A Merry Little Christmas

little Christmas 2

”Have yourself a merry little Christmas,” I say to you today, in the words of that familiar song. Why the word little? Perhaps it is because we each have our own personal ways of celebrating in our individual families. Maybe it is because our celebration is just one of millions taking place in homes all over the world. Or it might be that the first Christmas was very little: just Mary, Joseph and the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay in a stable hidden behind a small-town Bethlehem inn. Not many people knew about this miraculous birth when it happened. But soon word would spread through angels and shepherds and wise men. And we are glad today that the news has come to us that a Savior has been born to little ol’ you and to little ol’ me, and that is the bigggest news there ever could be. Ponder that in your heart today.

O Christmas Tree

Christmas tree

Is your tree up yet? Are you even putting up a tree this year? The Christmas tree has become a hallmark of the Christmas season. I recently watched a news segment on the tree that was chosen to be placed in Rockefeller Center this year. It came from a yard in a Massachusetts town, where it had been growing to its gigantic height for the last 30 years. This year was its time to shine. The lighting of that tree took place on Dec. 5. It now brings joy to the entire city of New York.

My tree’s story is not that dramatic. I went to Lowe‘s and bought mine 14 years ago, which was the first Christmas in my new house. It has lost some of its luster and the lights that came with it no longer work, but I have a special place in my heart for it because of its history. I use new lights for it now and have added new ornaments to it every year. It brings me that “Christmas feeling” each year.

Whether artificial or real, your Christmas tree has a story too. Think about the story of your tree when you put it up (or just think about past trees you have put up if you are not having one this year). The stories of our Christmas trees are a way for us to enter into the story of the birth of Christ. His story is a part of us. His story shines bright for us. His story has special meaning to us. The “Christmas feeling” that I get when Luke 2 is read in church on Christmas Eve is beyond any other feeling of the season. And rightly so. No tree can save us, except the tree of Christ’s cross. That is why he was born away in a manger.

Every Need

Wish list

 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

“What do you want for Christmas?“ we ask our children and one another in these weeks of December. But later, perhaps in hushed tones, we say to each other with compassion in our voices: “What do you need?” The difference between what we want and what we need can be quite shocking. God is the only one who really knows what we absolutely need, regardless of what we tell him we want. Even in this Christmas season, when we say that dreams comes true, the reality is that not everything we want is actually what God sees that we need.

That is not to say that we are deprived. The gifts that God supplies us come from “his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” We are made rich in Jesus through his birth among us and the forgiveness, love, peace and joy he brings that we are in need of most of all. In the end, all we really need is Jesus. Our every need is found in him.

The Kids’ Table

kids’ table

Did you ever have to sit at the kids’ table at your family Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? It’s always off to the side somewhere, often a little lower in height to the main table, and regularly reserved for the smallest among us.

Some people think of the kids’ table as the last place you want to be. But Jesus wouldn’t think so. Listen to these words:

“But when you are invited [to a banquet], go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:10-11).

Metaphorically speaking, the kids’ table is the place for us to be in the kingdom of God. Why? Because we are to be humble in our approach to God and to one another. We are never to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, St. Paul tells us (Romans 12:3). Only the host, who is Jesus, can invite us to be near him at the head table. Only Jesus can make us worthy of a seat with the saints. Only his suffering, death and resurrection for our sake give us VIP status at the feast of heaven. In honor of him, we graciously await that beckoning forward by our Savior.

Here Again?!

Christmas

There is a line from a Beach Boys song that my siblings and I always laughed about growing up. The line goes, “Christmas comes this time each year.” Yes, it does. Pretty obvious, right? But with each passing year, I do have to say that I find myself a little bit surprised when December rolls around. “Here again?!” I say to myself somewhat incredulously. But the calendar does not lie, and Christmas is something that comes regardless if we are ready for it or not. Some wish it would come quicker. Some hope it comes late. But every December 25, it arrives.

The holiday itself is a symbol of Christ’s arrival in our lives each and every year. He comes to us, ready or not. He comes to us, busy or not. He comes to us, happy or not. His arrival is sometimes long-awaited and sometimes a surprise to us. No matter what is going on in your life right now, let Christmas come to you. Let its meaning sink into you. Let the Son of God born as a baby in Bethlehem warm your heart, soul and mind this time each year…and always.

Biography

biography

Today is the very last day of the church year. It also happens to land on the last day of November this year, which seems appropriate. Tomorrow is the First Sunday of Advent and the first day of the new church year. It also works out well this year that the first day of the new church year is the first day of December.

