First of All, Pray: Blog
Bringing Biblical Truths to Daily Life
The good fight of faith
To turn the hearts of the fathers
It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Luke 1:17
One morning toward the end of 2016 as I was keeping my appointment with God, I heard this snatch of a verse: “…to turn the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous.” I looked it up and found it in the book of Luke. It was the angel’s proclamation to Zacharias, John the Baptist’s father, about this yet-to-be conceived child.
I thought about my generation and the swelling tide of disobedience and chaos throughout the earth…particularly in America. I want nothing more than to see an outpouring of hunger and thirst for the things of God and a moving of His Spirit upon every living soul in this generation—including the rebellious.
As I began praying about this, however, I glanced back at the Scripture open upon my lap. In my New American Standard Bible one phrase was capitalized to show it was an Old Testament quote. It read this way:
…TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN…
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it. I knew God was showing me something I’d never thought about before. And then it hit me: The hearts of the fathers had drifted away from their children, and it was epidemic in our culture and world—and this turning away—this gross disinterest—was responsible for most of the chaos and upheaval surrounding us.
I thought of my dad and his difficulty with showing affection. I thought of his temper and tendency toward punitive actions and belittling words. And yet despite his massive flaws and mistakes I knew his heart was for me…and knowing that had helped to keep me somewhat steady in life.
Then I thought of my days as a camp counselor. We all knew it: you were either staff-oriented or camper-oriented—you either put the kids first or you prioritized hanging out with or flirting with other counselors.
I also thought about my teaching career. I had observed some who consistently arrived to school as late as possible and left right after the buses. There were those who sat in the lounge “chill-axin’”throughout every break; others stayed glued to their computer most of the day; and toward the end of my career, as smart phones worked their way onto the scene, I knew of teachers who constantly texted back and forth to each other while supervising students.
I thought of ministries and para-ministries, men and women in governmental positions (both elected and appointed), business leaders and executives, even those in volunteer roles—and yes, fathers and mothers. In every one of these cases, I could instinctively recognize those who prioritized “my ministry; my office; my position; my career; my needs; my desires; my gifting; my talent; my abilities; my expertise, my insight” above everything else. These were the ones—the “fathers”—of whom the angel spoke, whether they were male or female; whether they had children of their own or not.
These were the ones whose hearts had turned away from the children. These were the ones who viewed with gross disinterest those entrusted to their stewardship . These were the ones whose hearts were stuck on self.
You see, my dad was extremely dysfunctional and often unkind; but he wasn’t stuck on self. There’s a big difference.
And I then I saw it. Our nation doesn’t so much need a spiritual outpouring on the disobedient; instead, what we desperately need is a move of God on the fathers—on every last one of us called to leadership in any capacity—whether to steward, shepherd, teach, nurture, guide, direct, correct, or oversee anyone else. Without such a move, the full outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the rebellious, the disobedient, and the unpersuadable will be stifled.
The hearts of those in leadership must be broken and redirected once again to genuine care for those under their oversight.
And as for the rest of us? I sense the same is true for both you and me: Consider your ways toward those entrusted to you—whether they be many or few. Is your heart genuinely toward them—sincerely listening, pondering, and probing the Spirit of God on their behalf—or is there some “stick-age” in your stewardship—gross disinterest—stuck on self?
Don’t feel bad if you discover you’ve been stuck on self; all of us have been to some extent or other. But now it’s time for the One who has stewardship over each one of us to correct, redirect, and transform our focus, unsticking our stick-age, and to bring our hearts into alignment with His heart…turning us back in genuine concern for those He’s entrusted to each one of us…eradicating any remnant of gross indifference from our souls.
And I believe that as those of us in any leadership capacity at all will yield to Him and turn in real compassion toward those He’s given us, then “the disobedient and incredulous and unpersuadable” will turn “to the wisdom of the upright” (see Amplified Classic) and be transformed.
Lord, prepare us to follow You fully—even in this!
Dorothy
Make an appointment
As I was seeking God in December about this year, I was also very aware of some areas of vulnerability in my life. One such shortcoming was this: I was not as consistent in set-apart prayer time as I had been in the past. Sure, I talked to God on and off throughout the day and enjoyed hearing from Him in the surprising ways He would “drop in on me”, but I knew He was re-directing me to a more focused, disciplined pursuit.
And as He would have it, one of those surprise “drop-ins” came as I was wrapping up reading through the Old Testament in the book of Amos. I read
“Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?” Amos 3:3, NASB
Now this verse is more famously quoted this way: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (KJV) That’s how I’d always heard it preached—we need agreement with one another to accomplish God’s work; we need to be in agreement with God to walk in His ways.
However, this word “appointment” jumped off the page at me. My complacent lethargy concerning daily prayer was in for a makeover! And it all had to do with making an appointment with God.
Here’s how God directed me. He reminded me that I made appointments with the dentist and the doctor—and that I kept those appointments. I also remembered that when I met a friend for coffee, we would text each other ahead of time to confirm our meeting. Basically, the Lord showed me that most of my dealings with others involved appointment making—and by the same token, the way to return to my first love and zeal for Him simply involved making and keeping appointments with Him.
So here’s what I did: Before I would go to bed, I asked the Lord, “What time tomorrow is our appointment?” and I’d hear a time and would agree to meet with Him then. Simple…yet profoundly helpful.
Are you having difficulty finding time to set apart for God? Then call out to Him, set up an appointment, and then show up. Then do it again the next day.
A funny thing started happening soon after I began those appointments…I seemed to blunder into divine appointments and supernatural unfoldings more and more in my everyday life. And then it dawned on me—I was honoring the appointment part of the verse, and God was showing up in the walking together part!
Now don’t get me wrong—I’ve missed an appointment or two since that verse jumped out at me. But I know how to make my way back to Him quickly and to pick back up: I make an appointment and keep it!
Here’s to walking with the Lord persistently and consistently!
Dorothy
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day: Christmas Series Part 18
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a song on Christmas Day during a tumultuous time in American history—during the height of the Civil War. We, too, like Longfellow, live in a time of great challenge and can also attest to the fact that hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
But, like Longfellow, we can take courage: God is not dead, nor doth He sleep. Truly, we can rest assured that in accordance to the Word of God, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1863)
As you walk closely with the Child of Bethlehem, the Lord Jesus Christ, He will lead you through this fallen world as a light shining in a dark place. Don’t be afraid; He will be with you wherever you go and will manifest through you the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
Indeed, because of your connection to the Lord, you are part of a great restraining force that has not yet left the earth. Let Him use you in the days ahead to pray for and to reach out in kindness, truth, and grace to a lost and hurting world. He will lead you; just trust Him and follow.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7
Hold your head high this Christmas Day. Your God is alive and well, and your Redeemer lives!
Dorothy
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
To learn more about the circumstances surrounding the life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which prompted the writing of this poignant carol, see the following article at the Christian Post.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/i-heard-the-bells-on-christmas-day-111313/
Heaven greets Earth: Christmas Series Part 15
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.” Luke 2:8-9, KJV
Perhaps one of the shepherds had just added wood to the fire; maybe one of the men had just returned with a straying lamb upon his shoulder; perhaps another one had just cracked a joke. Then faster than lightning, they were jolted out of their everyday monotony by a close encounter of the heavenly kind.
Who can even imagine what that must have been like? The sound and smell of sheep, the familiar camaraderie of fellow shepherds, the usual constellations and night breezes, and then, suddenly—Light! Blinding, shimmering, holy light shone all around them—and in the midst of it stood the angel of the Lord. They were terrified.
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:10
Fear not?! I was less afraid when that lion that sneaked up on us last year! one of the shepherds might have said to himself. But strangely, the odd salutation seemed to calm their jittery nerves. Squinting and rubbing their eyes, they strained to make sense of what was happening. Who is this and what’s he saying about good news…something about all people?
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
Well, I’ll be, someone must have mused. He’s talking about our own Bethlehem! The shepherds stole glances at one another. A Savior? Born today? Could he be talking about the Messiah? Almost afraid to breathe, they dared not move, intent upon understanding every word coming from the mouth of this heavenly stranger.
“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12
Now, there’s something I get—a manger; I’ve filled plenty of those in my time, one of the shepherds might have thought to himself. But who would put a baby in a manger? I don’t get that part at all! Especially if this Child is the Messiah!
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:13-14
Before their very eyes, the sky filled with an enormous company of angels, their voices resounding through the hills, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Hearts pounding out of their chests, the shepherds must have trembled, wept, and stared skyward with mouths agape.
“When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, ‘Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’” Luke 2:15
How long the angels remained above the shepherds’ encampment is left to speculation. How long before the shepherds could even speak one to another is also unknown. But one thing is perfectly clear; the shepherds knew they had been visited by messengers of the Living God. They understood that they were summoned to witness the intersection of God and Man. Perhaps the old Psalm whispered in their hearts:
“Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him that glory may dwell in our land. Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.” Psalm 85:9-11
“So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.” Luke 2:16
Maybe the shepherds left one or two of the younger ones with the sheep; nevertheless, it was with great haste that they made their way to town and found the stable. And there was the baby, lying in a manger, just as the angel said.
“When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:17-19
The small band of rough, plainspoken shepherds related their tale of angels and glory to the mother of the Child and her husband. Others who had already gathered there to see the newborn heard the astonishing story as well. Wonder and awe filled that little shelter; Mary, still a virgin, treasured all that she was hearing as she soaked up everything this motley crew had to say.
“The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.” Luke 2:20
Everyday life beckoned the shepherds back to their post; but as they departed from there, the glory of God welled up within them and they could not help but praise Him for all they had witnessed. Surely God is with men; surely God is with us!
May you, too, experience that God is with you—because He is!
