Mystery or Majesty?

Several years ago I wrote a Christmas musical called "Mystery or Majesty?". I didn't write the music, but I wrote the narration and chose songs to convey the Christmas Story as I've come to enjoy it.

All of my life I heard about those found at the typical nativity scene, represented by the creche. There are Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Then you add shepherds, wise men, and some random animals which vary; usually sheep, camels, cows, and the like. All of the sermons, carols, and other Christmas songs focus on these elements. While "that night" was a wonderful sight, there were so many other things to experience which get very little time from the average pulpit. For me, discovering these things changed my whole perspective on Christmas.

The first glimpse into these "other" things came while I was a freshman at Samford University. Ralph Carmichael had written a new Christmas cantata called "Specially for Shepherds". Mr. Carmichael was friends with the resident composer and leader of the Hear & Now Singers at Samford. His name was Bob Burroughs. Bob was asked to put together an ensemble/choir to present the world premier of Specially for Shepherds. He invited all who wanted to participate to come be a part of this exciting event. I decided to join the choir.

In this presentation, Mr. Carmichael took a drastically different view of the events surrounding Advent. He dared to present the angst surely felt by Joseph when he received word that his fiancee, Mary, was pregnant; and they have never had sex. The discordant music, along with the dramatic expression choreographed by Mr. Burroughs had a profound impact on me and the listening audience. It humanized the story for me which up until that time had only been a fairytale. Here's the first verse of Joseph's response:

I can’t believe it, this terrible news

I won’t believe it, I simply refuse

It troubles my spirit and brings me unrest

It crushed the breath right out of my chest.

The entire musical is on You Tube. It's from 1977 so the music is typical of the era, but the lyrics are nothing close to typical. They are still so relevant to me.

A few years later, Michael Card produced an album which had a song about Simeon. The catchphrase of the song goes, "Now that I've held Him in my arms my life can come to an end." Until this song, I don't remember ever hearing about Simeon in relation to Advent. In case you do not know the story, Simeon was outside the temple the day Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to be circumcised. He was a man who loved God, and had received a promise that he would not die until he sees Messiah. That day, he saw Jesus! He approached them and asked to hold the Christ-child. As he did, he began to "sing" his song: 

Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32 ESV)

Once inside the temple, they encountered a woman; a widow serving in the temple for many years. Her name was Anna. She, too, like Simeon had been waiting on the arrival of Messiah. When she saw them, Anna knew this was Messiah. "And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem." (Luke 2:38 ESV) All who were waiting. There were MANY living expectantly, waiting on the arrival of Messiah.

Back to the visit where Gabriel appears to Mary, whom most portray as an almost angelic creature, sitting as though she knew the angel was coming that day, that hour. I don't believe this to be the case. Based on tradition of the day, Mary was likely a young lady who just went through puberty. Some speculate she was anywhere from thirteen to eighteen. Most young women were busy with household chores; preparing meals, tending to flocks or gardens, sewing, washing clothes, etc. The way I usually picture this encounter is with Mary down by the river, beating clothes on rocks to get them clean. Possibly beads of sweat were running down her face. Her hair was somewhat disheveled. The angel was an interruption to her. Based on the record we have in scripture, Mary was more concerned about the "how" than the "what". I'm sure Mary knew of Messiah, and tradition teaches us that some young women would actually be hoping they would be chosen to be the mother to the Christ-child. Mary eventually "receives" the word spoken by the angel and declares, "Be it unto me according to your word."

The first thing she does is go to see her relative, Elizabeth, who was also pregnant by miraculous means. Elizabeth was past child-bearing years. When Mary greets her, the child inside "leaped" at the sound of Mary's voice, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Here's the irony of this encounter. Elizabeth's husband, Zechariah, was a priest. He was sworn to keep the Law of God. Every word of it. The penalty for a woman becoming pregnant outside of marriage was death by stoning. If Zachariah learned of Mary's condition, he would be duty-bound to bring her before the spiritual leaders and have her stoned.

Prior to all of this, Zachariah had his own angelic encounter. He learned that he would be given a son through his elderly wife. This child would be named John (later to be known as John the Baptist). Zachariah had a difficult time receiving this word, unlike Mary. The angel struck Zachariah mute until the child would be born. John became the forerunner of the Messiah. He would "prepare the way" for Jesus to be introduced to the world as the Son of God.

When you intertwine these things with the rest of the traditional elements of Advent, you begin to see all God put in place to welcome His Son, Jesus, into a world in need of a savior. It was truly the most wonderful time of the year! I doubt December 25 was the actual day Jesus was born. This day was established much later by the Catholic Church as part of the complete liturgy used to worship God and train believers in the things of God. That doesn't cause a single problem for me. It doesn't matter to me. What matters is that Jesus did come! It was miraculous! It is still the greatest mystery! It is still majestic!

This Christmastime I hope you take time to reflect, not only on the creche, but on all the aspects surrounding this blessed event now known as Advent.

Sunday’s Blessing – 11/26/2023

As we approach the beginning of Advent

It is very appropriate that we begin with Thanksgiving

Acknowledging that we do not have everything

Without the help of others, especially God

Thanksgiving forces us outside of ourselves

To admit shortcomings, our need for grace

And noticing where help is provided

Prompting new appreciation of others

It is hard to receive a gift when we have no need

How can we welcome a Savior when we are not lost

Why do we need a Messiah if we are already complete

How can we embrace the precious Lamb without empty arms

Recognize the areas where there is lack

It’s not a sign of weakness

It’s a confession that we have needs

And encourages us to ask for things

This gives way to open doors

Access to our hearts which have been barricaded

We unlatch the fortified access to our soul

And feel the warmth of love, the love of God

It all starts with Thanksgiving

The Journey - Week 17

 I haven't posted in The Journey in a while. I've settled into a routine that is workable. My trips to the gym have been disrupted by foot surgery which kept me out of pocket for the past five weeks. I hope to resume exercising next week.

Most of the people I met at the campground have left. Some new ones have arrived. Lots of folks coming and going. I'm constantly amazed at how many nomadic people there are in the U.S. I had no idea until now. It will be interesting to see how the holidays affect the activity here.

I haven't decorated anything yet, but I hope to change that in the coming weeks. We will see.

Cullman has a huge Christmas celebration planned. As a matter of fact, it begins tonight and goes through December 23. It's touted as the largest in the U.S. I can't refute it, but I don't know if it's one of those "World's Greatest Cup of Coffee" claims or not. I'll check it out at some point.

Looking forward to singing with the Crossroads Baptist choir for Christmas. We start rehearsals this coming week. I discovered a neat Christmas playlist on Spotify. I've enjoyed listening and getting into the spirit of the season.

I'll try to update more frequently. Things have been pretty busy lately. Until next time ...

God's Names at Christmastime - Mighty God

The following is from my book, The Names of God.

Luke 1:49 (ESV) for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

This is an amazing verse. He who is Mighty, holy is His name. There are many people in our world that could be considered mighty. However, when you consider the circumstances in which this statement is made you realize there can only be one conclusion.

Mary, a teenage girl in Israel, a virgin, was just asked to become the mother of God’s Son, Jesus. Can you imagine what must have been going through this young lady’s mind? Based on what we know about her background, Mary most likely understood The Law. She had heard that a Messiah was coming to redeem Israel – through a virgin. She also understood the penalty for pregnancy outside of marriage – death by stoning.

When the angel appeared Mary was surprised by the words spoken to her, yet she was willing to be obedient to God’s will for her life. “Let it be according to your word.” This one moment was both a pinnacle of excitement beyond her wildest dreams – to be the mother of God’s Son – and the deepest pit of dread – dying as an unwed mother.

She had to ask some questions: What would Joseph think? What would her parents think? What would the priest do to her? In the end her answer was, “Yes!” Once the decision was made and sealed by her confession to the angel, Mary began to see the gravity of her agreement. She just said yes to God. That is when she began her “song” as theologians call it - The Magnificat.

The verse cited above is part of Mary’s Song. He who is Mighty has done great things FOR ME. Unlike others that were encountered by God that could not find it within them to say, “Yes,” because of what it would cost them, Mary said, “Great things were done for me!” Mary realized that Mighty God had just entered her through the Holy Spirit. As far as we know from scripture, Mary became the first person filled with the Holy Spirit.

It resulted in her conceiving Jesus in her womb; God now becoming flesh. Jack Hayford, in his book “The Mary Miracle” describes this event as the “fountainhead of all miracles.” Because Mary recognized God as Mighty, and allowed Him to perform His plan through her, she became blessed among women.

Each of us has a choice today. Do we say, “Yes,” to God and His plan by allowing Mighty to do great things FOR US, or do we rebuff the One who loves us most?

Thanksgiving 2023

The morning light presses through the fog

Like a cutter making its way through the North Sea

Each trying to keep the other from accomplishing its mission

The fog, a low-hanging cloud of mist, brings confusion

The light attempting to bring clarity

Above the cloud the sun rules, shining brightly

Below the fog, we amble about aimlessly

Searching for a way out, but not finding it

Running into things unexpected

Yet still hoping for a better outcome

As it always has for thousands of years

The sun eventually wins by melting the fog

Allowing the clarity of its rays to reach us

Once again illuminating our path for our journey

We continue our travels without gratitude

Unaware of the battle which rages every day

We amble about somehow thinking we are in control

That through our own effort, the fog lifted

Our perspective is jaded by lack of truth

By pride of what we deem to be knowledge

Today of all days we must find a way

To direct our focus on the reality

That the sun is the one actually in control

It created the cloud of fog in which we struggled

And then blew it away with its beams

Without its warmth we would freeze

Without its light we would be blind

Without its rays our health would struggle

Without its pull, our earth would be adrift

It tends to our world, and us, without ever demanding anything

Today, be grateful for all you have

Be grateful for how long you survived this chaos

Be grateful for the people in your life

Be grateful for those who have preceded us

Be grateful …

Sunday's Blessing - 11/19/2023

May today be filled with wonder

Of things both great and small

The sun, moon, and stars

The butterfly, the bird’s call

May you never miss a chance

To thank God in your day

He made it all, both small and big

Everything along your way

From spectacular to mundane

It all matters to Him

Especially you, the image of God

Not created on a whim

Live from this blessed place

Of knowing your Creator

Each breath, each step, each passing thought

Always surrounded by splendor

The challenge is to be aware

To notice what is all around

Things of wonder fill your world

Many without a sound

It’s up to you to look and see

Do not miss a single one

Make the most of each new day

Before your time is done

Since we know not the time or day

No need to worry much

Just live your life with great intent

Your world so needs your touch

Thanksgiving Blessing

Thanksgiving Blessing

May the Lord grant you grace to be thankful

Even if there is nothing you can be thankful for

Be thankful you are still alive, giving you opportunity for better

Be thankful you did not quit when it seemed the only option

Be thankful you still have the ability to choose

Be thankful there is a God who loves you more than you can imagine

Be thankful this same God is longing to hear from you

Be thankful you are invited to His table – always

Be thankful you have one more opportunity – today – to respond to Him

God's Names at Christmastime - Prince of Peace

The following is from my book, The Names of God.

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah prophesied that there was One coming that would be The Prince of Peace. This phrase is made up of two Hebrew words: “sar”, which means “a head person (of any rank or class)”, and “shalom”, which means “safe.”

When Jesus came as Messiah, He also came to demonstrate to us how to be safe, how to live at peace with everyone. Our mission is to bring as many into this “peace” as possible, by introducing them to The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

There is much confusion (I choose to say that, even though it may be blatant ignorance) among many politicians and members of the media regarding the religion of the Muslims. They speak of Islam as a “peaceful religion.” They arrive at this notion by asking imams and other Islamic leaders questions like, “Is this a peaceful religion?” To which, they always reply, “Yes, we strive for peace with all people.”

Here’s the truth. In Islam there is only one goal: for Allah to rule the world. Within that premise, there are only two states of being for a region. If Allah rules it is considered a “house of peace”, but where Allah is not acknowledged as god, it is a “house of war.” The “war” is aimed at ANYONE that does not bow to Allah. The notions of "houses" or "divisions" of the world in Islam such as Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb does not appear in the Quran or the Hadith. Early Islamic jurists devised these terms to denote legal rulings for ongoing Muslim conquests almost a century after Muhammad. (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/daralislam.html)

You cannot come to any other conclusion when looking at the barebones truth of Christianity and Islam. They cannot coexist. We cannot be “tolerant” of Islam. What is our recourse as Christians? Evangelize!! It is not our purpose to oppose them with force. That is the role of governments and the military. (I do not support the notion that Christians should not be involved in politics or the military.) Our job as the Church is to win them for Christ. We must tell them of The Prince of Peace, because that is the reality for which their hearts are searching.

Sunday's Blessing - 11/12/2023

May the Lord be:

The Purveyor of your passion

The Protector of your pain

The Provider of your peace

The Person of your pursuit

The Energy of your enthusiasm 

The Efficacy of your excellence 

The Encourager of your emotions 

The Embodiment of your endearment 

God's Names at Christmastime - Counselor

The following is from my book, The Names of God.

Isaiah 28:29 (ESV) This also comes from the LORD of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

I know one of the most amazing counselors. She can listen for hours on end to others as they share their problems or concerns. She has such compassion that it motivates her to work with others to find the root of the issue, bring the truth of God concerning the situation, and see them totally delivered and set free from the bondage caused by the lies the enemy has introduced into their life.

She is an example of what the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, wants to do in our lives.

The meaning of the word used for Counselor means, “to give advice, plan, or show prudence.” It is from a root word that means, “to advise, to deliberate, or resolve.”

Part of the nature that God placed inside man is a free will. The Counselor comes to us to give information (advice) on what we should do as we face decisions in life. He has a plan for us if we will only submit our will to His. The scripture He has given is full of wisdom that, when applied to our life, will result in prudent decisions.

The Counselor is a primary work of the Holy Spirit, but remember that this same Holy Spirit has gifts that He has given to the Church to empower Her to live free from the bondage that the curse of sin introduced to mankind. We need to learn to live in freedom, but know that the Counselor is ever-ready to give us advice when needed, reveal His plan for us, and resolve any issue that might present itself.

Let’s learn to hear the voice of the Counselor and follow His advise completely.

Send In the Light

[verse 1]

In the beginning the world was formless and void

Darkness hid the deep

In an instant it changed forevermore 

When God began to speak

[chorus]

He said, “Send in the Light to show them the way

They need hear all I have to say

Word of God, speak, and bring everything into view

Touch their hearts and make all things new

[verse 2]

Once perfect, created in the image of God

Mankind fell into sin

But year after year they waited for help

Messiah’s reign to begin

[key change]

[verse 3]

Just when the world had almost lost hope

It’s then the Angel appeared

Sweet Mary became the mother of God

Hearts melted which once had been seared

[repeat chorus]

[bridge]

See, the same voice which spoke, “Let there be light.”

Is the same one we hear today

Brought to us on Christmas morn

He came to show us the way

[verse 4]

Jesus now lives inside of our hearts

Teaching us how we should live

Just as He did on that Christmas morn

New life each morning He gives

[repeat chorus]

(c) Kurios Music 2023

Sunday's Blessing - 11/5/2023

Seek the truth, He can be found 

Desire wisdom, you can know

Pray for peace, it will guide you 

Live for love, it is life

God's Names at Christmastime - Emmanuel

The following is from my book, The Names of God, that I published a few years ago. In these days leading up to Christmas I thought it would be worth taking a second look to remind us that our life is saturated by the presence of our Creator.

Isaiah 8:8 (ESV) … and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.”

Matthew 1:23 (ESV) “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel”

The different spellings of this name come from the origin being referenced. Immanuel is from Hebrew; the Greek spelling is Emmanuel. The latter is the most common in our vernacular. Regardless of the origin the meaning is the same: God with us.

To me, this is one of the most comforting names of God in scripture. It is easy, as humans, to stare into the starlit sky, or cast your eye over the vast horizon from atop a tall mountain, or listen to the numbing roar of the ocean at the beach, and not see the awesome power of our Creator. It is nice to know we serve an all-powerful Sovereign that rules the universe.

However, when we face unbearable turmoil, or bend from the weight of cares that seem to overwhelm us, or hear bad news that shakes the very foundations of our existence, it is just as comforting, if not more so, to know that God is with us; Emmanuel! When you know God is with you it makes unbearable a bit more tolerable. The weight of cares is lighter because He cares for you; God is with us. Bad news is less destructive because you know that He already knew, and has a plan to move you beyond this moment; God is with us.

The incarnation of Christ is perhaps the most hope-filled promise ever given to mankind. When they learned that God was not just somewhere out there. He came and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, that of the only begotten Son of God – Emmanuel. He showed us that life as a human on planet earth does mean something. We can live in fellowship with our Creator to accomplish His purpose for us. God is with us.

As a matter of fact, He is with us when we are not aware of His presence. Even if we try to escape His presence we cannot, because God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. Allow this truth to become part of your conscious thinking. Brother Lawrence encouraged this in his book “The Practice of the Presence of God (The Best Rule of a Holy Life)”. Even in the mundane things in life we must realize that God is with us. When this becomes a way of life it makes it easier to allow God to help us through the “big” things that seem to make us shipwreck.

Emmanuel, God with us. Every day. Every moment. Right now. So regardless of what you are facing know that God is there, and He is able to get you beyond the current circumstances. He loves you … and He is here.