Peace on Earth?
I recently received a Christmas card that proclaimed, “Peace on Earth.” This is a familiar and solidly Scriptural Christmas greeting. It was part of the angels’ praise chorus on that first Christmas evening, almost 2,000 years ago, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” (Luke 2:14)
However, it struck me a little odd in light of recent news. That we would be proclaiming “Peace on Earth” when global wars continue to rage and when people are still losing their jobs and homes every day. That we would be proclaiming “Peace on Earth” when 30,000 children starve to death every day and five year old girls are sold in prostitution rings and brutally murdered.
The contrast is stark: a peaceful, star-filled evening with angels singing the glory of God versus the smoggy, greenhouse gas-filled world of turmoil that we live in. I sometimes feel like Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, who described this in a song from a few years back entitled, Peace on Earth: "I'm sick of hearing again and again, that there's gonna be Peace on Earth . . . Hear it every Christmas time but hope and history won't rhyme. So what's it worth, this Peace on Earth?”
We could despair of ever realizing “Peace on Earth” in the face of ever present realities. But, on second glance, there was not complete “Peace on Earth” when Jesus was born either. Jesus’ homeland had been violently overthrown and occupied by a pagan Empire. Soon after Jesus’ birth, the brutal King Herod had all Jewish boys under two years old slaughtered in a vain attempt to snuff out the new Messiah (Savior) that had been born. There was no complete “Peace on Earth” that first Christmas either. So what, then, did the angels mean?
“Peace on Earth” is part of the Kingdom of God, which is “NOW” and “NOT YET.” There will be a day, when Christ returns, that all wars will cease, all violence will be over, when God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.” (Revelation 21:4) That is the “NOT YET” that we await. As followers of Jesus Christ, WE are called to enact the “NOW” of the Kingdom of God, even “Peace on Earth.” How? By doing what Jesus did: sharing the Good News of salvation through Him, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, reaching out to the outcasts, loving and including children, and enacting justice for the oppressed.
If we want to see “Peace on Earth” now, then we followers of Jesus are called to enact it today! We may not be able to end global wars or save people’s jobs or homes. We may not be able to save the 30,000 children that starve to death each day. BUT WE CAN HELP SOMEONE! Mother Teresa was once asked why she was not overwhelmed by the sea of humanity and its crushing needs. She answered that she could not save the sea of humanity, but she could help one person at a time. In each person, she saw Jesus. And as Jesus said, when you feed, or clothe, or visit, or heal the “least of these,” you are doing that for Him.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the needs of the world! Just look around and see the one or two people you can help today by sharing Jesus’ love. Try one of these ideas: Call or visit someone who is grieving, lonely, or troubled. Share the Christmas story with someone. Encourage a young person. Give food to Stanly County Christian Ministries for hunger relief in our own community. Sponsor a child through World Vision or one of the other great global relief agencies.
You cannot make “Peace on (the whole) Earth,” but you can make peace just where you are. And if all Christians on Earth did that, the “NOW” and the “NOT YET” of God’s “Peace on Earth” would come a whole lot closer together!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Peace on Earth?
Peace on Earth?
I recently received a Christmas card that proclaimed, “Peace on Earth.” This is a familiar and solidly Scriptural Christmas greeting. It was part of the angels’ praise chorus on that first Christmas evening, almost 2,000 years ago, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” (Luke 2:14)
However, it struck me a little odd in light of recent news. That we would be proclaiming “Peace on Earth” when global wars continue to rage and when people are still losing their jobs and homes every day. That we would be proclaiming “Peace on Earth” when 30,000 children starve to death every day and five year old girls are sold in prostitution rings and brutally murdered. The contrast is stark: a peaceful, star-filled evening with angels singing the glory of God versus the smoggy, greenhouse gas-filled world of turmoil that we live in. I sometimes feel like Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, who described this in a song from a few years back entitled, Peace on Earth: "I'm sick of hearing again and again, that there's gonna be Peace on Earth . . . Hear it every Christmas time but hope and history won't rhyme. So what's it worth, this Peace on Earth?”
