The One and Only, The Goodest God

Christmas Meditations Of Quotes and Carols

Angelic proclamations:

To Mary: 

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 

-Luke 1:30-33

 Mary, how much did you know about who this baby was going to be? Who do you/I understand him to be today? When will the day/kingdom of no end come? Has it already come? How can I be a citizen of that kingdom?

To the shepherds:

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news or great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

-Luke 2:10-11

Why a proclamation of the Savior’s birth to lowly shepherds? What does “savior” imply? Saved from who/what?

Christmas Carol: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new-born King! 

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, 

God and sinners reconciled." 

Joyful, all ye nations, rise, 

Join the triumph of the skies; 

With th' angelic host proclaim, 

"Christ is born in Bethlehem." 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new-born King!

Christ, by highest heaven adored: 

Christ, the everlasting Lord; 

Late in time behold him come, 

Offspring of the favoured one. 

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see; 

Hail, th'incarnate Deity: 

Pleased, as man, with men to dwell, 

Jesus, our Emmanuel! 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new-born King!

Hail! the heaven-born 

Prince of peace! 

Hail! the Son of Righteousness! 

Light and life to all he brings, 

Risen with healing in his wings 

Mild he lays his glory by, 

Born that man no more may die: 

Born to raise the son of earth, 

Born to give them second birth. 

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new-born King !"

Christmas Carol: Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heav’n and nature sing

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy!

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found!

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love!

“As far as the curse is found”

This world is so broken. It’s not just the unbelieving world, either. I can be so critical, unforgiving, selfish, and judgmental—My brothers and sisters in Christ as well. I see our undeserving selves as cursed, fallen men and women.  And that’s the most difficult part of the “curse” for me to accept. The chains of sin continually needing to be broken. 

Christmas Carol: O Holy Night

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim! 

“Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother” 

Slaves. The only thing I’m to which I’m truly a slave is to sin. 

I’m the slave. You’re the slave.  We are brothers and sisters, estranged slaves until God through Christ breaks the chains. 

“In all our trials born to be our friend”

This line unnerves me. Does God truly understand our trials? Would God really descend, be birthed, to be our friend? If so, what kind of God is he?

In Memory of Clarence and Elnora Befus

As someone who has felt like somewhat of an “outsider” to my grandparents official ministry, I share a different perspective of what their legacy was all about. I don’t know all my aunts and uncles equally well, though all have their own unique gifts, but here I present my observations based on interactions and relationships with a few of them. 

Uncle Ricky—this is an uncle who serves so selflessly

Aunt Clare—this aunt cares completely

Aunt Cathy (aka: my mom)—This is an aunt/mother who connects intentionally

Uncle Tim—this uncle prays unceasingly.

Uncle Chuck—this is an uncle who loves deeply and desperately, giving generously. 

This legacy lives on through flesh and blood if we hold on to the truth of the Word of God, La Palabra de Vida. 

The Call to Respond #Charlottesville

Fashionably late thoughts on America, Americans, and Evangelicals in light of #charlottesville. 

America confuses me. I'm very unsure of what to believe these days. With the never-ending barrage of ridiculous news updates, I've been forced to stop all news notifications concerning American politics on my phone (I received far too many notifications concerning the specific amount of time it took President Trump to speak about the tragedy). 

People who I deeply respect fall on both sides of the political spectrum and in their views on Trump that I simply do not know what or who to trust. It's about time I take responsibility and have a mind of my own. I feel ignorant and skeptical when even the news has an agenda to push. 

Nevertheless, my mind thinks. The ideas aren't original. In fact, they are quite unoriginal, as most are. 

Although I read a few articles of which I agreed and disagreed, something felt lacking. I was sickened by the actions of the neo-nazis. I was disappointed in the responses of others. I was critical of myself in my lack of compassion for the people who feel the oppression of white supremacy. So I ask myself, "how should this distant heart of mine respond?"

  

I found the right response in the Old (dare I say, "inapplicable"? I daren't for it is more applicable than ever) Testament:

"and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 HCSB

They must repent for they are the guilty. I must repent for I am guilty. You must repent for you are guilty. We are the guilty in need of restoration which comes through repentance. 

Let us, Americans, conservatives, liberals, Evangelicals remember the words written by the King. 

"To our most bitter opponents we say: '...Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you. We cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws because non-cooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. Throw us in jail and we shall still love you. Bomb our homes and threaten our children, and we shall still love you. Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you. But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process and our victory will be a double victory." -Quote by Martin Luther King Jr. as quoted by Phillip Yancey in "Vanishing Grace"

Dim Reflections

The plane turned to the left leaving me with a  view half filled with the stars shining in the night sky and half filled with the night lights of the city. I thought about the stars. How dim they look compared to the city's night lights, and yet in reality they are so much brighter. Our best light-bearing creations can't even begin to compare to the light that stars produce which we see from millions of miles away. Then I thought about how intricate and wonderfully made man is down to the most minuscule detail--made in the image of the creator.  We often glorify man and the things of this world above the creator because of our limited perspective and knowledge of the universe just as my perspective of the two lights of night from the plane deceived me into thinking the city lights were brighter than the stars. And yet, compared to the majesty, glory, and holiness of God, we are but dim reflections, like the night lights of the city compared to the stars. 

To Whom it Rightfully Belongs

2 Corinthians 12: 7-10 –So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Wow. Reading this passage this morning was just what I needed to sink my teeth into.  I am always skeptical to compare my “hardships” with others’.  However, the past few weeks in my student teaching semester, I have been feeling the need to work on accepting humility.  In the teaching field, and especially as a student teacher, there is never an “I have made it” point.  There will always be areas to say, “I could have done this better or I should have handled the situation this way.”  I have found myself, however, discontent with my performance.  I am often critical of myself, but in the past I have given myself grace knowing that I am only a student.  I wondered if the problem was that I did not see myself as student anymore. Or maybe I just was not meant to be a teacher for little children?  These have been some of my thoughts as of late.

Paul tells the Corinthians that he will boast all the more gladly in his weaknesses so that the power of Christ will rest upon him.  My weaknesses are not the same as Paul’s weaknesses, but I still can apply what he says to my own life and current experiences.  I want to see my failings in all areas as an opportunity to allow Christ’s power to rest upon me.  I am shifting my mind to be content in my weakness with the hope that with Christ’s power, what I put my hand to can succeed.  With that mindset, I, all the more naturally and eagerly, can give all the glory and praise to Whom it rightfully belongs.

Who am I?

Being with family always makes me wonder who I really am. 

Am I the zombie I become after a few days or weeks of being home? Or am I the laid back, cheesy, sarcastic girl I become around my close friends and acquaintances? 

At home I feel the expectations of being who I have always been or at least was when I was last home.  There exists a fear in me to look hypocritical to my family if I act differently than I did before I left home. In the process, however, I wonder if I actually become hypocritical. 

When I enter zombie mode, I know it's happening. And I hate it. I almost wonder if it's a little like depression. It isn't hopeless, it's more apathetic. I can't hardly describe why I become like that or what is happening. Maybe it is that fear--the fear of being re-nown by those who knew me best, my family, and discovering they don't like the new me (if it is really a new me.)

So which is it? Who am I? 

Haven't figured it all out yet, but that's ok. I'm trying to figure out who I am while resting in the truth of Whose I am-- a daughter of the King, known by my Father deeper than I could ever know myself, and loved, unconditionally and infinitely, by the One Who is Love--which is vastly more important anyway. 

Money Can't Buy Me Happiness

Money can't buy me happiness, I keep telling myself. There exists a yearning I often feel for some "thing". It isn't so much a "thing" as it is a a "Who" whom I, in my natural state, disguise into something materialistic. At Christmas I find it difficult to differentiate between my true yearning and my disguised yearning. How did Christmas become more about getting and giving? Every year the struggle of highlighting "the real meaning of Christmas" appears, and yet every year I struggle with focusing too much on the presents I will be opening. I think, "this 'thing' will make me happy' or "once I have this, I'll be keeping up with everybody else". And every year, a few days after Christmas, the "joy" from my presents is lost. Lasting joy doesn't come from presents under the star on the tree, from my wants being met. Lasting joy comes from the Present that came under the brightest star, where the deepest needs are met. 

This year I felt a greater joy in giving, not that I gave very much :/. For the first time I was more excited to see my siblings' reactions to good gifts I knew they were opening. I felt this to the extreme of feeling guilty for the presents I opened. For years I was, and actually still am, known in my family as the one who gets the most presents. I love "little cool things" as I used to ask for for Christmas and birthdays. I knew if the presents were "little" I could get more of them. That's rather embarrassing to admit. Now, however, I find my desire for "little cool things" to be somewhat superfluous. It isn't that I don't want stuff I don't need; I still do.  I hope that the reason for the change is the work of the Spirit teaching me the joy in giving rather than receiving. 

Receiving isn't wholly bad though. In fact it may be better. Christ came to earth to serve. To become a follower of Christ, one must receive His life and sacrifice. To receive Christ one must humbly acknowledge and repent of his brokenness. To receive is to humble oneself.

Perhaps if I had first learned the joy of giving, I would better understand the secret of receiving. 

"Oh Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; Where there is hatred let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."-St. Francis of Assisi