Meditation - Luke 2

• verse 9 - an angel of the Lord appeared to them and  the glory of the Lord shone around them - JUST ONE - they start by seeing only one angel, and they freak out... He must have been thinking, “Oh boys, buckle up.  You’re about to be in for quite a show.”
  
• verse 9 - they were terrified - as with Ezekiel, this seems to be the common response
  
• verse 13 - a GREAT COMPANY of the heavenly host appeared - LOTS OF ANGELS - holy cow, this must have sent them all into the fetal position if just one angel had left them terrified...
  
• I love the fact that after verse 9, we don’t get a clue about the shepherds’ reactions until verse 15 and it’s not completely stated until verse 18.  It’s just understood that they were in shock, but who wouldn’t be?
  
• verse 15 - “...which the Lord has told us about.” - they have no doubt in their minds that this was an encounter with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I love it.
  
• verse 17 and 20 - Even before He had actually done anything (relatively speaking, of course), the only proper responses to the wonder that it Jesus Christ is evangelism and worship
  

I just can’t imagine what it must look like to see an entire host of angels and be enveloped by the glory of God.  The only thing I can possibly imagine that God’s glory might resemble is something like a cloud of light.  Like a fog that is in and of itself radiant.  I certainly can’t blame the shepherds for being terrified.  To be camping out in the middle of nowhere, your eyes adjusting to the flickers of the campfire, and then, without any warning at all, you’re surrounded by light and an angel is standing in front of you.  Oh my.  How does one cope with that?

I think that Luke answered that question perfectly, you don’t.  You just sit in awe and watch.  And when it’s over, you obey whatever commands were sent your way and then you tell all your friends about it.

You don’t rationalize it.

You don’t try to make sense of it.

You don’t try to pretend that you somehow deserved that experience.

You don’t try to make it sound like you deserved to be enveloped by the glory of Most High God.

You just get the word out.

But how often do I try to do all those things that I shouldn’t?  How often do I try to bend every experience I have with God into something that I’m comfortable with?  How often have I been reduced to tears in the revelation and/or presence of Jesus and not allowed my life to be changed by that?

I don’t know that I’ve ever heard someone talk about the fact that they either ran through town with their sheep, or they left their sheep out in the fields.  But that’s the reality.  They had to have done something with those animals.  Yet, Luke doesn’t mention them herding the sheep into Bethlehem, and because he tends to be fairly explicit about all the goings-on, I would actually tend to believe that what we’re supposed to see is that the shepherds ditched their sheep.

Jesus, how many times have You come to me?  How many times have You shown Your love to me?  And yet, it took me nearly twenty-three years to actually be changed by that information.  It took me years to leave the life and plans that I had come up with and actually just be obedient to You.

Those shepherds were most likely illiterate.  For a whole host of angels to appear to them and tell them that a baby was in a manger somewhere in Bethlehem must have seemed insane.  But they didn’t care.  They just knew that the story had to be told, and because it had happened to them, they were going to tell it.

They knew that the storyteller wasn’t what was important, but the story was.  And apparently, so did the Father.  The shepherds had a deeper understanding of what happened that night than I think I’ve ever given them credit.  However, they only knew the beginning of the story!  They knew that the Savior had been born, but they couldn’t possibly have known that that Child was going to bear their sins.

So, how much more of a responsibility do I have, knowing the first half of the story and having a pretty good idea of how it’s going to end, to get the word out?

Jesus, I have no idea what to say.  Forgive me.  While I should have been moved to action by Your work on the cross and Your continuing work in me, I’ve hidden it.  Forget an instance to the contrary here or there, when I actually did share You with the people around me.  I don’t want to talk to You about matters of degree.  Because that’s not what it’s about.

It’s about faithfulness.  And, in that same foolishness/wisdom paradox, those shepherds were faithful.  Teach me to be faithful.  Place that same desire and passion in my heart to get the word out.  I want my life to be changed.  This school is the start, but don’t let it end here.  Make me faithful.  Make me bold.  And please, forgive me for not responding appropriately in the past.  Just make me faithful in the present and the future.

