Idolotry

Bob Dylan wrote “It may be the devil. It may be the lord.  But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”  Shortly before he died and after the Israelites had finished taking Canaan, Joshua said “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”.

In our deepest beings, we have a desire, no, a NEED to serve and worship (for service is worship).  On the surface though, we often forget who, or what, or to what degree that service is due.  At Christmas we tend to worship the gifts, not the GIFT.  This is nothing new.  While the Israelites were in the desert, God instructed them to make a brass snake that they could look on to be healed after a snake bite.  Several generations later, it had to be destroyed when people began to offer sacrifices to it (2 Kings 18:4).  After subduing Canaan, when the eastern tribes went home they built an altar of remembrance (Josh 22:24).  It later became a place of worship and a distraction.  Tim Keller, in his book Counterfeit Gods, tells how Jacob worshipped Rachel and did whatever he could to get her.

Everything we do is an act of worship.  Sometimes the worship is the act, and sometimes it’s the attitude.  In the movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell refuses to run on Sunday, and wins a race that he was not favoured in on another day.  He worshiped God, and even though he saw his running as an act of worship, would not let it interfere with his worship.  ‘God’s Quarterback’, Tim Tebow, is in the news a lot lately for showing his apparent faith regularly while in the spotlight.  As you would expect, much of the attention is mocking.  I hope it stands up when the winning and last minute heroics stops.  On Sunday morning, when I am watching football, is that worship of God?  If I am sitting in a pew and distracted thinking about the game I’m missing, is that worshiping God?  If I skip the church service to help someone stranded on the side of the road, is that worshipping God?  Colossians 3:17 doesn’t say ‘spend Sunday morning in church’.  It doesn’t tell us it’s ok to skip church either – the need to meet regualrly with other believers is clearly expressed elsewhere.  It DOES say, that whatever you do, do it in the name of Jesus Christ.  Whatever I do is an act of worship of something or someone.  While I know that it is not the case, I pray that everything I do will be an act of worship of God.   Looking forward to the new year, that seems like a good goal (resolution suggests too much credit on me if I succeed).  With God’s will, I will move towards holiness.

Thank God For Christmas.

It’s Christmas.  All around the world those who identify themselves as Christians are gathered to mark the birth of Christ.  But the story didn’t start with the baby in the manger in Bethlehem.  It didn’t’ even start with the appearance to Mary of Gabriel.  To get to the beginning of the Christmas story you need to start at the VERY beginning. “In the beginning was the Word”.  The Word in the beginning is the Son who was given.  In His wisdom, the Father who gave, knew the need even before the need existed.  Before any man knew his need, the Father knew how it would be met.

The prophets who predicted his birth, also predicted his death.  Among the gifts of the eastern scholars were burial spices.  The chapter of history that started in a stable just over 2000 years ago, led through a cross to a glorious victory 33 years later.  But that was just a chapter.  The story continues.  We can sing “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” not just as a seasonal advent song, but also as an anticipation of his return.

So, whether we celebrate today with most of Christendom, or Jan 6 with the orthodox believer, or like the Puritan choose not to mark the date, Jesus did come.  Whether your traditions include trees, holly, gifts, candles, special movies, or Santa Claus; remember WHY you are celebrating.  Remember the baby in the straw.  Remember the boy who amazed the priests with his knowledge.  Remember the man who was crowned with thorns and hung on a cross.  Remember the savior who overcame death and by whose grace we can too.  Celebrate not just THAT he came, but WHY he came.

He is the holy one of Israel, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  The Word did become flesh and live among us.

I thank God for Christmas

For the promise that it brings

The babe who came to save us

The praise the angels sing

 

I thank God for Christmas

Come with me all who will

Like the shepherds and the wise men

Who glorify him still

 

I thank God for Christmas

The fleshing of the word

That through his death and birth again

We know that he his LORD

 

I thank God for Christmas

And pray that every year

The savior’s birth and all it means

Will shine both bright and clear.

The Spirit of Receiving

Much is made at Christmas time of gifts.  What do you want?  How much are you going to spend?  I’m not very good at giving gifts at designated times (Christmas and birthdays).  I like giving spontaneously when I see something I know that someone would like.  Lately, it seems that what is given more than anything else is gift cards.  There are times when I have given and received gift cards where it was completely appropriate – they make great appreciation gifts that aren’t too personal.  But generally it says something about the giver and the time spent to pick just the right card from the rack of 20-30 options at the checkout line at Safeway.

I’m involved in a drama this season where one of the characters, while shopping, laments “…you know, a gift they’d always cherish.  One they could look back at and know something changed that day.  A gift, once they had it they’d wonder how they ever lived without it.  I’d like to get a gift like that.”

Wouldn’t we all love to get a gift like that?  At some level, wouldn’t we all love to GIVE a gift like that?

But what if the gift isn’t perfect?  There is a somewhat humourous ad on TV right now that shows a young girl squealing with delight when she sees what she thinks is a toy castle under the Christmas tree, only to be dismayed to find it’s a collection of artfully arranged tools.  I think disappointment here is appropriate.  The dad did not think beyond himself.  But what if the giver spends time, thinks carefully, and gets what they think is the perfect gift, only to find the receiver disappointed because it wasn’t what they wanted, or even like?  It’s very hard to mask our disappointment.  I know.  I’ve been on both ends of this.  How does that make the giver feel?  How do you feel when your gifts are rejected?

Gift giving at Christmas started as a reminder of the wise men’s gifts to the baby Jesus, and God’s gift to us.  Now we seem to think that it’s all about the gifts and if we think about the GIFT, it’s only as an afterthought.

Many were disappointed with the first gift too.  He was not what they expected, and even though God knew what the reaction would be, I’m sure he was disappointed that we were disappointed.

Give freely, as God has given to you.

Receive joyfully, remembering the spirit in which the gift was given.

Celebrate the first Gift and receive it now if you have not already.

A Prayer During Advent

Lord God

Sometimes when I start to pray, I find myself sitting in mental silence.  I fold my hands and bow my head and no words come to mind.  Then I start to think of you – of who you are and what you’ve done.  I am so overwhelmed that I am simply and completely in awe of you.  Perhaps this morning there is a lingering sense of the Magnum Mysterium sung about last evening, the magnificent mystery that is Christmas.  We are somewhat afraid of the mystery involved in the unknown.  We long to KNOW with the jaded views of an adult, not just trust with the wonder of a child.  So we wrap up the mystery in pretty paper and ribbons and bows.  We mark it with noise and busyness so we don’t need to think about it, when we ought to be sitting in silence at your feet.

If it were possible for me to become an amoeba and live among the protozoans for season, that would not even truly compare to what you did, for I did not create them, and I cannot save them.  Yet to us you came; and one of us you BECAME: from conception, to birth, to childhood, youth, manhood and death – and in so doing you offered us salvation.  You were fully man, yet remained fully God.  In fact you are the only one yet who has become fully man, giving us that opportunity through your sacrifice.  When you met Moses, you used the name I AM.  When you walked among us 2000 years ago you used the same name.  Perhaps, that is the best thing to call you.  You Are.  There are no blanks to fill, no modifiers, You are.

Thank you that You Are, and that you came.  Amen