response

Posted on December 26, 2019 by Dana

Just as King Ahaz did not deserve the wondrous birth announcement regarding the Son of God, so the world did not deserve the Gift of Immanuel, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Just as Mary was overwhelmed by the fact that of all maidens of Israel, she was chosen to give birth to Messiah, so we rejoice because our merciful God has allowed us to know His Son and live on this earth at such a time.

The terrified shepherds knew they did not deserve the angelic announcement: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

Shepherds were the last group most would have chosen as an audience for the heavenly host singing praises to God. They were poor, uneducated, disrespected citizens of Israel, yet God chose them to unveil His world-changing activity. I sometimes think, “Who am I to experience God’s extravagant love? Why is the Father so kind to me? I surely don’t deserve it…”

The shepherds acted upon the revelation: “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” We too should be ready for action: “Let’s go visit… let’s go serve… let’s go tell…” This past spring, I had a dream about our friend Jim, who had returned to live on the streets of Atlanta. I often get very frustrated with Jim and in this dream I was angry because of his actions. When I awoke, I sensed God say: “Go tell Jim about Taylor.”

At the time, doctors had discovered a hole in our son’s heart that had existed since birth. Jim has loved Taylor since he was a kid, but I had not thought to share his circumstance. I was scheduled to receive platelets at Emory the day of my dream, so I determined to go afterwards and try to find Jim, as the clinic is not far from where he usually stays.

It was not easy, but I found him. I delivered the message about Taylor, visited a while, then returned to work. Has this event resulted in an about-face for our homeless friend? No… but perhaps the ‘message’ is the main point, rather than the desired response.

“When the shepherds had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what they had been told about this Child…” Did all the Israelites who heard the shepherds’ amazing story eventually follow Jesus as faithful disciples? I doubt it… but perhaps the ‘message’ is the main point.

The message is: God loves us all – rich, poor; old, young; educated, uneducated; Jew, Gentile… and He wants everyone to receive His everlasting love. Let’s praise God for what we’ve seen and heard. Let’s allow Jesus’ light to shine through our lives so the world will see and ‘glorify our Father in Heaven.’ (Matthew 5:16)

“The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20

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Immanuel

Posted on December 19, 2019 by Dana

“’Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or the highest heights.’ But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.’” (Isaiah 7:11-12)

On the surface, it looks like Ahaz, king of Judah, gave a humble, spiritual reply to the prophet Isaiah… but this was not the case. Ahaz did not want a sign because in his heart, he did not trust the Lord. Instead, he looked to gods and leaders from other nations. (see II Kings 16 and II Chronicles 28)

“Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made cast idols for worshiping the Baals.” (II Chronicles 28:1-2) Ahaz set up a foreign altar in front of God’s temple in Jerusalem. He even gave the silver and gold from the temple as a gift to the king of Assyria.

After the king declined God’s invitation, Isaiah replied: “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:13-14)

To an arrogant, rebellious king, God promised the deepest revelation of Himself the world has ever known. Why was good news given to Ahaz? As Jesus tells us how to respond to opposition, He points to His merciful Father: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:44-45)

Immanuel – ‘God with us’ – the greatest Gift ever – was given to the undeserving.

Merry Christmas!!

More from Isaiah… written over 700 years before the birth of Jesus:

“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord – and He will delight in the fear of the Lord… Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist.” Isaiah 11:1-5

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Moses

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Dana

Born as a slave in eastern Maryland around 1822, Araminta Ross married John Tubman in 1844 and changed her first name to Harriet. Later she was called ‘Moses’ for leading many of her people out of slavery prior to the American Civil War.

‘Harriet’, the movie, recounts her own escape in 1849 and subsequent trips from a place of safety to rescue others, including her own parents and family. What stands out to followers of Jesus is Harriet’s dependence on the Lord for guidance. She trusted the voice of her Savior and resisted the enemy of fear. While larger numbers have been proposed, historians agree she delivered at least 70 slaves from bondage and never lost a single person on at least 13 rescue missions.

We do not have ‘legal’ slavery in our land today, but many are in bondage. I want to learn to trust Jesus the way Harriet Tubman did. She concluded: “I can’t fully enjoy my own freedom knowing others I love are still in bondage. Jesus wants liberty for all… and He will guide me to help others as I trust Him. ‘Lord, use me to set the captives free!’”

Will there be misunderstanding? Will there be opposition? Will there be danger? We only need remember Jesus to see the true war. Satan will use every tactic to prevent spiritual freedom. The Nazarene’s own people accused Him of being a false teacher and though they claimed to follow Moses, they missed God.

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life… But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” (John 5:39-47)

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) In Christ there is freedom… and we must stand confidently in Him. As with those who walked the 90 plus miles with Harriet Tubman to reach safe refuge, following the Lord is not for the faint of heart. Two truths hold us steady: A King purchased us with His blood.… and our Good Shepherd promises to lead us to the Promised Land.

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the end. As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’ Who were those who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?” Hebrews 3:13-16

“Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ‘Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,’ bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” Hebrews 3:3-6

“They were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16

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demonstrate

Posted on December 5, 2019 by Dana

Come to the table He’s prepared for you
The bread of forgiveness, the wine of release
Come to the table and sit down beside Him
The Savior wants you to join in the feast

Come to the table and see in His eyes
The love that the Father has spoken
And know you are welcome, whatever your crime
For every commandment you’ve broken

For He’s come to love you and not to condemn
And He offers a pardon of peace
If you’ll come to the table, you’ll feel in your heart
The greatest forgiveness, the greatest release
Michael Card – 1984

img_5601Both my brothers, my sister, and I joined my parents and many others Wednesday evening in Chattanooga for a meal of Thanksgiving. Sitting at my parents’ table may be the most happy and secure place on earth. There, my Mom and Dad have demonstrated more of the Father’s love than we will probably ever understand.

img_1537With a kind invitation from Taylor’s wife Emma and a bit of coaxing from me, Jim came off the streets for a day and joined two families for a wonderful meal on Thanksgiving Day. We all want Jim to repent, get clean, and reconcile with the Father… but Thursday we were satisfied to sit together around the same table.

Driving back to the city Thursday afternoon, Jim shared this: “I have a friend named Eric… a good guy, but he also struggles with addiction. One day I told him about my church… and he just broke down crying.” The reality of God’s people simply loving others without giving up… and without forgetting He first loved us… demonstrates more power than we will probably ever understand.

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

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memories

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Dana

I won’t write next week as we break for Thanksgiving – my favorite holiday. In 2014, I wrote about developing a list of people who have impacted my life. This exercise helped me be more grateful for family members, friends, teachers, authors, musicians, and other followers of Jesus who have helped me draw closer to Him.

Almost a year before that, I put together another list of more than fifty trips God had allowed me to take since a cancer diagnosis in 2000. (Since then, He has permitted many more.) Once again, this remembrance caused me to praise God and thank Him for His marvelous faithfulness.

I’ve formed another list and would encourage you to do something similar. Thanksgiving should always be on the lips of God’s children. How kind He is to us! “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us – that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!” (I John 3:1)

Write down important dates or seasons in your life, and the reasons for their significance. Perhaps you remember the day you were baptized, or the day you met your spouse. We all remember anniversaries and birthdays of loved ones.

I remember the day I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (my 41st birthday) and the times I had to enter the hospital for lengthy treatments. I remember taking our entire family to visit my brother in Cape Town, South Africa, shortly after recovering from a stem cell transplant. As we were deciding whether to purchase airline tickets, I confessed I was too weak and didn’t think I could make the trip. The kids disagreed: “Of course you can! God will give you strength!” And He did.

While sadness accompanies dates of loss, memories of loved ones live within us and bless us. God is present in every moment… and we can give Him thanks.

As I travel on life’s pathway,
Know not what the years may hold.
As I ponder, hope grows fonder,
Precious memories flood my soul.

Precious memories, how they linger,
How they ever flood my soul.
In the stillness of the midnight,
Precious sacred scenes unfold.
(J.B.F Wright, 1925)

Happy Thanksgiving!

“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You. On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:1-8

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