On the seventh day of Christmas… Dec. 31, 2013

I see him, but not here and now.

      I perceive him, but far in the distant future.

A star will rise from Jacob;

      a scepter will emerge from Israel.           –Numbers 24:17 (NLT)

A star shone brightly in the heavens -- His star.  The magi who saw it knew they had to follow!  [WORSHIP FULLY] Possibly hailing from somewhere near Babylon, they would have been familiar with the stories of the biblical prophet Daniel, who had been appointed in his day as “chief of the magicians.”  Daniel’s teachings and the biblical writings his people brought into exile, including those of the hope for a kingly Messiah, would have been passed down through generations of wise men. 

These magi were astrologers.  They drew on their knowledge of astronomy and prophecy to watch the heavens for a sign.  God spoke to what they would understand by using the star.

So convinced were they when they saw it, they packed treasures and followed the mysterious star to the capital city of Israel, Jerusalem, ready to worship the King of the Jews. 

After an encounter with King Herod, these magi followed his word.  “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”  (Matthew 2:8)  Upon arriving in Bethlehem, with the star leading them, the magi “fell down and worshiped Him.  Then opening their treasures they offered Him gifts.’ (Matthew 2:11)  [GIVE MORE]  Being warned in a dream, the magi departed for home away from Jerusalem.

Interesting observation about this story:  The magi were Gentiles.  They were ‘heathens’ who became God’s servants.  The beginning of the fulfillment of the promise to “bless all families on earth”? (Gen. 12:3)  [LOVE ALL]

Generous God, may your Spirit move us to recognize peoples of all nations and languages as your own.

On the sixth day of Christmas… Dec. 30, 2013

“Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel.
 ⁵ “Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. ⁶ His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”                  –Malachi 4:4-6 (NLT)

Let’s step back a bit and consider the times we speak about.  After God’s prophecy through Malachi, Heaven was silent for 400 years.  Prophets who spoke God’s Word directly to the people of Israel disappeared from the scene.  Had God forgotten them?  Would God fulfill his promise and bring salvation to Israel?  A lack of specific direction or encouragement from God left the Israelites with only one option.  They had to trust that God was working in their own era, just as he had in the past. 

God would finally break his silence with the coming of John and Jesus.  But by this time had the people become lax in their waiting and watching?  No one responds in excitement to the shepherds; only with wondering.  Did anyone really believe them?  We need to praise the working of the Holy Spirit here because seeds were planted and now it was in God’s timing to bring them to fruition. 

Scripture does not tell of other visitors to the Christ Child either out of curiosity or worship; not even a visitor from Jerusalem only 5-6 miles away.  It would be interesting to know if the reputation of shepherds had something to do with it.  After all these years the message came through angels to shepherds, not the chief priests; through the lowly, not the exalted.   

It was only seriously considered 30 years later that God had taken action in Bethlehem to raise up a King for the throne of David.

Eventually, for some, fear would no longer reign and hope would be fulfilled.    [WORSHIP FULLY]

Word of God, speak into our lives and open the ears of our hearts.

On the fifth day of Christmas… Dec. 29, 2013

“This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." ...  ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." ¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.      –Luke 2:12-18 (NRSV)

There is no mention made of how they knew the location of the child, but there is speculation.  Consider that the Passover lambs for the temple sacrifice in Jerusalem were raised in Bethlehem.   Is it a possibility there was a special place they were kept?  Is that feeding trough the manger Jesus was laid in?  Wouldn’t that be interesting and just like God to orchestrate?

The shepherds were called and immediately responded in belief and excitement. They found the Christ child living in humble conditions, yet this was not anything they considered for they themselves were living in such circumstance in a relationship with God.  Think about it: they had private time with Joseph and Mary...  time to share God’s story from both sides.  They found the Christ, then went out to tell everyone what they had seen and heard, glorifying and praising God. 

Is that how we respond when we are blessed with a revelation?  Wow, it sure seems like a great example to follow to keep our Christ alive in the hearts and minds of his people.  “Excitement” and “Joy” = hash tag words for the Christmas season.

[SPEND LESS & GIVE MORE]

God of Good News, enliven our witness with excitement and joy.  Sharpen our focus not on the ‘stuff’ of life, but on your living presence with us.

On the fourth day of Christmas… Dec. 28, 2013

And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." ²⁹ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”                                 –Luke 1:28-31 (NRSV)

Mary may have been in the middle of her morning chores, probably dreaming about her future, her marriage to Joseph, her life as a wife and mother.  Then God interrupted her plans with a plan of his own.  She would be the one to bear the Messiah, as the angel Gabriel told her (Luke1:26-35).  Mary gave all she had by answering: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (GIVE MORE) 

This way of God proclaiming and guiding was not totally unheard of at this time.  God had used an angel in Jewish history speaking to Daniel and before Mary, Gabriel was sent to Zechariah to announce the birth of a son named John.  Now God was sending his greatest message.  God chose to speak in a sign language that any Jewish person was supposed to understand.  Showing signs of his favor, God dispatches an angelic courier to speak directly to the young shepherds (but not to the chief priests or the elders).  It was the highest witnessing to God’s gift of his Son.  This message set a seal upon this event that made it undeniable.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ¹⁴  "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
                                                                      –Luke 2:13-14 (NRSV)

More angels, a multitude, sent to proclaim clearly that God was offering them peace to be given for the benefit of all!

(LOVE ALL)

God of all peoples, open our hearts to ‘angelic’ messages that guide us to your peace and your love for everyone around us.

On the third day of Christmas… Dec. 27, 2013

Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹ to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.                     –Luke 2:9-11 (NRSV) 

Hey, what about the star?  There seems to be no mention of a star in Luke’s story, just the angel and the glory of the Lord.  Was the glory of the Lord the light of the star or was the glory a light that was perceived to be a star?  Only in Matthew’s story (2:1-12) do we have a star.  Was it only for the wise men? 

This is an extraordinary thing, this star, and this glory. A spectrum of unapproachable light shown down:  the promised sign foretold in Scripture.  (Numbers 24:17)  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father.  (John 1:14)  Glory is the outshining of the light of Jesus’ grace and truth = Shekinah, the GIFT of LIGHT & PRESENCE.

How many things in life are set as signs meant to get our attention?  Something that is going to impact our life is happening.  We are so busy, frantically running around getting those important things done, that we need a clonk on the head to stop us in our tracks so that we do pay attention. 

So, we see the sign, but how accurately do we interpret it?  Do we wait for the translation from the heavenly hosts?  Do we ask for answers from God?  Do we wait for GPS (Guidance from the Spirit’s Presence) before rushing off to a destination?

In this case, the sign was obvious and probably over-whelming.  There was no choice but to stop what they were about and do as they were led.  [WORSHIP FULLY]

Lord, let me ‘see’ the signs of your presence in my life.  Let me enter into your joy…and never leave it.