Peace - A New Understanding

This season I have discovered that the Hebrew definition of Shalom (peace) is very different from our English definition of peace. Most people when I ask them to define peace respond by saying one of two things - Peace is an absence of war OR peace is a feeling of inner tranquility - or something very similar to one of those definitions. However, the Hebrew definition of shalom is "fulfilled", "finished", "whole" - the peace that results from being a whole person in right relationship with God and with one's fellow man. The definition brings a whole deeper meaning to Jesus being the Prince of Peace - He alone is the one that can bring us into right relationship with God and with others. When Jesus tells us "Peace, I leave with you - not as the world gives" - That peace that Jesus promised to us is FAR greater than what we naturally think of peace. He didn't give us an absence of war or an ooey-gooey feeling inside. He gave us so much more, in that we have the possibility to be in right relationship with God and with others. I wrote a poem in response to this revelation. I hope you are blessed.

Peace, Peace - the world proclaims
We want to live in peace
No more conflict, no more strife
We want the wars to cease

Peace, Peace - each person cries
I want to live in peace
No more struggle, no more pain
I want heartache to cease


Peace, Peace - Jesus is born
Peace on earth, goodwill to mankind
Immanuel, Prince of Peace
Yet still that peace is hard to find

Peace, Peace Jesus proclaims
Not as the world do I give
Let not your heart be troubled, afraid
For in my peace you will live . . .

You will live in relationship
to God and to all
In wholeness and righteousness
Fulfilling my call

For peace as I give is not as the world's
The peace that I leave you is so much more
Your life will be whole, your spirit alive
For Shalom in its fullness, will be your life's cry

Feeling Unprepared, Knowing You are Called

"Mary, we need to be on the road. We have to make it to Bethlehem before the baby is born. I think we need to leave early tomorrow morning. Do you have everything together that you will need both for the journey and the birth?"
"Do I have everything I will need, Joseph? I have no idea - What will I need to give birth to the Son of God?

This morning I was imagining a conversation between Mary and Joseph as they saddled up the donkey and headed to Bethlehem. I'm not sure anyone in history could feel as unprepared for a world-changing task than Mary did as she prepared for the birth of Jesus. And then there is Joseph - What was he thinking as he headed off to Bethlehem with a very pregnant young girl - who was his wife, but not carrying his child and with whom he had promised to be pure and righteous. I am thinking they both must have felt VERY unprepared - for the journey and also for the future events that they knew were ahead of them. So, the scenario begs the question - Why did they go? Why did they continue to move ahead with the plan? Surely they could have made some excuse to stay behind - or Joseph could have gone on his own explaining Mary's condition. (I've been in enough Middle Eastern settings to know that given the situation and all the people it would have been very possible for Joseph to fly under the radar of the census takers.) But he didn't. Mary did pack her bag and climb onto the donkey for the one week or more journey to Bethlehem. I think they went because they were called of God. Both Mary and Joseph had supernatural encounters with an angel - giving them their call - explaining their part in this world-changing adventure. So they went. Most likely not with an abundance of natural confidence. Not feeling like they had the world by its tail. Not even fully aware of the dangers, the miracles, the unlikeliness of some of the settings. They went.

When I first joined the group I work with - I had no idea what the future held. I had a plan to go to the Discipleship Training School for 6 months, but after that I knew nothing. I had quit my job that I loved, sold most of my household belongings and was preparing to go. I remember speaking with a man at church (he was a special speaker whose name I can't even remember). I went up to him and explained my apprehension in not having a long-term plan. His response was - "Do you have your marching orders?" I thought that a strange question. "What do you mean?", I replied. He said, "Do you really believe God has called you to go?" "Well, yes, of course I do, I wouldn't have left my job and sold everything if I wasn't confident that God said Go" - "Well, then GO - and let God unfold the rest of His plan"

I'm sitting here thinking that must have been how Mary and Joseph felt - both confident deep within themselves that God had called them - called them to be the parents of His Son, called them to travel to Bethlehem to fulfill prophecy . . . but I am also just as certain that they both probably felt very UNPREPARED for the journey. I am so grateful that they obeyed - they pushed forward with God's plan, not based on feelings, but rather based on knowing they were called. May God give us all the grace to do the same with what He has called us to do.

Immanuel - Beginning to End

I love the name Immanuel - God with us! What a promise. I recently read an article that pointed out that the book of Matthew begins and ends with the promise of God being with us. Matthew 1:23 - "Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son and they shall call His name Immanuel", which is translated God with us". Matthew 28:19,20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always even to the ends of the age" Amen. Jesus' birth was announced as being God with us. What an incredible reality that we so often glance right over. God WITH us. God with US. The Creator of the universe, the Almighty God is with us. How does that change my life? God came to earth to be with us and then as He was physically leaving the earth He promised to be with us always. We are never without His presence. This Christmas season may our hearts be encouraged with the wonderful reminder that God came to be with us and He promised to always be with us. We are never alone. No matter where we are or what we are going through God is with us - He is Immanuel. When you see the nativity in a yard, or in a store or in your living room - call out the name "Immanuel" and be reminded that He is with you from the beginning to the end!

The Battle at Christmas

It is revelational to me when I see a familiar story or passage of scripture from a different angle - from a perspective I had not considered previously. This happened yesterday as I was swept into the Christmas story through the music and drama of "Miracle of Christmas", at Sight and Sound theatre in Lancaster, Pa. They portrayed what was going on among the angels and demons during advent. I had never focussed on how much angelic activity is recorded in scripture surrounding the birth of Christ. The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah concerning John the Baptist (Luke 1:11,19). Gabriel again appears, this time to Mary announcing her pregnancy (Luke 1:26). An angel appears to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:20). An angel appears to the shepherds announcing Jesus' birth (Luke 2:9). A heavenly host join the shepherds and praise God (Luke 2:13-15). What incredible activity was taking place in the heavens in preparation for Jesus' birth and then announcing his arrival. A couple aspects they dramatized really caused me to ponder - God, the Father sending Jesus, announcing to the heavenly host that Jesus was going to earth, giving Him His assignment so to speak, making His purpose clear and Jesus agreeing to go. The conversations between the angels - Gabriel and Michael. Michael was given the assignment to protect Mary during the pregnancy and to do battle so that the birth took place. Then when Jesus was born, they portrayed Satan attempting to stop it and Michael defeating him. I realize that some of that is speculation, not being recorded in scripture. Yet, it helped me to ponder and consider all that was happening "behind the scenes" so to speak. I also realized how much we have reduced the Christmas story and made it seem so matter of fact. What a tremendous battle was going on. God was coming to earth in human form - it was going to change the world as they knew it then and the enemy tried to stop it. Yet, God, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Gabriel and the heavenly host all did their part in winning the battle at Christmas. No wonder the heavenly host sang out - "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will toward all"

Forgotten Holiday Heroes!

Good King Wenceslas . . . remember him? I’m sure you can all probably sing the first verse of the Christmas song dedicated to him if you had to! Do you know the story behind the song? This man was raised by a godly grandmother and had the courage to stand up to his pagan mother (who by the way, had his godly grandmother murdered). I know this doesn’t sound very festive - but I was reading about him, his acts of mercy, his courage and even his martyrdom. It made me think of what kind of heroes we have these days. King Wenceslas was born in what is now the Czech Republic. Almost 1,000 years after his death, a British songwriter honored him and his acts of mercy in the famous Christmas carol. There is quite a bit of legend wrapped around him - stories of him going out in the cold winter nights looking for people who were in need. Tales of him sending his pages back to the castle for food, clothing and firewood to meet the needs of the people. Regardless of the details of the legend, he was a hero in his time, a man who lived out his faith even unto death. I wonder how many people who are alive today will have songs and stories written about them 1,000 years from now? If so, will those songs and stories reflect a faithful life, dedicated to serving God and helping others? Let’s give a shout out for King Wenceslas - a forgotten holiday hero we can all be proud of!

Experiencing the Journey

I am somewhat stuck on this whole idea of Advent - coming, anticipating. As I was reading this morning and thinking about the holiday I looked at the nativity I had set up and it didn't feel right. I thought, why is everyone (Mary, Joseph, Jesus, shepherd, wise men) there? Why did I set it all up like it is a done deal? If I really want to experience advent and the season, maybe I should actually live the story. After all, Mary and Joseph are on their way to Bethlehem right now, the shepherds are going about their duties in the fields, the wise men are following the star. No one is actually in the stable/cave in Bethlehem. They are all on/in the middle of the journey. Then I started to think about some of the incredible ways God has moved in my life. I realized, so many of my favorite stories are about what God did DURING the journey - not when I arrived somewhere, but actually along the way. I began to ponder if I have not missed some of the wonder and awe of Christmas because I have not paid attention to the journey that was taken to get to Bethlehem - Mary and Joseph's journey, the shepherd's journey, the wise men's journey and of course, Jesus' journey. So, I challenge you to clear out the stable, put the shepherds back in the field, send the wise men back East, put Mary, Jesus and Joseph somewhere between Nazareth and Bethlehem and take the journey WITH them.

Here's to experiencing the advent season - packing the donkey, following the star, tending the sheep and journeying to Bethlehem!