Category Archives: Advent Adventures

Christmas Devos

Happy Holiday

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I’ve been taking a holiday.

December is a good month to sit quietly, sip something warm, and reflect.

I like to look back at the lessons and gifts of the passing year.

I like to think about what to pray and hope for in the coming year.

But mostly I like to listen.

To the quiet.

This Advent season, I feel a holy shushing.

So I’m taking a happy holiday from my words to hear the Word.

There has been the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.

Will I be prepared?

There will soon be the voice of one crying out in the manger.

Will I hear it?

Shhh…

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Inconceivable

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Privates shouldn’t question a general’s command.

Errand boys shouldn’t challenge a CEO’s decision.

And evidently, humans shouldn’t doubt an angel’s words.

After appearing to Zechariah in the temple, the angel Gabriel delivered a lengthy message to the elderly priest.  The detailed description of what was about to happen even included the name heaven picked out for the coming baby — John.  A plain name for an extraordinary infant.  According to the angel, the baby would be

“great in the sight of the Lord“,

“filled with the Holy Spirit“,

and “in the spirit and power of Elijah“.

This child would do great things.

“He will go before the Lord“,

“turn the hearts of the fathers to their children“,

and “make ready a people prepared for the Lord“.

Since Malachi prophesied the final words of the Old Testament, there had been silence from God for 400 years.  No “thus sayeth the Lord“, no angel visitations, no visions.  Gabe’s big moment had finally arrived and it was met by questioning unbelief.  In Zech’s mind, this idea (and baby) was inconceivable.

“How will I know this is going to happen?”  CEV

“By what shall I know and be sure of this?”  AMP

“How can I know that what you say is true?” Exp

“How shall I know if this is so?”  GN

“Do you expect me to believe this?” Message

Unfortunately, Zechariah didn’t stop there, but felt he needed to explain to the heavenly being the facts of the situation.  “I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”  What did he expect the angel to say?  “Oh, I didn’t know all that.  Well then, never mind”?  Actually, Gabriel got a little irritated with the human being and put him on mute for the next nine months.  Very effective.  “Zechariah paid a price for his unbelief. His unbelief did not make God take his promise back; it just kept Zechariah from enjoying it.  When we do not believe God’s promise for our lives, we do not necessarily destroy the promise; but we do destroy our ability to enjoy the promise. What made this such a severe punishment was that Zechariah had such great news to tell.”  David Guzik

Mary also got a visit from Gabriel with equally startling news.  Mary also asked a “how” question — “How will this be?”  But she received a straight-forward answer and no reprimand because her question was not laced with doubt.  “Mary’s question is logical. She asks basically the same question Zechariah asked but his question was asked in skeptical unbelief, her question was asked in wonder-filled faith.”  David Guzik

Lord, may my questions be free from skeptical unbelief

and filled with awe-inspired faith.

And go ahead and shut me up when You need to.

Expired Prayers

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The thing about prayer is — there is no expiration date.

So, sometimes I have to go back and undo foolish requests.

“Oh God, You know that thing I said I wanted?  I changed my mind.  I don’t want it anymore, so please don’t give it to me.”

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah in the holy place,

Gabriel’s words might have thrown the elderly priest off a bit.

“Your prayer has been heard.” (Luke 1:13)  

Ummm….which prayer is that, exactly?

Evidently, one that he had prayed a long time ago.

“Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.”

Ahhhh….that prayer.

I suppose Zechariah and his wife had prayed for children during the early years of their marriage, probably into their 20’s and 30’s.  Perhaps the fervency picked up in their 40’s, but surely now that they were well along in years, those prayers were abandoned.

The thing about prayer is — God knows better than we do what’s good for us and when we’re ready for it.

Sometimes we need time to grow into our prayers.

Still, I wonder if any 30 year old prayers of mine might be answered today.

Dark Shadows

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When our kids were teenagers, they used to watch scary movies with their friends in the basement of our church.  It was one of the many perks of being a PK (preacher’s kid).  One night, PB decided to enhance the experience so he stealthily sneaked into the sanctuary and tip-toed up to the pipe organ.  As the kids were glued to a frightening dramatic scene, directly above them came ominous discordant sounds.  Somebody pushed pause on the TV remote.  PB gave the organ full throttle and the lower register notes rattled the windows.  He was fully prepared to hide in the crawl space under the altar if the kids came upstairs to check out the mysterious music.  But that wasn’t necessary.  They were gone — running down the street toward home.

I’ve been alone in a church at night and to be honest — I don’t like it.  Not one bit.  I know it’s God’s house and all, but there are lots of dark shadows and creepy noises and reflections in windows.  There’s a reason we are told to be “children of the light”.  Dark places are spooky.  So I can empathize with Zechariah.  I just bet that the hair on the back of his neck was standing up.  He was alone in the inner court, illumined only by flickering candlelight.  This was his one and only chance to enter into the holy place, so close to the very presence of God.  It was one of those “goose-bump” moments.

“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.  When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.”         Luke 1:11-12

Anyone suddenly showing up in that chamber would have been unsettling.  But an angel of the Lord?  “Startled” might be putting it mildly.  “Gripped with fear” sounds a little more like it.  Zechariah was just doing his duty — lighting the incense and saying some prayers.  Just like every other priest had done in the days, months and years before.  The angel Gabriel showed up at just the right time — in the midst of a blameless servant’s offering of worship.

Lord, when I go into my room in the dark, shadowy hours of morning,

startle me with Your presence.

Grip me with awe.

Backstory

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Luke 2 is the go-to scripture for Christmas sermons.  The complete nativity cast is there — Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels.  The words of the familiar narrative practically roll off the tongue.  But Luke begins his gospel with eighty verses of backstory that is full of really good stuff that I almost missed.  Thankfully, PB preached on Luke 1 last Sunday, opening my eyes to the fact that there is a prequel to the birth of the baby in Bethlehem.  I’m going to linger in Luke’s first chapter awhile and see what led up to the good news of great joy.

God didn’t just jump into the world unannounced.  He provided the whole backstory starting with creation.  And then, as time was drawing close for the big arrival, He sent an opening act to get the world ready. Luke’s account begins with an elderly couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth.   Zech was a priest who spent his life serving God with dedication and excellence; Elizabeth was not able to have children.  That was their story, which tells me some things about them.

1) Just because Zechariah committed himself to a life of ministry didn’t mean all his prayers were answered.

2) When his prayers didn’t get answered, Zech didn’t quit his devoted service to God.

3) Zechariah and Elizabeth had a love strong enough to withstand disappointment and heartache.

4) Zechariah knew how to wait.  He was an old man before he was finally picked to enter the holy place for the burning of incense, but that didn’t make him jealous or bitter.

5) This lovely couple thought they were obscure and insignificant, however, they didn’t know what was about to happen.

We all have a backstory.  Unfortunately, most of us don’t know much about each other’s journey.  We jump into people’s lives without the benefit of knowing what has led up to that moment in time.  Having some background would help explain some things.  For instance, that person sitting next to you in the pew wiping away silent tears?  She’s afraid her marriage is crumbling.  The guy who seems kind of grumpy?  He hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in a week.  The irritating kid in your class who seems so arrogant?  Things at home are out of control and he’s feeling insecure.  The reason you can’t seem to break through the walls around your friend?  She’s learned to protect herself from potential pain.

The thing is — our backstories may explain us, but they don’t define us.

And by the grace of God…..

there’s also a forward-story.

What Are You Waiting For?

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candle lightWhen you’ve been waiting a long time for something, and that something finally arrives, there is a sweet moment when all you can do and all you want to do is exhale, smile and say “thank you”.  I get that moment every year when the Christmas Eve service begins.  All the craziness of the season falls away and holiness finds a place, at last, in my heart.  This is what I’ve been waiting for.

A silent night, a holy night, calmness and brightness, heavenly peace.

The man I love stands before the hundreds gathered and welcomes them into the presence of God.  The choir invites us, “Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King.”  My 5-year-old friend sits beside me at the piano — her wispy angel-voice floats through the darkened sanctuary.  “Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay…” and we are drawn so near by her sweet song.  The praise band takes up guitars and drums to announce, “We are no longer lost, for He has come down for us.  We have a Savior!”  A teenage boy reads Luke 2, reminding us of his dear grandpa who read the passage last year, but is experiencing Christmas in heaven this year.  PB sits in the rocking chair and tells us a story — no preaching, no expounding on scriptures this night.  Instead, a simple story that touches our hearts and a prayer that says all we wish we could express.

Finally, the moment arrives.  We take our candles and pass the flame down the pew. One by one, row upon row, the lights flicker in the darkness, wrapping warmth around each person.  I look at the glowing faces next to me, and remember when they were babies, children, teens —  now adults.  “With the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King…”  And I’m singing with angels.

This is what I’ve been waiting for.

Worth the Wait

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We have some dear friends who are experts at waiting.  They are seasoned waiters.  They are waiting champions.  By God’s grace, the long wait is finally over.

Quint and Chelsea are a young couple who began the adoption process years ago.  Over a thousand days passed as they labored over paperwork, raised funds, and prepared their hearts to welcome a child.  It was a period of glorious highs and devastating lows.  Hopes were followed by disappointments, over and over and over.

This week, the Ethiopian government officials were satisfied, the papers were signed and baby Sammy came home.  His mommy had spent weeks in Africa, fighting for her son.  His daddy had tirelessly met each and every legal requirement.  It was a long, hard labor and delivery – which has only served to increase the intensity of the joy.

Do you think they will say Sammy was worth the wait?  Oh, yes.  Oh my, yes!  Many times over, yes!  When God’s purposes are fulfilled after long periods of wondering and struggling, there is a new awareness of how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love really is.

God is always worthy of our faithful waiting.

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.     2 Thess. 3:5

*Please pray for little Sammy, as he has some health concerns that are being addressed. 

Wait For Me

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smileAs a follow up to the last post on various ways to wait, I was reminded that there is another type of waiting, although rarely practiced.  Often when I pray, I have specific people and situations in mind.  But occasionally I am drawn to wait before God for no reason — just to be with Him.  The Hebrew word means “to tarry, to hang around, to loiter”.  As Jan Johnson put it, “I just look at God and He just looks at me.”*

Some days, I close my notebook of prayer requests and lay it on the floor.  I relieve myself from the pressure of trying to pray “right”.  I shift the focus off myself and my agenda, my problems, my questions.  Although it seems like a total waste of time, sitting there not saying anything, it actually takes a fair amount of concentration to keep my mind from wandering away.  But when I do settle in, there’s an uncanny sense of peace.  Sometimes it’s nice to just sit and smile at God.  And He just smiles at me.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence.”  Psalm 62:1

*”When the Soul Listens”, Jan Johnson

Waiting Room

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waiting roomI think every church should have a Waiting Room.  I don’t mean like the ones in hospitals, clinics or offices; certainly not with Muzak and outdated magazines.  A Waiting Room — a place for people to go who are waiting for God to answer a prayer, to move in a situation, or ease a pain.  It would have to be an awfully big room, though, to fit us all in.  Hmm…maybe we should just use the sanctuary.  While we’re waiting, we could do a little worshipping, a little singing, share some burdens and lift each other up.  It’s better not to wait all alone anyway.  Since we’re all together, let’s have some coffee and doughnuts and visit awhile.  That’s the kind of waiting room I have in mind.  After all, we are all waiting for something, aren’t we?

There’s a lot of waiting going on in the book of Psalms. Those old Hebrew poets had a big advantage over us — they had a much wider choice of words at their disposal.  Our measly English word “wait” doesn’t come close to the array of expressions the psalm writers used.

For instance, one could wait expectantly.  It’s the picture of someone leaning forward, keeping an eye out and anticipating what is surely just around the corner.  (“Morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”  Psalm 5:3)

There is hopeful waiting, which implies confidence combined with a sense that the answer may be down the road a ways.  What’s required here is sticking around long enough to see it through.  (“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:20)

Of course, there is anxious waiting, which is the one we probably practice most.  This is a whirling, trembling, worry-filled type — you know the kind.  It takes all of your energy and leaves you exhausted.  (“Be quiet before Yahweh and wait for him.  Do not fret…”  Psalm 37:7)

And then there is a special Hebrew word for when the waiting is especially long.  It means to have patient endurance, to linger before God with all the pain exposed, to depend on Him alone.  Sometimes this kind of waiting goes on for years until the longed for answer comes.  (“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1)

Waiting is part of God’s plan.  He sits by us in the Waiting Room, takes our hands and says, “I will wait with you.”

“Lord, I wait for you;  you will answer, Lord my God.”  Psalm 38:15

Paul’s Pause

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pause-buttonI wish I had a pause button.  It would be handy to have a way to “check out” for a few moments during the day and not miss anything in the process.  All the activity would go into freeze mode while I catch up or take a breather.  Of course, I would like to be in charge of my pause button.  I would not be so keen on someone else having control of when the pauses come.

Periods of waiting are really just temporary pauses.  The power is still on, the disc is still in the player and in a moment, things will pick right back up where they left off.  We just need to be careful not to give up and shut down during the pauses.  God does some of His best work during lulls.

Saul was on his way to persecute Christians when the light of Christ knocked him flat.  He experienced a radical conversion and then made a complete u-turn.  Immediately, Saul began his work of building churches and writing a good portion of the New Testament.  Right?  Push pause.

After a few days, Saul-the-hunter became Saul-the-hunted. Evidently the head honchos at the synagogue didn’t like the idea of their up-and-coming persecutor going soft on them.  Saul changed his name to Paul and got outta town.  Acts 9:23 says, “After many days had gone by…”   Yeah, it was many days, all right.  Galatians 1:18 is a little more specific, “Then after three years….”

Wait a minute….. or three years.  What did the fresh convert do all that time?  Why did Paul go off to the Damascus desert and hole up for thirty-six months?  Was that really the best use of his time and talent?  There were churches to plant and sermons to preach.  The world needed his brilliance and leadership.

I don’t know what Paul did during that long pause, but it probably had something to do with re-programming his Pharisee-driven thinking.  Most likely, he studied the scriptures with unveiled eyes and sharp understanding.  He learned how to make tents so he would be able to support his own ministry.  He wrestled with guilt and found forgiveness.  Paul discovered how to abide in the life-giving freedom of the Spirit instead of the suffocating legalism of the law.  Only then was he ready to go out and change the world.

God provides built-in pauses for His people — sleeping at night, the Sabbath Day, Advent season.  If we don’t embrace these times of waiting, we won’t be ready to change our world.