Reflection

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

With 2020 about to hit the rear view mirror, I must admit this has been a year of reflection and introspection for me.  At times such guilt and shame only to find, see and experience the overwhelming grace and presence of Jesus.  During this last month I have really been drawn to this famous passage in Isaiah and specifically the “For to us a child is born.”

The incarnation is such a...well I don’t really have the words,  but certainly a miracle. B.B. Warfield once said, “The Glory of the incarnation is that it presents to our adoring gaze, a true God-man; one on whose almighty arms we can rest and to whose human sympathy we can appeal.”

Oh, how I love that quote (as you can probably tell by the number of times I’ve used it) and somehow there was even a little more for me this year. I’ve come to realize this incarnation, God coming down from heaven, coming as a God-man to seek and save became even more remarkable. It seems to me the incarnation is the hinge pin for so much...to me it proves the steadfast love of God, it proves that our God pursues us no matter our circumstances, it proves just how amazing grace really is, and for me it is the very basis for our hope and love and joy.

So as we head into 2021, I pray we do it filled with hope and love and joy, I pray we all become a little kinder to one another, I pray we might lend a hand to others and finally I pray we come to know and trust and experience Christ in many new and exciting ways...

Grace and Peace!

Laugh, I Nearly Died

I’m so sick and tired

Trying to turn the tide, yeah

So I’ll say my goodbye

Laugh, laugh, I nearly died

Rolling Stones

Genesis 18:9-15

Big Idea:

 

It is in those times that we are spent, broken, at the end of our rope, when life seems impossible; it is in those times that we might scoff (laugh) in disbelief, and it is in those times that the grace of God becomes crystal clear. And that is also exactly where we come to see that in our weakness, He is strong. It is in our weakness that we come to know the love and mercies of God; and to trust in God’s promises. So, no matter where we find ourselves let’s all trust and believe God when he says; “I will surely return to you (V10).”  To know that we are never abandoned, we are never alone, we are loved and cared for no matter the circumstance, no matter the failure, no matter our weakness. Jesus reminds us in Luke 18:27; "What is impossible with man is possible with God."  Oh, what a promise and what an assurance in these crazy times.  May we all move forward in 2021 with the expectant hope of Christ in our hearts.

Where are you going?

Where are you going? 
With your long face
Pulling down
Don't hide away...
Where are you going?
Where do you go?
Are you looking for answers
To questions under the stars?
Well, if along the way
You are grown weary
You can rest with me until...

Dave Matthews Band

Genesis 16:1-16

Big Idea from me:

Even in the darkest of times, times when we feel abandoned and alone, in times of trouble and despair God sees us, God has compassion for us and there is hope.  May we all turn to God in those trying times, when we feel alone in the wilderness, may we trust and know we have a God that sees us, and as such we can see his tender mercies, his love and compassion. 

Hallelujah, we have a God that rescues us in our time of need; we have a God that will never leave us or forsake us. So, when we find ourselves lost and empty, turn and trust (submit) in our promise keeping God, our living, loving  God that sees us always!

Grace and Peace! 

Angry Eyes

 

You and I must start to realize

Blindness binds us in a false disguise

Can you see me through those angry eyes?

Loggins and Messina

Genesis 4:3-7, 26b

In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?

If  you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it."

At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.

This passage was the second in a four part series that looks at some questions God asks, it is a powerful passage, a troubling passage, a convicting passage and a hopeful passage.  The Big Idea for me is that because of our broken natures, because of our love of self, we must be aware that sin is lying in wait like a beast of prey waiting to devour and destroy.  Sin is there waiting for us at the intersection of anger and pride. Yet, because of Jesus we have hope, because of Jesus we can “call upon the name of the LORD.”  And when we feel this self-righteous anger or false pride (blinded by our angry eyes)  coming on, we can turn to Jesus, we can think about how Jesus humbled himself for us when we were (and still are) angry and proud, we can be kind because Jesus is so kind to us and with Jesus in our hearts and by the power of the Holy Spirit we too can share this good news in humble and kind ways. 

 Why has our face fallen? Because we look to ourselves instead of looking to, calling upon, trusting in our kind, loving, merciful, grace-filled God. 

May we all call upon the name of the LORD...

Grace and Peace!

Free Fallin

 

I’ve been working through 1 Peter, but our Pastor is taking an Advent excursion through Genesis and I am going to follow along. He is calling the series ‘Questions First’ and looks at questions God asks; specifically questions God asks of Adam, Cain, Hagar and Sara.

The first passage is Genesis 3:6-13 and I must admit I read beyond verse 13.  As I was reading, a song came on (did I mention that our Pastor has this gift of using music, song titles, or lyrics in what seems like every sermon?), it was Tom Petty’s ‘Free Fallin’ and some of the lyrics just hit me. 

And all the bad boys are standing in the shadows

And the good girls are home with broken hearts

And I'm free, free fallin'

Yeah I'm free, free fallin'

So I read the passage over and over, used some resources and it lead to a big idea, a key takeaway from the passage, something that will stick with me for a while.

Big Idea:

Even though we are ‘free fallin’, broken, bad boys (Adams and Eves), God graciously pursues us in our brokenness. Even though we hide our brokenness and our shame, God graciously and gracefully confronts (Where are you? Who told you?). Even though there are consequences for our brokenness, God graciously restores. And through it all God does not forsake us or leave us, he loves us and provides for us still…

 We all can fall for the pretty shiny things of this world, the things we think might fulfill our every desire, when nothing can bring us true fulfillment, nothing except for Jesus. And the good, even better news is that Jesus is there for us – always, no matter what!

Grace and Peace!

Grace - Food for the Soul

 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

As we taste the grace of God, as we experience the undeserved favor and love and kindness and goodness of God, as we begin to truly see the radical grace of God, we can put away the “crappy" things of this world - deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander (and the list goes on). We can put away our brokenness and start to move. The grace, goodness and love of God empowers us to begin (imperfectly) loving others with a pure heart - a heart filled with Jesus.  It allows us to see our broken natures through the lens of forgiveness and eternal salvation so much so that we can reach out to others, not from a critical or self-righteous position, but from a position of compassion and love knowing ours is an imperishable faith. 

Grace and Peace!