So take some time today to contemplate the meaning of the church year. It is, in a nutshell, a year-long biography of sorts of the life of Christ, and who doesn’t like a good biography? We begin with the events surrounding the birth of Christ as the Son of God (the seasons of Advent and Christmas), we follow the ministry moments in the life of Christ as he spreads the Good News of the Kingdom of God (Epiphany and Lent seasons), we ponder the Passion, death and resurrection of our Lord for our salvation (Holy Week and the Easter season), and we consider how Christ is with us in our hearts now that he has ascended into heaven (Pentecost season). But the story isn’t finished. We wait for the final chapter: Christ’s return on the Last Day to take us to heaven to be with him. There we will live happily ever after. So keep telling and retelling Christ’s biography throughout the coming church year to yourself and to others. You’ll be glad you did.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving gathering

During this Thanksgiving week, my thoughts turn to a choral piece I had the privilege of singing at a pastor’s ordination recently. The song is “Ubi Caritas.” It is a Latin work sung a cappella in four parts. Translated, the words of the first half of the composition mean, “Where charity and love are, God is there. The love of Christ has gathered us together. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

To me, that is what the focus of our Thanksgiving gatherings should be: the love of Christ. While the food preparation is important, of course, the love we share with one another through Christ should be first on any menu for the day. Rejoice in the bonds of friends and family. Be glad in the experiences we have had in unity with each other. Celebrate that the love of Christ covers over a multitude of missteps along the way. There should great joy around the tables of all who meet in the Lord’s name. Yea, Lord, let it be so.

Greetings

greeting

I have a friend who says to me almost every morning, “Greetings!” And in response, I say, “And salutations!” We laugh over the regular exchange, but it got me thinking about greetings in general and how to approach them in a Christian manner.

Paul’s epistles include many greetings in them as an example to us for how to say hello as a follower of Christ to our fellow followers of Christ. For instance, read these:

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. Philippians 4:21

Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. Colossians 4:14-15

All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Titus 3:15

Greetings are a way to encourage one another in the faith, to remind each other of the community we are a part of as Christians, and to share love and grace.

I think about this when I take my walks in the morning and pass by fellow walkers or runners. Some of them are open and ready for a “Hello,” but others are deep in thought and/or concentrating on their exercising, so are not ready for a greeting. I get it. Use discernment when there is a moment to decide whether or not to greet someone. Read the room, as they say. But at the same time be ready to say “Hello” whenever someone greets you first. Being receptive to someone reaching out to you can go a long way to introducing them to your life in Christ at some point down the road. And being respectful of a person’s privacy can go a long way, too, to build an appreciation for your quiet and non-threatening approach. You can wait until another time to talk to them. Christ, too, was silent when he needed to be, and open when it was invited or most appropriate. Let Christ guide you in your greetings (or not greeting) throughout this day.

Itineraries

itinerary

I recently read through a brochure for a guided trip through Europe, and, as is customary, each day had an itinerary. Potential travelers on this trip were given a clear idea of where they would be when and what they would expect to see at each sight. Times for traveling from one place to another, time for rest and relaxation and time for exploring on your own were also allotted.

That got me to thinking about how the Book of Acts is very much a travelogue of the four missionary journeys of St. Paul. The book provides enough details about his itineraries that we have a very clear understanding of where he went and when and what happened at each location.

Here is an example:

Then [Paul and Barnabas] passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. —Acts 14:24-27

Why are such specific itineraries of Paul’s trips included in Scripture? I think it is because Luke, the writer, wants the reader to know that these are real places that are known to many. These are not made-up tales, but actual events that happened in the life of a follower of Christ. Paul’s purpose and goal was not to sightsee, of course, but to spread the Gospel message to as many people as he could.

What does your itinerary look like this week, this month, this year? Do you have some plans in mind of where you want to be and who you want to see when you get there? What “doors of faith” do you want to open to those you visit on your journey? Let the Holy Spirit be your tour guide.

Pace Keepers

pace keeper

When I ran a half marathon in 2009, I remember that there were pace runners who were stationed at different points in the mass of participants. Their job was to maintain a certain pace for a particular group of runners who knew in general how fast (or slow) they normally run. My pace runner I watched for was the 13-minute mile runner, for instance. I was not the quickest runner, needless to say. But there were many runners who were pacing along with me and following the 13-minute pace runner as well.

The idea of pace runners and the runners that follow them came to mind for me recently when I was thinking about how each of us moves forward in faith at different rates and no rate is better or worse than another. There is no need to judge where anyone is on their faith journey. Some people like to read large sections of Scripture daily, for example, while others find it more beneficial to their souls to sit with a single verse of Scripture for awhile. Both are good ways to stay in the Word.

So find your pace of faith, look for those who are at your same pace, embrace that pace and keep at it as you “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).