Resolved: Not to Make Any New Year’s Resolutions

Congratulations to me! I’ve succeeded in keeping the one resolution that I made at the start of 2025: I resolved not to make any other resolutions. Success!

 

Most resolutions are like ice cubes in the hot sun. They don’t last long. They’re the paving material for the roads to good intentions and wishful thinking. ‘I’m going to lose weight.’ ‘I’m going to exercise regularly.’ ‘I’m going to get out of debt.’ ‘I’m going to start reading my Bible.’ ‘I’m going to travel more this year.’ ‘I’m going to become a kinder person.’ If you’re a resolutions maker, you can probably add to that list.

 

Unfortunately, when it comes to resolutions, it’s not the thought that counts. They lack staying power, and as soon as you break a resolution that’s it. Game over. ‘I knew I couldn’t do it!’

 

Spending consistent time in the 
Scriptures is a worthwhile goal.

Does that mean we should forsake all efforts to make personal changes and strive for improvement? Not at all. But I’d suggest that instead of all-or-nothing resolutions, set goals instead. Use them as targets to aim toward. Some are reachable very quickly; others require perseverance over the long haul – a year or even longer.

For example: Instead of making a resolution to always eat right and radically change your lifestyle to become fit, set a goal. One that’s reasonable, measurable and attainable. That way, as the adage goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. 

 

Years ago, a friend showed me the value of setting goals for different areas of life. Such as physical, mental, financial, relational, vocational, and spiritual. At the time my family had considerable debt, so we established a workable strategy and goals for digging ourselves out. As Proverbs 22:7 observes, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” It took time but we eventually were able to extricate ourselves from financial servitude.

 

I’ve consistently set goals for other areas of my life, but perhaps most important has been the spiritual. What kinds of goals can you set for that? Reading through the Bible in one year is one I’ve been able to achieve a number of times. If you set a resolution, “I’m going to read the Bible every day,” and miss even once you might conclude, ‘Why even try?’ However, if you set it as a goal, even if you miss a day or two you can always catch up when you have more time. There are a variety of schedules can be useful for doing that.

 

Why bother reading through the Bible? The first of the Psalms speaks about this: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). If we don’t determine to focus on God and His Word, our minds are sure to find something else to focus on.

 

Scripture memory has proved to be another very helpful goal, seeking to memorize Bible passages that had special meaning for me. King David wrote, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word…. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9-11).

 

We find a similar principle in Joshua 1:8, which God spoke to Joshua as he was preparing to succeed Moses as leader of the Israelites: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” We live in a world that bombards us with messages contrary to what the Lord teaches us through the Scriptures. Memorizing and meditating on the Word of God helps us to cultivate thinking that aligns with His will for us.

 

A much broader spiritual goal might be to know the Lord better and, in the process to become more and more like Him. For this reason, years ago I adopted the first portion of Philippians 3:10 as presented in the Amplified Bible for my own purpose or mission statement. In effect, the apostle Paul was making this his life goal: “That I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly.”

 

Obviously, this isn’t something to be accomplished through a one-time resolution; it’s a lifelong goal. As Paul stated just two verses later, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).

As we proceed into another new year, filled with uncertainties, challenges, opportunities, and unexpected twists and turns, I hope you choose to set some definitive goals – perhaps very different from mine – that will enable you to grow and flourish in becoming and doing whatever the Lord puts before you. Happy New Year!  

Only One Surefire Source for Finding Peace

The story is told about the little boy who dumped a package of Jolly Green Giant vegetables into a blender. “What are you doing, Billy?” his mother asked. “I want to see whirled peas!” Most of us might have little interest in whirled peas, but wouldn’t we all like to experience world peace?

Televised beauty pageants seem to have lost much of their popularity, but I remember when contestants would be interviewed and asked, “If chosen Miss So-and-So, what would you like to achieve during your reign?” Some would smile prettily and respond, “World peace!” Good luck with that!

 

Sadly, history has shown us true world peace is more elusive than the mythical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Throughout time humankind has either been starting wars, in the midst of wars, or trying to conclude wars. Why so much war? There are many reasons: Territorial disputes; access to waterways and natural resources; conflicts over cultures, ideological and religious antagonism; greed; quests for power and dominance; just plain bloodthirst.

 

But that’s the absence of peace on a global scale. What about on a personal level? We find peace to be fleeting there as well. Family conflict, work challenges, financial hardships, physical illness and ailments, aging, and the reality of living in a chaotic world all can disrupt our sense of peace. As a result, we find ourselves dealing with constant worry, sleepless nights, anxiety, and a variety of other ways distress can manifest itself.

 

In search of peace, people try a smorgasbord of hoped-for remedies: Mystical meditation, medication or substance abuse, positive thinking strategies, soothing music, many forms of distraction, even denial. ‘I just won’t think about it!’

 

Yes, it can be difficult to find peace in environments of constant turmoil, but there’s one source we can depend on, a peaceful refuge from the raging sea: Jesus Christ. That was declared in one of the Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

 

We have just celebrated the birth of Christ once more, reflecting on the world-changing meaning and impact of that singular event. From the beginning, peace was central to His message. After John the Baptist was born his father Zechariah, a temple priest, became filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. He said Jesus’ purpose included, “to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:79).

 

Then one night while a group of shepherds was watching over their flocks of sheep, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests'” (Luke 2:13-14).

 

Why then do we still have so much strife and conflict in our world, if Jesus came to bring peace? 

 

Because the peace He can provide is not a peace that involves treaties and truces and the ceasing of human hostilities. He didn’t come to put an end to earthly, temporal problems. Jesus gives His followers peace that transcends the trials and tribulations that are unavoidable in this life.

 

Just days before His betrayal, mock trial, scourging and crucifixion, Jesus knew His disciples would be distraught to see their leader treated so unjustly. He spoke to reassure them that despite what was about to happen, they need not despair. He said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

 

Much of the book of Isaiah is filled with gloom and doom, foretelling God’s acts of wrath and judgment. And yet, in the midst of the harsh warnings, the prophet offers this assurance: “[The Lord] will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3). It’s like listening to the evening news, filled with reports of wars, dire health scares, murder and mayhem, and then hearing God tell us, “Don’t fret. It’s okay. I’ve got this.”

 

We find a related passage in the New Testament where we’re admonished, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

 

Elvis Presley in 1957 popularized “Peace in the Valley.” Speaking of unwavering confidence in the Lord, the hymn includes this simple refrain: 

“There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow
No trouble, trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me.”

The little baby who more than 2,000 years ago was proclaimed the Prince of Peace and was promised to be the one to guide our feet into the path of peace, can bring an inner peace to each of us that confounds human reasoning. All we have to do is trust in the Lord and ask Him for it. 

The Strangest Christmas Gift Ever

What’s the strangest or most unusual Christmas gift you ever received? Most presents we get are welcomed, sometimes surprises we hadn’t even thought to request. But once in a while we open a gift that’s either inappropriate, embarrassing, or something we’d never buy for ourselves.

 

I can’t remember receiving a lot of these over the years, but did have an aunt who seemed to think, “I know he’ll never expect this!” And she was right. One year when I was a teenager, she sent three pairs of thin, stretchy socks – white, yellow and red. At that stage in my life, I wore socks of one color only – black. So, the Christmas socks she sent were as useful as a screen door in a submarine.

 

Michelangelo's "Pieta" on display
at St. Peter's Basilica in The Vatican.

Reading the Christmas story in the Bible, we find Mary and Joseph welcoming a very unexpected cadre of guests – wise men, or Magi, from the East. (That didn’t mean Boston or New York City or Pittsburgh.) They were mystics likely from either the Persian or Babylonian empires who had pondered the ancient prophecies of a coming Messiah. Their calculations had told them when and where this promised king would be born, so they set out to find him and worship him.

Tradition says there were three of them. But there might have been more, along with a sizable entourage to accompany them on their long, arduous journey. Whether it was “We Three Kings,” as the familiar carol claims, or not is inconsequential. What does matter is the gifts – three in all – they brought for the youngster who fulfilled the revered prophecies. Matthew 2:11 informs us, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”

 

The first two gifts made sense: Gold, signified royalty, which the new king was without a doubt. And frankincense, since the Messiah would be serving in a high priestly role. Frankincense was an aromatic resin used in incense and perfume, along with having medicinal uses. During ritual sacrifices, fragrant incense was often part of the ceremony.

 

So, both the gold and frankincense would surely have been welcomed by the young parents of Jesus. The third gift, however, must have caught them off-guard to say the least.

 

Imagine you’re expecting a baby and someone hosts a shower for you. Friends come with a variety of gifts – blankets, clothes, disposable diapers, infant toys, a mobile, sippy cups, stuffed animals. Everyone’s smiling at the cute gifts. Then you open a gift that turns those smiles upside-down. Inside the shiny, colorfully wrapped package is…embalming fluid. How would you react? Confused? Angry? Horrified?

 

This is exactly what myrrh was – a product used in the embalming process. Specifically, it was a gummy resin from a small, thorny tree in the Middle East. Since myrrh had a strong smell, it was used in perfume. But most commonly, some societies also used it as an embalming substance.

 

What kind of present is that for a young child, two years old or younger? To our way of thinking, such a gift would be strange, a real head-scratcher. We’re celebrating a new life, not a death. But remember, the Magi were acting according to prophecies of old, some of which spoke of a suffering Messiah. To them, myrrh would be very fitting.

 

We don’t know how well the wise men grasped the significance of the myrrh. But 2,000 years later, the reason is clear. Because Jesus Christ came not only to teach and provide an example of how to live a righteous life but also to die – serving as the once-and-for-all-time payment to cover the penalty of our sins. 

