Tag Archives: Christmas peace

And As the Tree Stands…

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We are halfway through January and my Christmas tree still stands.

There are those that will not understand…but it’s part tradition (my mom always kept ours up until the Super Bowl…when the Super Bowl was in January), but it’s also still so welcoming!

I love a live tree and, thankfully, the needles have remained fresh long beyond what I ever anticipated, a hint of pine still lingers in the air, and it still brings me joy to see it in its place.

For the most part, the ornaments are off, each one full of some memory of people, places, or events. Whether handmade or store bought, each one tells a story and is part of our story or of our children’s stories.

When I bring them down each year, I think about those times gone by and smiles trace my face. Even if some bring a hint of sadness because the person is no longer with us, I can’t help but also feel delight as I truly thank the Lord for each one and all of that and those which have made up my life from the beginning to now!

The lights remain, hung loosely in and through the branches, so another smile.

In the evenings, when the lights in the living room are low and the fireplace is crackling (or not), I sometimes just enjoy looking and remembering – not just about the years gone by but what was happening around this tree just a few short weeks ago when there was, at one time eight people, a dog and two cats (the animals tagged along with one of my sons and family), lots of laughter, squeals, sights, smells, and quiet (and not so quiet) conversations…and yes some little ones’ tears at times.

There were games and art projects, music and imagination, and the sweet aroma from requested food favorites to satisfy the taste buds of every person that entered our home!

And, best of all, the Golden Gift box – still under the tree – revealed the truth of the season to the littles specifically but as an intentional reminder to all of us.

Outside, even in the cold, there were walks to explore the neighborhood, digging in the dirt, chase and tag, throwing balls, interacting with our neighbors, riding bikes, and sliding on slides…mostly without argument or conflict.

But, in the quiet and still now, I treasure those memories of just fifteen days ago even as I enjoy a little more sleep!

It was, as I declared in the moment, beautiful chaos, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

For all the noise and a few toddler conflicts, the puppy that found the lake too appealing and ended up in it for a swim then up through the mud, the endless array of dirty dishes and lots and lots of cooking, it was family!

It was time!

It was as I hoped it would be!

Together!

Though spread out between three states now, everyone was here at some point and at one point all at once (except for one daughter in love), at least for 24 hours.

And it was beautiful!

I won’t forget!

So, as I look at the lights on the tree, twinkling as they might be – I see beauty!

I see the faces!

I think of the twinkling of the littles’ eyes, and it reflects back on my heart.

But it’s not just the memory of the people and the places that delights me.

When I see the tree and the empty spaces naturally spread throughout, I am reminded that our lives are like that tree and those branches, each one providing its own unique beauty and strength.

Among other things, those empty spaces remind me of those no longer with us or those who couldn’t be with us to celebrate in the same place.

They cause me to thank the Lord for those I love, both during this season of life and in other seasons of life as well.

Those empty spaces do bring some tears when I think of ones we love that the Lord has called home, even so recently. But it also reminds me to thank Him for the privilege and blessing of having those people in our lives – family and friends whose loss is felt so deeply – and yet, for those dear ones in Christ, they were most assuredly worshipping and celebrating before the very throne of God this Christmas in ways we can only imagine!

But the tree is also a reminder of truth – full and still full of life, still nourished by the water as we are nourished by the Living Water of the Word of God.

The lights remind me that Jesus is the light of the world!  Even in the dim light, the darkness is shattered.

“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12)

The busyness of Christmas can cause that truth to be overshadowed, but it remains, and the lights, for me, are a constant reminder.

In Him, darkness cannot remain!

We celebrate His birth but remember that He was born as the fulfillment of a promise, the promise of God, born for a purpose: to redeem, to bring light to the darkness of our souls created by our sin and to defeat that darkness once and for all and in the daily surrender to the One who is bringing light into our dark places to heal and transform our lives!

He was born to take the punishment we deserve for our rebellion against God, and His resurrection defeated death.

Because of Jesus, my sin no longer separates me from the Father, and I can live in newness of life in light of this sure hope.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19)

He covers the “holes” and wounds of my life as well so I can stand secure and rest in His faithfulness.

The lights remind me that there is a wonder in walking with Jesus, in recognizing His hand in all of creation and every circumstance of my life, in acknowledging Him as loving Father and Almighty King!

This tree won’t be up too much longer but, while it is, I will enjoy the wonder!

While it is, I will remember to give thanks for all I do not deserve – “for His indescribable gift” of salvation (2 Corinthians 9:15) and for the people throughout my life who have brought me great joy and shaped me in a multitude of ways.

While it is, I will remember to pray for those who still grieve deeply – experiencing fresh waves of grief over the season and beyond but also fresh waves of mercy – His goodness experienced in the here and now, tears and smiles mingled.

And when it is gone and the living room is again returned to its normal “space,” I will remember!

I will not forget!

I will be still, knowing it is God Himself who has placed all those in my life that have created the quiet moments and the beautiful chaos…

And I will smile!

Returning to a Proclamation and a Promise

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“Peace on earth; good will towards men.” A proclamation and a promise.

But so many things threaten to undo our peace.

Intermittently, circumstances and the pace of life chip it away.

Sometimes we grieve loss of various kinds in a world turned upside down.

Sometimes it is the reality of a broken body and evidence of the fall through illness.

Sometimes it is the longing for the “one more time” with a loved one now gone.

Sometimes it is sin committed against us; while at other times, our own sin unconfessed.

And sometimes we watch or are the prodigal sprinting to a supposed “safe place,” a place of assumed comfort that falsely offers a peace for which we long, only to find that kind of peace is temporary and that it is anything but calm for any manner of addiction, denial, or hidden place where we seek to bury our shame and avoid the light.

Sometimes it’s obedience in a long direction. But, though that “delayed obedience” may take a winding path, when it ultimately returns to the Truth, the enemy of our soul cringes. The Light of the true Gospel of Jesus dispels the shadows of the dark places and we find grace!

Sometimes it is loving and reaching out to unbelievers bent on denying the reality of Christ or speaking life to those who confess the name of Jesus but think and live as though it makes no difference, only to be accused of being unloving.  We do not compromise our words or actions to appease in order to make another “feel” false comfort or misplaced confidence.

Rather, unashamed but with the kindness and love of our good God, we speak what is true out of a great love for them and for our Savior so they will “know the hope!” Boldly, we approach the throne of grace on their behalf.

And a tremble can be felt.

We are seeing holiness in motion; God reigning and at work.

The enemy of our souls can wound our spirit, make us uncomfortable, insert sadness, stoke discouragement, or prompt tears.

But, if we belong to Christ, He cannot destroy us.

We can have rest.

“The weary world rejoices” and so can we as we set our minds on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy!” (Philippians 4:8)…as we set our minds on Him.

We choose, in faith, to reject the lies (and sometimes even what is reality) that pierce our soul; all because our God penetrated the darkness and came in the flesh on that holy night!

Pain is real but, even more so is our Savior who has promised true and lasting peace for the brokenhearted and the fearful, a way of return for the runner, rest for the weary.

Even sin does not have to separate any further.   No, we don’t always follow perfectly, but we are in this world to be Christ’s image bearers, pursuers of His excellence, and we have been given the power to overcome and to grow in that likeness as we submit to Him.

When we fail, we can run to the Savior and humbly go to those we have wounded or sinned against and make it right. We can admit to those who have witnessed our failure and cynically thought, “Well, there you go – I see there’s really no difference in a follower of Christ” that we have failed and so need the Redeemer just like them. But we do not live in the expectation nor resignation of failure! We live as one redeemed and being continually changed by the transforming grace of God.

For the difference is not in us; it’s in the Savior, born that silent night, who would die and be raised by the same divine power that “…has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence!” (2 Peter 1:3)

We not only have the obligation but the privilege of laying whatever entangles us at the cross, reminding those who watch that our hope is in Jesus and our desire is to become more like Him daily, to increasingly want His will not ours, and to understand and live out the beauty of His holiness a little more with each passing day and year.

And, by His grace, we have that One who forgives us, picks us up, embraces us, brushes us off, then equips us to “go and sin no more.” Not sinless this side of heaven but a changed heart that increasingly desires to sin less.

We are great sinners, but we have a greater Savior! (paraphrased from John Newton)

And so, in the “moments,” there are times we will have a settledness in our souls and others when restlessness will weigh heavy on us.

But, for the follower of Jesus Christ, those who have received the free gift of grace by faith, are at peace with God through the finished work of His Son, who came as the babe in that sleepy town, crashing through the barrier between those who bear His image and our three times holy God, devastating death there on the cross with “Tetelestai” – “It Is Finished!”

The condemnation of our sin is paid for, defeat by discouragement has been decimated, and we, who long for the Savior’s return, keep “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) so that we are growing deeper in His truth, in His love, and in faithfulness, able to enter that respite and shake off all our fears.

And it all began on that not so silent night!

We long for His return when we weep.

We long for His return even when we feel too attached to this world.

“Peace on earth; good will towards men.”

A proclamation and a promise.

The now and the not yet!

Gazing on the babe in the manger, we remember what was to come – His death on the cross and His resurrection to life! And we await our soon and coming King once more!

This is Christmas!

The longing for Jesus to break through darkness and discouragement, hold us near to His heart, and equip us to rest even when circumstances cause our spirits to sometimes faint, even falter!

Christopher West says it well, reminding us of the reality of hope we find even in our weariness: “This is the Christmas story in a nutshell: The Infinite One has wed himself to our finite humanity. This is what we’re preparing ourselves for during Advent. And this is why Advent is a time of desire: The bride is longing to be filled with the eternal life of her bridegroom. And so she cries in union with the Spirit of God: “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”

We live in the “now and not yet,” but Emmanuel has come.

It is finished!

 

“It is Finished” Began at Christmas, Remembered

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“Peace on earth; good will towards men.”  A proclamation and a promise.

But so many things threaten to undo our peace.

Intermittently, circumstances and the pace of life chip it away.  Sometimes it is sin committed against us; while at other times, our own sin unconfessed.  Sometimes we grieve loss of various kinds in a world turned upside down; broken relationships, financial stress, or death that takes one we love far from us.  And sometimes we watch or are the prodigal sprinting to a supposed “safe place,” a place of assumed comfort, only to find it is anything but calm.

At times it’s obedience in a long direction.  But, though that “delayed obedience” may take a winding path, when it ultimately returns to the Truth, the enemy of our souls cringes at redemption coming to fruition. And now and again it is unbelievers bent on denying the reality of Christ or believers who confess the name of Jesus but think and live like it makes no difference; yet we do not compromise our words or actions to appease in order to make one “feel” better. Unashamed, we speak truth out of a great love for them and for our Savior so they will “know the hope!”

And a tremble can be felt.

We are setting holiness in motion; allowing God to reign and work.  The enemy of our souls can wound our spirit, make us uncomfortable, press in on us with sadness, stoke discouragement, or prompt tears.

But he cannot destroy us.

We can have rest.

“The weary world rejoices” and so can we as we set our minds on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy”* and not let the lies penetrate our soul; our God came in the flesh, penetrating the darkness on that holy night!

Pain is real but so is the Savior who has promised peace for the brokenhearted, a way of return for the runner, rest for the weary, reconciliation with Himself.

Even sin does not have to separate any further.  No, we don’t always follow perfectly, but we are in this world to be Christ’s image bearers, light shining in this generation, and we have been given the power to overcome and to grow in that likeness.  When we fail (and we will), we can run to the Savior and humbly go to those we have wounded or sinned against and make it right.  We don’t exalt in our sin or demand a “right” to it.  Rather, we set our eyes on that One who came to set us free from those things that threaten to undo us.

We can honestly admit to those who have witnessed our failure and cynically thought, “Well, there you go – I see there’s really no difference in a follower of Christ” that we have failed and so need the Redeemer; that we do live as one being changed by the transforming grace of God…a little more each day.  For the difference is not in us; it’s in our Savior.

We have not only the obligation but the privilege of laying it down and reminding the watching ones that our hope is in Jesus and our desire is to become more like Him daily, to increasingly want His will not ours, and to understand and live out the beauty of His holiness a little more with each passing day and year by the power of the Holy Spirit.  And by His grace, we have that One who forgives us, picks us up, embraces us, brushes us off, then sends us out to “go and sin no more.”  We are great sinners, but we have a greater Savior! (paraphrased from John Newton)

We can reach out to the weary, the hurting, the brokenhearted over life circumstances and loss, to be the hands and feet of Jesus; we can listen and we can love.

At various times we will have a settledness in our souls and there will be others when restlessness will haunt us; but, for the follower of Jesus Christ, we are at peace with God through the finished work of His Son, who came as babe, crashing through the barrier between those who bear His image and our three times holy God, devastating death there on the cross with “Tetelestai” – “It Is Finished!”  The condemnation of our sin is paid for, defeat by discouragement has been decimated, and we, who long for the Savior’s return, keep “working out our salvation with fear and trembling”** so that we are growing deeper in His truth and in His love, able to enter that respite and “shake off our fears.”

And it all began on that not so silent night!

We long for His return even when we feel too attached to this world.

“Peace on earth; good will towards men.”  A proclamation and a promise. The now and the not yet!  Gazing on the babe in the manger, we remember what was to come – His finished work on the cross and His resurrection to life!  And we await our soon and coming King once more!

This is Christmas!  The longing for Jesus to break through darkness and discouragement, hold us near to His heart, and equip us to rest even when circumstances cause our spirits to sometimes faint, even falter!

Christopher West says it well, reminding us of the reality of the hope we find even in our weariness:  “This is the Christmas story in a nutshell: The Infinite One has wed himself to our finite humanity. This is what we’re preparing ourselves for during Advent. And this is why Advent is a time of desire: The bride is longing to be filled with the eternal life of her bridegroom. And so she cries in union with the Spirit of God: “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”

And Emmanuel has come.  It is finished!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

“It is Finished” Begins at Christmas

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Restless…

So many things threaten to “undo” our peace.

Sometimes it is sin committed against us, sometimes our own sin unconfessed; sometimes we grieve loss of various kinds in a world turned upside down; sometimes we watch or are the prodigal sprinting to a supposed “safe place,” a place of assumed comfort, only to find it is anything but calm. And sometimes it’s obedience in a long direction.  But though that “delayed obedience” may take a winding path, when it ultimately returns to the Truth, the enemy of our souls cringe. And sometimes it is loving unbelievers bent on denying the reality of Christ or believers who confess the name of Jesus but think and live like it makes no difference; yet we do not compromise our words or actions to appease and “make nice” but firmly speak truth out of a great love for them and for our Savior.  And a tremble can be felt.

We are setting holiness in motion; allowing God to reign and work.  The enemy can wound our spirit, make us uncomfortable, insert sadness, stoke discouragement, or prompt tears.

But He cannot destroy us.

We can have rest.

“The weary world rejoices” and so can we as we set our minds on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy”and not let the lies penetrate our soul.  Pain is real but so is the Savior who has promised peace for the brokenhearted, a way of return for the runner, rest for the weary.

Sin does not have to separate any further.   No, we don’t always follow perfectly, but we are in this world to be Christ’s image bearers, light shining in this generation, and we have been given the power to overcome.   When we fail (and we will), we can run to the Savior and humbly go to those we have wounded or sinned against and make it right.  We can admit to those who have witnessed our failure and cynically thought, “Well, there you go – I see there’s really no difference in a follower of Christ”and we can live as one changed.  For the difference is not in us; it’s in our Savior.

We have not only the obligation but the privilege of laying it down and reminding the watching ones that our hope is in Jesus and our desire is to become more like Him daily, to increasingly want His will not ours, and to understand and live out the beauty of His holiness a little more with each passing day and year.  And by His grace, we have that One who forgives us, picks us up, embraces us, brushes us off, then sends us out to “go and sin no more.”  We are great sinners, but we have a greater Savior! (paraphrased from John Newton)

And so, there are times we will have a settledness in our souls and times when restlessness will haunt us; but, for the follower of Jesus Christ, we are at peace with God through the finished work of His Son, who came as babe on a silent night, crashing through the barrier between those who bear His image and our three times holy God, devastating death there on the cross with “Tetelestai” – “It Is Finished!”  The condemnation of our sin is paid for, defeat by discouragement has been decimated, and we, who long for the Savior’s return, keep “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” so that we are growing deeper in His truth and in His love, able to enter that respite and “shake off our fears.”

And it all began on that no so silent night!

We long for His return even when we feel too attached to this world.  This is Christmas!  The longing for Jesus to break through darkness and discouragement, hold us near to His heart, and equip us to rest even when circumstances cause our spirits to sometimes faint, even falter!

Christopher West says it well, reminding us of the reality of hope we find even in our weariness:  “This is the Christmas story in a nutshell: The Infinite One has wed himself to our finite humanity. This is what we’re preparing ourselves for during Advent. And this is why Advent is a time of desire: The bride is longing to be filled with the eternal life of her bridegroom. And so she cries in union with the Spirit of God: “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”

And Emmanuel has come.  It is finished!