“Another Joseph the Dreamer”

Meditation on Matt 2:13-23

Dec. 29, 2013

***

      Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’

      When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’

      When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’ 

***

      We are blessed to have my son, Joshua, visiting us for Christmas. Josh just finished a tour of duty in Korea and is on his way to serve at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California.

     He has come at a busy time for us, but finally we found time for a family outing on Friday. The weather was mild—above freezing—and clear. We drove out to Edina for shopping, supper and a movie.  We saw the “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” an adaptation of the classic story by American author, cartoonist, and humorist James Thurber. The movie was sweet and funny; I recommend it. For those of you who plan on seeing it, I will try hard not to give away too much of the story in my message.

     In “The Secret Life…,” Walter is a small, shy man who has quietly worked 16 years in the basement of Life Magazine. He is the kind of man that people walk by on the street without noticing. Walter, a “negative assets manager,” develops and catalogs film negatives and helps to choose photos for the magazine. He is unmarried, lonely, and unhappy with his life. He admires and perhaps envies the life of one particular freelance photographer played by Sean Penn, who travels at a moment’s notice at any hint of a good story to take pictures in dangerous and exotic places around the world.

        But Walter has a vivid imagination. He lapses into long, elaborate daydreams, in which he is a romantic, risk-taking adventurer, saving the lives of three-legged dogs and capturing the heart of the woman he loves but is too afraid to approach—Cheryl, a new employee in his division.

     His daydreams provide his only escape from a reality that is increasingly stressful for him, especially when he learns on his birthday that the magazine is working on its final print issue.  As Life moves to an online format, many people—including Walter—may lose their jobs.

    Sadly, Walter’s dreams aren’t especially helpful for him—at least not at first. They don’t stir him to pursue God-given passions and interests and make realistic goals. They don’t empower him to take risks or make changes in himself so that life would be less boring, isolated and lonely, and more interesting, meaningful, and satisfying. 

***

     Walter is not like the “dreamers” of the Bible, chosen to play important roles in God’s plan for the salvation of the world. Walter’s daydreams reflect only his own thoughts and desires. They are not visions of things to come or a means of divine communication. They are not like the dreams of Joseph the shepherd—Rachel and Jacob’s elder son—in the Old Testament. Nor are they like the dreams of Joseph the carpenter—engaged to Mary, mother of Jesus—in the New.

     In Matthew’s gospel, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph the carpenter three times while he sleeps. Unlike the dreams of the Joseph in Genesis, which have symbols and images that require interpretation, the angel speaks plainly with Joseph the carpenter, revealing God’s wisdom and will. The dreams stir Joseph to take a different course of action, such as when he learns Mary is pregnant and he secretly plans to “dismiss her” quietly. The angel of Lord comes to him in a dream and tells him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife; the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and He shall be called “Emmanuel”—God with Us.

      The dreams serve an additional, important purpose. They explain how all that has happened with Joseph, Mary, and Jesus is a fulfillment of Scripture—God’s Word spoken through the prophets. And why would this be important? Because Matthew, writing some time after the Lord’s death and resurrection, was raised in the Jewish faith—as were many of the early Christians. His audience was Jewish people who would know Scripture and had heard the Word preached in synagogues. They would be waiting to see the prophecies fulfilled—proof that the Messiah—Emmanuel—had really come.

     In today’s passage, two of Joseph’s dreams frame the reading like bookends.  In the beginning, the angel’s warning that King Herod is looking for the child to kill him stirs Joseph to get up in the middle of the night and flee with Mary and the baby to Egypt, thus fulfilling the Scripture, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” And at the end of the passage, when Archelaus, son of Herod, comes to rule over Judea after his father dies, the angel warns Joseph in a dream to take his family to the more remote district of Galilee to a small, undesirable town called Nazareth, thus fulfilling the prophecy, “He will be called a Nazorean.”

     Today’s lesson underscores the fragile humanity of Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus and the horrible, violent world in which the Messiah had come, a world in which cruel, jealous kings got away with murder. But Joseph listened to the voice of an angel in his dreams and didn’t hesitate to do what God commanded, though it meant changing his course of action—even fleeing to a foreign land. Joseph placed his family’s lives in the Lord’s capable hands and trusted Him to be their faithful guide.

    My hope is that, instead of the massacre of the innocents, you will recall from today’s lesson God’s tender care of Joseph, Mary and Jesus during this horrible, violent time.  And the promise that God will always take care of you.

***

    I left the Walter Mitty movie on Friday feeling challenged to keep on dreaming and using my imagination and creativity for God’s service. Dreams are not helpful to us and can actually hurt us when we use them like Walter as an escape from real life.