 

Hebrews 9:12 tells us Christ’s death on the cross ended the need for animal sacrifices the Israelites had practiced for many centuries to atone for people’s sins: “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

 

One day we all will die. But unlike the rest of us, Jesus’ primary mission as God in the flesh was to die. To be our Savior. He paid a price we could not pay to satisfy the debt He did not owe – our debt – making it possible for us to gain a right relationship with the Lord and offer us life eternal.

 

This time of year, Nativity sets and Christmas stories present peaceful, sentimental images of the baby Jesus with His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, surrounded by docile farm animals, curious shepherds, glowing angels, and the Magi. Happy, heart-warming scenes. However, from the moment of His birth, a grim shadow was cast, that of a wooden cross upon which the Lord Jesus one day would be crucified.

 

That day the gold and frankincense were of no value. What was needed was myrrh, for anointing His broken, bleeding body. We’re told after Jesus’ death was confirmed, Pontius Pilate allowed Joseph of Arimathea to take the body for burial. Accompanying him was Nicodemus, a high-ranking Pharisee and secret Christ follower who “brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs” (John 19:39-40).

 

At that moment, Jesus’ death might have seemed like the greatest tragedy in the history of the world. But we know the Good News: Three days later He was resurrected, conquering death and the power of sin. In The New Living Translation, Romans 6:10 declares, “When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God.” Because of that, we too can live for God’s glory. 

 

It’s good to reflect on the three gifts of the Magi: gold for the King eternal; frankincense for our great High Priest; and the strangest Christmas gift of all, myrrh for the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for our sins, rose from the dead, and now offers life everlasting for all who place their faith in Him. 

Our Personal, Perpetual Pursuit of Joy

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” These are the hope-filled words of the hymn, an old favorite we often hear this time of year in church, Christmas programs on TV, on radio stations and streaming services. It literally has spanned the centuries, written by Isaac Watts in 1719. In music jargon, it’s ‘an oldie but a goodie.’ 

In case you’ve decided to boycott holiday programming to avoid other seasonal classics like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” and “All I Want for Christmas Is a Hippopotamus,” here’s a refresher: 

Joy to the world; the Lord is come;

Let Earth receive her King; 

Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,

And heav’n and nature sing…

 

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns;

Our mortal songs employ, 

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy….

 

Don’t you just love joy? The mere sound of the word, “joy,” brings a smile to many faces. The experience of joy in one’s life also is an oldie but a goodie. Sadly, it’s not something everyone is familiar with. While some folks wear a perpetual smile, apparently unfazed by life’s inevitable ups and downs, for others a frown is a more realistic expression, reflecting inward troubles and turmoil.

 

Where can we find this joy? It’s not a commodity we can take off the shelves at some big-box store or purchase from Amazon. As precious as it is, it can also be as elusive.

 

For starters, we need to understand the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is basically determined by happenings, meaning it can depart just as quickly as it arrives. For instance, a lot of people are looking forward to a Christmas bonus from their employers. Their happiness will be predicated upon how large the bonus is – or whether they receive one at all.

 

Joy, on the other hand, has an internal source, an inward sense of peace and contentment regardless of whether things turn out as we had hoped or not. You might not be happy about not receiving a promotion, or pay raise, or year-end bonus that you had hoped for, but you can still experience joy in knowing your personal well-being isn’t dependent on such things.

 

This is where faith in God comes in. In Isaiah 49:13 the Lord said, speaking through the prophet, “Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into some, O mountains! For the Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.” If you’re in need of comfort or feeling afflicted, it’s obvious that things haven’t been going well. There’s not a lot to feel happy about. But having faith in God, trusting He’s fully aware of the circumstances and able to work through them for His – and our –  best, we can experience joy.

 

Later in the same prophetic book we read God’s declaration, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways…. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”Knowing this, and because our confidence is not in our own capacities but in the Lord, He then adds, “You will go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:8-12).

 

The Scriptures tell us Jesus Christ is our ultimate source of joy. After speaking to His closest disciples about their deeply personal, eternal relationship with Him, Jesus said, “I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). He wasn’t promising them unending happiness – far from it. 

 

They soon would be having to endure great sorrow, intense opposition and persecution. Of the original 12, only one – John – would not have to face a violent death. But through Christ they could experience joy independent of external factors, along with a sense of purpose: “You did not chooser Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bar fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name” (John 15:16).

 

This wasn’t a promise limited to His closest followers. The apostle Paul, converted from persecutor to an ardent preacher of the Gospel, also experienced this unshakable joy. As a result, he could write things like, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Also, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Paul also had to endure great suffering and many trials, but they could not destroy the joy he had in Christ. 

We all hope to enjoy happy times this Christmas, exchanging gifts and spending time with beloved family members and friends. But beyond the happiness – and even in the midst of sad moments we might also experience – may you also find much joy. As the apostle Peter wrote, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8). 

Showing Signs of Hope for ‘Hollywood’?

Based on what we typically see in the movies and on TV during the holiday season, we know what Christmas is about: giving, love, and magic. And if you believe Hallmark-type films, it’s about all three. Rarely, however, do we see presentations about what Christmas is truly about: the birth of Jesus Christ.

 

It used to be that the Hollywood realm produced films with a significant faith message, ones like “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” “King of Kings,” “The Ten Commandments,” “Ben-Hur,” and Christmas favorites like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol.” But in recent decades there’s not been much of that. “Elf,” “The Santa Clause” (and its sequels), and “Home Alone” might have become holiday favorites, but Jesus for the most part has been conspicuously omitted.

 

There seems to be a shift underway, if only to a small degree. Whether out of sincere conviction by actors, writers and directors, or recognition of the reality there’s a market out there for entertainment that affirms belief in God and Jesus, we’re starting to see more faith-affirming productions.

 

Mel Gibson’s 2004 film, “The Passion of the Christ,” might have helped to pave the way. Then the Kendrick brothers – not members of the Hollywood aristocracy – set out to produce Christian films that deserved better exposure than church basements. 

 

Perhaps “The Chosen,” the expansive theatrical and TV exploration of Jesus Christ and His followers, has proved once and for all that faith-based films and shows appeal to a sizable portion of American society. Having released its first five seasons, culminating in Jesus’ betrayal by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane, and season 6 now in the editing stages, Dallas Jenkins’ brainchild has struck a spiritual nerve not only across the United States but also in other parts of the world.

 

Most recently, Kevin Costner produced and narrated “The First Christmas,” a biblically faithful, made-for-TV look at the times and events surrounding Christ’s birth in ways some people have never considered. For instance, Nativity scenes commonly depict shepherds and wise men alike gathering to worship the Christ Child in a serene stable. According to Costner, the ‘stable’ was probably a cave, the setting was far from sanitized, and the Magi – the Bible doesn’t specifically state there were just three – probably arrived a year or two later, by which time Jesus would have been a toddler.

 

The point is, in the midst of our increasingly polarized society, Hollywood-style faith portrayals are no longer taboo. In fact, a number of others are currently “in the can,” as they say in filmmakers’ jargon and scheduled for release in the near future.

 

For too long the entertainment industry has pretty much fit the stereotype of being anti-Christian and anti-traditional values, so it’s heartening to find there are those in the Hollywood realm who are gathering the courage to stand up for Christ and proclaim Him, not only via TV and cinema, but also through music and literature.

 

Just as I don’t believe our Founding Fathers ever prescribed a severe separation of church and state as it’s been interpreted over the past six decades, I know there’s never been anything requiring a separation of church (or faith) and entertainment. 

 

A follower of Christ’s foremost responsibility is to worship and serve the Lord, regardless of whatever arena he or she happens to be in. As Colossians 3:23 admonishes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” That includes those – evidently a small minority – who ply their trades and utilize their talents in the entertainment industry. 

 

When the throng welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem in the days leading up to the Passover, shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:37-38), the religious leaders insisted that Jesus rebuke them, claiming His followers were committing blasphemy. Jesus’ response was simple: “I tell you, if these keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40). 

 

Another time, in a passage describing an encounter Jesus had with His closest disciples following His resurrection, He instructed them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15). The truth of Christ shouldn’t be a best-kept secret. He needs to be proclaimed from hilltops, city streets and everywhere we go. This can be done in many ways, including one-to-one, in small groups, in religious settings, and mass crusades. But with media so pervasive in our society, one of the most powerful ways for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ is through the use of broadcast media and various forms of entertainment.

 

I don’t know that we’re in a time of revival, but there does seem to be an emergence of energy and enthusiasm for standing up for Christ in many public settings these days. I’m excited about that and hope you are too. There’s much darkness in our world today and it seems to be on the increase. The good news is, as darkness deepens even the smallest light can make a great difference, even an eternal one.

 

Yes, Christmas is about giving and love and a sense of magic. That’s true even from a Christian perspective. But as another Christmas celebration approaches, hopefully “the Reason for the season” won’t be forgotten. Biblically sound, faith-based TV and film productions can help in making sure of that.

God Isn’t Distant or Indifferent – He’s Immanuel

Over the years many people have labored to express their perceptions about God. One common view is that even if He did set the entire universe in motion, He’s now like an absentee landlord. That God is far-removed in the distant cosmos, either totally disinterested in what’s happening on earth or passively observing without any desire for getting directly involved.

 

That perception – or misconception, because that’s what it is – finds no support in the Bible, the Word of God. In one of the numerous Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah, we’re told, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The meaning of this is clarified in one of the accounts of Jesus’ birth: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘…they will call Him Immanuel,’ which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23).

In the person of Jesus Christ, God took on human flesh to experience what we all experience, to teach and serve as an example of how to live, to die on the cross for our sins, and to rise from the dead to demonstrate victory over death so we can be assured of eternal life. But even after Jesus’ ascension, the Lord didn’t remove Himself from involvement in our everyday lives.

 

His last recorded words before ascending to heaven, He declared, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). How could this be possible? As Jesus explained to His disciples, He was giving them – and us – the Holy Spirit, whom theologians term the third Person of the Trinity.

 

He said, “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth…He lives in you and will be with you” (John 14:16-17). Then Jesus added, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

 

Among the many distinctions between Christianity and every other religion, one that stands out in particular is that God is not a far-off, uninvolved, detached deity. From the first book of the Bible to the last, we find the Lord very much engaged in the goings-on of His creation. 

 

He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden before their sin of disobedience. God instructed and guided Noah in the building of the ark. He assured childless Abram and Sarai that even in their old age they would have a son, fulfilling that promise after they had obeyed Him in leaving their former home. 

 

The Lord interacted directly with Jacob, renaming him Israel and making him the progenitor of the children of Israel. He gave the 10 commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai after delivering the enslaved Israelites from Egypt, and appointed Joshua to lead them into the Promised Land.

 

Scanning the Scriptures, there has never been a time when God has not been with us. As King David wrote so exquisitely, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there…. When I awake, I am still with You” (Psalm 139:7-18).

 

God spoke through prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea and Micah, and then came the glorious moment when the prophecy was fulfilled: “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

 

The human mind struggles to comprehend how an eternal, infinite God can also be omnipresent – everywhere. And yet by faith we can believe and know this is true. Someone once asked the eminent American astronomer Henry Norris Russell, “How is it possible for such a great and infinite God to have time for me?” Russell replied, “An infinite God can dispatch the affairs of this universe in the twinkling of an eye, thus giving Him plenty of time for you.”

 

The magnitude of God taking on human flesh, as a baby and then as a man, is greater than any of us can fully grasp. But knowing that it includes the assurance that God is with us – always has been and always will be – should fill us with joy during another season of celebrating Christ’s birth. 

Living the Eternal Word in a Temporal World

You’ve probably noticed, but we live in a temporal world. Everything around us is temporary. We buy a new car, but before long it has scratches or a few dents. Soon the ‘new’ on the car has worn off and it’s looking old compared to vehicles just out of the showroom. It’s the same with houses. We find one that’s “move-in ready,” nothing needing to be fixed. But after a while it requires repairs – roof, plumbing, paint, flooring, lighting.  

The temporal state applies to living things too. We delight in beautiful flowers bursting with color, only to watch them fade and droop. We enjoy our pets, but sadly they have a limited lifespan. We’ve all mourned the loss of beloved friends and family members. And the clock is ticking on our own lives. Wrinkles and gray hair, aches and pains remind us of that. Nothing lasts.

 

That is, on earth. In the heavenly realm it’s a different deal entirely. There everything is eternal, something we struggle to grasp in our clock and calendar-centered world. Recently I was reading Psalm 136, which offers many descriptions about God – His goodness, wondrous works, wisdom – each followed by the phrase, “His love endures forever.” That’s a long time!

 

Deuteronomy 33:27 gives us the assurance, “The eternal God is your refuge, and His everlasting arms are under you.” And in 1 Timothy 1:17 the apostle Paul writes of giving honor and glory to “…the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God….” When we find ourselves struggling with things in our time-limited world, we need to shift our focus to the eternal.

 

We find the contrast between the temporal and the eternal in 1 Peter 1:24-25, in which the apostle observes, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.”

 

The late Ted DeMoss, who devoted much of his adult life to the mission of introducing folks to Jesus Christ, used to say, “The only things in this world that will last are the Word of God and people.” He would explain that if we truly believe this, it should figure prominently in our lives and help in determining where to place our priorities.

 

The question is, living in a tangible, temporal world when all we know for sure is what our five senses tell us, how are we to live in the light of eternity? It may not be as difficult as it may seem. Because as Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, “[God] has set eternity in the human heart.” Deep down the Lord has given us the awareness that this life isn’t all there is.

 

I think of a fellow I used to interact with – an atheist – who boldly stated something to the effect that when we die, we go into the ground and that’s it, nothing more. But most of us – if we’re not shaking our fists at God in anger for some reason – hope and believe that this world is not a dead end, that there’s more to come, which serves to give meaning and purpose in this life.

 

What we struggle with is that we can’t know for sure what that is, although the Scriptures give us lots of clues. Even the rest of Ecclesiastes 3:11 says as much. Here’s the passage in its entirety: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 

 

There’s the rub: We can’t comprehend what He’s done from start to finish. We read passages like these:

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

“Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens…. Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea” (Job 11:7-9).

“O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!..” (Romans 1:33).

“…No one has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

 

We could cite many similar passages, but even though we can enjoy the wonderful things in this life, God didn’t create us for it alone. We can say with great assurance, based on what He has revealed in His Word, that the best is yet to come.