Jesus, I come to You.  I take a cue from the shepherds and throw myself before You in terror and awe.  Change me.  Open my eyes to the reality of how amazing it is to interact with the Living God and Risen Lord.  Have mercy on me, Son of David.  Give me the grace and courage to spread the word.  This life is Yours.

Meditation - Luke 1

Last week, we went through our first meditation assignment.  Now, to be clear, when I talk about meditating, I don't mean sitting in the lotus position and humming mantras until something happens.  What I do mean, however, is reading and reflecting on the word of God while allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and speak to me.

So, last week, our assignment was to take a bit from Luke 1 on the events leading to the birth of Christ and meditate on them.  I chose a portion of Zechariah's prophecy after the naming of John from Luke 1:67-75.  I thought that I would share it with you all and give you a little insight into what I'm doing here in Kansas City.

Here goes...

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I can’t help but see Zechariah saying these words with John wrapped up tight, in his arms.  He’s holding John out in front of him.  He’s dancing around the temple with his son.  He’s speaking to John.  His first words in nine months are a prophecy about Jesus and about His son!

This song is pouring forth out of Zechariah because God, through the Holy Spirit, is calling John as His servant now.  At birth, God is setting the Voice in the Wilderness apart.  God is using John’s father to tell this child of His purpose and who Jesus truly is.

It is in this anointing that Zechariah is prophesying. God is saying, “John, let Me tell you about My Son.  I love Him.  And you’re entire life, you will be responsible for preparing Israel for His ministry.”

”John, I’ve spoken to the prophets and even Abraham about My Son.  It is through Him that humanity will truly see salvation.  He’s going to bring redemption to Israel and the entire world.  He’s going to be strong, but He’s going to do things My way.  He’ll be meek and humble.  He’ll bring the proud down from the high and lofty places that they have built for themselves.  He’s going to be king.  But His kingdom will not look anything like a traditional kingdom.”

”John, He’s going to rule this world.  But He’s going to have to die first.  He’s going to have to shed His blood.  Because I have to fulfill the demands of the covenant that I made with Moses.  The law will be completely fulfilled through His sacrifice.”

“But John, you really have no idea.  This is going to be amazing.  He’s going to come back.  After He dies, I’m going to give Him a new, bright, glorious body.  I’m going to make put Him in the body that you all were meant to have before Adam and Eve fell.  He’s going to be glorious.”

“John, I call Him My Son.  But He and I are One.  He is the Lord inasmuch as I am.  John, I call Him My Son.  But you’re going to call Him ‘Lord.’  You’re going to call Him ‘Cousin.’”

“You don’t realize it now, but one day, you will.  One day, you’ll be playing together and you’ll realize that you’re literally playing with The Most High God.  It’s going to blow your mind, John.”

“All this is going to happen.  John, He’ll give sight to the blind.  He’ll heal the lame and they’ll walk again.  John, My Son will cure lepers and open deaf ears.  He’ll be a friend to the outcasts and rejects of society.  He’s coming to give good news to the poor.  He’ll appose the rich and those in authority, but His heart will break for the weak and helpless.”

“He’s My Son.  And I love Him, John.  I’ve spent the past 4000 years preparing the earth for my power and grace and love and glory to rest in a human coil.  And I need you, John, to finish the preparation.  I need you to get the word out.  Because He’s coming.  And they won’t recognize Him.  But you, John, must warn them.  Sound the alarm, John.  I’ll be with you.”

“It won’t make any sense to those who consider themselves wise, but I’m telling you this so that you won’t be taken by surprise.  He’s coming, John, and I love Him.  Prepare the way.”

The Reality of Transparent Prayers

I was reading from Mark today.  And I was struck by something in Mk 9:14-32, I thought that I needed to share this with anyone who will listen.

