Gift Exchange

For when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.  Galatians 4:4-5

As Christmas approaches we find ourselves trying to figure out what to get for this person, what to get for that person. We find ourselves wondering what we will receive.  Christmas is a time for exchanging gifts.  Many decry the commercialization of Christmas, saying “put Christ back into Christmas.” But the fact is, you can’t take Christ out of Christmas.  He is Christmas. You can tune him out. You can pretend that you can celebrate the holiday without him.  But that’s just enjoying a day; it isn’t celebrating Christmas.

Christmas is part of the gift exchange.  God gave us his Son.  But if we are to receive that very special gift, we have to first give God a gift. If I want to receive God’s gift of His Son, I have to give Him myself first.  I can give Him part of me, but that’s as poor a gift as giving someone half of a sweater.  God will graciously accept our pitiful gift, but it’s not what he wants. He wants the whole thing and He waits expectantly for us to recognize that and surrender the rest to Him. After all, we’ve been adopted into God’s family. We’re now family, and He loves us and wants us to love Him in return.

When we do give ourselves to God, He doesn’t keep it to Himself; He shares it with us and with others. He takes who we are and works with it and returns it to us better than when we first gave ourselves to Him, and He uses the new, improved person to give gifts to others.  As we continue the exchange, He continues it, as well.

C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity put it like this: “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Yes, that’s part of the gift exchange; God moves in with us.  When He moves in, we get to experience His loving care first-hand. And He keeps giving us gifts – peace when peace is lacking; strength, when we fear we can’t go on; wisdom to help us avoid pitfalls.  The gifts just keep coming.  So what are we to give in exchange? We give Him what He wants – treating others with love, mercy, compassion, and justice, forgiving them for the wrongs they commit on us just as God forgives us for the wrongs we commit. That’s what will bring Him joy. Those are gifts He truly loves.

One of my favorite movies is titled “Batteries Not Included” and one of the things I try to be aware of when giving gifts to my grandchildren, or other children, is whether the gift requires batteries, and, if it does, including batteries as part of the gift, so that the gift can be used and enjoyed.

Well, we receive many, many gifts from God. But He also uses us to bring gifts to others. And He, and He alone is the power source (the batteries) that enables us to function properly, enjoying His gifts and being enjoyable gifts for others. So. as you go through this Christmas season, and you consider the gifts you’ll give and receive, don’t forget to consider what you’ll give to God in exchange for all that He gives you.  After all, this is the most wonderful gift exchange of all.

Prayer: Abba, Father, Lord God, You have given us the gift of all gifts. We can’t thank you adequately for that gift. We love you and want to give you what you want most – ourselves. Help us, dear Lord, to fulfill your plans for us, to be who you want us to be, to be who you designed us to be, to do what you’d have us do. Help us to be your hands, your feet, your voice here, to share your gift with others. Amen

Emily Montfort

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Waiting for Christmas

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.  That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.  So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God…                                           Luke 2:25-28

We all know how impatiently children wait for Christmas.  But God frequently asks us to wait.  Often, when it seems that God is saying “no” to what we ask of him, he’s really saying “not just now” and we just have to wait for his good, perfect timing.

Every year, as we come into the Advent season, I’m reminded how long the people had to wait for God to fulfill that promise…and then how difficult it was for them to recognize it when it did occur.

Advent, like Lent, is not just a season, it’s a journey.  We’ve been waiting.  Now it’s about to occur.   Just as we travel to Jerusalem and the cross during Lent, we travel to Bethlehem and the bestowing of the gift of all gifts, the fulfillment of the Promise, during Advent. 

Instead of getting bogged down in all the preparations and decorating, in all the shopping and rushing, we should be preparing to welcome Him.  We should be waiting in great anticipation for Him, and then rejoice that He has come.

When I was a child, my Bubbe (grandmother) and Uncle Paul (my mother’s older brother) were great fun to be around.  Max Lucado, in his book When God Whispers Your Name, said “Be a child again. Flirt. Giggle. Dip your cookies in your milk. Take a nap. Say you’re sorry if you hurt someone. Chase a butterfly. Be a child again.”  Well, that’s what Bubbe and Uncle Paul were like.  Kids loved them because they knew how to be childlike.  One day, when our house was filled with neighborhood children, as it often was, my mother announced that they were coming to visit.  Several kids ran out shouting “Bubbe and Uncle Paul are coming!  Bubbe and Uncle Paul are coming!” to let the other kids know.  I stood there thinking, “Wait a minute…they’re MY Bubbe and Uncle Paul.”  But that joy and excitement of all the neighborhood children, and their great anticipation and joy as they waited for them to arrive, has stayed with me.

I think that’s how we should go through Advent – filled with joy and excitement.  Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming!  We should be waiting with excited anticipation.  It’s not about cooking, shopping, giving and receiving gifts.  It’s about getting and cherishing the gift of all gifts, one that’s far too big to fit under a tree, but still so small it fits in our hearts.

Simeon saw the fulfillment of the Promise and was ready to die.  We’ve received it and should be ready to live – to live our lives to the fullest.  Jesus came to die on the cross, but He didn’t just come here to die.  He came here to show us the way to our Father in heaven, to show us how we should live, how we were meant to be.  Once we accept the Gift, and give our own heart in return, He enables us to be all that He intended us to be.

As you await Christmas, shout for joy “Jesus is coming!” and, as you gather with your family and friends to celebrate Christmas, remember that you are a part of His family, so invite Him in – after all, it is His birthday you’re celebrating.  And then, be a kid again.  After all, it’s a birthday party.  Sing. Dance. Hug those you love.  Be thankful for all you receive — from loved ones and from God, who loves you more than everyone else combined.

Gilbert K. Chesterton said, “When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time.  Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?”  As you enjoy opening your Christmas stockings, or watching the children open theirs, pause to thank our Father, who fills our stockings with legs.

Have a joyous Christmas.  Join the birthday party.  Celebrate!

Prayer:  Lord, as we get involved in all the “doings” to get ready for Christmas, please forgive us for all the times we forget why we celebrate.  Enter into the celebration with us.  And thank you for giving us the gift of all gifts, which is so much better than we can even begin to understand or fully appreciate.  Thank you for your faithfulness and love.  May we return to you our own faithfulness and love.  Amen.

Emily Montfort

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Pay Attention

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.  People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.  At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  Luke 21:25-28

 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.  For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.  Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

Jewish festivals/holidays generally have a three-pronged thrust – looking back at something that happened in the past (as Passover looks at the freeing of the people from slavery in Egypt), considering the meaning to those celebrating here and now (“We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. But our God took us out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Had the Holy One, Blessed is He, not taken our fathers out of Egypt, then we, our children, and our children’s children would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt”), and looking ahead to the coming of the promised Messiah.

That’s true for us today, as well.  At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ.  Throughout Advent, we look forward to His birth, which took place over 2,000 years ago.  But what does that mean for us today?  Is it just something nice to look back on, or does it have more significance?  What about the future?

Sadly, for many the Christmas season is just a time for special foods, gift-giving and receiving, decorations and lights, and not much more.  True, it is a family time, which is a good thing.  But there isn’t much beyond that.  It is, and should be, so much more than that.  We could leave all that out, and it still would have meaning and significance (and for many in the world less affluent than we, still does).  I have no problem with secular celebrations of Christmas – the message of peace, giving, love, etc. does weigh in – but Christians who profess belief should not limit themselves to a secular Christmas.

Advent is a time to look back, to consider what BC really means.  “Before Christ” people were unable to go directly before God; they could offer sacrifices to atone for unknown sin, but had no assurance of forgiveness for deliberate sin, for doing what they knew they shouldn’t or failing to do what they knew they should.   Of course God in his mercy could forgive, but they had no assurance of that.  They had the Law as their guide, but the harsh interpretations by their leaders made it onerous, rather than liberating.  Had Jesus not come, we’d still be in the same situation.  We’d still be slaves to sin; we’d still have no assurance of redemption.  As we look at Christmas, we should seriously consider just what his birth meant, both at the time when it occurred and for what it means for us today.  We are forgiven.  We have been redeemed.  We have the assurance of our salvation.  We can go before God without trepidation, resting in His love and mercy.   We should always pay attention…to be attentive to the true meaning of His birth and of His life and His death.  No gift that we could ever give or might receive can even come close to the gift we were given by God Himself.

What about the future?  Well, Jesus said that He will return.  The description of the End Days sounds terrible, and it’s easy to not want to think about it.  But Jesus said to “stand up and lift your heads” – to be focused on the heavenly realms.  He said to “always be on the watch,” to be ready for Him whenever He might come.  Pay attention.  Put your attention on the eternal things, not on the things of this world.  Our petty desires and cares, which may seem large to us, are nothing compared to what we’ve already been given and what we can look forward to.  We’ve been given an amazing gift, and the next one will be even better.

So pay attention – to the promise already fulfilled and all that it entails, and to the promise yet to be fulfilled.  Stay focused on God.

Prayer:  Lord, we know we often see You through clouded lenses, basing our reasoning on our own prejudices, limitations, insecurities, family scripting, and other earthly influences.  Help us to see You clearly.  Help us to draw nearer to You and to Your Truth.  Help us to stay focused on You in all we do and in all we are.

Emily Montfort

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Thanksgiving in December:Psalm 145 – A Song of God’s Majesty and Love

¹I will extol you, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
²Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise your name forever and ever.
³Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised;
And his greatness is unsearchable.                                 Psalm 145: 1-3

Well, Thanksgiving is behind us, and now we move on to Christmas.  But if ever there was a time to be thankful, this is it.  If ever there was a time to praise God and glorify His name, we are in that time.  We should celebrate Thanksgiving now, and again at Easter.  As we enter this busy, busy season, let us not forget what it’s all about, and let us not forget to truly appreciate what it means…what was done for us and how it continues to bless us, day after day, week after week, year after year.  Take time to reflect; take time to share what it means with others.

⁴One generation shall praise Your works to another
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
⁵I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.
⁶Men shall speak of the might of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.     
⁷They shall utter the memory of your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness
⁸The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
⁹The LORD is good to all
And His tender mercies are over all His works.                 Psalm 145: 4-9

Of all the gifts you have ever received, of all the gifts you will ever receive, none is greater than this one.  God loved us enough to walk among us and teach us.  He sends angels in many guises to help us when we most need help.   He puts people into our lives, and puts us in others’ lives, to continue to build His kingdom here and now.  He gave us His Word to guide us.  He created this beautiful world for us to live in.  He continually molds and develops us.  He gives us so very much to be thankful for.  He continually blesses us more than we can possibly see or understand.

 
¹⁴The Lord upholds all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
¹⁶You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
¹⁸The LORD is near to all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
¹⁹He also will hear their cry and save them.
The LORD preserves all who love Him,
²⁰But the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
²¹And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.                    Psalm 145: 14-21

For many Jews, Psalm 145 is the most important psalm of them all, and they use it in their daily devotions.  Millions of Jews during the Holocaust, or in earlier pogroms in Eastern Europe, went to their deaths with this psalm upon their lips. 

Shouldn’t we, too, declare the Lord to be the Savior and Preserver of all who call upon Him and love Him.  Psalm 145 is an excellent psalm to read at any time, but especially now.  His great love for us is what we celebrate in this season.  This truly is the time for thanksgiving, as we move to our celebration of Christmas.  Praise God and bless His name

Prayer:  Abba, Father, our savior and preserver, we love you.  We thank you for the many blessings you bestow upon us, most particularly your presence in our lives, guiding us, lifting us when we fall, helping us cope with all that life throws at us.  We glorify and bless Your name.  Amen

Emily Montfort

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Seeing the Star

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Matthew 2:11-12

When the magi saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.  We have all these lights out to remind of Christmas, the day we set aside to celebrate Christ’s birth.  But do they remind us?  Or are they just lovely to look at.  When we see them, are we reminded of what they represent?  Do we then rejoice?  Or are we in too much of a hurry to even pause to consider why they are up?  The magi only knew that a king of the Jews was to be born in Bethlehem.  They didn’t know him or what he would do.  Yet they fell down and worshipped him.  They offered him gifts of great value.  We have all the recorded history and accounts of him that they lacked.  Do we take time to really worship him?  Do we offer him gifts of great value?

Of all the gifts exchanged at Christmas, none can hold a candle to the greatest gifts of all – that which God gave us on that first night, when Jesus was born, the example and teaching that Jesus gave, and the ultimate gifts on the cross and on Easter Sunday.  But we get even more. 

At the Passover seder, a song is sung “Dayenu” – it would have been enough (sufficient).  Each verse tells of an act of God, states that that alone would have been enough, and then goes on to the next act of God, which would have been sufficient in itself, etc.  Well, just the act of Christ coming among us as a man to guide and teach us would have been sufficient – Dayenu.  Just his offering himself up for our sins would have been sufficient – Dayenu.  Just his rising from the dead and showing it that death doesn’t need to be the final act would have been sufficient – Dayenu.  But we are given salvation and so much more – and it’s found all throughout the Bible.

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31

How great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who fear You. Psalm 31:19

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Proverbs 2:6-8

The list goes on and on all throughout the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament.

But what about us?  What do we offer Him in return?

What does He ask of us?  He asks that we fear (stand in awe of) Him.  He asks that we talk (pray) to Him – keeping the communication lines open between us.  He asks that we love one another, as He loves us.

 He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6:8

Prayer:  Lord, may we all keep in mind why we celebrate Christmas, and may we offer Him our best gifts, just as He gives us His best.

Emily Montfort

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Marvelous Thoughts

“The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. “  Luke 2:33

Joseph and Mary had just taken Jesus to the Temple to dedicate him.  Simeon, who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Christ, had taken the baby into his arms and prophesized about him…that he would be a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to the people of Israel.  This is what Mary and Joseph marveled at.

I read this passage (and more) in church this past Sunday.  And I’ve been thinking about it.  What is it about Jesus that I marvel about?  What have I learned about him that remains in my heart?  During the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas, do I still hold the wonder, still feel the awe about God becoming man and going through all the garbage we go through?

Once again, as many, many times before, I’ve heard people say “Every day should be Christmas.”  In other words, we shouldn’t just celebrate his birth on one day, but should celebrate it every day.  I think that because I’ve been wondering about marveling, I’ve been thinking about this saying, too.  And I realized that I disagree with it.  I don’t want to celebrate Christmas every day.

Oh, I’m glad he was born.  I’m amazed and grateful that God put him through the whole experience, from birth to death, for our benefit.  I can’t think of any greater gift than that of the love God has shown to us through sending Christ.  But I don’t want to stay focused on Christmas.  I don’t want him to remain a baby in my mind.

I love the hymn “Christmas Has Its Cradle” because it hits on what is important.  Yes, we celebrate his birth, but even on Christmas we should be looking ahead, past his birth to his grave and his resurrection.  In other words, at Christmas time, we should be celebrating Easter.

So, I don’t think we should celebrate Christmas every day, but I do think we should celebrate Easter every day.  And that’s what I marvel at in my heart.  I know that I am completely incapable of fully understanding his sacrifice for us, but I am capable of marveling at the love that would lead to it and being appreciative for it.

Prayer: Abba, Father.  During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ.  Let us not lose sight of the reason we’re celebrating.  But I also ask, dear Lord, that you help me not lose the wonder, the awe, about the sacrifice you made on my behalf and on behalf.  Help me to absorb your love into my very being and then reflect it outward to each and every person you place in my path.

~Emily Montfort~

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Light

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:4-5

Some buses in D.C., now carrying ads paid for by some atheist group, which read “Why believe in a god? Be good for goodness sake,” are causing a lot of angst and anger among Christians.  Metro is getting a load of complaints about them.  My own reaction was that I don’t believe in a god – I believe in THE God, and therein is a big, big difference.

I find myself more bemused and a little sad by the ads than upset or angered by them.  I wonder why people, who would be resentful and angry if I tried to convert them to Christianity, think it’s o.k. to belittle my faith and try to turn me (and others) away from it.  I suspect the timing of these ads as we enter the Advent season was probably deliberate, and I wonder why.  The group claims that its numbers have grown since the ad has appeared, but I wonder how many others have been reminded of their own faith, which they have perhaps been neglecting.  As I consider the ad, I wonder who those sponsoring it thank at Thanksgiving, and what they celebrate (other than perhaps a day off from work) at Christmas.    I, for one, have been so blessed by God in so many ways that if I were to write it all down to itemize for Thanksgiving, the list would run for pages.  I enjoy the gifts I give and those I receive each Christmas, but I know that all of them put together could never equal the gift that Christmas celebrates – Jesus coming into the world in human form and offering himself up as a sacrifice for our (my) benefit.

I celebrate the light.  Too often (and I include myself here) as we enjoy the lights of Christmas decorations, we forget what they represent.  We get so caught up and busy preparing to celebrate that we forget why we’re celebrating. I’ll be flying cross-country on Christmas day this year, and my family will celebrate Christmas late, once we’re all together. That’s o.k.; I don’t care what day we celebrate – whatever day it is, I’ll celebrate that He was born.
I celebrate the light.  I’ve read that there really isn’t dark – dark is simply the absence of light.  Evil is the absence of goodness.  The Bible says that those who walk in darkness embrace the darkness and hate the light.  So, as those who walk in darkness attempt to belittle those of us who walk in the light, I’m sad – for them – and not upset by them.  I know that the darkness is incapable of overcoming the light.  And I’m both awestruck and humbled by the sure knowledge that whatever happens in life, I have been brought out from the darkness.

A quote I got in an e-mail today is appropriate:

“I was homeless, hopeless, and nameless. Then God came to me and took me in, and adopted me as His son.”Steven Curtis Chapman

How very wonderful that we not only have been adopted into God’s family, we get to walk with the Light and never need to fear the darkness.

Prayer:  Lord, I thank you for sending us The Light of the World.  I thank you that I can walk in the light and am no longer in darkness.  As the praise song says “You stepped out of the darkness; opened my eyes, let me see,” and I thank you for that.  Help me to be good – not merely for goodness sake, but out of appreciation and love for you.

~ Emily Montfort ~

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