Christmas Songs for All Year Long

I have seen several FaceBook posts about those Christmas songs that some of us may find annoying…you know, the ones that you can’t stand to hear and you can’t wait for them to go away after Christmas. (I’m not naming any names here!) Then there are those Christmas songs that I think we could and should continue to sing year round. One such song is “Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts. It isn’t even written about specifically about the nativity narrative in Luke 2; it is inspired by Psalm 98.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, … shout for joy before the Lord, the King … Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.”       (Ps 98:4-9 NIV)

Another Christmas song that could (and perhaps should) be sung year round is “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley, as it contains deep, theological lyrics about Jesus and the wonder of the incarnation, especially in the second verse.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate deity

Pleased as man with men to dwell; Jesus our Emmanuel

God, the Creator of all things, veiled Himself with his own creation in order to live among us, as one of us, to become “Emmanuel” –God with us. He “took on flesh and became human and chose to live alongside us” (John 1:14 VOI). Wesley says He was “pleased as man with men to dwell.” This phrase reminds me of another song about Jesus found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians:

Jesus, “who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death –even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:6-8 NIV).

Jesus is God –there is none higher, there is none greater. And yet He voluntarily humbled Himself and gave up His position and privilege to be “veiled in flesh” and become one of His own creation, to live on the earth as one of us. And He was pleased to do this because it was necessary in order for us to be adopted into His family. “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure” (Eph 1:5 NLT).

Can we even begin to fathom all that Jesus gave up when He came and dwelt among us, when He become “veiled in flesh” to become “Jesus, our Emmanuel.” How can we begin to thank Him for all that He did for us? I would encourage you never to let a day go by without offering Him thanks and praise for He who is and what He has done for you, and never forget that He is Emmanuel --- God with us. This is something we can sing and shout for joy about all year long!

A Blessing from Psalm 20

It is the season of the year for gifts and for blessings. Psalm 20 contains a beautiful blessing written by David. The heading in The Voice translation for this psalm says it is "for the worship leader." It seems to me that this blessing should be sung, and it should be shared and poured out over others.

So whether everything is going as planned for you this Christmas season or if you are struggling and feel as if you're coming to the end of your rope, please listen and be blessed by these words that I adapted, which were originally written by David.

"A Blessing from Psalm 20"

May the Eternal One come to rescue you
When you desperately cling to the end of your rope
May the name of the Lord be your shelter
May He give you help and hope

May He grant you the dreams and the plans of your heart
May He see you through to the end
Then we will shout and praise the great name of our God
For all praises belong to Him

May He lavish you with His unfailing love
May He always answer your plea
May you trust in the name of the Lord our God
And may He give you victory

Stubbornness vs. Persistence

If you’re a parent (and even if you aren’t), you’ve probably seen a stubborn kid in action –a toddler who plops himself down in the middle of a store and refuses to walk with you…a preschooler who flat-out refuses to wear the clothes you laid out for her…an older child who repeatedly refuses to clean his room or who will not stop asking for whatever it is that they want so badly. You think to yourself (or you might even say out loud) “Why are you being so stubborn?!”

In Luke chapter 11, Jesus tells this strange story about what seems to be a very stubborn man. Jesus says this man bothers his neighbor after they have all gone to bed, to ask for food to feed his unexpected houseguests. The man refuses to leave without any bread, so in the end, he gets the bread because of his “brash persistence” (Luke 11:8 VOI).

The man in the parable sounds extremely stubborn (and downright annoying, I might add), but this story is told as a positive example of persistence or perseverance in prayer…or is it stubbornness? Is there a difference? The word “stubborn” seems to have a negative connotation. It is associated with “rebellious” in Deuteronomy 21:18 and Psalm 78:8, and Jesus is “deeply distressed” by stubborn hearts in Mark 3:5. But perseverance is always applauded (see Rom 5:3-4; 2 Thess 1:4; 2 Pet 1:6). What’s the difference since they both sound like not wanting to give up?

The Greek word translated as “stubborn” in Mark 3:5 is porosis, meaning “stubborn, unwillingness to learn…mental stubbornness, closed mind” (LN 27.52). The Greek word in 2 Pet 1:6 (and the other examples above) translated as “perseverance” is hypomone, meaning the “capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances” (LN 25.174). So, being stubborn and being persistent or perseverant are not the same thing; in fact, they are quite the opposite of each other. The stubborn person refuses to say “yes,” is hardened, closed-off, and refuses to move. The persistent or perseverant person is strong and refuses to stop or to give up.

Jesus’ parable about this annoyingly persistent man who receives what he requested because he refused to give up is followed by this message:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened for you. All who keep asking will receive, all who keep seeking will find, and doors will open to those who keep knocking.” (Luke 11:9-10 VOI)

The asking, seeking, and knocking verbs used here are not one-time events. They are active, present tense verbs that encourage the continual asking, seeking, searching, and knocking done by someone who is persistent, who perseveres, who refuses to give up –someone who prays with “shameless persistence,” who refuses to go back home without bread for his guests.

