Merry Christmas

Week 4 (Love): Born to Offer Us His Peace

Jesus was born to offer us His Peace because WE NEED IT.

I feel like I need it now. 

Most of this holiday season has felt warm and full. And, honestly most of today has matched. I am profoundly grateful for my life and for my faith and frankly that I can just confidently say “God is really good. And the Christian narrative is more than a fairytale. And I am proud to be called Christian and love Jesus.”

It matters me to so much that all of that is true. It is the backdrop for every single thing. 

And yet, life is so unpredictable and people so injured. I met with a man today, so twisted up inside he equates shaming and certainty with morality and justice. Another man who is in the middle of a shame spiral because of a Christmas gift gone sideways. His value boiling down to the color of a purse. I am sitting with my own families confusion and losses.

No matter how beautiful and whole and rich life is. There is always uncertainty and confusion, evil and sin. 

I need Jesus certainty - His absolute assurances. 

I need Jesus conviction - His courage and perseverance. 

I need those things to settle an anxious mind and sad heart. 

“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.”

Week 4 (Love): Born to Exalt the Humble

Jesus was born to Exalt the Humble because WE NEED IT.

This won makes me laugh out loud a little bit, even just looking at it. My heart says “Or who the hell else will do it!” 

We (humans) love a winner. We love strength, intelligence, wit, sensuality, talent, beauty. We love moments when WE are seen that way. 

But when we are laid low. When our strength is failing or our dreams are dashed, when our intelligence is fading and our beauty marred we do not EXALT (place high, show off) we slink back into our cave, lick our wounds and hide.

But our Bible, our Story, our God does not tell that story. It’s apex, it’s victory is the brutal murder of God hung high. It’s proceeded by the a litany of stories where things are going horribly wrong and God keeps flinging people into the limelight: Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, Ester, Naomi. And if you think the cross was the end... oh no no... Paul, Peter, Luke, John. 

God is ABOUT EXALTING THE HUMBLE.

Week 4 (Love): Born to Bring Mercy

Jesus was born to bring mercy BECAUSE WE NEED IT. 

I did a word study this morning on the word for mercy used in the new testament. The word is ELOS and it means: kindness or concern for someone in SERIOUS NEED; giving help to the WRETCHED; relieving the MISERABLE. It carries with it the intense physical sensation of your “heart being torn” when gazing on the plight of another.

This is not where my head goes to when I think about mercy. I think about lessening a prison sentence for a first time offender, letting Sydney off the hook when she’s done a chore inadequately, being “cut a break”. God’s mercy is God giving us a break. 

And not that it’s a bad thing. But that is not what this means. 

Jesus didn’t come to give us a break. 

Jesus came because His heart was being torn out by our need from relief from the pain of sin in this world. 

It’s much closer to accurate to think about what it’s like to watch the Sarah McLaughlin ASPCA commercials... the way you want to leap through the TV and care for all of those lost and devastated pups. 

That is a much closer picture of what it means to say God came to bring mercy. I may very well need a break sometimes, but I need that so much more.

Week 4 (Love): Born to Be God With Us

So given the idea that this week is a reflection on God’s Charity I thought it might be helpful to rephrase our reading heading with that in mind.

Jesus was born to be God with us BECAUSE WE NEED IT. 

And isn’t that the Truth. We need God with us in every conceivable fashion. 

In the reading from Matthew, the genealogy of Christ, I am reassured about so many ways God showed up to be “with” us. My favorite this time through are the women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba).

Tamar was is a woman who was selected to marry Judah’s son Er. Er was so evil, God killed him. As was tradition, she then married the next oldest son Onan. Onan’s fundamental job in this was to give her a son to justify her existence in the community and he was having sex with her but preventing pregnancy (essentially using her). So God killed him too. Judah then promised her his next son, but plotted to never make it happen. He blamed Tamar for the deaths... thought she was cursed! So Tamar plotted to be impregnated by Judah. She pretended to be a prostitute and he had sex with her. It’s a cool story because she basically outwits Judah to repair her reputation and secure her place in the world.

This is a woman that God decided to include and mention BY NAME in Christ’s lineage. Her life and suffering were poured into the very birth of God. 

Rahab literally was a prostitute and a pagan. The Israelites were coming to attack and take over her city (Jericho). Recognizing that God’s hand was on them, she helped them to scout the city. 

Ruth was a pagan widow from an enemy country. 

And Bathsheba (referred to as Uriah’s wife) was essentially stolen by David out of lust and then murdered her husband. 

God honored these women’s lives and sacrifices. They are our sisters. 

Three of Four.... 3 of 4... we can confidently described as sexually abused. 2 of 4 had their bodies sold. 3 of 4 were widows. 2 of 4 of these women were Pagan. 

These were women who knew hard choices. These were women who were not innocent. Theses were women who were called cursed and rejected. 

Our God saw them. And loved them. And gave them dignity and their lives meaning and love. He esteemed them to play a recorded role in the birth of God with us.

That’s some WITH US. And we need it.

Advent 2020 - The Fourth Week - Love

Gods love was revealed to us in this way: God sent his one and only son into the world so that we might live through him. When we reflect on God’s Love it’s important to remember to slow down and consider what that word means. We mean way way too many things in our language to take in that verse without intention. 

I’ve already talked a lot about this idea of charity about loving because of the need of the other. But here are some additional things to reflect on when it comes to God’s Love/Charity. 

(1) God’s love isn’t just an emotion, a phase, a state or even a decision. God’s charity is His essential essence. God is made out of love for those who need love. When you consider this it is absurd to think that God ever stops loving anyone. He loves based upon OUR NEED FOR LOVE. When does that change or diminish? Maybe it can.... in the very darkest of paths. Maybe that is what it means to truly “grieve the Spirit”, when we burn away out need for love. 

(2) We have some familiarity with this kind of love... both of us.... and it’s called A PUPPY! Why oh why do I love this puppy? Surely it isn’t because this puppy can do anything for me. At 4 am this morning when Penny needed to pee and crying softly in her kennel, why did every part me awake and orient and take her outside? It was because she needed it. I experienced Need-Love, Charity. That love is in us. The kind that does it because it needs to be done.

Week 3 (Joy): Wrap Up

So we it’s been a week reflecting on Joy.

We have joy because God loves us because we need love. 

We have joy because God delights to heal us. 

We have joy because Jesus has paid the penalty for sin, so we can be free. 

We have joy because God is stronger than death. 

We have joy because even our suffering and sin is being woven into a beautiful ending.