Noel

Don't you just love Christmas carols?  Singing to celebrate our Lord's coming to save us from our sinful selves is such joy!

Let's continue our Christmas Carol lessons with The First Noel.  Noel comes from Latin, through French meaning "birth."  This rich carol tells of a one-of-a-kind, first & all time birth.  The coming of God to earth as a human.  This rich carol can teach us lessons today too.

The first Noel the angel did say, Was to certain poor shepherds
in fields as they lay; In fields where they lay, keeping their sheep, 
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.

You're a shepherd.  A societal outcast.  Cast out because you've got a menial job.  Cast out because you got a smelly job.  Cast out, well because your job keeps you out with the sheep & not in town.  But you are doing your job.  Watching your sheeps & hangin with your peeps when... An angel.  An angel appears & God's glory shines round your shepherd band.  Terrified.  Dumb struck.  Frozen.

"Don't be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." the angel says in Luke 2:10.  I'm not a shepherd, but I have a question: Do I fear God’s power?  Do I fear God's awesome power?  His righteousness & justice?  Or do I fear his mercy & grace?  Which do I deserve more?

For all to see there was a star, Shining in the east, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light, And so it continued both day and night.

You're a smart person.  At the top of the societies pyramid.  At least close.  You've got lots of education & enough means to support yourself in pursuits of the mind.  You & your intelligentsia pals notice a new star. One of you connects that star with a new king.  It's a great star.  It must be a great king.  Let's roadtrip.

"We saw his star in the east & we have come to worship him," says one wise man in Matthew 2:2.  We get pretty busy in our hustle-bustle days.  So I gotta ask, do I see God’s signs?  When God shows up, am I paying attention?  When God lights the answer to my prayer up in neon do I notice?  When He points one of those big arrow signs toward his will for me do I see it?

And by the light of that same star The wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent, And to follow the star wherever it went.

And when I do see God pointing the way - when I am clear He has a plan for me to follow -  do I obey? Do I follow God’s lead?  Do I get up & get moving?  Do I change direction because God has changed my mind? What am I gonna do about it?

Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of naught, And with his blood mankind hath bought.

If you were a shepherd outcast outside Bethlehem, then were one of the first to know the great news, of great joy for all people.  "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord," Luke 2:11 tells.  Wow!  Lowly me?  The King.  The Savior.  Came for me?!

How good is that news?  How many people would you be telling?  Facebook status.  Twitter tweets.  Texting homies.  Skypin far off friends.  Emailing your entire address list.  Or just plain talking & telling the news.  It hurts me to think, with how much - or how little - enthusiasm do I share God’s story?  A story of salvation for all people.  It's my news to tell!

Fear God's grace.

See God's signs.

Follow God's lead.

Share God's story.

It's CHRISTmastime.

Rejoice!

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

It's Not About Me

You gotta love this picture: The James Family Four jumping for joy.

The grinning Mom is a friend I'd never met.  Beth James is the wife of a college buddy, David.

Beth James is battling cancer.

That word.  The C-word.  Stirs each of us.  Deeply.

Strong images & emotions within.  Fear.  Sickness.  Pain.  Sadness.  Suffering.  Death.  Anger.  Uncertainty. Hope.  Survival.  Faith.  Future.  Eternity.

Beth is in the midst of the battle of her life for her life.  Read about its unreal beginnings written by David here.

And then do not miss reading Beth's amazing perspective just two months into her battle here.

Join me in praying for Beth & her family.

And, as you read their story, be strengthened.  Be encouraged.

No matter your battle.

It's not about you.

God knows.

God loves.

He will carry you through.

In Suffering

I am young.  I don't know much.

But I have learned.

God.  In His sovereignty.  Has purpose.

In suffering.

How have you suffered?

Hurting.  Broken.  Rejected.  Weak.  Anxious.  Humiliated.  Worried.  Mistreated.  Ridiculed.  Depressed. Insulted.  Ashamed.  Despised.  Questioned.  Downcast.  Sick.  Diseased.  Wrestling.  Discouraged. Sleepless. Slandered.  Exhausted.  Overcome.  Spent.  Done.

Suffering.  Each of them.

God.  Has purpose.

In suffering.

Walking through suffering with Christ & one another will draw us closer & make us stronger.  Closer & stronger than we ever dreamed.

Walking through suffering with Christ & one another will grow greater love within us.  Greater than we ever imagined.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.  Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)

Glory to God.

In suffering.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.  1 Peter 4:12-13 (NIV)

Glory to God.

In suffering.

Fifty Weeks

Have you been discouraged?

Attacked or slandered by enemies?

Beaten by circumstance upon conspiring circumstance?

At the end of yourself?

Hope gone?

Faith fragile?

