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Other Recent Blog Entries: A Sincere and
Respectful Call for A Great Commandment Renewal VBS Is a Blessing! Taking the
'Stew' Out of Stewardship |
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| Submitted: Monday, December 29, 2008; 2:05 p.m. print this page ● feedback ● main ALSBOM site |
George H. W. Bush infamously declared, "Read my lips, no new
taxes." Less than two years later, the former president signed
into law some new taxes for the American people. Many analysts
believe that Bush 41 set the course for his defeat in 1992 by
that breach of promise. I am not politically astute enough to
debate the issue of whether that course change was an election
determinant. However, I do have an aversion for saying "read my
lips," because it brings to mind that historic reversal of
stance.
So, "Read my words, I will not make any more New Year's
resolutions." I am finished with the effort because I find
myself feeling more guilty than healthy about such attempts at
making something new in the way of resolutions for another year.
Don't get me wrong. For some individuals, perhaps most of them,
the practice is far more positive than negative. For me, the
experience has not been a productive one for the most part.
Therefore, I will change the direction, or at least the
verbiage, this year and use another word in the new year. In
2009, I plan to make three general but substantive commitments.
First, I commit myself to being faithful. I will do my utmost to
be faithful to the Lord, His Word and His work. Additionally, I
commit myself to being faithful to my wife and family. These are
to be daily commitments and a daily prayer. I will ask the Lord
for the strength to be faithful, knowing that I do not possess
the power within myself to do this on my own.
Second, I commit myself to being focused. Admittedly, I am
somewhat ADD. I have always had to concentrate on doing what is
most important and the highest priority versus what is expedient
or just a good thing to do. I have improved some in this
essential quest, but I have much more room for growth in
effectiveness in terms on focusing on the main thing. The word
focus has been a useful term for me. In fact, I may overuse it
but I like that word. Ford even took the word and made a car out
of it.
Third, I commit myself to being more frugal. Good stewardship of
personal resources has been a personal pursuit of mine all my
life, but now it is even more important to me. I am only one
generation removed from the so called Great Depression. My
father use to say, "The worst thing about the Great Depression
was that it was so depressing." I guess that is one reason why
the period is called The Great Depression.
In these days of economic challenge, which might be called "The
Great Recession", we all need to be even more committed to being
good stewards of our treasure as well as our time, talent and
testimony. This is the time for us to really incarnate Matthew
6:33 (HCSB), "Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness..."
Commitments not resolutions represent my new approach to the new
year. The word resolution has become so diluted that it has been
robbed of meaning. Commitment has a stronger ring to it. It
represents the resolve which has been lost in many of my
attempts at New Year's resolutions. Why do I share these
commitments with you? For accountability purposes, I need you to
ask me, "How is your commitment-keeping going in 2009?" By the
way, I like the term commitment-keepers better than the term
Promise-keepers, but that thought is for another day and a
different blog.
When an Ordinary Christmas Becomes Extraordinary
| Submitted: Wednesday, December 10, 2008; 12:02 p.m. print this page ● feedback ● main ALSBOM site |
At times I am tempted to give up on Christmas. I need to qualify
what I mean by that statement. Christmas as a cultural
experience in terms of shopping for my wife and two daughters is
real tough on me.
In years past, I spent time and money shopping for these
important ladies, only to wonder where the sweaters and other
pieces of clothing went. I know that they took most of these
back and exchanged them for other items. Therefore, I have just
decided to give gift certificates.
I know that is a real cop-out. But guess what? I actually feel
better about this approach than the one earlier taken. Now they
can take back what they purchase.
Christmas can become an ordinary experience, like all of life.
We can easily forget the wonder and mystery of this most
important of occasions. This does not have to be the case,
however.
Simeon is a minor Biblical character in the story of the birth
of Jesus. He was most likely an older man, described as
righteous and devout and led by the Holy Spirit. He was given a
promise from God that his life would not end until he saw the
Messiah.
Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to the temple for the
customary time of blessing. When Simeon saw Him, he offered a
memorable blessing and declaration concerning the coming of
Christ.
Simeon described Jesus as being the "light to the Gentiles."
This was in a Jewish temple where a worship service was being
experienced, and he was saying light has come to Gentiles. The
Gentiles, the Romans who occupied Israel, were enemies of the
people of Israel.
Simeon further declared that "glory has come to Israel." A baby
will bring glory to Israel? What Israel needed was a king or
military leader to overthrow the Roman captors. At least that is
what they thought.
An ordinary day at the temple was transformed into something
extraordinary by the coming of Jesus. That is what makes being a
Christian so unique, so special. At Christmas, the drama of the
Word becoming flesh began, and life became real.
Your Christmas can become extraordinary too. The ordinariness of
life can be transformed into extraordinary ways which are
unimaginable. How can this happen for you?
I. You experience an extraordinary Christmas when you realize
that God still speaks to people.
