“If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people’s sins,

If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,

Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.

I will always show you where to go.

I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places — firm muscles, strong bones.

You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.

You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.

You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.

(Isaiah 58:9-12, The Message)

Renewal. Isn’t that what we all want? Make it great again! That’s a message that resonated in this past election. And it’s the same message that resonates in every diet ad, beauty product, and health supplement. Deep down we all desire a ‘mulligan’ – a do-over of our past mistakes, neglects and willful indiscretions. We woulda, shoulda, coulda ourselves into despair because we know that life is not full of second chances.

Certainly, that’s what the Israelites were thinking, sitting by the Euphrates River in Babylon after being taken captive. If only they’d listened to the prophets of doom: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, etc., etc. who warned them of God’s wrath and the punishment to come! Then they wouldn’t be foreigners in a strange land with other foreigners living in their houses in their city. But they didn’t. They did what they did, and they got what God promised.

However, although God promised destruction and exile, He also promised renewal. After a period of time, the captor nations would be punished, the exiles would return home, and the relationship between God and His people would be renovated along with Jerusalem and the Temple. And it happened just that way. And furthermore, God hinted at a time when His law would be planted in our hearts, and we would never be separated again (the Holy Spirit IN us).

I think of the devastation in Los Angeles, the wreckage in the Carolinas, the wastelands in Ukraine and Gaza. What must it be like to stand in a once thriving area that is now a disaster zone? But on a deeper level, consider the devastation of bad choices: addiction, prison, abortion, serious health conditions, depression, anger and more. The despair is palpable and obvious. I’m sure those ancient Israelis were feeling it. I’m sure people we know and love are feeling it today.

But don’t forget that OUR God is the God of second chances. OUR God makes a way when there seems to be no way. OUR God brought Joseph out of prison to be second in command of all of Egypt. OUR God closed the mouths of lions so that Daniel could become the king’s chief counsel. OUR God arranged for the gallows built to destroy the Jews to hang the man who plotted their destruction. OUR God used cheaters, liars, prostitutes, and adulterers to advance His kingdom – they’re in Jesus’ family tree!

Surely there is reason for hope! No one is so broken that God can’t redeem them. There is no relationship, dream, vision or goal that God can’t resurrect. What may seem like a period to us, is only a comma to God.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zechariah 4:10)

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Let God guide you. He is longing to satisfy you with good things and to reconcile, redeem and renew all the brokenness of your past.

Happy renovations!

Jen

As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors. Job 38:14 NLT

God colors our world with beauty. At this time of year it’s a little harder to see it, but from a brilliant blue sky to stormy green oceans, the rainbow of animals and birds, to the floral varieties and layers of earth, to the skin tones of its inhabitants, our planet is a crazy quilt of color and pattern.

And the visible spectrum is only part of it, there’s infra-red and ultra-violet too. And I just learned that although tigers look orange and stand out to humans, to deer and other animals they look green and well-camouflaged.

Color has long been associated with mood and emotion: the happiness of “rose colored glasses,” the jealousy of “the green-eyed monster” or just “feeling blue” or “seeing red.” Seeing the world through these filters changes our perception of reality.

Just like those “rose-colored glasses,” when we become Christians, we put on “Son glasses.” Jesus, the Son of God, colors our world in every possible way. I love the way meeting Jesus is compared to sight in the Bible. We were stumbling around in the darkness like we were wearing sunglasses at night, and then ‘we saw the light, and scales fell from our eyes.’

“For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)

“So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.” (Acts 9:17-18)

This was very much my experience as a brand-new adult Christian. Suddenly, sins that had never much bothered me before seemed horrible. Philosophical ideas in the culture that had made sense before suddenly seemed very wrong and opposed to God. I felt like the world stayed the same, but I had somehow shifted into a different perception of reality. And truly, I had. I began to see through Christ’s eyes, with the light of the glory of God illuminating everything and showing it for what it truly was – refined gold or dross.

As Christians, we know that there is an ultimate Truth, and that Truth is also Beauty and Love and Wisdom. When we look at the world through those lenses, we can see beyond what is, to what should be, and what can be. Our gray world of sin and darkness becomes illuminated with the brilliant rainbow of God’s power and glory and goodness.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”" (John 8:12)

“Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary. O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.” Psalm 96:6-7

Colorful blessings,

Jen

Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land
    and enjoy peace and prosperity. (Psalm 37:7-11)

So, January 20^th came, and we got a new administration. However you might feel about the president, or politics, or the economy, or the national debt or the wealth gap, or any of the current events and headlines, just remember that God is in control of it all.

This is not to say that He is at fault for any of it (perish the thought!) but He holds the world and all of us in His hands and He sees the end as clearly as the beginning. If we trust that He is a Good, Loving God who keeps His promises, then there is really no need to work ourselves up in frustration until it overflows into sinful thoughts, speech or actions.

Quarreling and bitterness will only hurt our witness. Christians are supposed to be known for their love. Jesus called us to love everyone, including liars, cheaters, thieves, abusers, fraudsters, the greedy, the uncaring, the cruel and the negligent. Just typing that list has my pulse elevated. I love justice. I married a cop; I went to law school. Justice figures big in our household – and not merely the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law. We believe doing good is a moral obligation for everyone. It’s hard to watch the news and realize that this concept is somehow going out of fashion. It’s hard not to feel angry or mutter some unkind words.

Instead we need to pray – a lot. God makes a way where there seems to be no way. God can re-arrange the world in a blink of an eye. God raises up leaders and brings them down. He can accomplish with our prayers what we never could with our rage and slander. Remember that Romans 12:19 says, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.”

God’s knowledge of a situation is perfect, His motives are perfect, and His vengeance is perfect. God is perfect Justice. And isn’t that what we want – for everyone to get exactly what they deserve?

Well, probably not. I don’t really want what I deserve from God, because I am NOT perfect. I don’t even want His rebukes and punishments even though in my heart I know they will be for my benefit. What we want for ourselves is mercy – unmerited release from punishment we deserve. Our human vengeance leaves little room for mercy and a lot of skepticism about repentance. Justice is hard for humanity. But not for the God who sees what’s in our hearts and minds and whose focus is on saving our souls and molding us into the image of Christ.

Vengeance feels good for a moment. But imagine the feeling of seeing those liars, cheaters, thieves, abusers, fraudsters, the greedy, the uncaring, the cruel and the negligent in Heaven because, thanks to our constant prayers and the mysterious workings of an all-powerful God, they truly repented and were saved. Imagine the feeling of knowing that their victims were vindicated and helped or restored thanks to our constant prayers and God’s intervention.

We can’t know how it will all be resolved – what God has in store. That’s exactly why we need to ‘let go and let God.’ Unburden yourself of the need to get angry, get even, or get your own justice. God’s justice is better. Let it go.

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:38-45)

Praying for your ‘release,’

Jen

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)

In the world of self-improvement, the big thing these days is “knowing your ‘why.’” Your ‘why’ is the reasons you want to make a change in your life. The idea is that if your ‘why’ is an extrinsic (outside) reason (criticism from family, boss, children, etc.) then when the going gets tough, you may just give up because it’s someone else’s goal for you. But if your ‘why’ is intrinsic (inside) from your own deep desire (to live longer, be stronger, achieve a personal goal), then when the going gets tough you reflect on your desire, envision it accomplished, feel inspired, and push yourself.

Living to please others is a thankless trap because contrary to what they’ll tell you, or even may believe, the world and even the people in our lives don’t always know what’s best for us. In fact, truth be told, WE often don’t really know what is best for us. And this is one of the best things about following Jesus – HE ALWAYS KNOWS WHAT’S BEST FOR US! And He is constantly arranging our lives, our opportunities, our ‘coincidences’ to push us in the direction needed for our growth and improvement.

As Christians, Jesus should always be our ‘why.’ Our ultimate goal should always be to conform more closely to the image of Jesus, to think like Jesus, to see others like Jesus, to always ask ‘what would Jesus do?’ in every situation.

Should we lose weight, eat well and strengthen our bodies? “Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Should we take care of our mental health and be mindful of our tv, reading and listening habits? “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Should we be focusing on gaining wealth and accumulating more? “So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:31-34)

Should we work on our attitudes and get our tempers under control? “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19)

Our lives are not our own. We have been bought at a very high price (Jesus’ life). We are now bondservants – voluntary slaves – in service of our good, Good Master, Jesus. Jesus is our ‘why’ for every change we want to make in our lives. Everything we are and hope to be is in service to our Lord and Master. This is not to say we give up our dreams. We just put our talents, abilities and desires in service of God’s Kingdom. And what we imagine when the going gets tough and we need inspiration to keep on striving, is the ultimate joy of spending eternity with Jesus and meeting all the folks who are in Heaven in some part because of us.

In all our work, in all our striving, in all our goals for this new year, remember that Jesus is our ‘why.’

Happy Improving,

Jen

He sends his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
He spreads the snow like wool
    and scatters the frost like ashes.
He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
He sends his word and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

Psalm 147:15-18

Are you grateful for the snow? I am. I really love it. Even the shoveling. I loved it a lot more when it meant building snowmen, sledding, making snow forts and having snowball fights. But my favorite is just walking in the snow with all sound absorbed except the gentle crunch underfoot.

All of Psalm 147 is a song of gratitude. It lists just some of the many ways that God had been good to Israel and is good to us still. And it occurs to me – He didn’t have to. God could have said “Let there be light, etc., etc. and then said, “Peace out, have fun with that.” But He didn’t. He looked at it all and pronounced it good. He loved His creation and desired to interact with it, and especially to have a relationship with the creatures He breathed His spirit into – humans.

He didn’t have to get so involved with us, blessing us, protecting us, disciplining us and then binding up our broken hearts. He didn’t have to make the rain fall, the winds blow, the stars twinkle or any of that.

“Have to” is an odd concept. We so often say that a person, organization or government ‘has to’ do something. But they don’t. Contracts, laws, covenants, treaties, promises, etc. are designed to obligate our behavior, but they can all be broken. Kids often believe their parents ‘have to’ take care of them. Sadly, it isn’t true. They SHOULD, but many don’t. People have a lot of free will, and they can and do wield it selfishly and irresponsibly quite often.

But God… Master of the Universe, ALL powerful, immortal God who could sneeze us out of existence on a whim, decided to restrict His own power by making covenants with unreliable, capricious, sinful humans. Unlike us, God cannot lie, nor break a promise. So once He made covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and the New Covenant in Jesus, He was and is absolutely obligated to fulfill them. It is mind boggling that He would voluntarily give up that power.

Nevertheless, many other things that we, like little children, believe God ‘has to’ do, He doesn’t. He does them out of an unimaginable, everlasting love for us, not out of any obligation. Good parents know this concept well: vacations, quality time, activities and hobbies, new stylish clothing, nutritious food, the mom/dad taxi, the latest toys…these are things we are happy and proud to give our children, but we don’t ‘have to.’ And just as our kids can become spoiled and ungrateful, we, too, can take the myriad blessings God bestows for granted.

As we begin this new year, I challenge you to focus on the smallest, most mundane blessings (ice, water, steam, e.g.). Take some time to think about the things you take for granted, and list some out daily. Psalm 147 is a good start. I’m confident you’ll come to the same conclusion as the psalmist:

“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” v. 1

Blessings of wintry wonder,

Jen

Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself: “After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?”

But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.” (Genesis 18:11-14)

Pastor Bill has been encouraging us lately to remember the dream or vision that God gave us in the past that has yet to happen, and to believe that it is still coming, believe for that miracle.

I have a few of those, and I confess, I have kinda given up on them or given up believing that God still wants to use me in those ways. It’s been so long, I didn’t take action, or took the wrong action or whatever my stubborn heart defensively tells me. After all, it’s risky to keep believing strongly for years and years. You have to leave the door open to that possibility, perhaps even plan around it, and people you know may start to think you’re a little loopy. Just ask Noah, or Abraham, or Moses, or Joseph, or…. Waiting on the Lord tends to be a big part of the story for many of the heroes of the Old Testament. Why should we expect instant gratification?

This Christmas I received a piece of jewelry with a card attached to it. I love jewelry with inspirational messages and this one did not disappoint:

Lovethislife…

is about welcoming the blind turn

and the possibility that

there’s no such thing as coincidence

and that empathy is incredibly attractive

and that it’s never too late

to pick up a guitar or a paintbrush

or to make an amend

or to make a new friend

lovethislife…

‘cuz it could go at any second

Even though that message could appear secular, for me, those are all lessons I learned after becoming a Christian. They are the outward beliefs that are the evidence of faith.

Sadly, this life is all too short. And more of it than we might prefer is spent waiting on God, trusting God, and learning lessons as God refines our faith and prepares us for the Good Works He’s given us the dream or vision or promise for. And while we may feel “shriveled up and old,” God has made us a new creation with new mercies every morning.

It’s not too late to trust God. It’s not too late to show empathy to others and get deeply involved in their lives. It’s not too late to try something new, to heal a broken relationship, to make new friends. If Scrooge can go from a miser to a benefactor in one night, if Sarah could become a mother at 90, if Joseph could go from rotting in jail to becoming second in charge of Egypt after one bad dream, then really, “is anything impossible for the Lord?”

As long as there is breath in us, we have a new year to make changes and take chances and BELIEVE that God has something marvelous in store for us. And if you don’t have a dream, a vision or a promise, then start earnestly praying for one. But don’t be afraid to try that new thing or new way because that could be God encouraging new skills that you’ll need later. Don’t fear the blind turns, because they are just opportunities to have full faith and trust in the Lord. Meet the new year with open arms, believing that God is not done with you yet!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Jen

Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother [Mary], His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19:25

You’ve probably noticed that Mary is a very popular name in the Bible. The name is actually "Maryam," and yes, it’s the same name as Moses’ sister. As I considered some of the Marys, I realized that the most famous ones also exhibit the traits of Advent.

“Advent” means the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. The season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: His nativity in Bethlehem, His reception in the heart of the believer, and His Second Coming. We mark Advent with a wreath holding candles representing Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

MIRIAM, THE SISTER OF MOSES

Miriam is the perfect representative of Hope. She and the Hebrew people had been enslaved for hundreds of years, but they still hoped and cried out for a savior who would fulfill God’s promise to Abraham to make them a mighty nation. She hoped for the salvation of her baby brother Moses, who grew into the savior of their entire nation. Jesus’ appearance as the angel of the Lord in the burning bush is one of His preincarnate comings that pointed Moses and Miriam toward their destiny in God’s plan – a plan that ultimately pointed to His coming as the Messiah, God’s promised Deliverer.

MARY, THE SISTER OF LAZARUS AND MARTHA

Mary, Martha’s sister perfectly exhibits the traits of Peace and devotion. Sitting at Jesus’ feet rather than being pulled into the busyness of hosting, she chose the better thing. Also, “Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.” (John 11:2) This act of anointing Him for burial (John 12:7) demonstrates her faith in Him as the long-awaited Messiah and her understanding of His mission.

MARY MAGDALENE

Mary Magdalene is the poster child for the Joy of salvation. Having been cleansed of seven demons, her life was restored to her. Not only was she saved physically, but she was saved spiritually as well. Her gratitude is evident in that she became a disciple and followed Jesus from town to village helping to support His ministry. Her joy and salvation were made complete when she became the first to see the resurrected Jesus on Easter Sunday.

MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS

Finally, Mary, Jesus’ mother, is the ultimate symbol of Love and sacrifice, second only to her Son. Full of love for God, she sacrificed her imagined future for a life bearing God’s Son and bearing the shame of being pregnant out of wedlock. Her love allowed her to raise her son well despite the lingering knowledge of the sacrifice He would be called to make. Her love brought her to the foot of the cross where her heart was broken along with her Son’s. She walked with Jesus from the manger in Bethlehem, to the Cross and finally to the Empty Tomb. Love is sacrifice and Mary became an emblem of that when she participated in His earthly Incarnation.

Hope, peace, joy and love – from the first pages of Genesis all the way to Revelation they have been the central themes of God’s story – His story – the Bible. And Jesus has been right there on every page from the very beginning, bringing all things into being and appearing as the angel of the Lord, straight through to his Incarnation on earth as a baby in Bethlehem, on into His Resurrection at Easter securing our pardon from sin and gifting us the Holy Spirit, right up to His immanent Second Coming!

If only we could see Jesus and Christmas through the eyes of these Marys and experience the blessed assurance of our hope, the depth of peace that passes understanding, the unspeakable joy of restoration – body, mind and spirit – in a right relationship with God, and the profound, everlasting love that is willing to sacrifice everything in service to our God!

I pray this year that you might have a very Mary Christmas.

Holiday Blessings,

Jen

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

 Acts 2:42

🎶It’s the most busiest time of the year…

Yes, the holiday rush is on with parties for hosting, occasions for toasting and shopping for food, decorations and gifts. Peace – that calm and stillness in your soul will just have to wait until after New Year.

But should it? In this era of ‘self-care,’ many people are forgetting that your spiritual health may be the most important kind of health to have. Physical and mental health are all interconnected with spiritual health. Studies have shown this over and over. For instance, the deep concentration of prayer reduces the pulse, blood pressure and pain signals, similar to meditation. And regular churchgoers live longer than average. So skipping church may actually be bad for your health!

For me, I took the month of November ‘off’ to finish up the illustrations for my new calendar. I skipped the gym, missed some Bible Studies and didn’t go for my regular daily walks. I can’t tell you how awful I felt by Thanksgiving. Those practices are the very things that comfort me, heal me, discipline me and force me to grow.

