The amount of people we know or are known by has little impact on our quality of life or our sense of wellbeing, but the depth by which we know and are known has a huge impact.
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In general, most people would agree that the reality of death sucks. It is everywhere and influences all things. Everything is breaking down, and the reality of our death "one day" has a huge effect on our quality of life because of what that impending reality evokes within us.
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There are times logic would dictate enjoying beauty from a distance. There are other times one might think we should admire from afar, but in reality we are called to come closer, even at the cost of our comfort. One of those instances is with God.
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There are several instances in the four gospels where Jesus speaks about the importance of character, including Luke 18:9-14, where Jesus teaches about one character trait that kills relationships.
Have you ever been given more than you need, or more than you deserve? How did you respond to this generosity? Some of us may decline excess generosity because it makes us feel self-conscious or guilty for taking more than we need (even if it's freely offered). Others may accept gladly, or hesitantly.
What about receiving God's generosity?
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Traditionally, Advent was more akin to Lent - a time of preparation for the arrival of the Lord Jesus. It was somber. Christmas hymns were not sung (those were reserved for the Christmas Eve and the Christmas season). Followers of Jesus focused on preparing their hearts and lives to receive the Lord Jesus once again, which often meant taking time for prayer, fasting, and reflection.
In other words, it was nothing like it is today.
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In his version of the birth narratives, Matthew introduces Jesus to us as Emmanuel, or "God with us." The gospel author John does not have a birth narrative per se to open his story of Jesus, but he does say one thing very similar to Emmanuel: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.'"
That line is probably the best synopsis of the Christmas story of all time.
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It’s important to identify Jesus as the Christ. It’s more important to identify the kind of Christ Jesus is.
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If you or a small group of people were all alone on a deserted island, what resources would you need to grow as a follower of Jesus (assuming you had the things necessary for your physical survival)? How about a person in a typical urban centre with all the amenities and Christian resources they could want. What would they need to grow as a follower of Jesus?
The answer to both those questions is the same.
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When it comes to a seemingly silent God and unanswered prayer, has someone ever told you that you need more faith? Have you ever told yourself that?
Chances are, they (and you) were wrong.
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Biblical justice is much more than punishment for wrongdoing. As Rich Villodas points out, the Hebrew word for justice is mishpat. The meaning of this word in Scripture includes punishment for wrongdoing, but it predominantly means giving people what they are due as human beings made in the image of God.
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When you pray, how do you imagine God's posture toward you? Is he busy and hardly paying attention? Is he leaning in and listening intently? Is he ignoring you unless you pester him again and again, like a toddler tugging on their parent's clothes? Jesus told a very strange parable about prayer to help answer these questions.
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At times the criticism of people humbled me. Sometimes it hurt me. Other times it angered me. If I'm honest, however, I would say usually the criticism (even good and constructive criticism) angered me before it humbled me.
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Who knows where the small events in our lives will lead? There may be something small going on in your life right now, but that small thing could lead to monumental, God-ordained change. Are you willing to go there with Him to that unknown future?
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I saw a creepy white van early this morning. Later, when I sat down for some quiet time, my thoughts drifted back to the van and I became curious: "Why was my first reaction to be suspicious?"
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Our sense of justice demands fairness, which is good. Unfortunately, however, we set ourselves up as judges of what is good / fair / just, and often find ourselves in disagreement with God over the topic.
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What kind of church do you think Jesus would attend today? Big? Small? Liturgical? Charismatic? Would he want smoke machines or not? Would he prefer the beautiful, stained glass cathedral or the humble pig pen converted into a church?
Perhaps a better question is: would Jesus enjoy attending your church today?
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The desire to be productive and shortcut our way to a destination has crept into our spiritual lives. We no longer have the patience for the slow, earthy reality of being human, and we don't have the desire to simply be "on the way."
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For a follower of Jesus, the most important question is not "Did I hit the mark?" but, "Did I aim for the right mark?"
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Emotions do not adequately define what it means to love God. The adoration of God (having profound love or regard for God) is not the end of the journey. It leads somewhere.
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