I may have discovered my favorite story in the Gospels today.  This amazes me and gives me such strength to approach Jesus in prayer.  It's just beautiful.

The short version of this is that Jesus is coming down from the mountain after being transfigured before Peter, James, and John.  The four of them enter a city where the other 9 disciples are.  They find the disciples and teachers of the law arguing.  Why? Because the disciples had tried to cast out a demon from a boy and failed.

So, Jesus comes in and critiques the disciples' actions.  Then, the boy's demon manifests and instead of going to cast the demon out immediately, Jesus turns to the boy's father.

And it's the interaction between Jesus and the father in verses 22 - 27 that struck me today.

 22"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

 23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

 24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

 25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

 26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

In verse 22, the father's request makes it clear that he is at his wit's end.  After watching his son be thrown into water and fires for years and years, he's desperate.  So, he's heard that a miracle worker is in town and goes praying for his son to be delivered, I'm sure.

You can just see the anguish on his face.  He went to Jesus' disciples, and they couldn't help.  Not only that, but instead of continuing to pray for the boy, they get into an argument with teachers of the law!

So, as he walks up to the God-Man, he must be thinking that Jesus is his last hope.  So, he asks, "If you can do ANYTHING, please, help us."

And I just love Jesus' response "'IF You can'?" ... "Everything is possible for those who believe."

• First, Jesus starts by saying, "Oh please. Do you even realize who you're talking to?!?" I love to think about the fact that Jesus is the only Man who could say something like that without even a hint of pride.  It's all said in complete humility, with the understanding that He can only due what His Father has told Him to do.
• Second, Jesus moves on.  And as He begins to restore hope in this poor man, He also begins to encourage everyone (including us) that ANYTHING is possible for those who believe in the power and faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

Next, the father responds.  And with that tiny ember of hope that Jesus has gently stoked with His words, I'm sure the father must have screamed out his next plea. "I DO believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

• Please take note, this prayer actually makes no sense.  How can you believe and not believe at the same time?
• In complete honesty, this man pours his heart out before the Lamb.  He believes, but like everyone of us, it's not a perfect and solidified belief.  It's something... in between.  However, ladies and gentlemen, this may be THE most transparent prayer in the Bible.
• And how beautiful for us that Mark recorded this!  This father cries out for help in his absolute weakness. "Son of God, HELP MY SON!"

But, I think we learn the most about the character of the Triune God from Jesus' next response.

He turns to the boy, casts the demon out, and tells it never to return.  HE CAME TO THE RESCUE!

• Jesus DIDN'T mock the father for his weakness or his unbelief.
• Jesus DIDN'T say, "Nope.  Sorry.  You don't truly believe in who I am or what I can do.  That's just not going to cut it."
• Jesus DIDN'T partially cast out the demon in proportion to the father's partial belief.

No, Jesus did what I see as the most unthinkable... He took the father's shaken and crumbling belief, his faithless shard of hope, and was stirred to action.  He completely healed the boy!

Where I get lost in this story is the fact that we see one of the most relatable characters in the Gospels... the father.  And in a moment of weakness that is all too familiar, he cries out for help, in a tremendously pathetic fashion.

Oh, what hope rises up within me! I've said countless times that I believe Him, that I trust Him, that I love Him...  And all the while, there's been that subtle accusation in my heart that says that if He were to ever find out that I don't completely mean those things I've said, He's going to turn to me and say, "Joe, it's cut and dry.  Either you mean it or you don't.  And I won't move until you really do mean it."

But, and this is where my spirit is stirred, Mark tells us that it doesn't work that way!  Jesus is moved to action on our weakest, most pitiful prayers.  Never distinguishing between full- and half-faiths.

All of this is truly where our hope lies.  In our weakest, most nonsensical prayers, Jesus responds and comes to our aid COMPLETELY.

I PRAISE YOU, JESUS!

FOR THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU!