reflecting...

Isaiah 53:10

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him...

As I sit on the other side of Christmas day and just before the New Year, I find myself reflecting on this past year and looking to the next. To be sure, there is a lot to reflect on. And though I often find myself wrestling over mistakes and successes of the past year or possibilities of the next, this year feels different, this year I find myself reflecting increasingly on Jesus and His cross. It is an interesting time to be focusing on the crucifixion in light of the Christmas carols still playing over our iPod... but nonetheless here I sit.

I think that I am beginning to learn just how essential it is that we allow ourselves these moments of reflection on the great gift of Jesus AS we reflect on our own lives, successes, failures and futures. Reflecting with this set of eyes seems to change all of our perspectives. On this note, I would encourage you to allow your mind to linger a little longer on Jesus before you begin the process of creating "resolutions"... start with the manger... move towards the cross... and see what is left after you focus your eyes on the life of the Lord that we follow. As you reflect this season check out this recent post at Desiring God from John Piper's book The Pleasures of God. It includes a powerful parable found at the end of one of the chapters in his great book.

Lord lead us on into deeper waters as we follow Your life... Your lead. Further on Lord... further up... take us to where You are that we might see all that we are through Your birth, Your life, Your death and Your eternal radiant light. Amen.

waiting...

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

A watched pot never boils... and apparently, a watched Christmas gift never charges! Such, I am sure, was the scene around the country as children everywhere waited for their Christmas gifts batteries to be charged/assembled/ready to use (mostly because of ill planning on their parents part). So it was with my kids as they eagerly waited for their toy's batteries to quick charge... As I was watching them wait (much more entertaining than it sounds) I stumbled across a poem on my computer that I wrote a while back entitled Waiting.

Waiting…
I am waiting…
waiting to move for You…
for You to move for me…
move for me Lord…
for me Lord I pray…
Lord I pray…
I pray to You…
to you who are for me…
You who are for me waiting…
for me waiting…
waiting…

timothy mark mcdonald

I was struck by how often I am waiting on God for the good works which He prepared in advance for me to do. As unprepared as I was with my children's gifts, God is PREpared, as it were, from the beginning of all things. And yet I wait. I wait for God to move... when in fact He already has. And He waits.

Awaken me Lord I pray.
AMEN.

Christingle

John 1:9-12

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world... to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...

Today we did something that I am sad to say we have never done since we have lived here in Scotland. We did a carol service and each child held a Christingle. What is a Christingle you ask? It is a symbol (for children) that finds it's roots in the Moravian Church.

Each Christingle consists of:

an orange that represents the world
a red ribbon that represents the blood of Jesus
4 cloves represent the fragrant fruits of the earth and its four seasons
and a lighted candle pushed into the orange represents Jesus Christ the light of the world

It is a pretty cool symbol for the Christmas season as we celebrate the coming of the light of the world... the savior of the world. Thank You Lord for Your gift of life.

With us...

Matthew 1:22-23

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Recently I was reading some comments by Scot McKnight (author of the book Jesus Creed) on his blog Jesus Creed in regards to key advent words. He has written a brilliant series of thoughts on key words found in the Advent story... I recommend reading them. The word he was commenting on was Immanuel. In it he comments on a simple but amazingly powerful connection between the beginning of the book of Matthew and the end - God with us... and it got me thinking.

If God is with us (which I believe He is) where could we not go… what could we not do… who could we not touch? Jesus ends His earthly ministry standing on the ongoing reality and power of His incarnation... His coming to be with us. Why? I am sure that I don't know all the reasons but one I know for sure - courage!

A few nights ago my son Duncan had a nightmare. As he stumbled into our room, blurry eyed, he only asked me one thing, "Dad, can you come cuddle me... I'm afraid." As I cuddled with him in his bed (and prayed for his peace) it wasn't my rationalizing that helped him drift back to sleep... it was my presence.

Father, thank you for being with us. Thank You for sending Your Son to make that more of a reality to us. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit's ongoing work. Thank You Lord for Your promise... thank You for Your presence. Amen.

Walking the walk

Genesis 3:8

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day...

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...

Ephesians 4:1

...walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called...

One of my favorite places to get work done is the GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art)... not necessarily because I am a huge fan of modern art but because they have comfy couches, Costa Coffee and FREE WiFi! Occasionally though, I do wander the gallery for a few minutes and catch up on the latest exhibits... This week I ran across a simple (but brilliant) realistic work done in glass reinforced plastic. It was crafted by Kenny Hunter and commissioned by the Glasgow City Council (of all people) for the Millennium. It is titled "Man Walks Among Us".

It is a six foot tall realist portrayal of Christ... the man who walked among us. As the Museum describes, "Christ is not on a pedestal or raised higher up as in more traditional sculpture." Or, as the artist said, "Christ is usually depicted frozen and passive. To counter this I portray him active, walking alone." It is a startling image amongst the other pieces (especially the demon-like piece in behind) and yet powerful in it's simplicity. He looks casual yet intent... with purpose.

I have often wondered what "...the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." was like. Was it bold and thunderous, quiet and gentle or something completely other? Was it familiar? Is that how they knew it was the Lord? Did it sound similar to His steps as He later walked through the desert, on the water, towards Jerusalem... up Golgotha. Was there a presence about Him that made His steps unmistakable? Indescribable?

And I wonder... do my steps resemble His in anyway?

I hope so.