Fathers of the Bible — Abraham (Ishmael)

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.) So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born…When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion. But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac. So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.” So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Genesis 16:1-16,21:8-14

Dear God, there is so much to discuss with Abraham as a father that I thought I would split it into two parts. I’ll look at Ishmael first, and then Isaac.

What a tragedy that this even took place. I have to say that Abraham really didn’t seem to have much regard for women. He gave Sarai/Sarah away to other men twice out of fear for his life (Pharaoh and Abimelech). He took the slave girl as his wife and conscripted her into being the fulfillment of your promise to him. And now he gives into Sarah’s command to send Hagar and Ishmael off into the wilderness with just some water and food. No servants to go help her get established. No camels or livestock. Not real settlement for his wife except marching orders.

So how did all of this make Ishmael feel as a son? Here are some questions:

• What did it teach him about how he should treat women? I suppose he saw his mother’s love for him. He had to have appreciated who she was. In fact, I would imagine that it was men and Abraham that he had trouble trusting. But much like I think Solomon learned a lack of respect for women from his father, I suspect that what Abraham modeled here wasn’t very helpful to the women who would encounter Ishmael.
• How did Ishmael respond to his dad? I think it is important to note that Islam tells all of this a little differently. For example, they apparently tell the story of Abraham being tested and willing to sacrifice Isaac with Ishmael in the Isaac role. I don’t know where the truth in that story is, but either way, all of this would have to leave a child with trust issues.
• Did Ishmael ever get any fatherly love/nurturing from Abraham? None is really recorded. The prophecy over Ishmael is that he will have conflict with others all of his life, but that’s pretty much how he was raised. His mother and Sarah were in conflict. Abraham seemed unable to control the enmity between them. He was probably treated differently by others. When he and him mom were sent away and he almost died, I’m sure it made him bitter. And then the years of struggling in the wilderness while Isaac grew up in what at the time would have been considered luxury. Yeah, I can see where this would have left him bitter and very tough.

I think the big take aways from this thread of Abraham’s story are that we should wait on your timing, and, if we get out ahead of you and make a mistake, we should humbly do our best to pay the price and natural consequences of our actions and not try to mitigate their impact on our personal lives by making them someone else’s problem. Ishmael and Hagar got caught in a pretty bad web. I am sorry for them. I’m also sorry for any times when I’ve given my own children any reason to not trust me. I’m sorry for anything I might have done that shifted the burden of my mistakes/sin from me to anyone else, including them. Please help me to always wait on your timing and to take responsibility for the sins I commit.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Hagar

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.) So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born. So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!” But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham. On that very day Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and Ishmael, his son, was thirteen. Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him. When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion. But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac. So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.” So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears. But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.” Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt.
Genesis 16:1-16,17:18-27,21:8-21

Dear God, this was such a difficult situation, and I can’t help but think that Hagar was set up for failure in some ways. Was she mean to Sarai? Maybe. But was she basically trafficked when she was given to Abram as his “wife.” Yeah, maybe. And since I’m looking at parents of the Bible, and, specifically, Hagar, right now, I’ll skip the whole discussion of what a mess Abram created by not waiting on you to fulfill your promise. Right now I want to see what I notice about Hagar in all of this.

• She was a slave, which, in my mind, is abhorrent. I don’t know that she was given any kind of a choice when it came to having a child with Abram. Of course, in that culture, I don’t know what kind of choice any woman had, including Sarai. But I don’t know that she would have volunteered for this duty.
• I think she saw her opportunity for advancement when she got pregnant. This was her chance to be treated as more than a slave. This translation says that after Hagar became pregnant she began to treat Sarai with contempt. Well, yeah. And she probably didn’t feel like she should be at the servant level either. I’ve seen employees treat supervisors with contempt when they felt they were mistreated in the workplace. And I’ve see those supervisors get really mad about it. There were a lot of emotions happening here, and I think it’s probably been pretty easy for a lot of people to trash Hagar without maybe seeing this from her perspective.
• The conflict with Sarai gets to the point where Hagar runs away and it takes an angel visit to get her to go back. If she hadn’t gone back, she and Ishmael (who wasn’t yet born) would likely have died, and you obviously didn’t want Ishmael to die. It also appears that you wanted Hagar as well.
• She goes back and submits to Sarai (I’m sure that was awkward). Then she has the baby. He grows and then Isaac is born. As there is between any children, there is conflict between Ishmael and Isaac, with Ishmael teasing Isaac. This resulted in Hagar having water and food strapped to her shoulders and being sent away. Man, this seems brutal. As they were dying in the wilderness, Hagar was in despair. But you encouraged her with another angel visit, gave her access to water, and she pressed on in caring for her son.
• Ultimately, she raised him and arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt.

