’s assigned scriptures also have us back in the book of Revelation. Remember, Revelation is a book of hope.  It is John’s account of what he saw when God revealed his plan for Jesus’ return, the end of the world, and Jesus’ ultimate victory over evil.  Think about it though – none of these plans are possible without the Resurrection – Jesus had to conquer death in order for him to stand in ultimate victory.  Without Jesus’ Resurrection, we have no hope.

In 1976 the late SM Lockridge preached a sermon titled That’s My King! Do You Know Him? to a congregation in Detroit, Michigan.  Forty years later, this message continues to be incredibly impactful.  May I ask you to use one of the links below to either listen to or read an excerpt from this sermon?  Please stop and reflect – is this someone who’s life, death and resurrection could EVER by overhyped?

That’s my King, I hope he’s yours too.

Audio – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX_7j32zgNw

Text – http://across2u.com/ThatsMyKing.html

2 Chronicles 8; 3 John 1; Habakkuk 3; Luke 22

Parents often feel compelled to bring souvenirs home for the kids.  As a kid, I always hoped for something awesome, but I came to expect the last-minute purchase from the airport. Once in a while, however, we would get something specific and relevant to the country where they traveled.  For example, my parents traveled to the Promised Land in Israel when I was young. They passed out several gifts upon their return. When I received mine, I remember my father’s proud face as he handed it to me. It was a small package, not bigger than a handful and heavy for its size. The simple paper wrapping pulled away easily revealing a polished stone. It had clearly been broken off something, as one side was unfinished with jagged edges.  I am sure that my bewilderment prompted my father to explain, “now BJ, that is really special. That piece of marble that you are holding is a piece of Solomon’s temple.” What, seriously?!  My response was something like, “no way, dad, you got ripped off!”

Maybe it was the audacity of my dad’s claim, that earned small, polished and broken rock a piece of real estate on my desk for the last 30 years. Seeing it gives me pause, prompting me to think about the Temple that Solomon built. Based on the last several day’s reading, the Temple’s size and opulence were second to none.  Far beyond what I can imagine.  When I try, I wonder where this particular chunk of marble was.  Perhaps my rock was part of the many great columns, or maybe the flooring, or even a toilet. Could it have been more important to the Temple’s purpose near the altar? It may have been any of these things, but it doesn’t matter. Solomon’s temple is irrelevant. It’s gone. Time and men reduced all of that work and splendor to this small, broken and useless rock.

This small rock also serves to remind me of the temporal nature of this world. Nothing we build or accomplish, no matter how noble the purpose, will last.  Yet, there is hope.  Today, Luke 22 begins to document the origin of our hope.  No longer do we need an opulent temple to sacrifice countless animals so that we can get close to God.  Jesus is doing that work instead.  Jesus, now arrested, goes willingly.  Jesus goes because of his great love for each of us.  He goes to pour his life out so that we can live ours.  It is not temporary, it is eternal.

Today’s Readings: 2 Chronicles 5-6:11, 1 John 4, Nahum 3, Luke 19

 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4: 1-6

 It’s early Sunday morning. I just finished changing sheets, diaper and jammies in my daughter’s crib. I tucked her back in with fresh dry blankets and gave her some milk. I made myself a cup of tea and decided that my extra early morning time would be best spent in front of the blinking cursor. Most days, I’d be irritated about being woken early, but today I was truly grateful to be able to serve my child. Little Ruby Mae had an accident yesterday. Some jumping fun with bubble wrap turned into a “big idea.” While I was sifting through Christmas boxes in the basement Miss Ruby rode her sheet of bubble wrap down our basement stairs like a sled. One loud crash and a shriek later, we were on our way to the hospital. The ER staff treated her with kindness and love. They tried to hide their smiles when she finally admitted to all of us that she had planned this little escapade and executed when Mommy was out of sight. We were driving home when I heard the tiniest voice from the backseat, “I sowwy Mommy.”

If you’ve met Ruby Mae, you know she is just about the spiciest little human that ever graced this earth. She does it her way…all day. She also has a deeply rooted love for Jesus Christ. If you’re lucky you’ll catch her singing The B-i-b-l-e to her babies as she puts them in their bed. On her way out of Little Jewels daycare she’ll whisper goodbye to the baby Jesus statue that stands by the door. Although she challenges me each and every day with her strong will, fierce independence and fearless spirit, I see our heavenly Father in her. Pastor Mike tells us time and time again, “If you want to know how to raise your kids as Christ followers; come to church every week and eat dinner together as a family.” Lynden and I are learning that this little piece of advice is worth more than any other we’ve received.

The purpose of John’s writings in this chapter is to reassure Christian’s in their faith and to counter false teachings. By the time this letter was written John was an older man and the only surviving apostle. The last eyewitness of Christ, John wrote authoritatively to give the new generation of believers confidence in their faith in God. In today’s scripture he encourages us to “test the spirits” in our life. He warns us that evil has come into our world already. And then he says this:

“…Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

This Christmas season is full of false prophets and messages cloaked in the false promise of being from God. When I read John’s words this morning, I’m encouraged. He reminds us that we know how to recognize the people and the words and the places in our community that are for Christ.

“By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

In the next twenty days, we’ll have thousands of Christmas opportunities. Jesus will invite us to sit down with him, to pull our children close and celebrate the message of His birth. Are we going to take those opportunities to bring our family to church to show them that we are truly from God? Or are we going to choose the false teachers? Are we going to choose the promise of the iPhone 7, the cordless drill or the almighty Lego? It sounds so simple when you hear it from John. Choose the Spirit of God, just do it! It’s in all of our hearts but the power of the antichrist is strong and persuasive. Satan is crafty. He knows how to distract us with shiny things! Let us be reassured though. Like children, we fall down. We think that we can really stand on bubble wrap and slide down that staircase mountain without getting hurt. When we emerge, bloody and bruised He picks us up. As I care for Ruby’s little black eye, change her wet diaper and wrap her in fresh blankets, I’m giving thanks for her pure spirit. I’m resisting the temptation to click on the blinking photo of those boots I want so badly that was expertly placed on the webpage that holds our scriptures today. I don’t need furry boots, I need the spirit of Christ. There is no sled that can get us down the rocky mountain safely, only Jesus can protect us.

“…for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us…”

Ruby Mae after her staircase sledding day: