Blogs of Christmas past #1 - Mary's faith

In an effort to help us get into the Christmas spirit, I’ve decided that I’m going to share several Christmas themed blogs that I’ve written in previous years.  For today, I want to relay a blog that I wrote back in 2013 regarding Mary, the special woman that God used to deliver the Savior of the world.

Before I do, let me share this as I continue my introductory thoughts.  On Thanksgiving Day, I watched a movie cinematically capturing an Old Testament book in the Bible.  Overall, I thought it was done well.  One could nitpick about a minor detail here and there, but by and large, it was enjoyable and faith-building for me.  But I was disappointed when, at the end of the credits, I read these words: “The persons and events in this motion picture are fictitious.”  I don’t know why these words were in the credits, but whatever the rationale was, that message was absolutely wrong. The persons and events in the Old Testament – and the New Testament – are real, not mythical characters that someone dreamed up. 

Furthermore, Mary is a real woman who once literally walked on planet Earth.  Joseph is a real man that existed in history, just as surely as Abraham Lincoln did.  Jesus is a real figure from history, not a fictional character.  With that stated, here is what I wrote that day:

‘In the gospel of Luke, chapter 1, we read that an angel named Gabriel (verse 26) announces to Mary, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus” (verse 31).  The angel goes on to speak of how Jesus will be called the Son of the Most High (verse 32).  God will give Him the throne of David and He will rule in a never-ending kingdom (verse 33).  But Mary’s mind can’t think that far ahead.  She’s still stuck on a question that she finally vocalizes.  “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin” (Luke 1:34)?

At this point, Mary was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, but clearly they were not sexually active to this point.  Mary says, “Wait a minute!  Time out!  A pregnancy is the result of sexual reproduction, and my fiancé and I haven’t done that.  So how is it even possible that I’m going to be pregnant in the first place?”  Gabriel answers that the Holy Spirit will “overshadow” her (verse 35).  He adds this in verse 37, “For nothing is impossible with God.”  Mary responds with exemplary faith in God: “I am the Lord’s servant.  May it be to me as you have said” (verse 38).  Mary says, “You say that God has a plan, and that I have a part to play; count me in.”

Some people read this account and they come away with skepticism.  They ask: “how can a virgin supposedly give birth to a child?”  The answer is this: because the God of the Bible is the God of the impossible (Luke 1:37).  I wholeheartedly believe in the notion a literal virgin named Mary giving birth to Jesus.  Why?  Because the God I worship and serve is an amazing God who can perform miracles that are humanly impossible.

Once again, I love Mary’s response: “I am the Lord’s servant.  May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38).  She could have said, “Before you go, I have a few more questions: first, what exactly do you mean that the Holy Spirit will “overshadow” me?  What am I supposed to tell my parents, or Joseph?”  She could have asked for a detailed explanation, but she chose to put her faith and trust in God and His plan.  I want to be like Mary.  I want to trust in God, even though I still have lingering questions.’

Kevin

An important maxim - Thanksgiving 2017

“Gratitude changes attitude.”  That’s the statement that I recently heard from a Christian radio announcer.  Haven’t you found that statement to be true?  I certainly have.  The more I choose gratitude, the more my attitude changes from a grumbling, complaining disposition to one of happiness and thankfulness.

The Bible says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 18:22).  You say, “But you don’t know about my life.  You don’t know the pain, anguish, and heartache that I’m going through.”  I may not know your specific details, but I certainly know what it’s like to have the pressures of life hit you, and weigh you down.  I’m acutely aware of how intensely painful life can be.  But over and over again we read in the Bible to be thankful (see, for example, Colossians 3:15-17 that mentions this notion in every verse).

God’s prescription is to choose gratitude over grumbling.  I was recently in a church service where the pastor stated it this way: the more thankful you are, the happier you become; conversely, the more ingratitude you have, the unhappier you become.  The football, food, family and friends are an enjoyable part of this day.  But even in the midst of these activities, it is possible to be miserable, if a disposition of ungratefulness is chosen.  But remember: “Gratitude changes attitude.”  We can choose thankfulness.  We can choose gratitude for the abundance of blessings that God has given us.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kevin    

Thanksgiving list (part 2)

Last time, I began sharing some of the things I’m thankful for (I’ve decided to give ten, but this list is just scratching the surface).  Let’s get right back into it.