Raven’s Coach, John Harbaugh said, "Discipline is not a light switch. Discipline is a way of life." This is just so true – particularly in spiritual things. We can’t expect to crack open the Bible and get a revelation of deep truth if we had to wipe deep dust off of it first. And we don’t want to face a disaster in our lives only to realize we haven’t really learned how to pray. Or to come to church for some fellowship and comfort only to find we haven’t really formed any relationships there.

Following God with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, ALL our mind and ALL our strength as God asks us to (Mark 12:30), is a challenging, lifelong endeavor. It creates real change in us. Lifting weights three times a week will physically change you – you will develop muscles, lose some fat, get stronger, and many aches and pains will disappear. Similarly, spiritual discipline (Bible study, prayer, church attendance, mission work) will also change you. Your outlook on life will be different, your habits will change, and you will start to increase your fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, perseverance and faith.

Coach Harbaugh needs his players to be disciplined to endure the tough training, endless study and personal sacrifices necessary to become a great football team. But being a team also means learning from others. Players don’t become great by training alone. They have coaches who train them up on every aspect of the game from strength training and nutrition to execution of plays to the intricacies of their positions and more. But as Coach Harbaugh has also said, "You can't be coached if you're not here."

It’s very tempting to try to put life on ‘hold’ for a time, or ‘pause’ a few activities during a stressful or busy time. Believe me, I know! But there is real, true value in keeping on keeping on. When the going gets tough, the disciplined keep going. They persevere through adversity, and they find strength and comfort from their ‘teammates’ (fellow believers). They learn important life lessons from their ‘coaches’ (pastors and teachers). They may even find that others are willing to carry their burdens for a time. And the result is growth and strength and resilience and all the other ‘benefits’ of facing adversity. Even happy stress is still stress with its own lessons to teach.

Again, I think of the two sisters, one who was willing to skip Jesus’ teachings in order to get things done, and the other who knew what was truly important. “She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by her many tasks…” Luke 10:38-40

We don’t want to miss Jesus while we’re preparing to meet Jesus. We can’t afford to neglect the apostle’s teaching, fellowship and prayer. After all, ‘tis the season to be Mary.😉

Your sister in Christ,

Jen

I recently discovered Ann Voskamp’s deep and contemplative Advent devotional book, The Greatest Gift. It traces Jesus through history (His story) from Genesis to Revelation. She starts with the “stump of Jesse.”

It got me to thinking about trees as central elements in His story. These four tell the entire story of salvation:

“The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He placed the man He had formed. The Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Genesis 2:8-9(HCSB)

In God’s perfect Garden, He planted the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Apparently, we could eat from the first because we were created to live eternally; however, the second we were forbidden to eat. Of course, Eve and Adam ate that fruit, ruptured their perfect relationship with God, and were banned from the Garden. This created the dilemma that a loving, good God faced: how to love and be in relationship with his children who were now soaked in sin – sin that prevented Him from being with us since He is the essence of Holiness?

“Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—
a Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
a Spirit of counsel and strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

On that day the root of Jesse
will stand as a banner for the peoples.
The nations will seek Him,
and His resting place will be glorious.

Isaiah 11:1-2,10(HCSB)

This is a glorious Messianic prophecy by Isaiah. But what is the “stump of Jesse?” You may recall that Jesse was the father of King David, God’s chosen beginning of Israel’s line of kings. After King David things took a turn for the worse until centuries later, we find Israel a divided kingdom, praying to foreign gods and making treaties with foreign countries for protection instead of turning to the One, True God. As punishment, God allowed first Assyria and then Babylon to take captive the rulers and people of both Israel and Judah. After their long captivity, Jerusalem was in shambles, the Temple destroyed, and their royal line nearly gone. But God promised a ruler from that very line of kingship who would restore, redeem and reconcile the peoples. They rebuilt the Temple so that God could once again dwell among them, while waiting for a Messiah to bring ultimate reconciliation. Because our God can make a way where there seems to be no way, the royal line was reinstated. The tree of hope in God’s promises for Israel was chopped down, but from the stump grew a tender shoot that would become a more glorious tree – Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.

“He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the tree,
so that, having died to sins,
we might live for righteousness;
you have been healed by His wounds.”

1 Peter 2:24 (HCSB)

Then, that glorious Messiah who came to earth as a baby to live with us, and endure our sufferings, died on a tree to provide the ultimate solution for reconciliation with God. The blood of ritual sacrifices only purified us for a short time, but the blood of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, covers our sin for eternity and makes us holy enough for the Holy Spirit to live in us. We are now God’s Temple.

Then he showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street of the city. The tree of life was on both sides of the river, bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His slaves will serve Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. Revelation 22:1-4 (HCSB)

In the Book of Revelation, the Tree of Life reappears on the New Earth, straddling the River of Living Water. Its leaves heal the nations, and the curse of sin is broken. It produces fruit every month which we will be free to eat because we will dwell eternally with God and with the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Then, God’s Temple and Heavenly Kingdom will have come down to earth, and we will live together with God in peace and harmony once more.

So, now, gazing at our beautifully lit, evergreen Christmas trees, we can appreciate why it truly is an awesome symbol of this season of Advent which weaves together the history of our longing to be reunited in close relationship with God, our Father, and His deep desire to be with us.

Pine-scented blessings,

Jen

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me… John 5:39

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Romans 1:20

A few weeks ago in Sunday School we had a brief chat about using nature and the world around us to try to explain the mysteries of God to us humans who are bound in a physical reality and unfamiliar with the spiritual realm. It all started with God and burning bushes, earthquakes and whispers and continued with Jesus and seeds, vines and sheep. Our church fathers continued the tradition in order to reach gentiles and illiterate populations. What would Ireland be without it’s shamrock trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

The truth is that from the very beginning, God’s world and God’s Word were pointing to the Messiah, Jesus. From the first prophecy in the Garden of Eden, to Noah’s salvation by water, to the sacrifice of Abraham’s son, to Noah’s three days in a whale and much, much more, God was pointing us to eternal truths about His plan of salvation. But concepts like eternal life, sin and agape love are just hard to comprehend.

Christmas, in particular, is full of symbols that attempt to bring the reality of Christ into our hearts and minds. Every year at our Hanging of the Greens service, we read about many of these symbols as we decorate the Sanctuary. I picked a few of my favorites when I put together my Christmas Quilt illustration.

THE CANDY CANE – The newest of the symbols is the candy cane, created in the shape of a ‘J’ for Jesus, or a shepherd’s crook to remind us of the first witnesses to Jesus’ birth. The red and white remind us of Jesus’ purity and the shedding of His blood. The peppermint symbolizes the sting of sin, while the sugar symbolizes the sweetness of forgiveness.

HOLLY – An evergreen, holly symbolizes eternal life in Christ. The thorns remind us of Christ’s suffering and the red berries remind us of His blood shed for us. Romans used holly extensively during the Saturnalia festival, offering holly wreaths to honor the god Saturn during the winter solstice, and so it was easy to adopt these traditions to celebrate the True King and God, Jesus.

GIFTS – It’s a bit strange to receive gifts on someone else’s birthday, but Jesus himself is the greatest gift humankind could ever have. The gifts the Magi brought to Him show us just what He means to us: gold for a King of Kings, Frankincense for a Great High Priest and Myrrh for a sacrificial Savior who would die so that we can live.

SNOW – Although we are born stained with sin, Jesus washes us white as snow. Snow is also used as a metaphor in describing the hair and clothing of heavenly beings. Because snow is crystals, it bounces the light around at different angles so that all colors of light are bounced back out. All colors of light mixed together appear bright white.

LIGHTS – What would Christmas be without candles and twinkling lights? These remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. In a bigger sense, light symbolizes good, and darkness symbolizes evil. One tiny candle can illuminate a room and chase the darkness away, just as Jesus brought hope to the world. This symbolism is evident in the date chosen for Christmas. Christmas falls close to the Winter Solstice when the days are the shortest and the dark nights the longest causing the death of plants and cold temperatures. It’s easy to associate this time with our spiritual death without Christ. When Jesus comes at Christmas, light comes to humanity and the days become longer and brighter culminating in the coming of Springtime and new life at the Vernal Equinox when Easter is traditionally placed. Light is also still very much a mystery to us. Coming as both a wave and a particle, it gives heat and illumination. Its speed seems to be the universe’s speed limit, and its concentrated beam (laser) can cut through diamonds. Without it, all life on earth would end. It’s easy to see why Jesus is Light!

This Advent Season, as you move through your shopping, decorating and preparations for the arrival of our Savior, look for the signs and symbols of Jesus and His Kingdom. It’s easy to feel that Christmas has become too secularized but note the symbols all around you! Take a moment to share them with others. It doesn’t have to be hard to keep Christ in Christmas – He’s already there!

Advent blessings,

Jen