No more thinking.

No more crying.

No more praying.

Where only God's mercy could rescue you from the mess you & others had created?

Only God's grace could give you what you could never earn alone?

Only God's love could soften calloused, embittered hearts?

Read God's Word to you in Psalm 56.  Yesterday a friend quoted verse 13 in class of twenty people.  Yet he was speaking just to me.

Psalm 56

¹ Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;
     all day long they press their attack.
² My slanderers pursue me all day long;
     many are attacking me in their pride.

³ When I am afraid,
     I will trust in you.
⁴ In God, whose word I praise,
     in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
     What can mortal man do to me?

⁵ All day long they twist my words;
     they are always plotting to harm me.
⁶ They conspire, they lurk,
     they watch my steps,
     eager to take my life.

⁷ On no account let them escape;
     in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.
⁸ Record my lament;
     list my tears on your scroll --
     are they not in your record?

⁹ Then my enemies will turn back
     when I call for help.
     By this I will know that God is for me.
¹⁰ In God, whose word I praise,
     in the LORD, whose word I praise--
¹¹ in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
     What can man do to me?

¹² I am under vows to you, O God;
     I will present my thank offerings to you.
¹³ For you have delivered me from death
     and my feet from stumbling,
    that I may walk before God
     in the light of life. 

Fifty weeks ago I was at verse 1.  More than a year's previous trouble, some of my own creating & some created by others, had come to one afternoon meeting.  I saw no way out.  My reasons didn't matter.  My fight didn't matter.  I was done.

Yet. In God's sovereignty I needed no more reasons nor fight.  He had determined.  He had done what no person could.  In His grace.  For His purpose.

Fifty weeks later I am at verse 13.  Near a year's worth of healing, learning, growing, forgiving, depending, & loving came to that same afternoon meeting.  A completely different situation.  A lesson from my life.  To your life.  You can make it through.

God is sovereign.  He loves you.  He will deliver.

Trust in Him.

Fish Story

A great group of guys, assisted by some wonderful women, put on our Kid's Fishing Derby recently.  Chilly Saturday morning.  Layers & coats.  Cold fingers & nippy noses.  Yet fun to be out no matter the temperature.

My pal Woody kept all the lines straight.  Pulled all the catches off.  Even took pix.  He made our lakeside point the place to be.  Woody did all the work before & after each cast.  Fun for the kids, and me, thanks to Woody.

My own JM caught plenty.  Reeling them in.  Feeling their scales.  Releasing them to disappear.  Playing with the worms.  Sitting on the rocks.  Then.  He gave into the siren call of the nearby playground.

A new, young buddy came along just then.  Grandson of sweet church member.  Son of a super Mama.  Hadn't caught any yet.

"I wanna catch a fish," my buddy said.

He tried to cast.  Needed a little coaching.  When to push the button.

Buddy caught on quick.  Got the casting down.

Then it was patience.  He'd reel in too quick & jerky.

Again coaching.  Slow it down.  Little at a time.  We've been catching them right out there all morning.

Another cast.  Slower.  He was listening.

Another cast.  No fish.  Buddy was getting antsy.  Impatient.  I could tell.

He was doing it.  Right technique.  Right spot.

"Woody, we gotta get this boy a fish," I said.  Then I remembered a story I'd heard a famous preacher tell.  How he'd been fishing.  Catching none.  And felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to pray for fish.  He'd argued, "Something so simple, Lord?  Surely I shouldn't waist prayers on this."  Then he was reminded of the Disciples.  Four of them fisherman.  And how Jesus miraculously blessed them.  So our preacher friend prayed.  And God gave him a whopper.  It really was a whopper of a fish because he's a good preacher fella & would never tell a whopper of a fish story.

So. I prayed.

"God, you are THE God of everything.  Even the fish in this lake.  You know this boy wants a fish.  He's been working so hard God.  He's listening to instruction.  He keeps trying.  Give my Buddy a fish."  And then with weak, limited boldness I added, "And, please give it to him on the next cast."

I'll admit I didn't tell Woody my prayer.  My faith about fish was weak.  Maybe my faith was weak, period.

Buddy cast.  Reeled it in a bit.  Easy like he'd learned.

My heart was pounding.  Watching that bobber. 

And it hit.  A fish.  A fish!

Buddy reeled it in fast.

Little bluegill.  All Buddy needed.  He was so proud.

Little bluegill.  All I needed.  I was so humbled.

Buddy needed a fish.

I needed faith.

Thank God for that fish.  A fish to strengthen my faith.

What do you need, my Friend?

Have you asked in Jesus' name?

According to his will?

To glorify God?

May God give you faith to ask.  Faith to persevere.  Faith.

May God answer your prayer.