6. Health/healings

As I was preparing the content for today’s blog, a very noteworthy episode occurred at my work.  I was taking the order of a teenage girl.  Without warning, she seemed to zone out and then she just collapsed.  It was a wonder she didn’t hit her head on the counter as she fell.  Apparently, from everything that I heard, she was about to have a late breakfast (it was 10 in the morning), and she had simply fainted from low blood sugar.  She had no history of anything like that ever happening to her before.  Thankfully, she is all right, but it was a gripping example to me of how fragile health is.  This is a gift that we should never take for granted.

One of the first people to help this girl was the man behind her in line (he was perhaps in his mid to late 40’s).  He was quick to jump in because, I later learned, this man has had his own health challenges.  In fact, he told me that he once had such a bad seizure that he actually fell through a window at his house!  I have to take this opportunity to publicly thank God for His miraculous touch in my life.  I had seizures when I was a baby, but the Lord, quite dramatically and miraculously, healed me from them.

7. Entertainment

We lead such busy lives today.  I’m certainly no exception to that.  So it is a gift to be able to stop and view entertaining programs that help me decompress and unwind from the pressures of life.  I’ve been watching the tenth and final season of the TV show “Smallville” of late.  Overall, it’s a good season.  I want to share this tidbit: in the episode entitled “Homecoming” Clark travels to the future and even meets his future self; a man that is quite experienced with the Superman/Clark Kent duality.  When Clark looks at a newspaper to see the point in time that he traveled to, he discovers that it is October 15th of 2017!  I said to myself, “Wow, last month.”  It was a trivial detail, but it amused me.

 

8. The message of the gospel

I love the song titled “The Gospel” by Ryan Stephenson.  At one point in the song, he states, “In a world where our hearts are breaking and we’re lost in the mess we’ve made; like a blinding light in the dead of night, it’s the gospel…that makes a way.  It’s the cure for our condition, it’s the good news for us all; it’s greater than religion, it’s the power of the cross.”

 

There is so much powerful truth in that.  I could write multiple blogs on that little excerpt alone.  Later on in the song (and I’m paraphrasing him here), he focuses on how the gospel transformed him.  He shares how the good news of the gospel gave him the glorious opportunity to have his sins forgiven and the chance to begin a relationship with the God of the universe.  I say the same thing for myself.  There is simply no greater gift in life than this.

9. My job

I am grateful for the gift of my job at Chick-fil-A.  God has blessed me with favor among the people there.  It can be hectic, but that’s not really a bad thing.  Did you know that work is regarded very highly in the Bible?  There’s actually a passage in 2 Thessalonians where we are told to respect those who work hard; “hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work” (5:12-13).

10. You, the reader!

Several years ago, I had the chance to see the show “Cats”.  After the show, the performers thanked the audience for choosing to see the play.  “We love performing this show,” the actor said.  “But it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable to do if we didn’t have an audience.”  Similarly, I love to write; I love to compose these blog installments.  In fact, I wish I could submit more blogs than I do.  But if nobody ever read it, if there wasn’t an audience, so to speak, what’s the point?  But I’m so grateful to know that these words are read.  You take the time to read my thoughts.  To consider this fact honors and humbles me.  So, in conclusion, I want to say thank you.  Thank you so much!

Kevin

Thanksgiving list (part 1)

I love Thanksgiving because it’s a glorious opportunity to remember the blessings that God has lavished on us. I want to share my Thanksgiving list.  I have 5 for today, and I’ll share the other 5 in the next blog.  It’s not an exhaustive list by any means, but it’s been enjoyable to compose it.

1. The incredible adventure of life with God

Rebecca St. James once said, “I think a lot of people that don’t really understand Christianity think that the Christian life has to be boring…and it’s never fun.  But actually, I believe that the Christian life is the most incredible adventure.  Because think about it: we have nothing to worry about; our future is in God’s hands; we’re safe, we’re secure, we’re forgiven, we’re free.”  I deeply resonate with those words.  Life with God is the most incredible adventure.

2. Protection from God

We live in a world that is frightening and dangerous.  My heart has broken many times this year when I heard of the lives that have been lost due to violence.  We saw the sickening images of the massacre in Las Vegas.  There was a church shooting in Texas, another terrorist attack in New York, and right here in Colorado – in a Walmart that I have actually shopped at on occasion – 3 people were killed by a lunatic with a gun.  But it’s not just violence, you take your life into your own hands when you get into a car and drive somewhere.  Unfortunately, there are fatalities on the road as well.  To arrive home safely after the day’s activities truly is a gift from God to be very thankful for.

3. Superheroes

Not surprisingly, I could go on and on with this one.  But for today let me highlight two superheroes.  First of all, let me bring up Spider-Man.  I have been meaning to blog about how much I love the new Spider-Man movie “Spider-Man: Homecoming” anyway.  I will always have a special place in my heart for Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man.  I actually became a Spider-Man fan because of Tobey’s portrayal.  But there is an equally memorable and impressive Spider-Man now.  Tom Holland hits a home run.  He captures Spider-Man’s humor, valor, and inner angst.

Second, let me bring up The Flash, specifically the TV show starring Grant Gustin.  I appreciate this show because The Flash (A.K.A. Barry Allen) is a figure of light, righteousness, and optimism.  He strives to be the best person he can be, even though he knows all about tragedy and pain.  This trait inspires me. I also want to say how much I’m enjoying this current season of the show.  The 4th season is just getting started, and in my opinion, the show continues to just get better and better. 

4. Family and friends

I’m having trouble finding the words to express just how much I love and appreciate my family.  They are gifts from God.  I think when you suffer a loss like my family has it brings you closer together and makes you realize how each day you have to be together is a gift. 

As for friends, someone said you can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends.  What a blessing to have people in my life who love and accept me because of the bond of friendship, even if we are not related by blood!

5. Music

Many years ago, before this blog existed, I wrote about how much I appreciate uplifting, edifying music.  I wrote when the clouds of discouragement gather above me, one of the great gifts that dispel them is music; music that focuses on God and His amazing faithfulness, love, grace, forgiveness, and so on.  I still feel that way today.  I also want to submit to you how much I love singing songs of praise to God with my brothers and sisters in Christ at church.  It lifts my spirits and reminds me all over again that life is not about me; it’s all about God.

To be continued!

"All other ground is sinking sand"

Someone said, “As oxygen is to the body so is hope to the soul.”  Essentially, we cannot survive without hope.  Before we go on, let me define this concept.  What is hope?  Got questions.org has an excellent definition: “Hope is a confident expectation or assurance based upon a sure foundation for which we wait with joy and full confidence.  In other words, “There is no doubt about it!”” (https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-hope.html)

Unfortunately, hope can be elusive.  Adrian Rogers once told the story of when he had a conversation with a man on an airplane flight.  Adrian was reading a Christian book and the man inquired about it.  When he learned the subject matter, the man had an immediate angry response; he said, “I hate God.  I don’t care for the devil”; to paraphrase, he went on to state that he didn’t care for anyone on the plane, and that his only god was alcohol.  Adrian later learned that the man’s wife had joined a cult; she had left him and taken the kids with her, at the cult devotee’s advice, since his beliefs differed from what they taught.  In essence, this man was without hope.

I wonder if someone reading this is right there.  You are completely without hope.  I know that life is tough, but there is hope.  Where is hope found?  Is it found in vicariously living through the success of your favorite football team?  No, my favorite football team – the Denver Broncos – have lost 5 straight games, and their last two losses have been a combined score of 92-39 at the hands of the Eagles and the Patriots.  Is it found in alcohol?  No, Proverbs says, in the end, alcohol will bite like a snake and poison like a vapor (23:32).  Verse 33: “Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.”  Well, maybe it’s in living what one author calls “the pleasure driven life”.  Is hope found there?  The answer is no.  Ultimately, that lifestyle leaves you feeling empty.

Where, then, is hope found?  I want to return to the story Adrian Rogers told because I actually left you hanging right in the middle of the story.  After the man had calmed down after his outburst, Adrian replied, “You don’t hate God…you don’t know enough about Him.”  The caricature of God that he had in his mind was not the God of the Bible.  Adrian Rogers told this man about the love, grace, and forgiveness that God, in Christ, offers.  Before the airplane landed, that man put his faith, trust – and yes, his hope – in Jesus Christ.  When they were about to part ways, this man gave Adrian a giant bear hug, and declared, “I love you.”  The song lyric says it all, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

To conclude, let me say that knowing God and having an intimate relationship with Him doesn’t mean that your life will somehow magically not have its difficulties.  Jesus told His disciples, “In this world, you will have tribulation” and He was right.  To live on this planet is to be subjected to pain, heartache, and trouble.  

For example, I still think about my dad every day.  He unexpectedly entered his after-life in 2015, even though he appeared to be in picture perfect health.  I miss him, and it is tougher at this time of year as we enter the holiday season.  I know firsthand about the storms of life.  Even so, hope can be found; it is found in a relationship with God.  I don’t mean just checking in with God on a Sunday at church and forgetting about Him the rest of the week.  I mean a daily communion with God.  Run to Him.  Return to Him.  Put your hope in Him. 

Kevin