We could despair of ever realizing “Peace on Earth” in the face of ever present realities. But, on second glance, there was not complete “Peace on Earth” when Jesus was born either. Jesus’ homeland had been violently overthrown and occupied by a pagan Empire. Soon after Jesus’ birth, the brutal King Herod had all Jewish boys under two years old slaughtered in a vain attempt to snuff out the new Messiah (Savior) that had been born. There was no complete “Peace on Earth” that first Christmas either. So what, then, did the angels mean? “Peace on Earth” is part of the Kingdom of God, which is “NOW” and “NOT YET.” There will be a day, when Christ returns, that all wars will cease, all violence will be over, when God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.” (Revelation 21:4) That is the “NOT YET” that we await. As followers of Jesus Christ, WE are called to enact the “NOW” of the Kingdom of God, even “Peace on Earth.” How? By doing what Jesus did: sharing the Good News of salvation through Him, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, reaching out to the outcasts, loving and including children, and enacting justice for the oppressed. If we want to see “Peace on Earth” now, then we followers of Jesus are called to enact it today! We may not be able to end global wars or save people’s jobs or homes. We may not be able to save the 30,000 children that starve to death each day. BUT WE CAN HELP SOMEONE! Mother Teresa was once asked why she was not overwhelmed by the sea of humanity and its crushing needs. She answered that she could not save the sea of humanity, but she could help one person at a time. In each person, she saw Jesus. And as Jesus said, when you feed, or clothe, or visit, or heal the “least of these,” you are doing that for Him.Don’t be overwhelmed by the needs of the world! Just look around and see the one or two people you can help today by sharing Jesus’ love. Try one of these ideas: Call or visit someone who is grieving, lonely, or troubled. Share the Christmas story with someone. Encourage a young person. Give food to Stanly County Christian Ministries for hunger relief in our own community. Sponsor a child through World Vision or one of the other great global relief agencies. You cannot make “Peace on (the whole) Earth,” but you can make peace just where you are. And if all Christians on Earth did that, the “NOW” and the “NOT YET” of God’s “Peace on Earth” would come a whole lot closer together!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Prepare
"As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him."--Luke 3.4
There are so many preparations to be made in this busy season of the year! In the midst of all this how can we prepare our hearts for the birthday of the King of kings and Lord of lords? Somewhere in the midst of black Friday sales of 300 inch plasma t.v.'s, Rudolph's animated movie, and jingle bells, the still small voice of God is speaking. God could completely overwhelm all the secular holiday noise and come in with all His power and majesty and with one breath, blow it all away. But God chooses NOT to do that. Why?
Because God chooses to remain just hidden enough from view that we must seek Him. In the seeking, we show our true hunger for Him, we appreciate Him that much more, and we grow spiritually in the process.
How do you prepare for the coming of Jesus this Christmas season? Exactly what you're doing right now! Take just a few minutes to reflect on God's Word to us in the Bible each day. Turn off the frantic jingle bell mania music and listen to the stillness. There you will hear the voice of God. "Prepare the way of the Lord!"
P.S. By the way, the term "Black Friday" really belongs to the church, not the merchants! The original meaning of "Black Friday" is the Friday before Easter, when Jesus died on the cross for us and for our salvation. Church, let's take that term back to its true meaning!
There are so many preparations to be made in this busy season of the year! In the midst of all this how can we prepare our hearts for the birthday of the King of kings and Lord of lords? Somewhere in the midst of black Friday sales of 300 inch plasma t.v.'s, Rudolph's animated movie, and jingle bells, the still small voice of God is speaking. God could completely overwhelm all the secular holiday noise and come in with all His power and majesty and with one breath, blow it all away. But God chooses NOT to do that. Why?
