Death at Christmas

The last week or so has seen tragedy come to our beautiful Australian shores- we've turned on the news and seen the Lindt cafe siege, where two were killed, 8 children murdered in sunny Cairns and then on a global scale, we've seen 132 children in Pakistan slaughtered. It causes us to hug our babies tighter and question- how could these things happen, particularly at this time of year?

Often when we look at beautiful Christmas cards and nativity scenes, we think Christmas is meant to be peaceful- after all isn't it about Peace, Love, Hope and all things good? We forget. Jesus came with pain and heartache and turbulence filled the Jewish world sometime during the first 2 years of Jesus' life. Over 2000 years ago, a similar slaughter of innocent children took place. Herod, in his fear for loss of power, commanded the annihilation of thousands of Hebrew baby boys. Fear and wailing would have resounded across the land. 

Yet I find comfort. As I read John 1:1-5, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." What a beautiful hope! Despite death and turmoil crowding onto the pages of history surrounding that first Christmas, we see that in Jesus was LIFE and it is this LIFE that is our LIGHT. We see in Jesus a light that cannot be quenched- the dark things of this world can not overcome it.

As our world sometimes seems to be a very dark place, we can stand firm and find strength and comfort in Jesus: the Light he is and the Life he brings. 

Let me leave you with the beautiful words penned by Martin Luther's, "A Mighty Fortress is our God"

1	A mighty Fortress is our God, A Bulwark never failing;  (Bulwark- defensive wall) Our Helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.
2	Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing; Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth His Name,  (Sabaoth- Lord of Heaven and Hosts) From age to age the same, And He must win the battle.
3	And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.
4	That word above all earthly powers, No thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through Him who with us sideth: Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His Kingdom is forever.

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New Book Review: The Measure of Success by McCulley and Shank

So, I've started working through my Christmas holiday reading list. Hoping to have some reviews coming up on the site soon. The first book I've just finished reading is "The Measure of Success" by Carolyn McCulley and Nora Shank. I found it very helpful. Check the review out here.

What is on your Christmas reading list?

What Christmas Means to Me

Our family love music. It has been a bit of a heritage really- growing up my family and that of my wider family- my cousins, aunties and uncles could often be found around my grandmother's piano and my uncles' guitars singing. When I became part of Dave's family, I quickly realised music was a big part of their life too. Dave's dad quickly educated me on music such as Ray Charles and now with my mothering meaning I am a little removed from current music charts, a visit to Dave's dad will often rectify this as he shares the music he is currently listening to.  

We have continued to enjoy music in our little family. Before bed our children are often found crowded on Dave's lap, listening and watching music clips on YouTube. This tradition makes our Miss 3 want to eat her whole dinner (most of the time) as she wants to watch YouTube with Daddy and our little man (10 months today) has also just started bopping along and clapping to the music. 

One of our latest favourites is the acapella group Pentatonix. Here is "What Christmas Means to Me," a song we have enjoyed watching that helps us get excited about Christmas. 

One evening, as we were listening along, I started to think though- at our heart what does Christmas really mean to us? Here, the song and group reinforce the message that Christmas is about enjoying family and presents. We too perpetuate this message- we shop for pressies, we learn new recipes for our family to enjoy eating, we decorate the house to help us get excited and make things look festive and pretty. Like any girl, I love pretty and glittering things. But is there anything wrong with this? I think celebrating family and enjoying giving is a great thing to do: I love it! But if our celebration of Christmas becomes more about celebrating family and gifts, haven't we missed the point?

Why Do We Give?

In the article, "Christmas Spending is a Test of Your Treasure" by David Mathis on DesiringGod, Mathis prompts us to look at our heart motives as we spend money this Christmas. Mathis reminds us that just as our Heavenly Father is generous in giving us the gift of his Son, it is important that we too are generous. At the core of Mathis' article is a reminder to question our hearts when we give- are we giving sacrificially? Are we giving to bless others? Are we giving because we know it is expected? Are we giving to show others how clever we are at finding the right gift, or to show our financial status? Are we giving because we are trying to fill a void in our lives? or are we giving to glorify God and celebrate his blessings firstly in his Son and then in the provisions he showers upon us? As Mathis says: 

"God made us for rhythms and cadences, for feasting and fasting, for noise and crowds and silence and solitude. There is some help, even if minimal, in identifying and naming the extremes of sustained opulence and austerity. We need a place for both financial feasting and fasting. We should abhor the prosperity gospel, and not be snookered by stinginess masquerading as Christian stewardship, and beware that running up large credit-card debt is likely giving beyond our means."

As we shop this year, gathering our gifts from near and far, as Mathis suggests, I will take a moment to ask "What desire am I trying to fulfill? Is this for private comfort, or gospel advance, or expressing love to a friend or family member?" (Mathis)

Treasuring God in Our Traditions

Noel Piper, the wife of John Piper, has written a book that is available for free download here, titled "Treasuring God in Our Traditions" (2003, Crossway). In this book, Noel Piper shares the importance of creating traditions that honour and glorify God. She writes how important it is for us to plan our "celebrations of a world-shaking event like God being born a baby so that we can be reborn as his children." (2003, p.76).  This year, with our Miss 3 able to understand more of what is going on, I really want to be intentional about honouring God and his gift of Jesus. Noel Piper encourages us to recognise the importance of this gift, "We are a people of promise. For centuries God prepared people for the coming of his Son, our only hope for life. At Christmas we celebrate the fulfilment of the promises God made—that he would make a way to draw near to him." (2003, p.76).  As we have tried to be intentional in this nativity period, we have been reading the Nativity Story from a children's Bible each evening and opening an advent calendar square (with accompanying chocolate). Noel Piper also suggests traditions could include advent candles, an advent calendar that tells the Nativity story and nativity crèches that children can play with and that can decorate the home. Picture books focused on Jesus' birth could also be a good addition to family traditions. I'd be interested to hear how you celebrate Jesus in your home! As we get closer to Christmas, may we take the time to look at what Christmas really means to us and make a conscious effort to focus on Jesus. 

 

 

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Nothing in My Hand I Bring

Today my day has been spent in the throws of motherhood. It has been one of those days that leaves you bone-weary from mothering two littlies- ever have those? Yet now, as I take a moment to think back over the day, I see the little snippets as well that pointed me to God and showed me his grace is sufficient for the day. My heart too is full as I am reminded of his amazing grace that sees me and loves me when I am reading the Bible before bed with my kiddies or when I am changing a nappy. It has been one of those unglamorous days really when I am so thankful that as the hymn says, 'nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling' (Toplady, 1776, "Rock of Ages") because frankly, I don't feel like I have much to bring to his feet tonight. But isn't this exactly what the Christian life is about? Recognising it is his grace that washes our feet and as Peter would have it (John 13:6-9), our whole bodies: we are clean, fresh, new and nothing of it is to do with who we are or what we have done.

I often think about those two sisters who pursued God: Mary and Martha. In these two faithful women, Jesus showed his love and grace. I always have identified more with Martha, partly because listening is something I have to work at and also because I am a list-girl. I love fluttering about behind the scenes doing. Yet tonight, when I listen again to Jesus' words that Mary has chosen the better part (Luke 10:42), I am reminded that sitting at his feet is exactly where we should start and finish our day. In Jesus' admonition of Martha's bitterness and frustration at her sister Mary, he tenderly reminds her that his kingdom is about relationship. 

In their recent book, "The Measure of Success", Carolyn McCulley and Nora Shank (2014, B & H Publishing Group) tell us that in this story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), we are reminded that our identity should not be in the jobs we have or the lists we tick off, our identity needs to be found at the feet of Jesus and IN Jesus. 

"Unlike most rabbis of His time, Jesus not only allowed a woman to learn the Scriptures, He also told everyone present that this was the wisest thing Mary could do... No husbands were mentioned for either of these women. No children were mentioned, either. Perhaps they had them once. Perhaps they would have them in the future. No mention was made of their social status, either by wealth or social connections or job skills. But their one identity that was most important was the one that would exist forever: a follower of Christ. This is the identity we need to affirm among ourselves..."(McCulley and Shank, 2014, p.80-81).

At the end of a long day, my identity in Christ is who I am. It is who I should be first and foremost to my family and in my circles of influence. It is where I should place my identity. It is a humble recognition that my life is about Christ and glorifying him. May we remember, as we go about ticking off our lists tomorrow, that we need to be sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to him through his Word and allowing his amazing grace to infiltrate every aspect of our lives.

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The Fullness of Time

As I sit here tonight, looking at the twinkling lights on our Christmas tree, I think of the wonder and fascination of all things Christmas that I had growing up, and let's be honest, still have today. For the first time I shared the excitement of decorating our tree with my 3 year old, as she is now old enough to help and to know that putting the decorations on the tree means Christmas is coming. But as I truly reflect on what Christmas means, and that first Christmas over 2000 years ago, I imagine what it would have been like to peep through the stable cladding. In my mind, I see a young teenager cradling a fresh baby in her arms, a new husband by her side. As she breathes in deeply, relief fills her that labour is finished with and the scent of animals greet her. As she looks at the precious bundle, I am sure in her heart she would be marvelling at the wonder of God who gave his Son as a precious gift to the world. 

In Galatians 4:4-7, we are told: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Since the beginning of time, God had planned for His Son to come forth from this teenage mother and then for centuries had been waiting for the "fullness of time" to arrive. As Justo L. Gonzalez says, "The early Christians did not believe that the time and place of the birth of Jesus has been left to chance.  On the contrary, they saw the hand of God preparing the advent of Jesus in all events prior to the birth, and in all the historical circumstances around it." (The Story of Christianity Vol. 1, 2010, p. 13).

Gonzalez (2010) then goes on to point out that this 'fullness of time' also applied to the spread of Jesus' message- the Gospel. The birth of Jesus would eventually lead to the birth of the Church, and so the conditions needed to be just right for Jesus' message of Salvation to spread and flourish. As we look at history, even just a brief glance, we can see God's clever design in orchestrating all events surrounding the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus and the birth and growth of his church.

Below, I will summarise a few of the points of history that Gonzalez (2010) writes about, that can add to our wonder of just what this 'fullness of time' meant to Christianity. Hold on to your hats as we take a quick whirlwind tour of some of history....

• Alexander the Great (4th Century BCE) brought unity to the Eastern Mediterranean basin that allowed for Greek culture or Hellenism to spread. From this point, there was a tension between the polytheism (worship of many gods) of the Greeks and Jewish monotheism (worship of one God). 
• When the Romans conquered this area, they saw the struggle of religion between the Jews and Greeks and after protests and uprisings, Rome intervened and gave the descendants of the Maccabees family (Jewish family who led the rebellions) some authority, setting them up as governors with titles, one of which was 'high priest' (Herod had some family ties with the Maccabees family). 
• The governing Jews, in order to honour the particular Roman emperor of the day, went about trying to encourage the Jews to immigrate with the Gentiles. As the Jews suffered under often harsh measures to encourage assimilation, the group of Pharisees emerged. The Pharisees emphasised a faithfulness to Jewish Law, studying it, debating it and applying it to Jewish everyday life. The Pharisees were 'of the people' and developed the synagogue where Jewish tradition and Law could be studied outside of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Sadducees (another group we read about in the Bible) were mostly Jewish aristocracy who were focused on the Temple and had more conservative religious and political leanings.
• By the birth of Jesus, there were Jews living throughout the Roman Empire. This meant that most Jews spoke Greek, the common language of people in the Mediterranean at this time. These Jews living outside of Jerusalem, translated the Scriptures into Greek and so it was accessible and ready to be used by the early Christians as they spread the Gospel and spoke of how Jesus was the Messiah of the Old Testament they had been waiting for. 
• The Roman Empire had also brought about a relative measure of political unity, and so travel was fairly safe. In the early church, the New Testament points to the major threat for missionaries, such as Paul, being bad weather. If Jesus had come a couple of decades earlier, pirates would have been a severe threat to travel. Due to ease of travel, trade was also flourishing, meaning much of the Gospel was spread by traders and slaves moving throughout the Empire. 

As we see, God in his Sovereignty, allowed the Apostles and early Christians to travel with relative ease, visit Jews already living and planted in almost every major city of the time, meet at synagogues that had been set up around the Empire, communicate with anyone in a common language and discuss and debate Greek translations of the Old Testament. A case of good luck? More like Divine Planning! 

When looking at our respective Christmas trees this year, let us go further than imagining the beautiful baby Jesus in his mama's arms. Let us wonder at his message and the Salvation he brings. Let us also delight in the careful orchestration of events that under God's sovereign planning, allowed the Gospel message of Salvation to spread throughout the world and end up taking root in our hearts and minds. 

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