All in Jesus
After the Sabbath, the first day of the week dawned. An angel of the Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James by the tomb where Jesus had been buried. The angel told the women to let Jesus’ disciples know that he was alive, and that Jesus would see them in Galilee.
This may seem simple… but what happens to you if you make the choice for life?
You live.
A friend and her four-year-old daughter passed by a cemetery where a grave had been freshly dug with a mound of dirt to the side. The daughter said, “Oh look, Mom, someone got out!” At first I laughed, but later I realized the spiritual truth of this story. The obedience of Jesus Christ “got us out.”
My friend told me the story about her early Christmas present. Her mother bought a new car for her and her husband. At first I was struck by the generosity of this mother, but the rest of the story intrigued me more.
A few years ago, we had a most unusual Christmas day lunch. It was the “in-law Christmas,” and so, our girls and their families were coming the day after Christmas. I had been busy preparing food for the week and just didn’t have the energy to prepare another meal for Christmas day. Therefore, we went to eat at one of the few restaurants open.
It was an ordinary night. The shepherds were attending their sheep and watching for intruders by the light of the moon. They had grown accustomed to the darkness, accustomed to watching for shadows that might present danger.
Changes. The Christmas story revolves around changes.
Mary’s life was forever changed with the heavenly news she would bear the Son of God. Her response to this change was humble submission and praise to God. Joseph’s plans for an extended betrothal and later marriage were changed by the news his virgin fiancé was pregnant. He initially rejected the change, but later moved forward in belief. Lord, when unexpected change comes, help me be quick to praise You. Help me not reject the change but trust Your eternal faithfulness and move forward acknowledging Your goodness.
Ah yes, “the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love!” Joy to the world! That God would speak to us and share His glory with us through the Son—a cause for celebration indeed. But hold on; that’s not all. I am mesmerized by the detail in these first verses of Hebrews as the author paints the Christ in technicolor for his readers.
Meditating on this first chapter of Hebrews, I sense the author’s intensity as he draws out a picture of God’s Son for the readers of his day as well as for us. Sixty years after His birth—how quickly the Judean Christians had forgotten who Jesus was. 2021—how the world has overshadowed the Son.
The joy of Jesus’ birth seems to reverberate through Hebrews 1. To my mind it underlines “Joy to the world! The Lord is come”. God spoke in the past, speaks now, and will continue to speak—God, the great “I Am” of forever.
It’s the beginning of December ladies, and the carols are ringing out loud and clear. “Joy to the World” keeps running through my head:
“Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King!”
Holy brothers—oh my goodness! Yet that is what we are. We, you and I and those Judean believers, are holy—sacred, pure, blameless by Christ’s atonement (2:17). We are set apart to live as holy, separated from sin, since we confess Jesus as our apostle and high priest. And we share in the heavenly calling: to confess Jesus as apostle and high priest to all who will listen, so they too may be holy.
I shudder in disbelief at the headline news these days, ladies. What in the world has happened to faith, to truth, to living to please God! How do our children and grandchildren stay strong in the present academia? How do we maintain moral integrity in the workplace? How do we not compromise our values? Oh, for the good old days!
I have a friend whom I greatly admire professionally. She is one of the best in her field. She has stated emphatically to me that she is not a believer in Jesus Christ, but she has also stated that she is searching for truth. More than once she has remarked that her mind is filled with questions and that she is frustrated, even angry about her lack of answers. She has determined to continue seeking answers to the big questions in life—answers that she says may never come.
Hopelessness is the deepest darkness. I know. People are dying. People are taking their own lives in despair.
… darkness was over the surface of the deep (Genesis 1:2b),
The higher up the mountain trail I hiked that summer morning, the more amazing the rugged beauty became. It is said that aspens quake; and so they do, their leaves in constant motion. Fresh new cones topped the evergreens. The rocky peaks of Mt. Timpanogos rose in the blue, blue sky, a touch of snow tucked in grey crevices. Marmots scampered; birds twittered; a moose lumbered across the meadow.
In my high school days I participated in as many sports as a girl could in the late 50s. Basketball turned out to be my game of choice due to my height. The basketball-cum-track coach figured she could capitalize on my long legs in the high jump, so she added me to the track team. And when she needed a fourth for the girls’ relay at the last minute, I was up for the challenge. Much to my horror I did not make the transfer. I dropped the baton!
So how’s your 2020 playing out? I confess to being an Olympic junkie, so when Tokyo was cancelled this summer, my sole consolation was the reruns of previous highlights. This caught my eye: Rio 2016, just over 3000 meters into a semifinal of the women’s 5K, USA’s Abbey D’Agostino clips the heel of Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand and both runners fall to the track. Dazed after her tumble Hamblin lay there in tears. She had been running a good race; now all hopes of gold were dashed.
By the end of May the Covid threat was lessening, so when aunt ‘Chelle called to recruit blueberry pickers, grandson #3 and I jumped at the chance. It was a gorgeous day. Didn’t matter that we had to drive twenty minutes. Didn’t matter that they had to take our temperature. We were free, our masks were off, and the blueberries were plentiful. Armed with the secret to efficiency—attach your pail to your belt so you can use both hands—we found a row to ourselves.