Because God chooses to remain just hidden enough from view that we must seek Him. In the seeking, we show our true hunger for Him, we appreciate Him that much more, and we grow spiritually in the process.
How do you prepare for the coming of Jesus this Christmas season? Exactly what you're doing right now! Take just a few minutes to reflect on God's Word to us in the Bible each day. Turn off the frantic jingle bell mania music and listen to the stillness. There you will hear the voice of God. "Prepare the way of the Lord!"
P.S. By the way, the term "Black Friday" really belongs to the church, not the merchants! The original meaning of "Black Friday" is the Friday before Easter, when Jesus died on the cross for us and for our salvation. Church, let's take that term back to its true meaning!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Release
"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"--Matthew 6.30
In this passage in Matthew, Jesus is reminding his disciples and us that our lives are in God's hands. Surely, in Jesus' time, there was a lot to worry about. Israel was occupied by the foreign forces of a nation that worshiped false gods. Taxes were high, the real estate market had bottomed out, and jobs were insecure at best. Sound familiar?
Into this desperate situation, Jesus challenges his disciples to "consider the lilies of the field," to consider how God cares for the smallest parts of His Creation. If God takes care of mere grass, certainly He will take care of you, his prized child! And that is exactly what you are!
There is a certain form of release that Jesus is suggesting in this passage, releasing our lives, our loved ones' lives, all Creation into God's loving hands. It is not all up to us. God is in control. As you give thanks this week around the Thanksgiving table, remember that "It is God's grace that has brought you safe thus far and God's Grace will lead you home!"
In this passage in Matthew, Jesus is reminding his disciples and us that our lives are in God's hands. Surely, in Jesus' time, there was a lot to worry about. Israel was occupied by the foreign forces of a nation that worshiped false gods. Taxes were high, the real estate market had bottomed out, and jobs were insecure at best. Sound familiar?
Into this desperate situation, Jesus challenges his disciples to "consider the lilies of the field," to consider how God cares for the smallest parts of His Creation. If God takes care of mere grass, certainly He will take care of you, his prized child! And that is exactly what you are!
There is a certain form of release that Jesus is suggesting in this passage, releasing our lives, our loved ones' lives, all Creation into God's loving hands. It is not all up to us. God is in control. As you give thanks this week around the Thanksgiving table, remember that "It is God's grace that has brought you safe thus far and God's Grace will lead you home!"
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Truth
John 18.37: "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
The almost limitless sources of information in our world never cease to amaze me! Through the internet, we have access to every major newspaper in the world (and most minor ones too!) Cable and satellite television provide news 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Add to that the number of reference web sites (such as Wikipedia) and personal blogs. Add to that the "traditional" sources of information like the local and regional newspapers, newscasts, oh, and don't forget the latest gossip from your co-workers, neighbors, family, and friends and you have a staggering amount of information that you can access each day!
There is no doubt that we have all the information and data any human being could ever want or handle. My question, though, is HOW MUCH OF IT IS TRUTH? Research has shown that most Americans regard most of what they see on t.v. each day as at least half-truths and at worst, outright lies. A wise teacher I had once noted that politicians lie to us sometimes because we really don't want to hear the truth from them. Unfortunately, many of us find that an easy lie seems more tolerable than a hard truth.
But, in the end, the TRUTH is what will set us free. The Bible and especially the gospels remind us that JESUS IS THE TRUTH! He is the very embodiment of the TRUTH about God, about us, about life, and about the Universe.
I encourage you today to spend some time in the TRUTH, which is Jesus. One direct way to do this is to simply pick up the Bible and turn to one of the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In these gospels, the TRUTH of Jesus Christ is relayed to us in its purest form. Why not turn off the t.v. today for just a few moments and listen to that TRUTH?
The almost limitless sources of information in our world never cease to amaze me! Through the internet, we have access to every major newspaper in the world (and most minor ones too!) Cable and satellite television provide news 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Add to that the number of reference web sites (such as Wikipedia) and personal blogs. Add to that the "traditional" sources of information like the local and regional newspapers, newscasts, oh, and don't forget the latest gossip from your co-workers, neighbors, family, and friends and you have a staggering amount of information that you can access each day!
There is no doubt that we have all the information and data any human being could ever want or handle. My question, though, is HOW MUCH OF IT IS TRUTH? Research has shown that most Americans regard most of what they see on t.v. each day as at least half-truths and at worst, outright lies. A wise teacher I had once noted that politicians lie to us sometimes because we really don't want to hear the truth from them. Unfortunately, many of us find that an easy lie seems more tolerable than a hard truth.
But, in the end, the TRUTH is what will set us free. The Bible and especially the gospels remind us that JESUS IS THE TRUTH! He is the very embodiment of the TRUTH about God, about us, about life, and about the Universe.
I encourage you today to spend some time in the TRUTH, which is Jesus. One direct way to do this is to simply pick up the Bible and turn to one of the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In these gospels, the TRUTH of Jesus Christ is relayed to us in its purest form. Why not turn off the t.v. today for just a few moments and listen to that TRUTH?
Monday, November 9, 2009
refuge
"Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge."--Psalm 16.1
Do you have a refuge? Do you have a safe place where you can retreat for renewal, rest, and recreation? All humans need this. For our world is a busy place, a place of constant movement, a world obsessed with productivity.
The psalmist reminds us that we need a place of refuge, a place of renewal, and that God is at the center of that. If you don't have a holy place of refuge, I recommend that you make one. It can be as simple as a cross you hang on the wall. It can be your night stand where you read your Bible. It can be wherever you light a candle during your time of prayer. It can be a special place in nature. We all need a special place to pray and be present with God. Carve one out for yourself today! God is inviting you today to come apart, just for a little while and be renewed by His Life-Giving Spirit.
Do you have a refuge? Do you have a safe place where you can retreat for renewal, rest, and recreation? All humans need this. For our world is a busy place, a place of constant movement, a world obsessed with productivity.
The psalmist reminds us that we need a place of refuge, a place of renewal, and that God is at the center of that. If you don't have a holy place of refuge, I recommend that you make one. It can be as simple as a cross you hang on the wall. It can be your night stand where you read your Bible. It can be wherever you light a candle during your time of prayer. It can be a special place in nature. We all need a special place to pray and be present with God. Carve one out for yourself today! God is inviting you today to come apart, just for a little while and be renewed by His Life-Giving Spirit.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Letting God in on it
"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain."--Psalm 127.1
This psalm is a reminder to me that ultimately, my life is in God's hands. Ultimately, the outcome of history is also in God's hands. God's will is going to get done!
So the question for you and me today is: Are we letting God in on our plans or are we just working away at our own agendas without Him? How often are we tempted to make up our minds what needs to happen in situations without consulting our Lord? Of course, if we consult the Lord, then we must prepare to be subject to His will. Perhaps this is the secret reason we don't consult God so much of the time: We want to be our own God. We want things our way. But in the long run, we can't work against God. In the end, God will get things done in His plan for completion, not ours.
I invite you today to let God in on what you're doing. Ask for His direction and will to be done. Life goes much smoother if we are working WITH God and NOT AGAINST God!
This psalm is a reminder to me that ultimately, my life is in God's hands. Ultimately, the outcome of history is also in God's hands. God's will is going to get done!
So the question for you and me today is: Are we letting God in on our plans or are we just working away at our own agendas without Him? How often are we tempted to make up our minds what needs to happen in situations without consulting our Lord? Of course, if we consult the Lord, then we must prepare to be subject to His will. Perhaps this is the secret reason we don't consult God so much of the time: We want to be our own God. We want things our way. But in the long run, we can't work against God. In the end, God will get things done in His plan for completion, not ours.
I invite you today to let God in on what you're doing. Ask for His direction and will to be done. Life goes much smoother if we are working WITH God and NOT AGAINST God!
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