Luke 2:36-38

³⁶ Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. ³⁷ Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. ³⁸ She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

Luke 2:36-38

Dear God, I wonder how well Simeon and Anna new each other. And I wonder what Anna was like to be around. She is labeled by Luke as a prophet, but in this case, she is going off of Simeon’s recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. She was 84, so it’s not likely she lived much long after this day. The same for Simeon. That’s another thing about this story. We don’t have to physically see what you are doing. Your Spirit can tell us and that can be enough for us.

Finally, I wonder what it was like for the other people to hear what Anna said about Jesus. Did they recognize her authority as a prophet, or was she just the crazy lady who was always there? Did they respect her and come to meet the baby or did they pat her on the head and send her on her way? I would probably have discounted her and her experience. It reminds me of the shepherds back in Bethlehem going around and telling everyone what they saw. I wonder how those who heard the news responded.

Father, there is so much in my life that I don’t understand. The future is hazy to me. From family, to work, to community, I don’t understand what is happening or what, if anything, you are doing in any of the given areas. But I thank you. I worship you. I am confident in your goodness and I don’t need to physically see evidence of it to believe in it. But I do ask for your direction. I ask that you help me to step carefully, diligently, lovingly, and mercifully today, tomorrow, and for however much time you might have allotted to my life. Do it all for your glory, oh, my Lord.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Luke 2:25-35

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
Luke 2:25-35

Dear God, there was something about Simeon that he could see through his own preconceived notions of what the Messiah would be. He could hear your voice and use his particular insight to try to prepare Mary for the future. While Zechariah and even Mary herself were prophesying all of the great things you would do, Simeon tells Mary that many within Israel will fall. He says that many will oppose him. He says that the deepest thoughts (darkest secrets?) of hearts will be revealed. And most presciently, Mary’s soul will be pierced.

Of course, it is easy to see how he was right because we have the benefit of knowing the story. I was recently watching a “reaction video” on YouTube. A young man was watching Casablanca for the first time. One thing that occurred to me years ago is that we have the benefit of knowing history when we watch that movie. The Germans lose. Hitler dies. Our side wins. But this movie was filmed shortly after Pearl Harbor and released later that year in 1942–two years before D Day. Three years before V-E Day or V-J Day. They didn’t know how things were going to end. In fact, at that point, things didn’t look good for our side. When you layer that over the top of the telling of this story, it makes it that much more remarkable.

Going back to Simeon, I wonder how his own prophecy made him feel. I wonder if it surprised him. I’m sure it surprised Mary and Joseph. I’ve said before that I’m sure it would have shocked Zechariah and Mary to know how John the Baptist’s and Jesus’s lives met with murder at the hands of Herod and the Jewish people, respectively. I’m sure Mary didn’t expect Jesus to need to be resurrected in the first place. So did Simeon see Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, feel moved, and then just start prophesying things he’d never thought before? How did he feel about this prophecy? As he sat and watched people in the Temple every day, did it surprisingly make a lot of sense to him?

Father, I guess the point of all of this is that the only way I can really see what is going on is if I listen to your voice. I cannot reason my way to the right conclusions. I cannot understand what you are doing in this life or that one. I don’t even understand what you’re doing in my life. But you are working. I trust that you are working. Thank you for doing so much more than I can see.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Isaiah 9:6

⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

Dear God, it’s interesting to take these verses out of context and read them knowing what we know now as opposed to how the people (maybe even Isaiah) interpreted them when they were written. Here are verses 1-5, leading up to this verse:

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.

² The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
    a light will shine.
³ You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
    and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest
    and like warriors dividing the plunder.
⁴ For you will break the yoke of their slavery
    and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
    just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
⁵ The boots of the warrior
    and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
    They will be fuel for the fire.

Isaiah 9:1-5 (NLT)

I went to verse 6 this morning because I was thinking about it after hearing it in the performance of Handel’s Messiah which I saw last week. He took one verse and made a beautiful song out of it. A current Christmas classic nearly 300 years later. And it’s easy to see Jesus and the fallout from his arrival in that verse. But verses 1-5. How do we lay those on Jesus? In real time, I’m sure they read them as freedom from whatever oppressor was over them at the time (which turned out to be Rome). But I think, looking back, this probably had more to do with the unseen oppressor that tends to get us all.

The part about the people seeing a great light and you enlarging the nation of Israel. They thought that meant military victory and border expansion. I know now that you meant me. I’m now part of your people because the child was born.

The part about you freeing from slavery and breaking the oppressors rod was probably, once again, seen as a leader overthrowing a physical oppressor. What Jesus ended up doing was overthrowing Satan and freeing me from his power.

So what does this have to do with today? Well, there are a lot of moving parts to my life, and I tend to look at only the physical. What is happening in my physical life? What I need to do more of is pay attention to how the world I can see is interacting with the world I cannot see. What is the cause and effect between the worlds, and what kind of sacrifices do I need to make in the physical world to ensure that I am doing my part to be your agent of good in the spiritual world?

Father, thank you that, unto me, a child was born. Yes, he was born for others, but Jesus is as much about me as anyone. Thank you. I pray over my children, my wife, and the rest of my family. My friends. My coworkers. My community. My world. Unto all of us a child was born. Bring us to a place where we can worship him completely, denying ourselves.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Matthew 2:1-2

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2

Dear God, it’s amazing to me how I can still learn things from this story that are either new to me or I’ve been wrong about. In the case of this story, there is something in the way the story has been told/songs have been written that I learned just yesterday isn’t actually in the text. How many wise men were there? We’re they initially following a star? The text is neither specific about their number (there could have been two, there could have been 200) nor that they were “following a star” (until something guides them to Mary’s and Jospeh’s home in Jerusalem). But at this point, they were an indeterminate number of men reading a celestial sign from a prophecy.

Why is this important to me this morning? It’s simply a reminder that I’m an ignorant person and my theology is flawed by my own biases and flawed teaching I’ve received from others. It humbles me and affirms that I haven’t figured you out, and I haven’t figured life out. I’m just a guy who is loving you as best I can for the simple reason that you have proven faithful to offer me peace and forgiveness, mercy and instruction when I need it. You are worthy of my worship, and worshipping you makes my life better.

Father, I celebrate you. I celebrate everything I know about you and the fact that there is so much I don’t know or understand. You are my God. I am your child. Thank you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“Hallelujah Chorus” by G.F. Handel

Messiah, HWV 56: Part II, no. 44. Chorus: “Hallelujah”
Composition by George Frideric Handel

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord
And of His Christ, and of His Christ
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And He shall reign for ever and ever
For ever and ever, forever and ever

King of kings (Forever and ever Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
And Lord of lords (Forever and ever Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
King of kings (Forever and ever Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
And Lord of lords (Forever and ever Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
King of kings (Forever and ever Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
And Lord of lords (King of kings and Lord of lords)

And He shall reign
And He shall reign
And He shall reign forever and ever
King of kings (Forever and ever)
And He shall reign (Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)
And He shall reign forever and ever

King of kings! and Lord of lords!
King of kings! and Lord of lords!

And He shall reign forever and ever
Forever and ever
Forever and ever
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!

Dear God, I attended a performance of the Messiah yesterday with my wife in the choir. It was terrific. But, of course, I was struck by this song from the end of the piece. Nearly everyone knows it. The words are simple but beautifully worshipful. The arrangement of instruments and voices is unsurpassed. For the best, most worshipful (there’s that word again) funeral I’ve ever attended, they combined two church choirs to perform this at the church md as the recessional. Outstanding!

Like King George in the 1740s when he first heard it, I was moved yet again yesterday—even to tears. My overwhelming thought? I am so grateful you are so loving. You don’t have to be good. You don’t have to forgive me. You don’t have to care about me as an individual or the things I care about. You don’t have to take the time to mold me into a better man. You don’t have to engage in my life or even the world. But you do.

The omnipotent God reigns—HALLELUJAH!

The kingdom of the world has become your kingdom and of Jesus—HALLELUJAH!

You will reign forever and ever—HALLELUJAH!

You are king of all kings—HALLELUJAH!

You are Lord of all lords—HALLELUJAH!

Father, I sit here this morning simply grateful. Thank you. Thank you for Christmas!

In Jesus’s, your precious Christ’s, name I pray,

Amen

 

“Bad Advice” by Fred Smith

Dear God, sometimes we all give and get bad advice. I’ve received bad advice before. I’ve certainly given my share as well. I’m saying this because I read a really good blog post by Fred Smith a couple of days ago called “Bad Advice.” In it, Smith uses the story to Moses’s last words of instruction to Joshua as an example of someone who let his own perceptions and experience paint an incorrect picture. His predictions for Joshua and what Joshua could expect from the Israelites didn’t end up panning out. His final instructions didn’t end up doing Joshua much good–at least not that we can tell.

There are several examples of people in the Bible making the wrong decision. Sometimes we are told it’s the wrong decision and sometimes we aren’t. Paul and Barnabas splitting up over John Mark. Was one of them right and one wrong? How Abraham handled Sarah and Hagar (and Ishmael). Peter and going to the gentiles. My favorite that I’ve mentioned to you before is what I perceive as the mistake of appointing Mathias as the apostle to replace Judas instead of waiting for you to groom Paul. Just people working with limited information and going in the wrong direction.

The good news is that, most of the time, these mistakes don’t get in the way of your plan. You used Abraham’s mistreatment of Hagar to free her from slavery. You accomplished greater spreading of your message by splitting up Paul and Barnabas, and maybe even helped to convict John Mark and encouraged him to grow up in the process. And Joshua still led the Israelites into the Promised Land, experiencing mostly victories and your blessing.

I came up with the phrase a long time ago that you keep me on a need-to-know basis and I very rarely need to know. There are certainly things happening in my life right now that I don’t like and I would change in a heartbeat if I could, but I don’t know what you are doing through this path that I cannot see. And perhaps I will never see it on this side of heaven. I put a local pastor in an awkward position this week by requesting some pastoral counseling about some of my current trials. I chose him carefully as someone whom I deeply trust and respect, and also someone who doesn’t come in with any preconceived biases towards the players in the story. To his credit, he did not try to pontificate and give me an great wisdom. He took notes. He pointed out one connection he wanted to make sure I made, and then we agreed to meet again. He said he would commit the situation to prayer. It was a good lesson for me on listening and waiting. People come to me for advice and I am often too quick to feel like I need to be smart and wise. I need to espouse my “wisdom” so that they will be grateful they sought me out. Instead, I need to be much more willing to just listen, hear them, and wait, if that is what you are calling me to do.

Father, I have friends who are having marital problems. I see suffering through my work on a daily basis. And I certainly have my own personal life situations that vex me and bring me tremendous sorrow. Please help me. Help me to be at peace. Help me to trust you. Help me to not get out ahead of you. Help me to not short-circuit your plan. Make your plans beyond my own corruption. I give you praise. I give you glory. I thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“Citizens of the culture and dabblers in the faith”

Dear God, I visited a Methodist church yesterday and there was a guest preacher, Colleen Haley. She gave a really good sermon, but this one line stood out to me: “Too many of us are citizens of the culture and dabblers in the faith.” I really liked that. It took me back to something I’ve thought before about myself and others: we treat Christianity more like a philosophy to live our lives by than a submitted, worshipful relationship with you. And I’m guilty of it too. Maybe I fight against that tendency more than most, but I’m certainly “prone to wander,” as the line in. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” says.

But the phrase citizen of the culture and dabbler in the faith was particularly convicting. What does it mean to be a citizen of the culture? What does a citizen of heaven here on earth look like? The question that might condemn me the most: Which one does my life more closely represent?

Maybe I can look at the parable of the farmer scattering seed on the different types of soil (Matthew 13). I think the dabbler in the faith citizen of the culture is best represented by the soil filled with weeds and thorns: “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.“ Conversely, the citizen of heaven is represented by the hood soil: “The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Father, help me to let go of the cares of this life and the lures of wealth. I confess that I’ve been a little materialistic and selfish lately. I’ve cared more about myself than sharing what I have with others. I’ve cared more about my own respite and entertainment than about worshipping you. I’ve probably been more of a citizen of the culture and dabbler in the faith than I’d like to admit. I’m sorry.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Christmas

Dear God, there are a lot of paradoxes in American life. One paradox is that the more we advance as a society in things like technology, economy, medicine, etc. the more we seem to regress emotionally. High depression rates. High rates of dissatisfaction. More anger.

This leads me to the paradox of Christmas. There are some who do not believe in you but want the (I’m having a hard time coming up with the word…) extravagance (I think that word works) that comes with the season. More spending. More partying. There’s even more giving. I think it is because we are looking for respite. We want respite from the slog of our year. We want to feel that adrenaline rush from giving or receiving a gift. We want to exhale and take a break. I think that is what is behind the current view of Christmas in American culture.

As Christians, we get caught up in this too. I had a Christmas party for our staff at work. We are in the middle of our biggest fundraising campaign of the year, so I am having to work as hard as I ever work this time of year. I spent some time this weekend thinking about presents for family and friends. I’ve also thought about where some of my wife’s and my year-end giving should go. I’ve thought about trips I want to take, and I’ve planned one for between Christmas and New Year’s Day. I’ve watched some Christmas movies like Die Hard and It’s a Wonderful Life. Notice there is not much there about you. Okay, there isn’t anything there about you. I’ve spent some time singing Christian Christmas carols/songs. I’m planning to attend and speak at a Christmas service this Wednesday, so I’ve been preparing for what I will say. I delivered toys for Toys for Tots and our Rotary club yesterday, but even that wasn’t about you.

Father, I’m going to a church service here in a little bit, and with that service, I want to fully immerse myself in your presence. I want to worship you. I want to be still and know you. I want to feel your Holy Spirit. I want to cultivate good soil in my heart that will give your seeds good space to grow and return a yield that is 10 or 100 times as much. I want to experience and be an instrument of your peace. Show me how to do all of this. Meet me where I am this morning.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Matthew 11:12-13

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time.
Matthew 11:12-13

Dear God, we are so ignorant. Jesus is talking here about the Kingdom of Heaven forcefully advancing, and I’m sure the people listening interpreted his words to mean that revolution was coming. They would have been shocked to learn that John was about to die, and Jesus wouldn’t be terribly far behind him.

So we have the wrong image of what “advancing” looks like. For us, advancing looks like power, influence and control. For you, it seems like advancing looks like enacting an unseen plan that might look like losing. I go back to Andy Stanley’s sermon from August 2020, Not in it to Win It. And I can take that concept and apply it to every area of my life—not just politics. What does your Kingdom advancing in the lives of my children look like? What about my work? My marriage? My relationships with family? The politics of our community or our country. My intelligence tells me that the fastest way to get where I think things should be is a straight line, but maybe we have to take what looks like losses so that we can ultimately be part of your Kingdom advancing.

Father, I don’t even need to understand your plan. I never could anyway. I just need to be faithful and trust you. Help me to trust you, worship you, and give you glory for everything you’ve done that I can and cannot see. You are my God, and I am grateful for you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

The Soul’s Worth — “O Holy Night”

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears 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; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

Dear God, I was listening to this Christmas hymn yesterday and the part about Jesus appearing and our soul knowing it’s worth is struck me. It all gets wrapped up in this hope of Christmas that I’ll be speaking about next week at our town’s church-to-church Christmas service. Without you, we have zero idea about our worth.

I read an article this morning about declining teen mental health in our country—the world, really. Especially developed countries. Our technology is leading us into this toxic environment of engagement through social media. Interaction by remote.

So what is our worth? Without you, without understanding how you see us, it’s just a vapor. That’s our worth. But you created us. You know us. You love us. You need us. We have our worth in you, and we didn’t realize how much we were worth until you came and did what you did through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Father, thank you for making my soul worth something. Thank you for showing me my worth through Jesus. Help me to know how to share it with others—especially youth and young adults.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen