When Angels Go Away…

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” (Luke 2:15)

The shepherds had just experienced the greatest sight and sound show in history. Suddenly, in the darkness and boredom of the Palestinian night, a great company (an army) of heavenly hosts appeared to them and the radiance of God’s glory surrounded them; an angel spoke to them (probably Gabriel) and an angelic choir sang to them! Talk about a spiritual high that could shrivel you into a clinker! Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped and things went back to its normal darkness. The all-important question is, What did the shepherds do then?

We have prepared for Christmas and experienced the brightness of Christ’s birth. We have decorated our homes, given and received gifts, prepared special meals, and connected with family and friends (though not as many as usual). We have lit our Advent wreaths, read our Advent devotionals, and experienced the light of Jesus enter into out dark world—I know I have as I continue my journey with cancer. And now, it’s over…the angels have gone away and it is dark again. The all-important question is, What do we do now?

Look at the shepherds—they acted upon what they had experienced and pursued Christ. What a great example to us because most of our lives are not spent listening to angelic choirs or experiencing beatific visions. Most of the church year is spent in ordinary time. Most of our lives are spent in the dark fields of everyday life contending with our jobs, our health, our family’s safety, and our finances. We cannot sustain the excitement of Christmas, but we can act upon what we have experienced and continue to pursue Christ when the angels go away.

Like the shepherds, we can take those powerful and visible moments of life when God shows up in all his glory, and work them out within the framework of our brokenness and against the dark backdrop of our daily lives by continuing to seek after Christ. Stay in God’s Word on a daily basis; continue to worship him; continue to seek, ask, and knock bringing all your concerns before him; continue to speak a word for him here and there, wherever you find an opportunity to share what you have seen and heard. Don’t get discouraged or become afraid as you face an uncertain future. “Are not five little sparrows sold for two pennies (one thrown in for free)? And [yet] not one of them is forgotten before God…Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6, 7)

So when the rubber band of spiritual experience snaps back to normal, continue to pursue Christ—like the shepherds did, when the angels went away.

NOTE: My latest book, The Goodness of Affliction: Encouragement for Those Who Suffer, has just been published and can be found on Amazon Barnes and Noble, and Christian Book Distributors.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

On the Fourth Sunday of Advent we light the candle of Peace. Isaiah writes that “in that day” when our Lord returns, he will judge the nations; “cool the pride of ruthless nations…and remove the cloud of gloom, the pall of death that hangs over the earth…he will wipe away all tears.” (Isa 25:7, 8) As the Prince of Peace, he will bring peace upon the earth and will rule with justice and equity. “His ever-expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice… He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world.” (Isa 9:7) Isaiah also says, ‘He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in the Lord, whose thoughts often turn to the Lord.” (Isa 26:3) Thus we look forward to this Kingdom of Peace and, in the meantime, we can have peace within our hearts amidst these tumultuous times as we trust the Prince and acknowledge him in all our ways.

Go to the menu portion of this blog to see the daily devotional thoughts for this fourth and final week of Advent. I hope these have been helpful.

Special note: My new book, The Goodness of Affliction: Encouragement for Those Who Suffer, has just been published. It is available at Amazon (also as a Kindle edition), Barnes and Noble, and Christian Book Distributors. Also available at Books in Print, Ingram Book Group, Baker and Taylor (Yankee Book Peddler). It is also available internationally with James Clark & Co., Mosaic Books in Australia, Ingram, and Amazon.com. This will be a good book to pass onto those whom you know who are struggling with grief, sickness, or discouragement. May God use it for his glory and the good of the Church.

New Book, “The Goodness of Affliction: Encouragement for Those Who Suffer”

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1725282089/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_glc_fabc_j0N2FbRDFQ620

Third Sunday of Advent

Tomorrow (or today, in some of the over 60 countries of the world where this blog is read) is the third Sunday of Advent. Historically, the pink or rose candle of our Advent wreathes are lit today. It is called the Gaudete candle in Latin, which means the “rejoice” candle. It is a reminder to us that no matter how dark the world, the darkness will not prevail; no matter how out-of-control things seem to be, God is the ruler yet. Thus we can rejoice in the “comings” of the Lord (that he came once and he will come again) and that such joy can be our strength. The presence of our Lord, our Emmanuel, has bracketed our sorrows with the hope that if the last hour belongs to him, we do not need to fear the next moment. (Helmut Thielicke)

Go to the menu portion of this blog to see the daily devotional thoughts for this third week of Advent. I hope these have been helpful.

Special note: My new book The Goodness of Affliction: Encouragement for Those Who Suffer has just been published. It will soon be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christian Book Distributors. This will be a good book to pass onto those whom you know who are struggling with grief, sickness, or discouragement. May God use it for his glory and the good of the Church.

Second Sunday in Advent

On this second Sunday* in Advent (adventus- arrival, coming) we light the first and second purple candles on our Advent wreath. The first candle is sometimes called the prophecy candle, because it represents the HOPE and anticipation of the coming of the Messiah as foretold by the prophets like Isaiah. The second candle represent FAITH and it is sometimes called the Bethlehem candle indicating that God kept his promise that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Be sure to click on the menu portion of this blog and find the daily readings and thoughts for this coming week. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Also, I have also published on my menu page a “Primer on Eschatology.” Don’t let this big word scare you. It is simply a list of different views on the end of things and the Second Coming of Christ. While Christians agree that Jesus Christ is coming back, the how, when, and where differ significantly. This primer is to help you find your own viewpoint and to better understand the others.

*I post my readings on Saturday, because for some who read my blog in places like Australia it is already Sunday.