Our God has not gone silent. He still speaks to us, and
Christmas is one way He speaks in a loud and clear fashion. In
the story of the birth of Jesus, our God reminds us that He is
the best communicator we will ever know. He spoke the world into
existence, and He spoke again and the Word became flesh.
When you listen closely, you can hear the still small voice of
our God speaking elegantly and eloquently through the story of
Jesus, His life, death and resurrection. Do we have ears to
hear? Are we letting the sounds of the commercialized Christmas
deafen us to the communication of the real Christmas message?
A friend of mine was considering a transition in ministry, and
he was having difficulty getting a clear word from the Lord. His
first name is Timothy, and he felt compelled to read Paul's
epistles to Timothy, his namesake.
When he read Paul's declaration in II Timothy 4:6-8, "I have
fought a good fight. I have finished my course...", he said to
himself "I have not finished my course. I have more to do right
here, and it is here I need to be."
God spoke to my friend through His Word. My friend found peace
in his place of service. For him, it was an extraordinary
moment. For him God spoke clearly and reassuringly concerning
his present and future ministry.
II. You experience an extraordinary Christmas when you
realize God still saves people.
His very name "Jesus" means "Savior." The book of Acts shouts
out the affirmation "that there is no other name under heaven
whereby people can be saved."
If we think the saving power of Jesus is past tense, then life
becomes ordinary but when we hold to the truth that Jesus still
saves, then life is transformed into something eternally
extraordinary.
Years ago, a person of another religious background asked me,
"Do you Baptists still preach about being born again?". The
answer is a resounding yes. It is the heart and soul of the
Gospel.
The question of needing to be saved is not theoretical or
philosophical but personal. You need Christ. You need to answer
the question, "What shall I do with Jesus?". No one can make
that decision for you. It is yours to make for yourself. Jesus
can transform your life from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
On Friday nights at my home, we try to have what we call "Friday
night at the movies." Granted, finding something worth watching
is a big challenge, but every now and then we hit on a good one.
Recently, we viewed a Christmas movie called "All I Want for
Christmas."
This Hallmark movie was clean in terms of family values but
absent a Christ-centered message. The story centered on an
attractive 38-year-old widow and her 10-year-old son. Their
neighbor was a single man, who was a surrogate father for the
boy.
The plot was so predictable, I felt I could have written the
story. It was an hour and a half long but could have been
presented in 30 or 40 minutes. The best line in the movie was at
the end when the boy's mother and the neighbor were engaged to
be married. The young fellow asked "How do you feel?". They both
answered in unison, "Complete."
The inference, of course, is that without each other they were
incomplete. In reality, if you are without Christ, you are
incomplete. In Christ, you become complete. Through Christ, you
know the abundant life.
III. You experience an extraordinary Christmas when you
realize God still stays with His people.
Immanuel is another name for Jesus, which means, "God is with
us." He is always with us. He never leaves us. He never puts a
sign in the front of the door, which reads, "out to lunch" or
"closed."
When you are in the hospital waiting room, awaiting word on the
health of a loved one, He is with you. He is right there in the
waiting room beside you. When you are in the operating room
about to face surgery, He is with you.
When your children disappoint you, He is with you. When your
friends betray you, He is with you. When your job or business is
in jeopardy, He is with you. When you face the worst and the
best moments of your life, He is with you.
God stays with us. What a promise! What a God! What an
extraordinary way to live! To know that the God who created all
things and all people is with us at every moment of our lives
makes the Christian life a special and extraordinary way to
live!
The old song shouts out the message, " No, never alone." There
is never a time when we are alone, without Christ. He is always
with us. That is the promise of the Christ of Christmas: We are
never alone. He stays with us.
Sometime ago, I called a friend, who is facing a very serious
brain cancer situation. He is undergoing all kinds of tedious
procedures and he is being subjected to extensive therapy. There
are many low and sad days for him. When I called, my friend was
unable to speak to me on the phone. It was not a clear or lucid
day for him. His wife did the talking. Her comments were hopeful
but cautious. She indicated that now her husband can only speak
one full sentence, only one but what a sentence!
He keeps repeating, "We are just going to wait and see what God
does." That must have been the life motto of Simeon, who had
waited for what seemed to be endless years for the coming of
Christ. Then when he saw the Christ-Child everything changed.
God had done an extraordinary something which changed the world.
Are you waiting by faith to see what God is going to do, or are
you like the teeming masses of people who get caught on the
treadmill of life, especially during the Christmas season. Get
off the treadmill of purposeless activity, and turn to the One
who can transform you.
Our God is going to do something extraordinary this Christmas
season and all throughout our lives. How do I know? I know
because He can still speak to us. He can still save us. He can
still stay with us. Now that is extraordinary!
Jesus can change your world too. He wants to do something
extraordinary in your life. Are you waiting to see what He is
going to do? Like Simeon, the Lord will not disappoint you. He
will keep His promises, they are eternal.