This slave girl/woman lived a difficult life and she really had the cards stacked against her, but she was actually very faithful, especially to her son. I think people have probably been unmerciful towards her over the last thousands of years because she was mean to Sarai at the beginning and because she and Ishmael got sent away. But as I read this story, I see a slave forced into pregnancy who loved her child and spent her life trying to provide for him.

Father, thank you for mothers. Thank you that you instituted something within most women that is innate in caring for and loving their children. Yes, sometimes it goes too far. Sometimes it is unhealthy. And sometimes they can’t let go when the time comes. But mothers are such a critical part of the provision you give to us, especially when we are young. Thank you for the instincts you give them to love us so well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Fathers of the Bible – Noah

The sons of Noah who came out of the boat with their father were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham is the father of Canaan.) From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth. After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard. One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers. Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked. When Noah woke up from his stupor, he learned what Ham, his youngest son, had done. Then he cursed Canaan, the son of Ham: “May Canaan be cursed! May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives.” Then Noah said, “May the Lord, the God of Shem, be blessed, and may Canaan be his servant! May God expand the territory of Japheth! May Japheth share the prosperity of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant.”
Genesis 9:18-27

Dear God, this has always been a hard story for me. Even when I was a child and I first read it, I’ve never liked it. But for the purposes of this series on motherhood and fatherhood, I think it’s an important story to sit with.

We have a few things happening here. First, there is a passage of time–enough to grow grapes and then ferment them into wine. This obviously wasn’t an immediate process. There was time for them to have struggled together. The struggled through building the ark. They struggled through the experience of the ark. Now, they’ve struggled through the reestablishment of life. Did hard feelings develop over that time?

The thing I see now is Ham relishing in the idea of mocking his father. Knocking him down a peg or two. “Hey, guys. Wanna see dad drunk off his a** and naked on the ground?”

I think most fathers of children after a certain age have felt, at least once, the disdain and bitterness from a child. As much as children might experience rejection at the hands of their father or mother, mothers and fathers have felt rejection from their parents. Sometimes, the division seems insurmountable. I’ve certainly been there. I can see my children, especially when they were teens, enjoying the experience of mocking me and taking me down a peg. And I can see me lashing out in anger as Noah does.

I’ve never liked Noah’s response to Ham. It feels too harsh–especially to Canaan. But as I sit and think about this, what is a good way to hurt the son who’s hurt you? You hurt his son. From a list of Ham’s children later, I’m assuming Canaan wasn’t the oldest because he’s listed last (Genesis 10:6), but maybe he was the youngest and Ham’s favorite at the time. I don’t think this was about poor Canaan. It was about causing Ham as much pain as possible in the moment.

We never really get any resolution to this story. Noah lived another 350 years after the flood. What were those like between Ham and Noah? Canaan and Noah? Canaan and his dad, Ham? Did they ever reconcile? And why did the author give us this story? Was it to explain a superiority of their lineage over the Canaanites?

When it comes to my own life, how do I respond to my children’s disrespect and/or anger? The ugly truth is that the answer is all over the map. Sometimes I’ve actually responded in love. Sometimes I’ve given them the freedom to work through their feelings of me and waited for them to mature and see things (and me) a little differently. Sometimes! Most of the time, unfortunately, I’ve responded as Noah did–impetuous anger. It can be hard to see myself reflected in this story that I’ve never liked.

Father, help me to respect and honor my parents and my wife’s parents (living and dead). Help me to love them with your love. Help me to see them with your eyes. And with my children, help me to patiently love them as they grow. Help me to see myself through their eyes and respond to them in mercy. Help me to reveal your character to them through my responses to them. Draw them closer to yourself. Please don’t let me do anything to get in the way of your plan for them through my own foolishness, selfishness, or insecurity.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Fathers of the Bible – Adam

Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. ” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know, ” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth. ” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over. ” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.
Genesis 4:1-16,25-26

Dear God, same verses as yesterday, but different parent. Adam. We don’t really get that much about either Adam or Eve from these stories. They weren’t the author’s point, I suppose. But they were there. They were talking with each other about their boys. They were talking with you. It’s interesting that the author doesn’t bother to tell us what Adam’s sacrificing habits were like. Did he bring you his best? What kind of an example was he? Assuming he was a good example, was there just only so much he could do to impart his values to his sons?

As a dad, I have so many of my own failings. I would love it if I could only pass on what I consider to be the positive parts of who I am to my children and skip the selfish, carnal parts. And then there is my inability to protect them from the things or the traumas I can’t control. The pain that life can bring.

I try to imagine what it was like for Adam to experience Abel’s loss, respond to Cain and comfort Eve. And then parent Seth in a world where Cain has been exiled. How do you make sense of all of it?

Father, parenting is so much harder than I ever imagined it has pushed, stretched, and even broken me in ways I never thought possible. But in my better moments I remember to bring the broken pieces of my heart to you for you to heal and redeem. Adam needed to feel your redemption for Cain and his actions. He needed to heal. He needed Seth. And he needed Eve. I too need you and my wife and others you out around me. And I need your Spirit. Teach me to be the father you need me to be for my adult children.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Eve

Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!” Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him. Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.” Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!” The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Adam had sexual relations with his wife again, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth, for she said, “God has granted me another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.” When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name.
Genesis 4:1-16,25-26

Dear God, as I watched the musical Dear Evan Hansen a few days ago, I found myself focusing on the parents. They felt such despair and confusion. The very first song is called, “Anybody Have a Map?”

It made me think about parenting and how few people in the Bible are good role models for us. The I wondered if you don’t have something to teach me by looking at the mothers and fathers of the Bible. Obviously, I can’t look at every single one, but there are certainly some highlights. And it starts with Eve.

I wish we got more about Eve here–or Adam, for that matter. Talk about not having a map! There were no Growing Kids God’s Way or Sacred Parenting books for her to get off of Amazon.com. There weren’t any support groups or Sunday school classes to help teach her. To quote the song, “Anybody Have a Map” that I mentioned above: “I’m flying blind, and I’m making this up as I go.”

I wonder what it was like for he to see her two sons grow up into such different people. And I wonder how old Cain and Abel were when this story happened. Were they teenagers? Did it grieve her to see that Cain held back the best of his crops from God while Abel brought his best? Did she and Adam pray about the boys and talk to you about them? Did she learn some lessons from raising Cain that she applied to Abel? I’ve heard it said that no two children are born to the same parents, and I’m sure that is true for Cain and Abel.

And then one day Cain did it. His jealousy pushed him to kill his own brother. They had possibly never experienced death before. Did Cain understand what would happen? Did he understand that Abel would be gone forever. Did he know that was possible?

As for Eve, how devastated was she? How much a failure did she feel like? Was she inconsolable for a while? The only insight we are given into this is her joy in Seth’s birth and then, presumably, her grandchild’s birth. Cain had children, but we don’t know if Eve ever knew them. Did she ever speak to Cain again? One thing that is interesting to point out is that, according to verse 26, this is when people began to worship you by name. Was this a lesson that Eve learned from her experience? Did she do something different with Seth that taught him to worship you by name?

Father, I suspect that the ultimate theme in this series of mothers (and fathers) of the Bible is that all of them will have made a lot of mistakes, and most will experience tragedy. How foolish are we, then, to think that our mistakes will be small and our tragedies minimal? How foolish am I? So I give all of this to you and ask that you take my best attempts and my worst mistakes and redeem them beyond what they deserve.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“Good Christian Men, Rejoice!”

“Good Christian Men, Rejoice!”

Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Give ye heed to what we say
Jesus Christ is born today
Man and beast before Him bow
And He is in the manger now
Christ is born today
Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye hear of endless bliss
Jesus Christ was born for this
He hath opened heaven’s door
And man is blessed forevermore
Christ was born for this
Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye need not fear the grave
Jesus Christ was born to save
Calls you one, and calls you all
To gain His everlasting hall
Christ was born to save
Christ was born to save!

Dear God, why are we–why am I–so bad at getting this word out? Christ was born to save! The first verse of this son is just announcing who he is and how we should worship him. The second verse talks about the afterlife and our access to eternity with you through Jesus. And I suppose the third verse does this as well, but I left this song thinking about a sermon by Andy Stanley I listened to yesterday. I have such freedom and peace to tell people about. Why don’t I do it more.

I’ll be getting into this more when I start doing my series on Dear Evan Hansen next week, but there is so much loneliness out there. People feel so isolated. It’s tragic, really. And I’ve been becoming more and more aware of how many elderly are alone and even struggling to care for themselves. Okay, I’m off topic now, but I guess my point is, I don’t see a lot of Christians rejoicing. And I don’t see them selling rejoicing to the world. We tend to sell judgment. We tend to sell rules. We tend to sell guilt or even fear. Why don’t we sell rejoicing?

Father, help me to, first, live out your joy and freedom and, second, to share it with others. There are a lot of needs around me. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. I can’t do it all, and I don’t think I should. But help me to know the role you have for me to make a difference in our community so that, through my life, your kingdom might come and your will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“Silent Night”

“Silent Night”

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glory streams from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing, “Alleluia!
Christ the Saviour is born
Christ the Saviour is born”

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, loves pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Silent night, holy night
Wondrous Star, lend thy light
With the angels let us sing
Alleluia to our King
Christ the Saviour is born
Christ the Saviour is born

Dear God, I’ve been saving this one for Christmas Eve. It’s the standard candlelight service hymn. When the lights go out and we pass the flame of the candle from one person to another, we all sing this standard. No matter the church service or denomination I’ve been to for a Christmas Eve service, I’m pretty sure this was the hymn for that moment. It’s quite beautiful. So gentle. So peaceful.

It starts with just the image. A mom holding her child. It’s calm at the moment. Yes, they are in a barn, but after the travel, the uncomfortable pregnant woman having to camp out, the frantic search for a place to give birth, and the pain of childbirth, this moment is quiet and peaceful. And the rest won’t last. There will be things to do, but this moment…this moment is peaceful.

Then the shepherds arrive. They were told to be there by angels and they tell Mary and Joseph their story. I’m sure that this was a great comfort to the new parents as they tried to make sense of everything that was happening. Did they feel like failures for having had to give birth to your son in a barn? Did they doubt what they had heard from the angels in that moment? Well, if they did, here come the shepherds telling stories of angels in the hills proclaiming Jesus’s birth and pointing them to the barn. God did know they were there! The angels knew they were there! What an affirmation!

And now the baby. I don’t know how radiant Jesus actually was, but it’s a nice thought to think that he had a glow about him. Surely there was something that gave the newborn Jesus a different countenance than the average baby. And here’s a reference to the dawn. The Sun (Son?) rising. Hope. It’s the new advent of redeeming grace. Even in birth, Jesus was deserving of our worship, as the shepherds displayed.

In this last verse we join the angels in their worship from the second verse. And so, Father, I sing this morning, “Alleluia! Christ the Saviour is born!”

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“O Holy Night”

“O Holy Night”

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born.
O night divine, O night, O night divine.

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is Love and His gospel is Peace;
Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother,
And in his name all oppression shall cease,
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise his Holy name!

Christ is the Lord, let all the people praise Him!
His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!

Dear God, I have to start with a little surprise. I wanted to do this hymn, but I couldn’t find it in any of the three hymnals I have in my home, and they represent the Baptist, Catholic, and Presbyterian Churches. That was odd. So I had to go and get the lyrics from the Internet. I didn’t expect that.

With that said, this is a great hymn. I want to just take a look at the lines that strike me:

• Verse 1: “Till he appeared, and the soul felt its worth (emphasis mine).” What is my soul’s worth? Well, it’s huge to you. My sin and shame can bog me down and hide the value of my soul. But repentance brings freedom and uncovers exactly what my soul is worth. What a beautiful choice of words! He appeared in my life, and my soul did, indeed, feel its worth.
• Verse 1: “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.” “Hope” is an amazing thing that Jesus offers. Hope for something beyond ourselves. Hope for something beyond what we see. Hope that there is something beyond our own wisdom. Hope that there is something beyond our insecurity and hate, our selfishness and pride. Because yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
• First Chorus: “Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices.” This is how you get there. No pride. No posturing. You fall on your knees, humble yourself and worship with the angels.
• Verse 2: “Truly He taught us to love one another.” That’s the life Jesus lived. By coming to earth as human, he taught us through example, and there is example after example of Jesus loving people unreasonably.
• Verse 2: “In his name, all oppression shall cease.” Okay, I have to say that this hasn’t really happened. Plenty of Christians oppress others in Jesus’s name. I’ve probably done it too. No, this is a nice idea, but I don’t think it’s a vision realized.
• Chorus 2: “Christ is the Lord, let all the people praise Him.” Yes and yes. Jesus, you are the Lord. You are part of my God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I will praise you.

Father, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Let it be a day when I will actually be very mindful of you and who you are. Let it be a day of worship.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“What Child Is This?”

“What Child Is This?”

What child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King
Whom Shepherds guard
And Angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary

Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox amd ass are feeding?
Good Christian fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary

So bring him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king, to own him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone him

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary

Dear God, the first two verses of this song are full of questions. Who is this? I know he’s special, but who is this? Angels are singing for him. Shepherds are guarding him. Why is he lying in such a “mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?”

Then the answer comes back. Oh, who is this? Well, let me tell you. This baby that the shepherds are guarding and about whom the angels are singing is Christ the King. You should quickly worship and honor him, this son of Mary.

So now the questioner seemingly becomes the commander in verse three. Bring him gifts (with a reference to the wise men). It doesn’t matter whether you are a peasant or a king, he is yours. He is your King. Accept the salvation he brings and enthroned him in your life.

I watched video yesterday of a politician who was asked flat out if he had ever asked you for forgiveness and he responded, “That’s a hard question.” Then he ultimately answered that he never had and had never found a reason to. I don’t think that man could ever sing these words–at least and mean them. But before I get too judgmental, can I? Do I really enthrone you?

I was thinking about my worship of you on my way into church this morning. There is no tragedy driving me to my knees right now. No great sin in my life (although there are plenty of little ones). My worship of you right now is not naturally driven through desperation’s. It is a conscious choice. But is it a choice I am making often enough? Do you smile when you think of me and our relationship?

Father, this Christ the King, of whom angels sing, is my God. He is you. He is part of you. Holy Spirit, you are this same Jesus and Father as well. Out of pure gratitude (like the 10th leper who returned to say thank you) I come to you and thank you for everything. I am truly grateful.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“Angels We Have Heard On High”

“Angels We Have Heard On High”

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

Shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

See within in a manger laid
Whom the choirs of angels praise
Mary, Joseph lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

https://youtu.be/WHWqj6gKS9g

Dear God, I know I just said this in another prayer, but it is fascinating that it is the shepherds that got the angel visit. The angel visited Zechariah, Mary, Joseph (multiple times), and the shepherds. I think that’s it. The shepherds. One angel shows up while the shepherds are “keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8b). Your glory reflected off of the angel and it scared them.

But what if the angel had gone somewhere else? What if he had shown up at the high priest’s home? The governor? The innkeeper for crying out loud? All of these people would probably have messed up the plan. The priest wouldn’t have trusted Mary and Joseph to raise the child. The governor probably would have killed him. And the innkeeper…well, I’m sure he would have messed things up too.

And then when the angel is done with his message, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,” in their best Latin, “Gloria, In Excelsis Deo!” We see movies that depict Santa and the elves every Christmas Eve getting ready for Christmas. The excitement and joy they are about to unleash on the world is palpable. It’s hard for me to imagine the reality of how the angels felt to watch Jesus come down and enter time and space as a human. He would live a simple life with a tragic and then glorious end, but, in the meantime, the world needed confirmation beyond just what Mary and Joseph knew. We needed to know that someone else had an angel visit. Someone with no skin in the game. The shepherds from that night, while their names are lost to history, are still a huge part of our story (and every church Christmas pageant) today.

Father, I am sure I will hear this song at a Christmas Eve service on Tuesday. It’s a staple. Frankly, it’s never been a favorite of mine, but it is a good reminder that these shepherds and this incident are a critical and strategic part of the plan. Thank you for thinking of everything.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen