Redeeming Christmas

I'm a little late for a Christmas post this year. With finishing up my support, reporting to the office, and preparing for TCX, the holiday kind snuck up on me!

Before I could even enjoy a couple Christmas CD's, or hang the few decorations I own, the 25th was here and gone. And despite the busyness, God brought a few encouraging words my way.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining-
til He appeared and the soul felt its' worth.

I sigh every time I hear that line. I've been struggling with my despise of Christmas for several years. This song isn't just about the birth of Jesus. It's about the redemption of mankind. Every year, the latter gets lost in the Christmas hustle and bustle.

What's Christmas about? Loving, giving, receiving, joy...everyone has their own opinion. Christians are quick to say that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. But even that pat answer, with no explanation, falls short.

There are signs in each of our lives, all year long, that God desires to be present in our lives. We miss that at Christmas, which is sad, because it's one of the most important times of the year for mankind to see their need for and chance at redemption.

It's ironic that TCX follows two days later. Throughout December I try to work through this angst about Christmas, but by the end of the month, my mixed feelings are pushed away. I'm finally able to see people realizing the very thing that becomes hidden during the Christmas season. The meaning may get lost in the production of Christmas, but it's uncovered in the production of TCX.

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy name.

A Solid Rock

We got no food, we got no jobs, our pets HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!

One of my favorite childhood memories is hanging out with my older brothers, watching Dumb & Dumber. They thought the movie was hilarious, and I idolized them, so I'd join in whenever they watched it. (I thought it was funny too, but I was only 8 when the movie came out, so it took awhile for me to get all the jokes). I even remember watching Jim Carrey back when he was on "In Living Color" on Fox (...or maybe I remember the syndication). He was hilarious then, and still is.

Early on in my life, I realized that humor could be an effective tool for obtaining and keeping friends. Everybody likes the funny kid. Laughing is better than fighting.

But you can't build a life on humor. Eventually you might take it too far, hurt someone's feelings, maybe even lose a friendship. Your sarcasm that was once hilarious can turn bitter and sickening. Humor is fine, but a continually pessimistic, perpetually sarcastic disposition? Not so fun.

This has been ruminating in my mind for weeks now, mainly as part of a deeper issue: Around/on what do we build our lives?

A few years back, Jim Carrey was quoted in the San Bernardino Sun (Feb 17, 2007):
"I used to think that the parts I did or the fame would define me and someday complete me. After a while, I understood that those things could be crossed off the list of things that will do that. I wish everybody fame and fortune so they can cross it off the list and move on to something else."

Carrey is so close, and yet so far. He's also quoted as saying this about his spirituality: "When it comes to Jesus, you know, he said a lot of incredibly impactful, wonderful things that were amazing and completely misunderstood for the most part. Somebody might not understand “nobody gets to heaven but through me.” They might take it literally. I believe it means “by loving like I love and forgiving like I forgive.”

This topic also reminds me of some song lyrics by the Dixie Chicks: "I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you." You can't build a life around a person, either.

The tricky thing is, even after we realize Jesus is the one true, perfect, consistent being on which to build our lives, we are still tempted to rely on other things to fill this void or be our rock. We see our value and worth in other things. Whether it's being the most popular, or the most merciful, having tons of money, or tons of faith, we put our trust in other things.

If you're going to build your life on something, Christ is the very best thing.

When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

Ebenezer.

Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I come.
And I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.


What the heck is an Ebenezer?


"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us." So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again." { 1 Samuel 7:12-13


The word Ebenezer is apparently two Hebrew words pronounced together: Even Haazer. The Hebrew word for "help" is Ezer and the word for "stone" is Even. Removing the 'ha' creates "Ebenezer," literally meaning a "Stone of Help."

The Love of God

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Awesome.