Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

November 23, 2009


The Gift of Family
by Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12: 4-6 

Holidays - how we would love for them to be simple. But they rarely are. My mom and I recently realized, through tearful laughter, that we can identify our holiday get-togethers by the key awkward moment that occurred that year.

Don't get me wrong - our family overflows with love and fond memories. But it's a rare family that can gather into one room without bumping into an issue.

One long-term challenge in my family involves comparisons. If you have siblings, you know what I mean. A sister might have been the "favored child" growing up. Or a brother has achieved remarkable career success while you struggle to find your niche. There are as many ways to compare one another as there are people in the world. And, adding to the fun, there's often one family member who feels a driving need to vocalize the perceived discrepancies among individuals. There may be big family events where you leave wondering, "God, what were you thinking when you threw us all into the same family pot?"

Not only do comparisons hinder our ability to love one another, they are a waste of energy because they are based on surface perceptions which can be inaccurate. In recent years, I've come to find freedom from the comparison game by lining up my way of thinking to be more like the opening verse.

Paul's words to the Romans reveal God's design for His spiritual family, but these words could apply to our biological families, too. Paul's words above remind me that while each person is valuable in the eyes of God, no one person can achieve it all - no matter how perfect he or she may appear. Furthermore, each one of us has special gifts, and we depend on each other to fill in the gaps for the areas we lack.

For better or for worse, each member "belongs to all the others." Pondering God's gifts revealed in my family members helps me focus on the true heart of Thanksgiving - As a day set aside for gratitude

Intersecting Faith & Life: What are your gifts? This Thanksgiving, see if you can identify the various gifts each member of your family possesses, especially for that one family member you find difficult to love.

Further Reading

Mark 9:33-35
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Of Comparisons and Rulers, by Awnali Mills
Comparison or Contentment? Find Joy in Your Marriage, by Whitney Hopler  

[Judy Harder]

November 24, 2009 

"Y'all" - A Southern Grammar Bible Lesson on the Church

by Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word,
so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation..."
1 Peter 2:2, NAS


In a recent Crosswalk Devotional (Nov. 17, 2009), we looked at the passage above evaluating our personal degree of hunger for God's Word. The command seemed simple and clear enough: "you crave, you long for the pure milk of the Word," but there is a dimension of the passage that is not so simple and clear.

Our English language doesn't distinguish between the singular and plural pronouns for "you," so the mistake is common and easy to make. Typical human that I am, at first glance I saw the passage as being directed toward an individual, as if to say, I cannot grow and I cannot have a healthy appetite for God's Word as long as I harbor any of the sins mentioned in the text.

I suppose such a meaning is true in the broad sense—no one can simultaneously love God's Word and cherish sin. But such an emphasis on the individual obscures a major point of the passage. Why? The "you" pronouns in 1 Peter 2:1-3 are all plural. And yes, this is important.

Why? Let's look. When Peter says "long for the pure milk of the Word so that by it you may grow up in your salvation" (v. 2), he is saying "you all" may grow up, or as a Shreveport native like me sometimes says... y'all.

So, since Peter is talking about our collective experience of growth in such a way that health and maturity is to be expected as the normal course of life together, we should be shocked when we find a local assembly of believers that is anemic or riddled with trouble.

Is this the view of a naïve idealist? No. Apparently, it's Scripture's view (see verses 4-9 ff.). Wherever there is an unhealthy church there must exist some level of malice, and/or deceit, and/or hypocrisy, and/or envy, and/or slander. First Peter 2:1-3 tells us that just one of these sins kills the collective body's craving for spiritual nourishment. Thus, the normal result of growth and maturity will not be experienced.

Here again, we see Scripture affirming the importance of churches that work, thrive, grow, and reproduce.

Intersecting Faith & Life: 
Since this is a matter of spiritual life or death, let me ask you—how are y'all doing?
Do you tend to think of your spiritual growth as something that can either help or hinder your fellow believers, or do you see it as something that just affects you?

Further Reading

1 Cor. 12:14-27

[Judy Harder]

November 25, 2009

A Child's Thanksgiving
by Katherine Britton Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." - 1 Chronicles 29:13

Sometimes it takes a children's sermon to remind me what's important. Thanksgiving should be a simple affair, but my adult brain had overcomplicated this heart attitude without much effort. The past few months had been filled with many moments where I had said, "So far, so good" but doubted the future. The provision at hand was enough, to be sure. Yet I wondered if what looked like adequate provision today would diminish over time. I doubted God's intention to replenish what I used up.

On Sunday, I listened to the children's sermon with special attention when the kids talked about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. Each child quickly displayed their knowledge of Pilgrims and Indians - including Squanto - and incredible dynamic that played out that harvest season. Their teacher slowly enlarged their descriptions to include the previous winter's deaths, the desperately short food supply, the hope of a new planting season, and the summer's withering drought. By the time harvest rolled around, crops had been gathered in - not in abundance, but certainly sufficient compared to the previous year. The Pilgrims knew it, and reveled in the adequacy of their harvest. Edward Wislow, one of the only primary sources on the day, wrote this about it:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others.  And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

Almost four hundred years later, I stand convicted by Winslow's words. The man had stared death in the face, and had little idea what future lay in store for the Plymouth colonists. In spite of that, he had literally tasted God's provision and found himself satisfied. The meal was so filling, he wished that even if "it be not always so plentiful... we often wish you partakers in our plenty."

I wish I had Winslow's faith, to happily look at today's provision and consider each simple wonder. We are "so far from want" in those moments. We serve a faithful God who is more than enough for all of our needs. It's like the praise song says:

All of You
is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You
Is more than enough

Happy Thanksgiving!

Intersecting Faith & Life: As you tally up the things that make you thankful, consider Edward Winslow's observations of God's faithfulness. Do you see the abundant life laid out before you?

[Judy Harder]

November 26, 2009

Not Just Thanks, but Giving... Anything and Everything
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Romans 8:32

My children, ages six and four, know my weakness.

They know it's not ice cream, baseball, or their mom's chili... or even a hug or puppy-dog eyes from them.

See, none of the above make me cry (although the chili almost did once). Yes, my children have seen their father cry. It's not something I wanted, or intended. I'm a man, after all. I go to work, show my strength. I coach, help, show, point, and guide. I communicate, discipline, and lead. I pray. I do not cry.

...Except when I read Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, that is.

And like I said, my children know this. And oh, do they twist that knife, the little devils. We must own a couple hundred children's books, but if it's a night where Daddy is doing the bedtime reading rather than Mommy, what do they invariangly pick (while smirking)? Of course! The Giving Tree!

I've been reading this book, first published in 1964, since I myself was a child, and no matter how many times I do, I am unable to de-sensitize. I mean, when I watch the movie Field of Dreams and Ray has a catch with his ghost-dad, that gets me. But if I see the scene over and over within a certain time frame? Nah. No sweat, no tears. But this blasted children's book... well... what's going on here?

First of all, you're probably wondering that very thing if you aren't familiar with the story. A tree and a boy are the best of friends during an idyllic childhood for the young man where he eats apples from the tree, climbs her trunk, swings from her branches, and rests in her shade. Then things change, as things do, and we see the boy approach the tree at all the various stages of his life, caught up - understandably, even - more in wanting and needing than in just being. Every time he has a "need," the tree obliges... and is happy for having done so. She doesn't have much, but gives all she has until eventually, she is nothing but a stump. At the end of all things, however, it turns out a stump is just what the old man needs - a quiet place to sit down and rest and reflect. "And the tree was happy. The end."

And I am undone... again.

Is it because I am reading the story to my children, and I know our stories will be very much like that of the tree and the boy, where they are my delight but eventually I must simply become provider as they go out into the world? Yes and no.

Is it because our family copy of the book - the one I read to the kids - carries an inscription from my wife on our first Christmas as husband and wife that says, "With God's help, may I love you like this"? Yes and no.

Is it because I once read the book aloud at at emotional family Thanksgiving, illustrating how we too infrequently practice the "giving" half of the word? Yes and no.

Is it because as my father lay dying seven years ago that I told him of the story (he wasn't familiar with it), and how he had been that tree for me? That's definitely part of it. My mother, I remember, commented that she didn't recall it being a "Christian" book. I didn't really have an answer to that, only to what I saw in it. Which is...

Complete love to the point of emptying. Unquestioning sacrifice, even for someone who isn't appreciating or understanding what they've been given. A desire only to have communion. An entering into final rest. In other words, a perfect example of the immensity of what Jesus did for me, desired from me, provides for me, and will carry me to.

That is why I always cry.

So every time I finish the story, eyes full of tears, my kids look at me as if to say, "Are you okay?" My little one asks, "Why are you crying, Dad?" And every time I explain, I think she understands just the tiniest bit more. These are tears of being overwhelmed by the enormity of the giver and the gift. I only pray these children will open their hearts and receive it, and that they won't miss the other lesson: all our Giver really wants in return is our time, for us to come to Him as we did as children.

Intersecting Faith & Life: But can any of us actually hope to become more like the tree in the story? Parents know what it means to give every last ounce of everything they are to the betterment of their children. We have reason for doing so. Do you know anyone who empties themselves this way for those they don't have a familial reason to love? What steps can you take to emulate their Christ-like, unconditional love, especially during the holidays?

Further Reading

Giving is What Living is All About
2 Corinthians 8:3-12

[Judy Harder]

November 27, 2009

The Day After
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Make a glad sound to the Lord, all the earth.  Give worship to the Lord with joy; come before him with a song.  Be certain that the Lord is God; it is he who has made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep to whom he gives food. Come into his doors with joy, and into his house with praise; give him honour, blessing his name.  For the Lord is good, and his mercy is never-ending; his faith is unchanging through all generations.
Psalm 100

It's the day after Thanksgiving.  Did you eat too much?  Do I even have to ask?

Besides being a holiday when I have permission to indulge, to me thanksgiving is also a word that reminds me of how my grandfather would end his prayers:  "And with thanksgiving, in Jesus' name, Amen." 

I always wondered why he used a word that made me think of cornucopias and construction-paper turkeys.  But now, I think I now understand. In that one word, he was saying "Thank You for giving."  You, being God.

From my grandfather's example, I see that Thanksgiving is more than a one-day family gathering.  It is a way of living, a daily act of expressing gratitude to our Maker who first gave to us.  I love how Psalm 100 gives many directives that can help us all live in this way ...

Make a glad sound to the Lord ... We are to make our praise known and not feel bashful about it.  Now that doesn't mean we have to go to the nearest street corner and wildly applaud our Savior to the passersby.  Perhaps a solo retreat is more suitable.  In your silence, consider one attribute of God during each hour of the quiet that surrounds you. 

Give worship to the Lord with joy ... Many of us don't wake up "with joy."  But getting the joy down in our hearts shouldn't be too hard to do, as rejoicing in the Lord is an honor to Him.  Try taping a Bible verse or even just the word joy to your car's dashboard and see if your traffic scowl doesn't turn into an almost smile.

Come before Him with a song ... Singing songs of Scripture is a great way to prepare our hearts to focus on the Lord.   It's also effective in memorizing the Word and hiding it in our hearts.  You'll never think of a verse in the same way again once it is set to music and committed to memory. 

Be certain that the Lord is God ... God is God, and we are not.  Remembering that you are not the "general manager of the universe" can be helpful in so many situations.  Write down your daily worries in a separate journal and ask God to help you trust him and know that he is sovereign.

Come into his doors with joy, and into his house with praise ... We are always in God's presence whether we realize it or not.  It's not only when we enter a house of worship or when we sing a praise song.  His Kingdom is always at hand.  A scriptural flip-top calendar on your desk is a good visual reminder of this.

[Remember] for the Lord is good ... His mercy is never-ending ... His faith is unchanging ... Get ready to take the sticky note challenge:  go around your home and attach a note on anything that is "bad" or "short-term" or "changing."  Anytime you feel that you're placing your worship or trust elsewhere, you'll be reminded that the only One who matters and is eternal is the Father.
Intersecting Faith & Life:  Even though Thanksgiving is officially over, you can continue the spirit of the celebration going forward.  This weekend, honor the Lord by reaching out to others.  Call or visit someone who is alone or having a hard time (for whatever reason).  Then, share why you are thankful for him or her. 

Further Reading:

Psalm 150

Grumbling or Gratitude?

[Judy Harder]

November 30, 2009

The Last Days
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21: 25 - 28

Most of us don't love to wait. We want to get on with things. Tie things up neatly so we can move on to the next thing. We often forget that in some cases, the opportunity to wait is an expression of God's mercy.

You see, this past Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent 2009. It came quickly this year. I was so busy preparing for Thanksgiving, I almost forgot about Advent. Thankfully, our reliable pastor was decked out in purple this Sunday, scripture readings and hymns ready to go.

Advent isn't really an event so much as a season set aside to wait for an event. We can choose how we want to practice Advent. We can see it as a burden, an afterthought, or a hindrance. Or we can see its greater application to all of life. We can recognize it for what it is: a reminder to stop, clear away some of the normal "stuff" of life, and remember that throughout our life here we are waiting for something big, something that needs our attention and preparation: The second coming of Christ.

Many times I've heard fellow Christians express the desire for the day to just get here already. Can't we just end the wars and suffering... the waiting... and get on with Christ's return? Many pick apart the Scriptures, looking for details, for signs, that Christ is coming soon. Groups form and debates rage about the finer details of the end times.

While I am sure God appreciates our interest in and desire for his arrival, I am not so sure we really know what we're asking for when we say we wish he would hurry up and appear.

Think about it. Are we really ready? Is the world really ready? If you had to stand before Christ tomorrow, would you be ready? I don't mean "ready" as having correctly predicted the dramatic events that would unfold during the end times. I mean would your life reflect service to him? Love of him? Submission to him?

Mine wouldn't. At least not to the extent that it should. I'd like a few days, or um decades, to straighten things out. And to the best of my humble abilities, help a few more of those living in the dark find the light.

Suddenly, waiting doesn't seem too bad. God's plan to give me and the rest of the world a little more time doused with a lot of his grace doesn't seem so frustrating.

After reading the dramatic scriptures above, our pastor did not delve into prophecy or speculation about the last days. He backtracked a little, and instead opted to focus on the here and now. He challenged us to avoid the "drowsiness" that comes with our everyday cares and concerns. He challenged us to become disciplined people, Christians whose lives are truly transformed by Christ instead of by the seductive "spirit of the age." He held up examples of fellow Christians who came before us and conquered their own contemporary challenges.

He reminded us that we will each have our own "last day" even if our lives here do not witness the Last Day.

That's what Advent is really about... grace today for whatever may come tomorrow. It's about God's incredible patience and love for children who have much to learn and need plenty of precious time to allow for stumbling along the way. As for the final days, set aside the speculation and leave that to God's perfect timing. He'll know when we're ready.   

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Our pastor wisely pointed out that a disciplined prayer life opens our lives to God's transforming graces. Set aside a little extra time every single week, from now until Christmas, to spend time in prayer.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalms 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
1 Thessalonians 3:12 -- 4:2
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

[Judy Harder]

December 1, 2009

The Time for Radical Action is Now
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
Romans 8:13

Aron Ralston's grisly experience during a climbing expedition illustrates a spiritual truth that makes me wince. If you aren't familiar with the story, take a look at his book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place (© 2004 Simon & Schuster), which is a detailed tell-all of his ordeal that occurred in late April 2003.


The experienced 27 year-old outdoorsman jumped into his truck that spring morning, bringing just enough food and water for the day. He took off by himself, driving 150 miles south of Salt Lake City to his favorite spot—a remote canyon area that used to be the hideout for wild-west outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

By afternoon, he was suspended seventy-five feet high off the canyon floor—climbing in a crevice that was just a few feet wide. It was a near perfect day. But then without warning, a boulder suddenly broke loose from the rock wall above him, hurtled down and trapped Ralston's right arm against the wall, completely crushing his hand. At that instant, Aron's hand—one of his greatest assets—had now become his greatest liability.

Five whole days passed as he tried various ways to free himself—all to no avail. His efforts to chip away at the boulder with a pocket knife only made a small dent. Rigging up a pulley system to move the boulder proved fruitless.

Finally, a moment of decisive clarity came. The thoughts came fast and furious: he could break his forearm, cut through the muscle with his dirty pocket knife, detach his arm, and use a piece of rope as a tourniquet.

Aron explains that he was driven by "some sort of autopilot" as he went about the gruesome task of amputating his own right arm just below the elbow. After he was finished, Aron lowered himself down and began trudging slowly in the direction of his truck. Later, he stumbled across two hikers who used a mobile phone to call in a rescue helicopter. Amputating his right arm was a radical act, but it was one that saved his life and reunited him with his family.

God calls us to deal with sin in our life in a way that is surprisingly similar. The Bible doesn't offer a laid-back, live-and-let-live approach at all. It's so radical, that we don't really like hearing about it or talking about it. Recall what Jesus said in Matthew 5:30, "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell." While Jesus was not literally talking about physical amputation, He was saying that sin's deadly effects call for extreme measures. Even though it hurts, we must rid sin from our lives. In fact, our eternal destiny hinges on how we deal with sin.

Really? Well, why else would Jesus talk about hell in the same breath that He talks about how we are to deal with sin if He didn't mean to teach that our eternal destiny hangs in the balance? Clearly, it's a matter of preferring one destiny over the other. Outward behavior indicates what the heart primarily loves. If Aron Ralston had stayed there on the canyon wall with his hand pinned down by the boulder, he would have died. But because he was willing to kill his hand, his life was saved.

The same goes with us as we deal with sin. It really comes down to what we value most. Colossians 3:5 says, "Put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." The world may tell us to laugh about sin, to lighten up about it, to tolerate it, and just let it be... that it's not idolatry; it's not an issue of worship. God says the opposite is true.


Intersecting Faith & Life: 
What has you pinned down?
What are you trying to hang on to that is robbing you of the blessings of abundant life or, perhaps, preventing you from being restored to a brother or sister in Christ?
What is keeping you from treasuring the Lord above all other things?
Read the first two links below as you have time, but most of all pray for grace to heed God's radical call to amputate sin from your life.

Further Reading
Romans 8:10-18

"Is Christianity just a bunch of rules for how to live?" (by John Piper, DesiringGod.org)

Between a Rock and a Hard Place (by Aron Ralston, © 2004 Simon & Schuster)

[Judy Harder]

December 2, 2009

Something about Light
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world." - John 1:9


Folks in Richmond, Virginia, strive for an odd honor around Christmas time. The best and the bravest - and the most creative - set out to earn themselves a spot in that famous lineup, that renowned tour so many Richmonders take during December. Yes, my friends, they are vying for a coveted spot on the "Tacky Lights Tour."

According to the rules, one's house must be decorated by no fewer than 40,000 lights. Many of the die-hards start putting up their strings in September, readying their show for December 1. In a word, it's incredible.

Despite all the goofy supersized snowmen, gingerbread houses, and flying reindeer I've seen on this tour, I have to admit I love driving around to look at Christmas lights. I know that many of the houses I look at will not belong to Christians. Nonetheless, all those little lights twinkling in the winter darkness show just how much light has entwined itself into Christmas, even for those who merely celebrate the cultural tradition.

It's ironic, in a way - even those without faith recognize the beauty of light casting out darkness. And some of them make a really big display of it!

From "tacky lights" to the star on top of the tree to the quiet tradition of the Advent wreath, this holiday is littered with reminders that Jesus came as "the light of men" (John 1:4). Even among those who "do not understand it," the light comes again this Christmas season. Amen.

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." - Isaiah 9:2

Intersecting Faith & Life: As you put up the Christmas tree and deck the halls, may you see the truth behind the traditions. From the evergreen tree to the holiday lights, may every symbol echo the glory of the eternal Light that shines in the darkness.

For Further Reading: 

Hanukkah: Bringing More Light into the World
Renew Your Family's Faith by Celebrating Advent

[Judy Harder]

December 3, 2009

The Thrill of Hope
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

"A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." ~~ O Holy Night

Does Christmas thrill you?

Children get excited at the coming of the season, and often we might feel a bit of a charge through experiencing their amazement, but the chores we go through to provide that for them are often the very things that rob us from knowing the wonder for ourselves. Plan the party, trim the tree, max out the MasterCard, wrap, ship, take a trip. And that's assuming we aren't one of the multitudes who find themselves with a case of the Holiday Blues.

So if Christ's coming into this world offers hope, and hope, as the song says, provides a thrill, how do we locate that experience amid the distraction and disillusionment of December?

Well that's the cool thing about Hope. Just as total darkness can't hold back the light of a tiny flame, so does even the smallest increment of Hope provide joy and purpose.

Here are a few scriptures I've been mulling over on the subject:

"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).
Notice the parallel between "things hoped for" and "things not seen." Talk about a paradox; try applying "assurance" to something your five senses can't detect. It's a challenge. The plus side is that hope, through Christ, is available to you no matter what you see, hear, or feel. It's above your circumstances.

"We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance [brings about] proven character; and proven character [brings about] hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:3-5).
Do you ever hear people say, "I don't want to get my hopes up" because they're afraid of being disappointed? What would you make of Paul's claim that "hope does not disappoint"? Might the disconnect have something to do with what we're hoping for or expecting? Max Lucado thinks so:

"Hope is not what you'd expect; it is what you would never dream. It is a wild, improbable tale with a pinch-me-I'm dreaming ending... Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction."[1]

"Love... hopes all things.but now abide faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:7,13).
Ever wonder why faith, hope, and love are the greatest virtues, and apparently in that order?

Maybe hope isn't actually something we do, but something we receive, like grace. If it's true that "without faith it is impossible for us to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6), perhaps it's conversely true that without Hope it would be impossible for Him to please us. The same verse says that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Is hope that reward?

I mean, if faith is what we give to God, and hope is what He gives to us, then we have the dynamic of a relationship. With that in place, we can love. So love is built on hope, which is built on faith.

For hope to exist, unfortunately it looks like there has to be hopelessness first. A perfect world wouldn't have any need of hope. Deliverance arrives undeservedly and perhaps unexpectedly, just as in the unlikely way God came to earth to provide a once-and-for-all substitute for the sins of all men on the first Christmas. That's why things can look bleak, but that's where hope lives.

The good news is: you simply can't hope big enough, which goes back to the idea of our minds and senses being inadequate to judge God's design and methods, and hope being more a function of God's involvement than our desires. I readily acknowledge I could not have conceived of the plan of salvation or the virgin birth. I couldn't have imagined the plan for the walls of Jericho to crumble, for hungry lions to turn into Daniel's pet kittens, or the Red Sea to part and offer up dry land. So neither do I know how my problems will be solved, or what miracles I'll be blessed to see this Christmas.

Isaiah 9:6-7 concerns the hope of the prophecy being fulfilled that brought us a "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace." The last sentence of verse seven says it's "the zeal of the Lord" that will accomplish this. God is excited! He's zealous (enthusiastic, passionate, obsessive even) to bring us this hope!

Romans 15:13 is my Christmas prayer: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Why is there hope? Because Jesus was born. O holy night. What a thrill. God is at work.

[1] From God Came Near, page 89

Intersecting Faith & Life: What does hope out of despair look like? There are lots of examples in any Christian's life, but in terms of contemporary cinema, I know of no better example than the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Go back and watch those movies again over the holidays, keeping an eye out for allusions to hope and hopelessness.

Further Reading

Isaiah 9:6-7
The Promises of God

[Judy Harder]

The Devotional
 
December 4, 2009

Less Is More
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

"... And they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us.
Matthew 1:23

I put up my Christmas tree last weekend, right after Thanksgiving. Perhaps you did, too.

This year, however, I only hung up about two-thirds of my ornaments. Also, many of the holiday knickknacks that I normally display I left remaining in their boxes. I didn't even run to the store to replace two strands of twinkly, white lights that quit on me while I was wrapping them around the tree. No, I just made do with what I had. And I was okay with it.

In fact, I decided that I like seeing some more of the Christmas tree. Negative space is good, and I don't need to cram ornaments and white lights into every nook and cranny where there's some green showing. Know what I mean?

Up until now, I wouldn't have believed that I would have been okay with the above two paragraphs. I was compelled to put out everything I owned that had a Christmas theme so it would all be on display. Then, I had to purchase several ornaments each year to augment my collection so that it was always growing and featured the latest and greatest in holiday decor. 

But this year, something is changing inside of me. And I think I'm finally learning that Christmas is really more about less ...

Less of me and my perfectly displayed decorations
Less of me and my "impressive" gift-giving to family and friends
Less of me and my attendance at see-and-be-seen holiday parties
Less of me and what I want for Christmas or how I want God to bless me
It's more about what God has given to all mankind. ...

More of Christ and what his coming to earth means to us all
More of Christ and my response—the giving of my life—to him
More of Christ and sharing the gift of the Good News and not burying it beneath other gifts
More of Christ and making time for others, as my words and deeds are a reflection of him
The prophet Isaiah foretold it:  "Immanuel ... God with us." And then Matthew quoted him years later in the New Testament. But what does knowing that God is "with us" really mean to me?

He lives in my heart, but I wonder how differently I would feel if God was sitting on his throne in my very own home—right there in my living room where I could see him. If he was visible, in all of his splendor and blinding light, I would certainly take notice. I would live differently, wouldn't I? My priorities would surely change. I probably wouldn't care about anything else this holiday season:  the decorations, the baking, the gifts, the parties. I would just want to sit at his feet and worship him.

I am reminded of Mary's response to Christ in the story of she and her sister Martha in Luke 10:38-42:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

"Immanuel ... God with us." What more does Christmas need to be to me? To you? All we need is Jesus. He is what is better.  And he is more than enough this Christmas. Let us ask him to help us focus less on our holiday agendas, as we spend more time at his feet worshipping our King.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Are you caught in the web of "more is more" this Christmastime? Try scaling back in one area:  decorating, baking, gift-giving, parties you attend, etc. And then add in some time for reflection. Meditate on Matthew 1:23:  "Immanuel .. God with us." What does this mean to you? How should you respond?

Further Reading:

"Emmanuel, God with Us"
Composers/lyricists: Amy Grant, Chris Eaton, Robert Marshall

And the years they come,
And the years they go,
Though we may forget somehow
That the child once born in Bethlehem
Is still among us now

Emmanuel, God with us,
Emmanuel!
Emmanuel, God with us,
The son of Israel