      There’s nothing ordinary or boring about any life when we are seeking to follow the Lord and help people in need. Ministry is challenging and can be tiring, but it is always satisfying.  

      Our lives are meaningful not because of what we have done or what we will do, but because of what God has already done.  How He became one of us, came to us as a humble baby in a manger so long ago.  He came to accomplish His salvation for the world by living with us, and then suffering and dying for our sins.

      Friends, like Joseph, you can place your family in God’s hands and trust Him to be your faithful guide.

      Listen for the voices of angels. Don’t hesitate to do what the Lord commands.

     Remember how God tenderly watched over Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus in a horrible, violent time. And the promise that God will always take care of you!

Let us pray.

Holy One, thank you for your Son, the Messiah, who came to live among us, and suffered and die for our sakes.  Thank you for your love and mercy for us, for forgiving us for all our sins, and for the way you watch over us tenderly, caring for us as we walk this journey of faith through this world—and into the world to come.  Forgive us for lapsing into selfishness at times, perhaps forgetting that all of our dreams, goals, and desires should be about serving you and your loving purposes. Keep our focus on the work you lead us to do to build your kingdom and help people in need.  Give us courage and compassion to reach out with the hope of the gospel to all who are lonely, hurting, or sad. Reveal to us people in need whom we might not normally see, people we might just walk by. Help us to place our families into your capable hands, always trusting that You will guide us every step of the way. Open our ears so we may hear the voices of your angels—and obey your commands.  In Christ we pray.  Amen.

      

   

“When The Time Came”

Meditation on Luke 2:1- 7

Christmas Eve 2013

***

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

***

On our way to the airport in the Twin Cities yesterday to pick up my son, Josh, Jim and I went Christmas shopping. As I glanced at tables loaded down with gift items, I saw very little that I wanted to buy for my loved ones. Nothing seemed to fit. 

It reminded me of one of my family’s Christmas traditions throughout my childhood and teen years. Every year, on December 24th, I would ask my dad if he had bought my mother a Christmas present. Every year, he would say, “no.”

Then, I would scold, “Dad! C’mon, let’s go shopping.”

And my dad would reluctantly get his wallet, keys and coat, and we would drive to Lakeforest Mall. 

Believe it or not, Christmas Eve was never a bad time to be at the mall. When you think about it, serious shoppers aren’t shopping the day before Christmas. They are already finished. The only people at the mall—not at the grocery store, mind you—are procrastinators like my dad or those who realize, at the last minute, that they forgot to buy a present for someone important on their list or for the hostess of a holiday gathering to which they have just been invited.

On Christmas Eve, the usually crowded department stores have thinned out. The prices are pretty good. Many stores in big city malls are still open early and close late. And many of the items have already been marked down for after Christmas sales.

The only problem is, the stores may not have that one thing you are looking for because everyone else wanted it, too—and they bought it already. Selection and sizes are limited. 

So my dad and I would walk from store to store, looking for the gift that was just right for my mom at Christmas. Sometimes it took hours. Even I would get tired out and a little impatient. I would wonder if Dad would ever find something that would satisfy him.

But finally, the right thing would be there on a rack, shelf or clearance table. A sales clerk would point it out or I would say, “Dad, look at this!” And he would say, “OK.” The hunt was over. The cashier would be patient and pleasant—sensing something big had been accomplished and proud she had played a part in it. She would offer us boxes and bows. She might offer to wrap the present herself.

Our Christmas Eve shopping excursion always ended with Dad and me coming home laughing. 

When I grew older and was no longer living in the same state as my parents, my dad stopped buying my mom Christmas presents. I wasn’t there to take him shopping on Christmas Eve! So I would call him on the phone the night before Christmas and ask, as a joke, “Dad, what did you buy Mom for Christmas?” The answer was always Dad’s goofy laugh and him saying, “Not a thing.” 

Mom told me she never minded that there were no presents. If she wanted something, she said, she would just buy it for herself.

I was thinking about this last night, when we had come home from the Twin Cities, and I had a new thought. Obviously, Dad only went shopping because I talked him into it each year. But why did he go at all—if he really hated it? Why did he laugh and get his wallet, keys and coat, when he certainly could have said no and stayed home? And why did we, really, spend hours at the mall together when we always ended up buying what seemed like the same nightgown, bathrobe and slippers for mom’s gift every year?

And then I laughed, realizing that I had probably been the one in the dark all these years. 

Could it be that Dad just enjoyed having that precious time with me—just he and I together? And Mom knew that it was good for Dad to go out shopping with me. Because Dad, who was sometimes sad around the holidays, always came home in good spirits. Our crazy shopping trip never failed to cheer us up.

Looking back, I believe we were blessed by Christ—the true meaning of Christmas—without even knowing it. We were lifted up by His joy.



***
Though our holiday celebrations change over the years, the Christmas story is always the same. Joseph and Mary, pregnant with Jesus, must walk the 75 or 100 miles from their hometown of Nazareth to Bethlehem of Judea, the city of David. The Emperor Augustus has ordered that a census must be taken; all must return to the home of their ancestors to be registered for taxation and to find new soldiers for the Roman army. This Caesar rules like a military dictator; he has been hailed as a savior and nicknamed the “king of peace” because, through military means, he has “united” the empire, putting down minor local battles and suppressing piracy and other criminal activity. This registration occurs around 6 A.D. when Quirinius, the legate or Roman governor of Judea, begins his position.

The Jewish people, already angry with their Roman captors, will never forget this event that stirs violence, unrest and despair.

This is certainly not what Joseph and Mary envision when they become engaged—before the angel Gabriel makes His announcement and Mary becomes pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Poor Mary walking such a great distance late in her pregnancy is a dangerous situation, especially during this time of unrest and the threat of civil war. It is a miracle that she and the baby survive at all. 

And though they have no room for the night, no bed in which to sleep, and no midwife to assist Mary, a young, first time mother, Jesus is born.

Scripture says, “When the time came for her to deliver the child…” One can’t help but wonder, “Whose time is this?” If it were up to Mary and Joseph or other human beings, this would not have been the chosen time or place or circumstances for our Messiah’s birth.

But God doesn’t wait for human beings to be ready or think they are ready for the Savior. God’s time had come. He knew that the entire world needed Christ the Lord. God had ordained the time and place. He knew that human beings couldn’t wait one more minute—so lost were we in our sin and darkness. So in need were we of the hope and light of Christ. So in need were we of Emmanuel. God with us. God, who became one of us.

Friends, we are still in need of our Emmanuel—more than ever. God sent Jesus to us so that we could have new lives through His Son and live all eternity with Him. 

The good news is that our Emmanuel has never left us, though he was crucified on a cross. Our Heavenly Father raised him from the dead. And Christ is with us in Spirit, now and forever.

Brothers and sister, God doesn’t care about earthly gifts, feasts or holiday decorations. He doesn’t need anything from us. We are His beloved children. But He wants us to love each other—and to care for one another, as he so tenderly cares for us. 

And He wants one thing more than anything—to be with us! Just like my Dad wanted to spend time with me.

So let us go to Him now—and be blessed!

Let us go and be lifted up by His joy!

Let us pray.

Holy One, we thank you for being our Emmanuel, for coming to be with us and becoming one of us so that we may repent and turn away from sin, be forgiven and restored—brought back to live in right relationship with you. Forgive us for when we have not spent enough time with you, Lord, when we haven’t loved you enough. Empower us with your Holy Spirit now so that we may love and serve you with joy. Help us to share that love and joy with others tonight, tomorrow, and the whole year through! In Christ we pray. Amen.

Meditation on Psalm 139

Funeral of Lester Stomberg

Dec. 20, 2013

      “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.  Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.  If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.  If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night’; even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you. …  Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

*** 

     Lester was cutting quilt squares from a pile of old blue jeans in the church basement when I struck up my first conversation with him.  I was impressed with Lester Stomberg, not just because when he smiled, his whole face truly shone with joy. And not just because he was the only male member of Friendship Circle, our church’s quilting group. I was impressed because he was strong enough to cut through tough denim with an ordinary pair of scissors—something I could never do.  And he didn’t seem to mind the tedious job, while his wife, Audrey, and several other older women sewed blocks into strips or pinned, hemmed, and tied the quilt “top” to the backing.  I soon learned that Lester didn’t just do the “grunt” work for the ladies.  He also sewed and made his own quilts and pillows. On one of my visits to their home in Clara City, he gave me a quilted maple leaf pillow that he had made.  People sometimes comment on it when they see it on the sofa in my living room. I always say proudly, “My friend, Lester, made it.”

    In addition to quilting, Lester and Audrey made colorful rag rugs. Lester showed me once how he worked a large, wooden loom in one of the rooms of his home.  This was another hobby he learned later in life with Audrey—after they retired from their many years of farming. Lester worked the loom with his arms and his legs until the exertion was too painful and he finally gave up making his attractive yet very functional rag rugs.  I am blessed to have one of his rugs on my kitchen floor.

     Like the simple but elegant quilts that Audrey and Lester made, with repeated patterns of bow ties, triangles, squares, leaves, and other shapes, my visits with Audrey and Lester fell into a pattern of prayer, coffee, something sweet to eat, and talk about God and family. We said goodbye with hugs, and I left their home with body and soul feeling full.

      When the couple could no longer make it to church because of Lester’s health, the elders and I brought them Communion. I remember how we sat around the living room together, holding our tiny cups of juice and pieces of bread. I told the story of the Last Supper, when our Lord broke a loaf of bread and, after giving thanks to God, gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take; eat; this is my body.” And, in the same way, he took the cup, and after giving thanks to God, said, “Take; drink; for this is the cup of the new covenant, sealed in my blood, poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.”

      Communion, to many people, is about remembering—looking back with gratitude on the suffering of Christ and His willingness to give up His life for our sakes. But Communion is also about the future, the promise of how someday we will be with Jesus, face to face. And we will sit at His table and feast with Him in God’s Kingdom that will have no end. And Communion is about the present—our life in Christ now and our intimate relationship with Him.  In Communion, Christ comes down to us in Spirit, recreates and transforms us and unites us with Him and one another.  We are refreshed, renewed, and empowered to walk in His self-giving ways. Communion is a reminder that God is with us still—and will always be. As the Psalmist cries out to the God who searches us and is acquainted with all our ways, “Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.”

     When Lester grew weaker, he came to live at the nursing home in Clara City. When I visited, we talked about the stress of the separation—how difficult it was for him to be away from Audrey and she from him.  How the nursing home wasn’t home—and how Lester longed to be with his wife of more than 60 years—where he belonged. When Audrey moved into the nursing home with Lester some time later, I thanked God. But now they were both missing their home and their former way of life.  It was a very hard move.  What seemed to help the transition was when they were finally able to have their sewing machines with them and continue the hobby they had enjoyed together. It was as if God knew that this special thing they enjoyed—sewing and quilting—would be a soothing reminder of home and the life that they had known.  For our Creator knows us best. And this loving Lord who knows our hearts, our thoughts and our words before we speak, knows the number of our days. And He has a plan for each one of us.   

      When Lester’s son called to tell me that his dad was in the ICU, I worried about his illness but also how difficult another separation from his wife would be. I was concerned about Audrey, too. But I should have trusted that the Lord was still in control.

    When I visited Lester in the hospital, he was alone and too sick for smiles, sweets or conversation. I touched his hand and prayed for his healing and comfort. Then I sat silently, listening to the machines whirr and hum, remembering my conversations with he and Audrey—and how when we hugged goodbye, I always left with body and soul feeling full. And it dawned on me that there was a reason for this. God was always with me.  And He always will be. When I seek to serve Him by sharing His compassion, He gives me peace.

      When the call came that Lester had passed away with his family gathered around, I listened to the story with both sorrow and joy. Audrey told me that God had prepared her for this moment. She knew Lester was with the Lord.  She said that although tears were running down her cheeks, she was happy that he was no longer suffering.

     Friends, be comforted that God is with us—and will always be.

     His peace awaits you now—as you seek to serve Him and share His compassion with someone in need.

     Nowhere can we flee from His presence or Spirit. Nowhere can we go that His hand will not be upon us.

    The Lord who made a way for our salvation through His own body will take care of all our tomorrows. 

     No difficult thing is too difficult for Him.

“Are you the one who is to come?”

Meditation on Matthew 11:2-11

Third Sunday in Advent 2013

***

        When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’

       As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?  What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”
        Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

***

       I went shopping with Jim to buy Christmas cards and curling ribbon this week. You know, the kind you wrap around packages, tie in a bow, and then you curl the ends with your scissors?

      Curling ribbon takes me back to when I was a kid. I used to enjoy helping my mom wrap Christmas presents for our family.  Mom shopped early—sometimes beginning in July. But then we would wait to wrap the presents just a few days or even the night before Christmas.

    The house would smell like fresh baked cookies—because we always baked at the last minute, too. And Mom and I would close ourselves in her room, where she hid the unwrapped presents in her closet throughout the year. She would open bags and hand me the gifts one one by one, telling me this one was for Steve, Susan, Dad, Grandma. And so on. Then it was my job to wrap. 

      The wrapping paper wasn’t fancy.  Mom usually bought it at K-Mart in jumbo packs on sale the day after Christmas the previous year.  If we ran out of paper at the last minute, we used the comics from the Sunday newspaper. We hardly ever bought any new bows. We reused the same ones from year to year.  We didn’t buy fancy tags—not like the pretty, self-stick on ones they sell nowadays with all the glitter. We made our own tags by cutting and folding small scraps of wrapping paper.  But we almost always had curling ribbon.  Mom bought large spools in red, green and white.

     My challenge was to wrap each present so that someone like my brother—who would pick it up, examine it carefully and shake it—wouldn’t be able to figure out what it was. But mostly, the challenge was to make the ordinary, inexpensive, every day items, such as the plain white handkerchiefs we gave to my father every year, seem less ordinary, more valuable.  More special. 

***

     In our Matthew reading today, John is in prison when he hears about the wonderful things that the Messiah is doing. He sends his disciples with a message to Jesus, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”

    What is remarkable to me, at first reading, is that John doesn’t seem to know Jesus is the Messiah. How can that be? John, according to Luke, was born to Elizabeth, an older relative of Mary’s, just a few months before Jesus was born. In Luke, Elizabeth, pregnant with John, recognizes the Messiah when he is still in the womb and young Mary, who has just heard from the angel Gabriel, shows up at Elizabeth’s door.

    And then I think, is it possible that it wasn’t that John didn’t know Jesus—but that he just wanted to make sure the one people were calling the Messiah was really Jesus? Their ministries had taken them to different places, and John had begun his public ministry—to prepare the way for the Messiah—before Jesus began his public ministry. They may have lost touch with one another.

      It is also possible that Jesus was not recognizable as the Messiah—even to John. He wasn’t what everybody expected; he wasn’t the sort of King of Kings and Lord of Lords for which God’s people waited. He wasn’t well educated. His family didn’t have money or high status. Joseph, his earthly father, was just a simple carpenter. They lived in a small, insignificant place that was often left off ancient maps. Jesus was criticized for being too friendly with the wrong kind of people— “eating and drinking” with sinners.  In short, Jesus may have seemed too ordinary for some people to accept as the Savior for all people.

      But Jesus turns our attention away from his appearance, earthly identity, and family. When John’s disciples ask our Lord, “are you the one who is to come?” Jesus doesn’t say, “Yes, it’s me. Your cousin, Jesus.” He points to the miracles that happen when he preaches, prays and ministers to people in need. Jesus, fully human but without sin and perfectly obedient to God, always turns our eyes toward the Heavenly Father and His righteous Kingdom to come.

     Jesus answers John’s disciples by pointing to the fulfillment of Scripture. The signs of the coming Messiah? The blind can see. The lame can walk.  The lepers are cleansed.  The deaf can hear. The dead are brought back to life! The poor have been brought good news!

     John’s disciples leave satisfied, and Jesus continues to speak about the value of the poor and humble in the Kingdom of God. He teaches how we are unable to make ourselves worthy enough through human efforts to enter the Kingdom of God when He uses the example of John the Baptist. John, who pursued a holy life by living in the wilderness, dressing in camel’s hair, and avoiding meat and alcohol, is indeed greater than all other human beings, Jesus says. Yet he is not greater than even the least in the Kingdom of God.

***

     Friends, John the Baptist, the holiest of all human beings, fell short of the righteousness of the least of all the people in the Kingdom of God. Even John the Baptist was not good enough!

      The only way we can be ready for God’s Kingdom is to realize our need for a Savior—and that our Savior is ALL that we need.

      We think we have to be like those Christmas presents we tie with ribbon and place under the tree. Fixing ourselves up on the outside, without considering what we are trying to cover up on the inside. We are afraid to allow others to see us as we really are. We hide our sins and our vulnerabilities, worried that people won’t like or respect us.      

      But we can’t hide from God. He already knows we are all broken and hurting. He knows that we all need the Spirit’s daily, redemptive, healing work in our lives. And He knows that we need each other—for encouragement and strength to walk this journey of faith.

     In the Lord’s Kingdom, God will raise up the humble—and bring down the proud.  So come to the Lord, just as you are.  Don’t try to make yourself more appealing or more valuable to Him. You are already precious and priceless. He willingly, lovingly, paid for your life—and mine—through His Son’s death on a cross.

   He asks only that we accept His gift of love and new life. That we open our hearts to Him.

   And believe!

   Christ is with us now in Spirit!

   He is the One who is to come!

Let us pray.

Holy Lord, we recognize our need for you—that we cannot be saved without you.  We have tried and tried to make ourselves good enough, to cover up our vulnerabilities and weaknesses, thinking others will like and respect us more. We stay away from you, make ourselves busy with other things or find other excuses not to come to you, when you wait for us with arms open wide, ready to bring us into your embrace.  Thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died so that we may live abundantly, with joy—and live for all eternity with You. Keep our focus on your Kingdom, Lord, and away from the many distractions of this world. We pray now to the One who is to come! Come, Lord Jesus.  Come soon! Amen!