Make Room

"She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." - Luke 2:7

It's one of the most common displays this time of year - the Nativity Scene. Mary and Joseph, surrounded by shepherds, gazing at their newborn son. All of them found out in different ways about how special Jesus is. Joseph was told by an angel in a dream that, instead of quietly divorcing Mary, he should stay with her and name the baby "Jesus". The shepherds heard after an angel visited them and told them where to find the Holy Family. And Mary first heard from the angel Gabriel, and later (kind of) through her cousin Elizabeth.

We too all have our story on how we found out about Jesus. Many of us learned about Him through our parents, our church, and by reading the Bible. Others through witnesses, friends, family or even entertainment. But rarely do we find out in such magnificent ways as those who first encountered Jesus. I personally have never been told through an angel, nor through a dream... and I'm not sure what I would do if it happened to me! But it doesn't really matter how you found out - what matters is what you've done once you've heard about him. 

The Nativity Scene is useful for guiding us in this task. While many came and visited Jesus in the manger, it's his presence in such a humble location that should give us pause. That, instead of spending his first few days on earth in comfort, he was instead laying in a feeding trough covered in hay - all because there wasn't enough room at the closest inn. 

We too can start here by making room for Jesus in our lives. It's a good place to start when trying to figure out where to go next in expanding our faith - to make time, even if it's just a few minutes - to better understand who Jesus is. Whether that is through prayer, reading about him, or simply spending some quiet time in meditation, simply looking deeper can help us understand who he was, and how he fits in our lives.

Merry Christmas!

Be Happy

"John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" - Luke 3:3

In my earlier adult life, it seems as if I ended up making major changes every-so-often, rather than frequent smaller changes. When I left for college, I went to a school where I knew nobody, and had no means of easily returning home. When my wife and I were married, we moved together down to where I went to school, far away from those that surrounded us just days before during our wedding. And when we moved back home, I started a new job, bought a house and had our first son all within six months of one another. 

For the most part, those days are behind us - with three young kids in tow, major changes have given way to minor course corrections (this year notwithstanding!). We've taken this approach, as, while we want our kids to be as agile with change, we also know a stable, consistent home helps us to firmly establish roots - roots similar to those that our parents provided for us. 

I've often wondered about the choices we've made so far, and what our life would be like had we taken a different route. My wife and I often find ourselves in the minority for having our kids first, rather than waiting as many of our friends have done. I wonder if we would have traveled more,  stayed in school longer, have more "things" than we do now, or wouldn't be as tired at the end of the day. But I try not to dwell on the choices of our past, because what we've done and what we've chosen is just that - in the past. Written in stone. In the books. We can't change what we've done.

And we shouldn't try - every time we try to change our past, we end up wasting our future. We spend time worrying, anxious about how our decisions made will affect what's in front of us. Instead, we should be looking towards the future with hope and excitement - because we know God is still here, and is still ready to guide us.

But how do we let go of the past?

We can start by listening to John the Baptist. We need to repent, ask for forgiveness, and move on trusting that God will forget our transgressions that are in the past. We can let go of a little control, knowing that God is there to guide us, to help us. And we can work to recognize when God gives us opportunities to make changes - big and small - and take advantage of them.

John's message is about forgiveness, but it's also about hope. That soon our savior will be here, and that things are going to change - big time. And that we won't have to keep looking at our past, because Jesus is our present and future.

And for the record, I am confident my wife and I made the right decision. Our kids rock. :)

Don't Worry

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth." - Luke 21:24-25

I admit, I read this one a few times through. And each time, I was hung up on the "anxieties of daily life part" - not that I don't agree with it, but because it seems like an instruction that's far and away from "carousing and drunkenness". Don't get distracted by partying, alcohol or... anxiety? 

It took me awhile to understand where Jesus was coming from this. After all, the first two actions - partying and becoming inebriated - are often looked upon by the person experiencing it as "good" thing. I mean, who doesn't like a good party and a good drink? So why lump anxiety - an emotion that's very personal and not something people wish to experience - in with the other two? Why not leave it to the first two? After all, it's quite logical to point out that, if you're partying and drunk, you most likely will miss the signs of the end times. But being anxious about daily stuff?

But then I started thinking about the times that I've been anxious. Worrying about what's going to happen, and consuming myself with the outcomes, the probabilities, the what-ifs. And during those times, the only memories I have are that of being anxious - the rollercoaster of emotions you feel when in those situations. If that's what I remember of those times, was I truly paying attention to what God had in store for me next? Probably not. 

And I think that's Jesus's point. That we can't possibly be putting God first if we're putting ourselves first - whether that be drunk at a party or worrying about tomorrow. 

Maybe the next time I'm anxious, I'll remember that. That it's not me that should be first, but God.

"But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. " - Matthew 6:33-34

Beginning of the End

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." - Luke 21:25-26

We know (based on last week's readings) that we don't know when the end of the world is... that only God knows, and isn't telling. Continuing on that theme, Jesus tells us how we'll know it's happening - even if we don't know when it's coming.

But let's entertain the idea for a minute - what would you do if the end times were upon us? What if you were at the start of it, and recognized what was happening? What would you do? Indulge in your favorite food perhaps? Maybe travel somewhere you've never been? Buy that car you've always wanted?

I often wonder what I would do - and I've entertained all those ideas and more. But I've also thought about the things I'd want to fix - things that aren't things. Relationships that, for various reasons, fell apart. Repent for actions I've done that I knew were wrong. Help those in need, bring comfort to others, and share my faith with whoever wishes to listen.

Thankfully, those things can be done at any time - and while Jesus isn't painting a pretty picture of the end, he's getting us to think about it now - so that maybe we too will come to the same conclusion. That we don't need to wait until the mountains are falling before we mend broken friendships. That we don't need to wait for the stars to come crashing down before we say we're sorry. That we don't need to wait until the earth is shaking before we help others with their physical and spiritual lives.

That those kind of things can be done now - and that the only excuse we need to do them is our love of Christ. 

So what are you waiting for?

It's About Trust

"But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." - Mark 13:32

In the Bible, only one person has known the exact date life on earth was to be destroyed. Noah, who was told by God to build a really big boat, eventually listened and did as God asked him to do. By trusting in God, Noah was able to save his family - and humanity - by riding out the storm in an ark filled with animals. While this isn't quite the same as Armageddon, the people of that time would have surely thought the world was coming to an end. At least, their world was.

But the kind of destruction Jesus is preaching about isn't the same as what the people of Noah's time would have experienced. Jesus is talking about the complete, unequivocal end of the world. Not just the death of humans, but a complete upheaval and change to what we consider "our world". And while Jesus gives us clues as to how to recognize it and what it may be like, in the end we're still left wondering how and when it will happen.

Like Noah, we need to put our trust in God on this one. Jesus makes it clear that even he doesn't know when it'll happen. It's purely God's show, just as creation was. And while it may be scary, as long as we believe in God and his son, Jesus Christ, we have nothing to worry about. Whether the end times are today, tomorrow, next year or in ten thousand years, we need not worry. God loves us, will protect us, and will be with us always - whether the earth is being destroyed or not.

The world is temporary, but God is not!

End

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.' " - Mark 13:24-25

End times. Tribulation. Armageddon. They're words that invoke a very basic, primal response in our minds. The thought that everything around us could soon be gone. That, as with all things, there is a beginning and an end. It's been envisoned as earthquakes, meteor showers, war, famine and everything in between. And Jesus isn't changing that bright image for any of us - it'll be dark and scary. 

I'm one of those people that floats in my belief - sometimes it's positive reinforcement (a beautiful sunset, a prayer being answered), and sometimes it's negative reinforcement (often brought about after considering my own mortality). And while Jesus's warning is a very useful testament for reinforcing belief, I don't think he's saying it to scare people into believing what he's preaching. I think it's something different.

He's saying, in no uncertain terms, that God has ultimate control because God has had this planned from the beginning. That our lives - while individually unique - fit into an overall plan for humanity. A plan that eventually comes to an end (at least, an end of what we're used to). A plan that's been in place before we existed, and one that goes well past our existence.

The good news is, God love us, and wants us to be a part of the new plan - the new Kingdom of Heaven. And Jesus is how we get there. It's not hard, but it is so important that Jesus spends time talking about it. 

If only if we'd listen...

Simplistic Complexity

"One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, 'Which is the first of all the commandments?' " - Mark 12:28

"You shall not have other gods beside me. " - Exodus 20:3

For a Jew in the time of Jesus, the answer to the scribe's question should have been second nature. Even for Jews, Christians and others of our time, the first commandment (as in the first rule on the first tablet brought down by Moses from Mount Sinai) is pretty easy to remember - "You shall not have other gods beside me". If the Ten Commandments deal with fundamental truths, this would no doubt be the first - if not the most important - because it establishes God as our God - our ultimate leader, example and who we strive to please.

So how does Jesus respond? Does he respond as the typical Jew of his time would? Yes - but with additions. He certainly reiterates that God is our "Lord alone" - but instead of ending it there, he continues, describing how we live that commandment: by loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. In short, we dedicate ourselves to loving God completely. It's a very human explanation to a very God-like commandment.

But Jesus doesn't stop there - he continues, pointing out the second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. And by doing so, he summarizes the remaining nine commandments - in all their complexity - into one single instruction - love take from them. You respect them. You share in their successes, and help them through their failures.

It's a commandment that, despite it's simplicity, takes away any complexities in trying to understand what God wants us to do. If you love someone, you're doing what God is asking you to do.

Simple!