Prior to his crucifixion, Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem. There he found, not only worshippers, but people exploiting the spiritual needs of many who were there by using that experience to make a high profit. The faithful were not permitted to pay the temple tax in the common currency of the day. Instead, they were required to exchange it for the currency of the temple. It was at the point of this exchange that people would be gouged with an unfair exchange rate.

Seeing this travesty, Jesus turned over their tables and declared, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” It is one of the few times we see Jesus angry, and there is no mistaking his concern. Clearly, the money changers missed the point of worship and were exchanging the gift of God for the trappings of profit.

In our journey of faith, we too can miss the point. We may not be hurting others for our profit, but we can lose sight of the real gift of being the Church of Jesus Christ. We can replace an intimate walk with the Savior and with the world, for ritual and routine. We can replace the “house of prayer for all nations” with the “house of getting my needs met,” sacrificing the call for our comfort.

We are meant to be the church for the sake of the world and to the glory of God. Prayer and ministry for our community, region, and the nations of the world is at the heart of our identity. Called to lift Jesus high we need to come in low, as John the Baptist did saying, “I must decrease that he might increase.”

The good news is that when we embrace our true calling as the body of Christ we find the blessing of God. Like the child who learns to appreciate and value the gift more than the packaging, we discover that the valuable gift of God is found beyond the trappings of religion. In our faithful embrace of God’s vision for his church, we find the joy of a personal relationship with Jesus, the beauty of community, and the power of a dynamic relationship with the world.

Let’s not settle for the box and paper, but search deeper for the real gift of God. Let’s be the house of prayer for all nations and see the world transformed by the love and power of Jesus Christ!

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But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart – Luke 2:19

Mary often gets overlooked. This woman chosen by God to bear the Savior of the World and nurture him to adulthood barely gets more than a nod at Christmastime by many people. Of all the women throughout history, she is the one chosen by God to be the means by which Christ enters the world. What an amazing indicator of her availability to God and her willingness to be faithful.

There are many things we can learn from Mary, but one of the facets of her life that profoundly speaks to me and my life is this simple quote from Luke. Here, in the midst of all of the busyness around her that included crowds, a noisy stable, her new child, and shepherds declaring God’s revelation to them, Mary takes it all in, holds on to these things as treasures, and ponders them in her heart. What a great message at Christmas and what a wonderful lesson for life.

The holiday season is always busy, sometimes far too busy. It is easy to get lost in the multitude of tasks and commitments that come this time of year. There is the list of family traditions that simply must be maintained, while new requirements and expectations are created. Work continues, and even includes more responsibility with year-end paperwork, planning for 2012, and more meetings and parties than any other time. In the midst of all of these activities, the other aspects of life continue. Things need repaired, bills must be paid and personal challenges still exist. All of these expectations and this activity can seem overwhelming at times.

The well-know psychologist Carl Jung once said, “Hurry is not of the devil, hurry is the devil.” Profound words that speak to our lifestyle, not only at Christmas, but at all times. We fill our lives with activity and busyness, all the while edging out the time for reflection and meditation. We become so busy living our life, that we lose the time to appreciate it in the process.

Here is where we need the heart and attitude of Mary. Sometimes, we simply need to stop, take in what is happening in our life and ponder it quietly with God. Like Jesus, who would take time to go to the mountainside to pray, we need time to bring our life before God and receive God’s direction for our next steps. We need the Holy Spirit to help us mine the treasures out of our daily experience so that we can see the holy treasures that surround us.

This morning, as I write this, I am facing a task that I do not want to do. I know it will take more time than I want and require a significant amount of mental and emotional energy to complete. My thoughts keep becoming caught up as I ponder the task and my desire to procrastinate. Yet, I am aware that as I actively ponder this task, I am missing numerous treasures that surround me.

Today will be what it will be, and what needs to be done, must be done, but I do not need to surrender my blessing in the process. Just as Mary found a way to hold fast to the blessing of God in the midst of her experience, I too can open my eyes to God’s gifts in this moment. We all can, and that is the real beauty of our relationship with God. At any moment, we can look with God’s eyes and see the treasures that surround us.

Here are just a few I am savoring this morning. Maybe, they will inspire you to find something similar in you day as well:

• The sunshine flooding the room on this crisp winter day
• The warmth of my home, both physically and emotionally
• My family and the love we share with one another
• The quietness of this moment
• My friends who bring richness to my life
• The coffee and bagel that nourished me this morning and tasted so good
• The Scripture and words of life it spoke to me as I read it earlier
• The presence of God calming my spirit and empowering me for the day ahead
• The knowledge and hope that I can do all things through Christ
• The joy that comes from knowing that I am a friend of God

Even as I write this list, I see more reasons to treasure this day. May you find them in your life as well and ponder them in your heart, and may the true spirit of Christmas bring life to your spirit and your busy schedule as well.

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Covering is important, not only in rainstorms, but in all of life. As Christians, we walk under the covering of God, trusting in His provision and protection. We enjoy the blessing that comes our way as God shares the journey with us, knowing that if we remain close to Him, we will have his support and covering as we walk through the storms of life.

One of the most amazing things is that God entrusts people to demonstrate His covering to others. God puts people in leadership so that they can guide and protect the people entrusted to their care. Teachers are entrusted with the education and development of children, shaping them into the people they are made to be, equipping them to fulfill their destiny, and guarding them against things that could destroy their future. Politically, we understand that our leaders are called to be the stewards and guardians of the nation and its people. Pastors, Superintendents and Bishops are charged with the administrative covering of churches and the spiritual covering of the people of God; guiding and teaching, and offering protection and support through prayer and counsel.

There are many forms of covering, but one of the most precious ways God extends that care and protection is in the form of mothers. All parents are charged with the stewardship of their children. Just as we are to be wise in the use of our resources and care for that which God has entrusted to us, so we are to care for our children with the knowledge that they are actually the children of God placed into our care. However, mothers seem to have an extra special place, an extra special gifting that assists them in this task.

I know that as a father, occasionally my children have said, “We love you daddy, but we need mommy.” They needed the compassion and support that only she could offer, because she could feel their pain and connect to their need. She could nurture and hold them in a way that only a mother could. Children need that nurture. I know I did. Even though I knew my father’s strength and his abilities, I always felt the safest when my mother was right beside me.

I wish I appreciated that more when I was young. All too often I grumbled about what she would not let me do, wishing that she would just understand and let me live my way. I did not understand that she was not restricting me, she was covering me… protecting me… guiding me. I missed that she was fulfilling her God –given responsibility to care for me, but I see it now. Now, I thank God that she was faithful to her calling, and I thank God for the gift of my mom, and the gift of mothers. Without their tender hearts and love for us, our lives would not be the same.

I hope you will join me at this season of the year in thanking God for His precious gift that continues to protect us from being drenched by the storms of life. Thanks mom, for sharing the journey and your covering. I am so much the better for it.

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Yesterday, I met with a friend who offered his consulting services to our church. We spent a couple of hours looking at ways to enhance the audio/visual system in our Sanctuary. We discussed difference between projection systems and LCD flat screens. We discussed video editing, computers and software for managing our presentations. We even looked at ways to begin live streaming our Sunday Services. It was a wonderful time spent looking at incorporating modern technology into our ministry.

Today, I am awaiting a shipment of materials including a portable altar set and a processional cross. Both items are part of the traditional representation of our faith. As I pondered this position over breakfast, I thought about how wonderful it is to bridge connections between our past and our future and the words of Jesus came to mind, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:52 NIV)

I realize that Jesus was not referring to PowerPoint and processional crosses, but the theology of how and why we worship, along with how and why we share the Gospel message, are deeply connected to his words. There are wonderful possibilities awaiting as we embrace the future and it’s tools for communication and ministry. There is also a depth of richness to be found in the teaching and traditions of our past. As we learn to draw both treasures from the storehouse, we make our spiritual life and ministry sing with the words and images of our infinitely creative God.

Along this Lenten journey we, “remember that we are dust and to dust we will return.” we remember our brokenness and the wounding of our Savior. We draw on powerful words and images of the past to understand our place in the present. Yet, as we make our way, our hearts and minds begin yearning for the future, for words of justification and restoration, for signs of divine love and for opportunities to embrace the “new thing” God is doing in our day.

It is a strange and wonderful juxtaposition, but should really expect anything less when we travel this path with God? Is it surprising that the God of possibilities would weave something beautiful from ancient and future treasures? If we will let the Spirit enliven our senses and clarify our vision, we will see ever more of God’s revelation in our lives, our ministry and the world.

May your eyes, physical and spiritual, be open to God’s presence in your past, present and future, and may you celebrate each and every treasure along the way.

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What struck me most in her note, was her word of thanks for the bag of marshmallows we left with her family. It brought back great memories of the last day with our new friends and of the entire trip.

We brought a few things from our country that would be difficult, if not impossible, to find in Brazil to share with host families and churches. Things like maple syrup, peanut butter, and marshmallows. It was wonderful to share a part of our culture and say, “thank you,” for the hospitality. The marshmallows were a tremendous hit and the smiles they brought were wonderful. I did not realize the impact they made until yesterday.

Since then, I’ve been thinking about gifts and how we bless others. All too easily we judge gifts by size or cost. We say things like, “It’s the thought that counts,” but typically, we are hoping for more than a thought. The excesses of our holidays, even our daily lives, reveal our attachment to things and their value. I wondered how many people I knew who would be blessed by a 99 cent bag of marshmallows. I wonder if I would remember such a gift two years after I received it. The truth is, my house is full of far more expensive gifts that I’ve already forgotten.

That simple Facebook not really challenges me. It keeps asking me about my priorities and about what truly has meaning. I am wondering how many simple, yet wonderful, blessings I miss every day – gifts from friends, from strangers, even from God. I wonder if the gifts I give are special because of their cost or the value of the love in which they are given.

I know Lent is quickly approaching, and I believe God gave me my focus for this season in the words of a young Brazilian woman. Maybe it is time for the virtue of simplicity to take deeper root in my life as I receive and share the joy of simple things. Maybe all of us could benefit by taking our eyes off of the things we have and share, and looking more deeply at reason we share them in first place.

I look forward to this Lenten journey. Maybe God will inspire you to join me.

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The truth is, everything takes time and sometimes it takes quite a lot of it. All of us receive the same 24 hours and we are charged with the responsibility of choosing how we will spend those precious moments.

This week, I returned from a post-Christmas vacation. Our family enjoyed a relatively quiet week together. We ate, watched movies, played video games, and spent our minutes on building family family and celebrating life. We treasured the time, but it passed very quickly.

I returned from vacation to face the death of a man in our church family. He was a precious saint who loved God, loved his family and loved life. As I prepared for the memorial service, the words, “seize the day,” kept coming to mind. Those three words described his life and the were a witness to the legacy he left to his friends and family.

The Christian musical artist, Carolyn Arends performed a song with those words as its title and focus. In the song she sings:

“Seize the day, seize whatever you can
‘Cause life slips away just like hourglass sand
Seize the day, pray for grace from God’s hand
and nothing will stand in your way, Seize the day.”
Seize the Day Video

As I led the service on Friday, I was reminded of the supreme importance of living the life we are given. So often, we are busy trying to get somewhere else, dreaming of something else and wishing we were someone else that we miss the beauty and blessing of being who God made us to be, doing what we were made to do in the place God created for us to be.

Looking back, our vacation was a blessing, but God met me at a funeral to remind me how precious the time we are given is, and how important it is to live life with passion, seizing the day and savoring every moment.

Today is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice! Be glad in it, and seize the day!

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One important part of the story that we often miss is found in just one verse of scripture in the second chapter of Luke, “but Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (v. 19) Mary took it all in, and reflected on its meaning. Amid all the activity and experiences of Christmas, she made time to meditate on all that God was doing.

Treasuring and pondering are important. They help us appreciate and understand the blessings of our lives and they help to shape our attitudes toward the future. The are actions that require something of us, including our focused attention and our time. When we reflect and meditate in this way, we see more deeply into the heart of God, the needs of the world, and the health of our own souls. This depth allows us to live more fully connected to God and to others and to mine more spiritual growth out of each moment.

One of the treasures I am pondering is the gift of family, specifically, the gift of our children. My wife and I are blessed to be adoptive parents. It is one of the greatest joys of our life that God allowed us to choose our children and allowed them to choose us. It was a divine connection that forever changed our lives, and the anniversary of that connection comes every Christmas season.

It was in this week, twelve years ago, that our children came to us and we began our journey as a family. What a Christmas present that was, and continues to be. This weekend we will all be together for the holiday again and I am busy treasuring and pondering once again. I am recalling the life lessons learned from my journey as a father and how I better understand my relationship with God as a result. I know what it is like to be called, “daddy,” and the joy that brings to the heart of a father. I know the joy of seeing your children make good choices and come to new discoveries. I also know the pain of watching them suffer, sometimes from their own choices, and the challenge that comes as they try to discover who they are.

This Christmas, the presents are appropriate for young adults, but gone is the sea of presents that once surrounded the tree. The dolls, toy cars and blocks will be replaced with new desires, but I will not forget the toys that littered our home when they we younger. My feet still bear the marks of finding them in the dark. I will remember the joy on their faces, and on mine as I watched, and I will recall how I learned that real life, even joy-filled life is messy and cannot always be controlled. I affirm the truth that sometimes the box is better that the toy inside and that with eyes of wonder, everything has the potential to be a blessing.

These are just the beginning of my pondering this year, and I thank God for each and every one of them. As Christmas Day approaches and the season continues, it is a perfect time to capture the heart of Mary, to learn the blessing of treasuring and pondering. It is an opportune time to meditate on God and the blessings God continues to birth in our lives.

Be blessed as you meditate on God’s blessing in your life. Recall the treasures he has given you and ponder them in your heart. If you can share one or two with someone else. Let them see God revealed in your life and be reminded of his presence in theirs. May your heart overflow as you ponder these treasures this Christmas.

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When we first married, my wife and I had no ornaments for the tree, and we also lacked the finances to purchase fancy decorations. One evening, while shopping at the mall, we found some simple ornaments we liked at Sears and we brought them home. We covered our first tree with Styrofoam apples and strawberries, bows and gold thread balls. It was simple, but very attractive. We loved it because it was ours and it represented the new life that we would share together.

In addition to these basic ornaments, a small knitted duck and some mini taper candles that we purchased on our honeymoon in Williamsburg, Virginia, hung on that first tree. Since then, we add new decorations each year, and every one has a story. Some are gifts from friends, clients and coworkers. Others are purchases made at special occasions. As we place these ornaments on the tree, we remember the stories associated with them, and give thanks for the blessings they represent.

Twelve years ago, when we adopted our three children, the decorations took on new meaning. New ornaments for each child became a holiday tradition, but something more important happened in the process of adorning the tree. The stories of our past became the stories of our children’s past. We watched in awe as our three precious gifts: six, eight, and ten years old, took each ornament along with its history and made it a part of their life story.

Now, each year as we decorate the tree, the children take the ornaments and ask about their stories. Sometimes, they even tell us the now familiar tales. We laugh and smile as once again we celebrate the joy of being a family. There is time to show off for the video camera, then we all sit and watch the video of what we just accomplished. It never gets old, and our shelves display a series of videotapes that share the same memories over again, but with new life and joy. Together, the children, the ornament memories, my wife and I all grow closer together and we find a deeper blessing in sharing the holidays as family.

Traditions, when used correctly, strenthen relationships to our past and the people in our present. They give us a sense of place and connection, providing stability to envision our future. Traditions are not rules we are bound to, but opportunities to share our common journey. In our families, churches and communities, we make our way in unison for the joy of being together.
 
As we journey through this Advent season together, what traditions make this season special to you and your family?

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Recently, during my preparations for the new class I am teaching, I happened upon a website with a rich deposit of ancient prayers of the saints. I was pleased because I was looking for prayers to include with the study guides I was creating for the participants. As I browsed, I found these simple, yet profound words to God, offered by the 4th century Christian, Augustine.

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
Amen.

I was, and remain, deeply touched by these unassuming words that link my relationship with the Holy Spirit to my ability to live and act as one who is holy, set apart to God.

Holiness is not an easy task. Maintaining a life of personal and social holiness requires an awareness of the pervasive needs around me and within me. It demands a deep commitment to go beyond acknowledgement of concerns to actions that bring the transforming power of God to work in our circumstances. Holiness of heart and life is a daily discipline that molds our life and the world around us. It is so challenging, that it cannot be accomplished on our own. We need God to enable us to live a life of holiness.

This is where I find Augustine’s prayer so powerful. In simple words, he asks that God would make his inner life holy, and then do the same to his life and work with others. From there, he asks to grow in love of holiness, protecting the ground he already gained while experiencing an even deeper passion for more, until he is completely holy.

John Wesley reminds us that we are God’s people, “going on to perfection.” We are on a journey where the destination is not just heaven, but perfection and holiness in God. Every day, every moment, we can take another step in that direction. Will you join me in praying this ancient prayer and allow God to make us holy inside and out until the light of Christ within us can shine fully and brightly into all the world?

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Stewardship can be an unpopular topic. We like our privacy. We tire of the media voices inundating us with requests for money, and honestly, we’ve seen far too many over-paid people asking for our support. Thankfully, real stewardship is far more than a financial pledge, so far beyond paying church bills. Stewardship is an attitude of the heart; a way of life that responds to the generous heart of God with a willingness to be generous ourselves. Real stewardship acknowledges that we are blessed and seeks to be a blessing to others.

On my first mission trip to Brazil, I attended a worship that changed my life and my understanding of Christian stewardship. Sitting in a cramped pew within a crowded church, I watched as people who clearly fit within my definition of poverty came forward to place their offerings in the collection box at the front of the sanctuary. I asked one of the young women who sat next to me why they did not pass plates like we did back home. She explained to me that they believed it was important for the young people of the congregation to see their parents, family and friends putting their faith into action by giving.

I went on to ask her what the significance was of a large basket that sat behind the collection box. I’d watched as people put their tithes in the box and then placed something in the basket. She replied, “Oh, those are our gifts for the poor.” The shock on my face must have been evident as I tried to make sense of the scene – poverty stricken people collecting gifts for the poor! The young woman smiled and said, “You don’t get it do you?” I replied, “Apparently not/” Her face beamed as she said, “We have everything, because we have Him. How can we not share what God has given us with those who need it too?”

I was speechless, and moved with deep emotion. Earlier, I’d been lamenting things I, and the church I served, did not have. Now, I was sitting in the face of the most powerful sermon on stewardship I’d ever experienced. Here were people who understood that what really mattered was more than a collection of things, but a connection with people and with the heart of God.

This year, as our church celebrates its Consecration Sunday, I pray that we can capture some of that same awareness and generous spirit. I hope I can as well, as I still have much to learn. Maybe, as we embrace how richly God provides for our lives, we can embrace the opportunity to share richly with others, for that is where the real blessing lies.

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