Advent Series #14. Radical Proposals

 

Radical Proposals

Jesus was the great disrupter of the status quo. And He constantly made proposals to those around Him that were equally disruptive. Consider:

In a world that is focused on self, he said to people, "Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men." And astonishingly, people immediately left what they were doing to follow Him.

In a world that is focused on ego and power, He said that the blessed are poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek and humble, those who thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers, and the persecuted. Who would say such a thing?

In a world focused on material possessions, He told His followers to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth and that they could not serve both God and money. 

In a world focused on fear and anxiety, He said therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life but seek first my kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.

In a world that loves to judge others, He said, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"

In a world that is tired and weary, he said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." And He says that He, God, the Master of the universe, is gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.

In a world that is fixated on getting ahead, He said that the Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field and when a man found it, he went and sold all he had and bought that field - betting everything on that treasure.

In a world where people love to be first and great, He says, unless you become like little children and take the lowly position of a child you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

In a world that holds grudges and keeps score of wrongs, He told His followers to forgive again, and again and again. And then He forgave Peter His denial. And us - our sin.

In a world where death is final, He rose from the grave and said that we would as well.

Jesus is still the disrupter of the status quo and He desires to do so every day in our lives. His proposals are so far out as to be crazy if they were not true which is precisely why the incarnation changed everything and continues to do so as we respond to His teaching. Allow Him to disrupt your life today - and tomorrow. It is a disruption that will change the equation of your life. Accepting His proposals is truly the game changer.

Father. Thank you for disrupting my life and I invite you to do it again and again as I choose to follow You. Disrupt, change, empower and fulfill my heart's desires in ways that only you can. Amen

Advent Series #13. The Treasuring Practice

 The Treasuring Practice

Mary, the mother of Jesus is a fascinating woman who gets far too little appreciation at least in evangelical circles. She was a woman of great faith at a young age, was chosen by God to be the mother of Christ, and one can only imagine the difficult job she had trying to figure out what this was all about. The song, Mary Did You Know captures the mystery she was handed as the mother of Jesus brilliantly.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Will give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Will calm the storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod?

When you kiss your little baby

You kiss the face of God

The blind will see, the deaf will hear

The dead will live again

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak

The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy

Is heaven's perfect Lamb?

That sleeping child you're holding is the great, I Am

Of course, she didn't know although she had a glimpse from her encounters with the angel who told her she would be with child by the power of the Holy Spirit, her encounter with Elizabeth, her song given her by God, Zechariah's Song at the birth of John and then her encounter with the Shepherds and the angels at her son's birth as well as Anna and Simeon at the temple.

But here is what I love about Mary. As she encountered these events, and even though she did not fully understand them twice we read that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Twelve years later when Jesus accompanied his parents to the temple in Jerusalem and he was found teaching the teachers we read again, "But his mother treasured all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:51).

Mary's secret was to thoughtfully ponder what she saw God doing or saying. She didn't look for ready answers but she was one to think and ponder and treasure what she was experiencing. She gave the Holy Spirit room to give her understanding and perspective. She took the time to think about, meditate on and treasure what she was seeing God do. She valued it and paid attention and allowed it to germinate in her heart and life. 

We run busy and hectic lives. We often don't have time to think let alone ponder and treasure what God has done and is doing in our lives. It is why I choose to journal. It makes me slow down as I put on paper my thoughts, prayers, and the deep questions of my heart. There is so much I don't understand but when I take the time to be still and think of God's work in my life, many things come into perspective. 

In these next days before Christmas and the New Year, take a lesson from Mary. It is the Treasuring Practice. What do you need to treasure in your heart?

Father. Help me to take the time to think more deeply and ponder more carefully so that I treasure your work in my life and pay attention to your love and work on my behalf. Thank you for the example of Mary. Amen