 

Within this context, then, we might ask the question wise individuals have asked: How then shall we live? Many books have been written seeking to provide a satisfactory answer, but I think we need not look any further than King Solomon’s closing words in Ecclesiastes: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

 

Yes, we have our lives here on earth – work, relationships, learning, hobbies, entertainment, and so on. But knowing this life isn’t the end, that it’s just the introduction to what God has for us in eternity, we should strive to worship our Creator; seek to glorify Him through our thoughts, words and actions; and serve Him and others in ways that reflect our Savior Jesus Christ who declared, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

 

Considering all He has done for us, providing the way for life eternal, how can we do any less?

The Short-Term Benefits of Instant Gratification

One of the advantages of being older – among many – is being able to appreciate how our society has changed over time. Case in point: Instant gratification. Things we once waited long periods of time for are now at our fingertips within minutes, even moments. A lot of them have to do with food.

 

For instance (or instants), coffee. Growing up, my mom would put coffee grounds in the percolator and wait patiently for the morning brew to get ready. Then came instant coffee – if you were in a hurry, you could get it much faster. You still needed to heat up the water, but it didn’t have to ‘perk.’ Of course, now we have Keurig cups (or whatever brand you prefer) and the machines heat up the water…instantly.

 

The same was true of pudding, one of my favorite childhood desserts. It had to be cooked over the stove, then put into the refrigerator to cool and set. When instant pudding was introduced, it was heralded as a time-saver.

 

Ovens and stoves still play a huge role at mealtime, but I remember when I and a friend debated whether to invest in microwave ovens. Hours slaving over the stove were condensed to mere minutes – almost instantly. The ‘watched pot’ that never boiled became the watched microwave that didn’t beep. And for those who didn’t want to go the microwave route, have you heard of “fast food”?

 

Our instant gratification impulses weren’t limited to our hunger cravings. Television sets with tubes used to take minutes to warm up; TVs now turn on with the click of a remote. Drive-thru windows spare us having to get out of our cars, whether to buy food, pay bills, or pick up merchandise. And let’s not even start on how communicating has been revolutionized by the Internet, email, texting, and our smartphones (speed-dialing?) to expedite whatever we want to do right now.

 

Instant gratification’s something we’ve all experienced and enjoyed. But even as it has accelerated the physical world in so many ways, instant gratification doesn’t work in our walk with the Lord.

 

One of the Bible’s foundational truths is the doctrine of sanctification. As Romans 5:1 tells us, “…we have been justified through faith.” Salvation can happen in a moment. However, sanctification – the process of becoming like Jesus Christ – isn’t instantaneous. Not even close. This is why the apostle Paul wrote with great confidence, “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). 

 

Presumably many of the people he was addressing in Philippi had been walking with Christ for quite a while. But Paul knew the so-called “Christian life” is day-to-day, at times arduous and never predictable. It takes time for an artist to create a beautiful sculpture or awe-inspiring painting; it takes a lifetime for God to shape us into the people He desires for us to be.

 

Often, we’d like the Lord to work swiftly, whether to free us from the bondage of destructive sins and habits, intervene in the lives of loved ones, or meet a specific need. But while we’re expecting Him to answer our prayers with a resounding “yes,” many times His answer is very different. The Psalms make this clear. We’re told to, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” But a few verses later we’re told to, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” (Psalm 37:3-4,7).

 

Lest we disregard this and think, ‘Well, He didn’t really mean to wait,’ the same psalm later instructs us to, “Wait for the Lord and keep His way” (Psalm 37:34). Being still and waiting aren’t things most of us do very well. Instant gratification demands, “I want it…and I want it now!”

 

And yet God keeps underscoring the importance of waiting. Psalm 46:10 affirms the earlier psalm, admonishing us to, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” We could say this a promise still hasn’t been fulfilled completely. Because in many parts of the world, including our own nation, the one true God isn’t being honored and worshipped. Faith and trust in Him are often ridiculed and dismissed.

 

The Lord, however, isn’t worried at all, nor is He frustrated or disappointed. He declares, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

 

So, when we’re frantically hunting for a new job, anxiously searching for a new house, fretting over a serious health concern, or praying desperately about a painful family situation and wondering why God hasn’t answered our requests, we must remember: The Lord isn’t about instant gratification. His ways are perfect, and perfection doesn’t usually come with the blink of an eye or snap of the fingers.

 

It doesn’t bother God that His timetable isn’t the same as ours. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness…” (2 Peter 3:8-9). If you want instant gratification, go to McDonald’s. But you want what’s best, go to “God’s throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) and if necessary, wait with confidence for His response.

Giving: It All Gets Back to the Best That God Gave

Now that we’ve gotten past Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s officially Christmas season. Santa Claus, the Grinch and the Clydesdales are figuring prominently in TV commercials. Most radio stations are playing carols (for those of us who still listen to the radio). Heartwarming, timeless Christmas movies are reappearing on networks, cable stations and streaming services. Ads on smartphone apps are teasing us with intriguing gift suggestions. And today’s “Giving Tuesday.” What says Christmas more than that? 

Giving is something we can – and should – practice year-round, but Christmastime has always been regarded as “the season of giving.” There are many reasons for this, but none better than being reminded about the greatest gift of all: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17).

 

God “so loved the world that He gave….” In the Bible we find the Lord giving and giving and giving, even though we’re so undeserving. That’s a topic for discussion in itself, but considering that our Creator has given so much, how can we not be inspired to give as well?

 

Ironically, it’s not hard to turn the ‘season of giving’ around and make it the ‘season for receiving.’ We compile lists of wants, ready to share them with anyone who might be inclined to give us something for Christmas. I know, having spent many a Christmas season eagerly anticipating what might be inside the brightly wrapped and bowed gifts awaiting me under the tree.

 

But Jesus’ statement that it’s “more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) isn’t a simple, nice-sounding platitude. It’s as profound a declaration as we can find anywhere. Because when we give to others we also receive, even if not in a tangible sense.

 

For more than 20 years I benefited directly from the generosity of others. Working with parachurch ministries, I had the responsibility for raising my financial support, as do missionaries who serve the Lord in foreign lands. If my support wasn’t there, there was no paycheck. So, I had great appreciation for the many people who believed in the work God had called me to do. They didn’t have to be coerced – they eagerly wanted to help in making that possible, often saying they considered it a privilege.

 

One byproduct of this was cultivating my own enthusiasm for helping to support causes the Lord has placed on my heart. It was humbling to know people cared enough to invest in the work I was doing. Often Jesus’ statement came to mind that, “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return” (Luke 12:48). It truly is a joy to participate in what God’s doing in so many areas, and giving financially is one means for doing that.

 

At this time of year, I’m also reminded of a statement made many years ago by Bob Lupton, who had established an inner-city ministry in Atlanta. Experience had taught him a simple reality for the poor. He said, “The greatest poverty is the inability to give.” What I understood this to mean is that always being a recipient and never a giver can be discouraging, even demeaning.

 

We find this illustrated in the Scriptures. Writing to Christ followers in Corinth, the apostle Paul observed, “…the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability…they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in the service of the saints” (2 Corinthians 8:1-4).

 

Can you imagine being so impoverished and yet pleading to be allowed to give materially to support others? That’s genuine giving, determining to give even when it hurts.

 

Which brings us back to God’s greatest gift, taking on human flesh not only to teach, to minister to people in need, and to give us an example to follow, but also to give His own life to satisfy the penalty for our sins. As Paul wrote to one of the men he was mentoring, “…we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness, and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:13-14).

 

This Christmas season, let’s try to avoid having the distractions of the sparkling lights, lilting holiday songs and festively colored packages take our focus off this “blessed hope.”  

Trying to Put Pain in Its Proper Perspective

We just observed another Thanksgiving Day, thinking of numerous things for which to be thankful. But as I mentioned in an earlier post, how many among us could pray with sincerity, “Thank you, Lord, for the pain I’m going through”?

 

For most of us, pain would fall to the very bottom of the list of things for which to be grateful – if on the list at all. In fact, a book by author Philip Yancey is titled, Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants. (Yancey is probably among the minority in being able to be thankful for pain, since a number of his best-selling books focus on that subject.)

 

I’ve been thinking about pain a fair amount lately, since I’ve got a torn meniscus in one of my knees that will require repair work very soon. It’s been reminding me of one of my personal mottos: I wouldn’t mind pain…if it didn’t hurt so much. 

 

Pain’s no stranger to any of us. If not physical suffering, we’ve had to deal with pain in other forms: Divorce, depression, loss of beloved family members and friends, having to watch helplessly as others endure serious illness, unexpectedly losing a job, coping with major expenses that weren’t in the budget. The list could go on.

 

As we go through such circumstances, we might wonder: What’s the point? Is there purpose behind the pain? We can debate to what extent God actually causes pain to occur, but He obviously allows it to come into our lives. Does He have reasons behind the pain we experience?

 

Author and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, The Problem of Pain, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

 

What Lewis said is true. When things are going well, when we’re reveling in our successes and good fortune, we have a tendency to feel that we don’t need God. ‘I’ve got this!’ He might be speaking to us, but we’re not paying attention. But in the throes of pain, we often turn to Him. ‘Lord, I don’t think I’ve got this!’

 

The Bible declares that pain is part of our ‘job description’ as followers of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection,” which sounds great, but then he adds, “and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” Wait…what? “Sharing in His sufferings”?

 

Another apostle, Peter, made a similar statement about our journey with Christ: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

 

In his devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers writes, “In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to avoid being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. People have sought to carry out God’s orders through a short cut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering – the way of the ‘long road home.’... We never realize at the time what God is putting us through – we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment and realize – ‘God has strengthened me, and I didn’t even know it!’”

