I love the season of Advent. In it, we set our eyes on Messiah's arrival. We prepare to receive the newborn in a lowly manger at Bethlehem, to celebrate the coming of Messiah Jesus into the world. We receive again the message of God’s kingdom come. And we look forward to Jesus’ coming again and the establishment of God’s new creation. In Advent, we wait, we wait for a miracle...
Waiting for a Miracle
In the darkness
She comes.
In the quiet cold
He approaches.
Spirit speaks, mouths muted.
Waiting for a miracle.
Child unborn;
Young mother, in the darkness waits.
Promise yet fulfilled;
Hope.
In mass of humanity
Angel speaks;
Promise.
Yet, injustice reigns.
In the valley of death’s shadow
Humanity sits.
Death’s dark shadow lingers.
Sin crouches at the door.
Good news for the poor?
Captives released?
The oppressed liberated?
Where?
How long will you hide yourself, O Lord?
Will you hide yourself forever?
Remember your servants,
Those who suffer for your name’s sake.
Holy Spirit broods
Over this world so broken.
Waiting, longing, listening.
For those who will say,
Yes, Lord!
I will follow,
I will listen,
I will wait,
For You.
In the darkness of this world,
So broken,
Still groaning,
Longing for another Day.
I will follow,
I will listen,
I will wait,
For Messiah.
God’s promise fulfilled.
Love, come down.
Mystery, revealed in the darkness.
Behold, the Man!
Who has come, who will come, who always comes.
Advent, coming.
In the darkness, hope and joy revealed;
Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
Righteousness and peace kiss.
Messiah comes,
Bringing light and life;
Shalom and freedom.
Will we receive him, again?
December 19, 2012
January 29, 2012
Kierkegaard on Anxiety
Soren Kierkegaard on "the concept of anxiety":
One sticks one’s finger into the soil to tell by the smell in what land one is: I stick my finger in existence — it smells of nothing. Where am I? Who am I? How came I here? What is this thing called the world? What does this world mean? Who is it that has lured me into the world? Why was I not consulted, why not made acquainted with its manners and customs instead of throwing me into the ranks, as if I had been bought by a kidnapper, a dealer in souls? How did I obtain an interest in this big enterprise they call reality? Why should I have an interest in it? Is it not a voluntary concern? And if I am to be compelled to take part in it, where is the director? I should like to make a remark to him. Is there no director? Whither shall I turn with my complaint?
One sticks one’s finger into the soil to tell by the smell in what land one is: I stick my finger in existence — it smells of nothing. Where am I? Who am I? How came I here? What is this thing called the world? What does this world mean? Who is it that has lured me into the world? Why was I not consulted, why not made acquainted with its manners and customs instead of throwing me into the ranks, as if I had been bought by a kidnapper, a dealer in souls? How did I obtain an interest in this big enterprise they call reality? Why should I have an interest in it? Is it not a voluntary concern? And if I am to be compelled to take part in it, where is the director? I should like to make a remark to him. Is there no director? Whither shall I turn with my complaint?
December 17, 2011
Advent Love
But the love of our Lord God remains faithful forever and ever and ever to those who seek God. The Lord God's steadfast, righteous mercy holds good for the children's children of those who keep God's covenanting bond, who keep on remembering God's Words by doing them.
- Psalm 103.17-18
Advent is a time to hear to herald a message of good news for the world - a message of hope, joy, peace, and LOVE. During the Advent and Christmas season, we remember and experience afresh the love of God, come in human flesh in the person of King Jesus the Messiah.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1.79)
God is the object of love. God is love and love comes from God. True love is defined in God’s terms. Humans do not set the standards. Godly love is unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, and thoughtful. And this God-love is most clearly revealed in Jesus the Messiah - in his life, death, resurrection, and exultation.
“In this the love of God was made known among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4.9-11).
In Jesus, God shows his extravagant love by gathering his rebellious people, by healing the sick and unclean, by accepting the unaccepted, by entering into fellowship with sinners. And God calls us to do the same!
As we dwell in the Holy Spirit of Christ, we are God’s healers. As we live into Jesus’ story, we increasingly love as Christ loves. We follow Jesus in loving God with our whole person. Love for God is the great and basic demand made by Jesus. Jesus calls us to love God first, and our neighbor second. And the demand here is that we submit to Christ’s lordship, basing our life on God, clinging to God with bold faith, and walking in the strength of God’s Spirit. This is our joy!
With this in mind, we return again to our Advent them of darkness and light. As we walk in the Light of God's love, we must always be prepared to face the darkness within us and outside of us. As we follow Jesus, we must be prepared to suffer for the sake of the gospel, to make huge sacrifices in our lives, and even to face persecution.
If we choose to follow Jesus and to love like him, it will cost us our lives (possibly unto death, as it has been for many Christian martyrs down through the ages).
This is not to say we should go looking for trouble. No. It is to say that when we follow Christ faithfully, persecution will come and find us! Spiritual warfare is an assumed fact in the life of the New Testament church, and it should be for us as well. If, that is, we are living a Spirit-filled life. Those with ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying...
- Psalm 103.17-18
Advent is a time to hear to herald a message of good news for the world - a message of hope, joy, peace, and LOVE. During the Advent and Christmas season, we remember and experience afresh the love of God, come in human flesh in the person of King Jesus the Messiah.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1.79)
God is the object of love. God is love and love comes from God. True love is defined in God’s terms. Humans do not set the standards. Godly love is unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, and thoughtful. And this God-love is most clearly revealed in Jesus the Messiah - in his life, death, resurrection, and exultation.
“In this the love of God was made known among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4.9-11).
In Jesus, God shows his extravagant love by gathering his rebellious people, by healing the sick and unclean, by accepting the unaccepted, by entering into fellowship with sinners. And God calls us to do the same!
As we dwell in the Holy Spirit of Christ, we are God’s healers. As we live into Jesus’ story, we increasingly love as Christ loves. We follow Jesus in loving God with our whole person. Love for God is the great and basic demand made by Jesus. Jesus calls us to love God first, and our neighbor second. And the demand here is that we submit to Christ’s lordship, basing our life on God, clinging to God with bold faith, and walking in the strength of God’s Spirit. This is our joy!
With this in mind, we return again to our Advent them of darkness and light. As we walk in the Light of God's love, we must always be prepared to face the darkness within us and outside of us. As we follow Jesus, we must be prepared to suffer for the sake of the gospel, to make huge sacrifices in our lives, and even to face persecution.
If we choose to follow Jesus and to love like him, it will cost us our lives (possibly unto death, as it has been for many Christian martyrs down through the ages).
This is not to say we should go looking for trouble. No. It is to say that when we follow Christ faithfully, persecution will come and find us! Spiritual warfare is an assumed fact in the life of the New Testament church, and it should be for us as well. If, that is, we are living a Spirit-filled life. Those with ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying...
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