Celebrating the Unseen

Celebrating the Unseen

What a wonderful time of year!  The air is crisp, there is some white fluffy stuff on the ground (well at least in the mountains), and everywhere we look we see signs of Christmas.  It is hard to believe it is already December again, isn't it?  Last night, Stephanie and I set up our Christmas tree, we have begun to listen to Christmas music, and we are contemplating what Christmas traditions we want to continue and to start as a family.

Aren't traditions neat?  Traditions, when they’re done right, help us look both backward and forward – they make us think about the past and times we've practiced these same “traditions” before.  They bind our families together because traditions are something we share.  Also, they build the anticipation and expectation for something that’s coming.  Christmas traditions, many at least, build up to the big celebration of Christ’s birth.  Granted, there may be some traditions in our families and certainly in our culture, that take away from the true meaning, but when we’re intentional about preserving the traditions that focus on Christ and make the season of his birth extra special and extra meaningful, I think we’re doing a good thing.  Some cover every surface of their homes – inside and out – with lights and tinsel.  Some decorate multiple Christmas trees in various themes.  Others set a simple nativity scene in the center of their coffee table.  Whatever your traditions may be, they likely make this time of year, this season of celebrating Christ’s birth in a dusty stable, to a humble virgin, something set apart, something extra special and different from all the other times of the year. 

I think traditions help us slow down and remember.  We are so forgetful and busy that we need something to take our minds off of everyday life and redirect us to remember.  I know it works for me.  When I hear familiar old Christmas songs I instantly have warm memories of spending time as a family setting up our Christmas tree, reading the Nativity story together, going to the Christmas Eve candle light services, and waking up to breakfast and gifts on Christmas morning.

I also think traditions and physical tangible reminders help us think about that which is unseen.    One of the attributes that we know about our God is that He is invisible.  

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Tim. 1:17, NIV). 

God is always with us, but we can’t see him.  Said another way, He can see us but we cannot see Him.  Hagar realized this in Genesis 16:13, after God saw her need and trouble, she called Him “The God who sees.”  When we celebrate what He has done, especially in the birth of His Son, we can remember that he is always with us even though we cannot physically see or touch Him. 

One wonderful and mysterious truth about Christmas is the invisible God made Himself visible to us through the person of Jesus Christ.  “Jesus is the embodiment of the invisible God”.[i]  Jesus came from heaven to earth and showed us what the invisible God is like, and who He is.  As we read in the Bible, the testimony of Jesus, we get to look at God, and we get to know exactly what He wants us to know about who He is (John 1:1-18, Heb. 1:1-3).

 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15, NIV). 

                    As we continue our traditions, and celebrate Christmas this season let us ponder that our God is invisible, that he always is near and always sees us.  Let us also remember that God did not leave us when Jesus’ time on earth was completed.  If you recall, He also promised us that He would send His Spirit to be with and in His children  to help, teach, comfort and lead us at all times (John 14:15-27, 15:26, 16:5-16; Phil. 1:19). 

Let us not allow our traditions to become dead rituals, but let us remember that God is with us, and that we are celebrating the incarnation of the only begotten Son of God, who took upon flesh, uniting Himself with humanity for all time in order to humbly and lovingly redeem His Creation.  We do not see Him now, but soon we will see Him face to face!  

“1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Heb. 1:1-3 NIV). 

^“14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:14-16, NIV).

~Trev

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[i] For a short and inlighting post about God’s invisible attributes check out Ed Welch’s Blog at http://www.ccef.org/blog/good-news-god-invisible

Walking in The Way of Wisdom

I don't know about you, but I frequently feel inadequate in my understanding of God and His Word to serve Him as He deserves.  When I speak to people about difficult issues, and those seeking biblical guidance I feel lacking.  When I need to make a hard decision I'm indecisive.  Do you ever feel this way?

This morning I was reading a book about discerning the will of God and I came across this Bible passage.  It is exactly what I needed to hear, and I believe it gives us a good direction in knowing and doing God's will.  Here it is,

 My son, if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
² making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
³ yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
⁴ if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures,
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
⁷ he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
⁸ guarding the paths of justice
    and watching over the way of his saints.
⁹ Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
¹⁰ for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
¹¹ discretion will watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,
¹² delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
¹³ who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to walk in the ways of darkness,
¹⁴ who rejoice in doing evil
    and delight in the perverseness of evil,
¹⁵ men whose paths are crooked,
    and who are devious in their ways (Prov. 2:1-15, ESV, emphasis added).

Kevin DeYoung in his book, Just Do Something, writes in response to this Proverb, "Isn't it interesting that we are never told in Scripture to ask God to reveal the future or to show us His plan for our lives?  But we are told--in no uncertain terms--to call out for insight and to cry aloud for understanding.  In other words, God says, 'Don't ask to see all the plans I've made for you.  Ask Me for wisdom so you'll know how to live according to My Book'" (pg. 90).

God help me have this type of bodily discipline, and give me the affections for you and Your Word so that I will desire to know you and treasure your commandments within me.  Make my ear attentive to your voice in the Bible, and my heart and mind be controlled by a holy fear of You.  Help us to be a people who delight in you, and rejoice in you and not in the way of evil.  

~Trev