 

Studying the Scriptures we find the Lord can – and does – use the pain in our lives in many ways. For instance, circumstances beyond our control reveal need for Him. “It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:71).

 

Going through various kinds of suffering can be part of God’s process for transforming us into the people He wants us to be. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). We find the same idea in Romans 5:3-4, “…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

 

Another purpose for pain in our lives can be to cultivate humility, as Paul recognized: “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’... That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

 

Theologian J.I. Packer offered this perspective: “Perhaps He means to strengthen us in patience, good humor, compassion, humility, or meekness by giving us some extra practice in exercising these graces under difficult situations.”

 

I needed an MRI to confirm the cartilage tear in my knee; lying with my leg completely still for 20-25 minutes caused pain more intense than I ever experienced. To shift my focus, I thought about Jesus having endured scourging and then hanging on the cross not for minutes but for hours, nails piercing his hands and feet. My appreciation for what He went through for all who believe in Him was heightened more than I could have imagined.

 

No one likes pain and suffering. But what a privilege it is to know, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

Why Thanksgiving – and Giving Thanks – Are So Important

Thanksgiving Day can bring many things to mind: Mouthwatering aromas emanating from the kitchen. A festive table covered with turkey and dressing and “all the fixin’s.” Get-togethers with family and friends. Football games on TV. Annual Christmas parades. 

These holiday traditions have certainly become integral to our annual fourth Thursday of November celebration, but the primary reason for the observance remains to give thanks to God for all He has done for us.

We could have a spirited debate about how the American observance of Thanksgiving Day originated. When I was in school, we talked about the first thanksgiving shared by the Pilgrims and the Indians. (Native Americans, as we know them now.) And there’s solid historical evidence of a harvest feast the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people shared in 1621. Some historians, however, point to an earlier event, a thanksgiving service held by Spanish settlers in 1565 in what is now known as St. Augustine, Florida.

 

It wasn’t until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving holiday, an effort to unite the country during the Civil War. The tradition of observing Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of each November was fixed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress in 1941. But how the day got started might be a moot point – the important thing is that we still celebrate it. I fondly recall the first phrase of the “Doxology,” still sung in many churches today: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….” 

 

Not everyone, of course, bows before the God of the Bible when they give thanks. I think of the s scene from the movie “Talladega Nights” in which the main character, race car driver Ricky Bobby, scans the table covered with food mainly from fast-food restaurants and proceeds to “say grace” over the food. 

 

He prays to “Dear Lord Baby Jesus,” expressing thanks for the “bountiful harvest of Domino’s, KFC and always delicious Taco Bell.” He chooses to pray in that manner, he later explains, because “I like the Christmas Jesus best.” A foolish scene no doubt, but it captures the confusion in many households when deciding to whom to be thankful. It also underscores the reality that many of us choose to worship and be thankful to the God we want rather than the God who is.

 

In our pluralistic society, the mention of God prompts myriad images. Expressions of thanks might be more ritualistic than heartfelt. Yet on the day that marks the official start of the Christmas season, it remains a wonderful thing that through the centuries, men, women and children have endeavored to acknowledge and thank the Creator God who truly is the source of all things.

 

Recently I heard an interesting distinction between gratitude and thanksgiving. Gratitude is a feeling – being grateful for something. Thanksgiving is an action – the conscious giving of thanks to whomever we feel gratitude. I can feel grateful, for instance, to my wife for an act of kindness, but if I don’t express my thankfulness for what she’s done, I might seem ungrateful or that I’m taking her for granted. 

 

The Scriptures abound with declarations of thanksgiving to the Lord, the One from whom, as the words from the Doxology assert, “all blessings flow.” One of the first Bible verses I memorized was “in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Another translation says, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

 

This puts a different perspective on the importance and role of thanksgiving. It’s easy to feel grateful or thankful when things are going well; it’s not as simple in times of trial and adversity. How can we be thankful for that chronic pain, the empty checkbook, the cherished relationship that’s been seriously damaged?

 

I always think back to my friend Albert, whose lifetime has served him and his family with more challenges than many of us can imagine. Despite that, he’s one of the most cheerful, encouraging followers of Jesus I’ve ever encountered. He even wrote a testimonial booklet called “Saying ‘Thank You’ When You Don’t Feel Thankful.” Albert could be the spokesperson for “giving thanks in all circumstances.”

 

When King David brought the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem after a resounding victory over the Philistines, he declared these words: “Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice” (1 Chronicles 16:8-10). 

 

This psalm of praise, which echoes many other psalms the shepherd-king wrote, captures the attitude the Lord wants us to have on this Thanksgiving Day. We might have been blessed in so many positive ways that we've lost track of them all. Or we might be dealing with unrelenting hardships, making it difficult to feel thankful. Or we might have a mixture of both. 

 

Regardless of what’s going on in our lives right now, we’re called to exercise our faith, as the apostle Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 5:20, by “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” I wish you a greatly blessed Thanksgiving – in the Lord!