As you seek provision from God, don’t ask just one time and quit. Don’t be stubborn, closed-minded, and refuse to move like the tantrum-throwing toddler, but do be persistent and persevere in prayer. Continuously pray “give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3 NIV). Continuously ask God to provide, continuously seek that which you want to find, and continuously knock on doors so that one of them will be opened for you.

What would the church in this country look like, and what would this country look like if those of us who follow Jesus would be persistent in prayer like this? Keep praying for that family member to begin to follow Jesus. Keep praying for God’s will and His path for your life. Keep praying for fellow believers to stand strong and remain faithful through difficult times. Keep praying “your kingdom come, your will be done” (Matt 6:10 NIV). Paul summed it up nicely in his instructions to the Thessalonian church: “Never stop praying” (1 Thess 5:17 NLT).

Dual Citizenship

I have recently become a foreigner. I am a “born and raised Texan” (yes, I’m aware we can be a bit obnoxious about our state), but I now live in Colorado. I will soon need to trade in my Texas driver’s license (today, I think!) and Texas license plates for Colorado versions. I have crossed the border into a new territory, which has made me think about citizenship and how to live where you aren’t really at home.

I have only changed states right now, but if I went to live in a foreign country, I would have much different expectations of the government than when I’m in my own country. I could not expect them to make changes to accommodate my preferences or convictions. For example, I could not go to China and expect them to adopt Capitalism, nor could I go to south France and expect them to ban topless beaches.

Just as I have a form of dual citizenship right now as a born Texan residing in Colorado, I also hold another dual citizenship. I am a resident of America, but like all who follow Jesus, I was born into the Kingdom of God. The Apostle Peter writes that God’s people are “a holy nation,” and he describes us as “foreigners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:9, 11 NIV). The words he uses here mean “sojourners, literally, settlers having a house in a city without being citizens in respect to the rights of citizenship.”[1] Sounds a bit like an American citizen living in another country…or a citizen of a foreign country living here. (No, this blog is not about immigration policy!)

If this is case, we have a great deal in common with the Israelites while they were in exile in Babylon. What were God’s instructions to them? Were they to fight the government, try to overthrow the king, change the laws, or complain because the Babylonians did not wish to follow the Israelites’ God-given moral code? No. The prophet Jeremiah gave them the following instructions:

“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jer. 29:5-7 NIV)

God instructed them to live honorable, productive lives and to pray for the prosperity of the host country. This translates into our being instructed to pray “God Bless America.” Peter gives similar instructions when he says to “Live honorably among the outsiders so that, even when some may be inclined to call you criminals, when they see your good works, they might give glory to God…” (1 Pet 2:12 VOI).

What would this country look like if all followers of Jesus who are living here as “foreigners and exiles” lived productive, exemplary lives that demonstrated the love of Jesus to our unbelieving neighbors, which in turn made them take note and give glory to God? Could the way to truly transform our country of residence be getting our neighbors to transfer their true citizenship to the Kingdom of God, instead of criticizing, attacking, and fighting? Pray for this country, be an example to your neighbors, and remember that we are “citizens of heaven, exiles on earth, waiting eagerly for a Liberator, our Lord Jesus the Anointed, to come and transform these humble, earthly bodies into the form of His glorious body by the same power that brings all things under His control” (Phil 3:20-21 VOI).  

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[1] Note on 1 Peter 2:11 in Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible in Logos

Be Strong and Courageous

We are now in Colorado, away from family, friends, and everything that is familiar. We have a new apartment (never lived in one before) and new weather (never experienced sub-zero temps or this much snow). Chris has a new job and new co-workers, the kids are in new schools, we need to find a new church, and I need to find a new ministry path. There is a whole lot of room for fear here in all that is new and unknown.

This morning, I was praying and reading through Joshua 1 (a very familiar passage that close friends have pointed me to often), but this morning, something new caught my attention. Joshua 1:9 says, “This is my command –be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (NLT). Did you see the first part of that verse? “This is my command” (NLT, VOI), or “Have I not commanded you?” (NIV, ESV).

The instruction to "be strong and courageous" is not just a feel-good word of encouragement or a stereotypical piece of advice offered in difficult times. It is a command, a charge, an order, a decree. It is to “state with force/authority what others must do” (7422 DBL Hebrew). This same verb is used in Genesis 2:16 where God commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Obviously, God meant for that to be obeyed! I was then reminded of Jesus' words, “if you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT). Does this include all His commands –even the one to "be strong and courageous"?

Now look at the the promise in next part of Jesus’ statement. After He says to obey His commands, He says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you” (John 14:16 NLT). This is familiar and reminiscent of the Joshua passage. After the command to be strong and courageous, Joshua 1:9 goes on to say, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9b NLT). And a few verses earlier, God assures Joshua “I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Josh 1:5b NIV). 

The command to "be strong and courageous" should be an easy one to obey, but it is not. It seems that we often have a hard time remembering that God loves us more than we can imagine or comprehend, He wants what is best for us, and He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. If the King and Creator of the universe, the Lord who sacrificed greatly so that we could be with Him, has made us this promise, why do we find it so difficult to obey the command to be strong and courageous and not to live in fear? Let us continually remind each other that Jesus is Immanuel. He is God with us, and we have no reason to fear.

Here is my reminder of this: "Immanuel: God is with Us"

My Savior's Always There for Me

We have about a week left in Texas, and I had the privilege of spending one of my final two Sundays here leading worship at Southwood Christian Church. One of the songs I felt led to use is one that has become particularly meaningful to me. To be honest, it never really grabbed my attention when it was constantly playing on the radio several years ago, but it has come to mean much more to me during this time of transition.

Aaron Shust's song "My Savior, My God" is a 2007 re-make of an 1875 hymn written by Dorothy Dora Greenwell. This song begins by saying "I am not skilled to understand what God has willed, what God has planned." Let me assure you that I can sing this line from the heart! We are in the midst of so many changes, transitions, frustrations, and uncertainties -- I cannot see what God has willed or planned here.

I know for a fact that there are others who are going through trials and events far more difficult than what we have been walking through. Regardless of the trial, I'm pretty sure that most of us have things in our lives that we just do not understand --things that we can't yet see any purpose in, things that just don't seem to make sense.

Fortunately, Shust's song does not end with the line about our inability to understand. We don't understand ---BUT, to continue the song: "I only know at His right hand stands One who is my Savior...[and] my Savior loves, my Savior lives, my Savior is ALWAYS there for me." What a wonderful assurance! Even when I don't understand, I know Jesus is alive...He loves me...He has saved me...He is right beside me...He is always with me...He is Immanuel. May we keep that assurance in mind at all times, no matter our circumstances and regardless of whether or not we understand those plans or circumstances.

"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me" (Ps 16:8 NLT).

Trust in the Lord and Do Good

When my third-grader was three-years old, she had one memory verse to learn each month at her preschool. For some reason, she latched onto the verse from October. For the remainder of the school year, if you asked her what her memory verse was, she would always quote this same verse ---"Trust in the Lord and do good" (Psalm 37:7 NIV). (If you click on the link, you can get the full effect and hear it in her sweet little three-year-old voice.)

This verse has obviously had my attention for awhile, but now it will be code for the wise message contained in the entire psalm, which is a word of wisdom for all of us who struggle with fear, doubt, worry, or frustration over the actions of others.

In reflecting on the wise counsel of this psalm, I wrote out my own paraphrase of Psalm 37:

Stop getting all worked up and in a panic because of people who do evil. They amount to nothing and soon they will disappear. Instead, trust the Lord. Do what He says and follow His ways. Enjoy life where He has planted you. Enjoy resting in His presence. Know in your heart that He loves you and He wants what is best for you. Trust Him that He will provide for you. Follow His leading and His ability to enable you to have a right relationship with Him. Know that if you have been wronged, He will vindicate you in a way that all will see. 

Wait patiently in stillness and in silence in His presence. Stop worrying about whether the enemy will succeed or if they will get what is coming to them. Let go of all your anger and frustration over what they have done, and leave vengeance to God. Soon the wicked will be gone and those who seek the Lord will all live together in peace.

God is well aware of the actions of the wicked. He knows their hearts, and He will not let wickedness and injustice go unpunished. In fact, the very weapons they try to use to attack God's people will come back on them instead. 

Don't worry --God holds us, His children, in His hand where He can protect us. He has plans for us and no one can thwart His plans. He will not forsake us or desert us. He will care for us and bless us. The Lord knows that we struggle, but He loves His children who seek to follow Him. He holds us by the hand and helps us up when we stumble. He will not abandon us to failure. God is faithful and can be trusted to keep His promises.

Even when we only speak words of wisdom and justice, the wicked will still try to attack, but the Lord will protect us. The wicked cannot condemn us because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  

Life may become difficult. The situation may look dismal, but God has a plan. Wait for that plan. Be patient. Remain obedient to Him. There is a bright future for all of us who follow the Lord. The wicked have no such future because there is absolutely no hope apart from God. He is our anchor, our source of security and hope. He can be relied upon, especially in the midst of a trial or storm. Take refuge in Him. Stay close to Him. He will deliver.

This psalm about control. Who or what am I going to allow to control me: fear, anger, anxiety, worry, frustration, wicked people who are destined for destruction? Or the Lord, who is faithful, merciful, and compassionate...my Father and Creator who loves me, protects me, leads me and guides me, helps me and provides for me?

"Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name" (Psalm 86:11 NIV). And may I always "Trust in the Lord and do good."