Dorothy
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
Interview with the magi, page 3: Christmas Series Part 14
“…we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” …and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 2:2b; 9b-10
[Background: Passed down in my family through the millennia is this interview with one of the magi conducted by my many-times-removed, great, great, great, great, etc., forebear, Dorotheonea Fricknacius who was a young reporter for the Jerusalem Journal around the time of Christ. This is the last page of her three-part interview. If you have not done so yet, please scroll down and read pages 1 and 2 of the interview first before you read this.]
Interview with Harar, magi from the East, page 3
Journal: How could the Journal—indeed, evidently nearly all of Jerusalem—miss such an important birth?!?
Harar (not his real name): My fellow magi and I were bewildered by this lack of knowledge as well. Yet the prophecies, the shepherd’s tidings, the Star—all of these events—gave such witness to the unthinkable: that this little Boy was indeed the Jewish Messiah. We could do nothing less than venerate Him who will one day rule the nations!
J: I heard that you gave Him gifts.
H: Absolutely. It is our custom to present tokens of respect to kings to whom we pay homage. Your King Solomon received gifts from many foreign dignitaries, including the Queen of the South, who visited Jerusalem to view his kingdom.
J: Did you bring a gift to Herod, also?
H: He was not the King to whom we were drawn. No.
J: If you don’t mind, would you let us know the manner of gifts that you gave to the Child?
H: Certainly. We offered gold as a tribute, for as your Scriptures say, the government will one day rest upon His shoulders. We presented frankincense, the precious incense of worship, for as your prophets foretold, this small One is Immanuel, God with us. Myrrh, a sacred resin used in anointing the dead—oh, how His mother drew back when we presented this—was to bear witness to the prophecies that this Child was born to one day die for all mankind.
J: So you really believe then, that this Child could be the One for whom we have been waiting?
H: This Child is the One. Our eyes have seen and our hands have touched Him. He is indeed the One who will conquer sin and death. Yes—He is the Messiah!
J: Surely Herod was not aware of this! He never would have sought Messiah’s death!
H: Be that as it may, that night all of my fellow magi and I were warned in our dreams to depart from that country quickly, by a different route than we came—and not to return to Herod. We left at sun up, and having bid the blessed couple farewell, we kissed the Son and departed.
J: The Child…is He…dead?
H: We sent spies back to determine the safety of the Boy and His family. Indeed, Herod had struck, for our spies returned with reports of unspeakable carnage. Infants and little boys lay gutted and dying in the streets. Women, men, older boys, and girls were weeping, wailing, clinging to small, lifeless bodies on every porch…
J: The Child…?
H: The Child…yes. I get overcome whenever I remember the reports of the senseless massacre of so many innocents…Our spies found the shepherd, who had spoken with Joseph, the Child’s father, shortly after we departed. It seems an angel had appeared to Joseph in a dream as well, warning him to take the Child and His mother and flee.
J: Where did they go?
H: Our sources have located them, safe and sound, far from Judea. We are keeping in contact with them as inconspicuously as possible. We want no harm to come to this Child.
J: But where is He?
H: I am sorry, but that information is confidential. Soon enough, however, He will be revealed to Israel and then to the world at the time ordained by Israel’s God. Until then, pray that your nation will not miss, once again, the day of her visitation. And as for you, young lady—be prepared. When the Coming One appears, will you be found ready?
And so ends the interview between my many-times-removed, great, great, great, great, etc., forebear, Dorotheonea Fricknacius and the magi whom she called Harar.
May the majesty, power, and miracle of Christmas overtake your heart and your mind as you, like the magi of old, seek Him with all of your heart.
Dorothy
(Much of the preceding has been fictionalized. The Messiah, however, who was born to die for all is very real. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Him.)
Merry Christmas!
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will release you from captivity…Jeremiah 29:13-14a, Amplified Bible
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
Interview with the magi, page 2: Christmas Series Part 13
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:1-3
[Background: Passed down in my family through the millennia is this interview with one of the magi conducted by my many-times-removed, great, great, great, great, etc., forebear, Dorotheonea Fricknacius, a young reporter for the Jerusalem Journal around the time of Christ. This is page 2 of her three-part interview. If you have not done so yet, please read page 1 of the interview from yesterday’s entry before you read this.]
Interview with Harar, magi from the East, page 2
Harar (not his real name): Throughout Arabia and Persia are magi, kings, and scholars learned in the lore of ancient prophecies and in the intricate portendings of the heavens. There has been a general expectation for over a century throughout the lands east of the Dead Sea that a great Judean Prince would be born in our time. This Man will obtain dominion unlike any before Him. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom which will not be destroyed.
Journal: That sounds like Messiah. But how were you magi, from so many varied nations, so certain that the time had come for such a Prince’s birth?
H: Ancient seers throughout Arabian and Persian history have foretold that a scepter would arise again in Judah. Indeed, one of my own country’s prophets, Balaam, left record of this One to come, saying, “I shall see Him, but not now; I shall behold Him, but not nigh; there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion.”
J: Yes, come to think of it, my people have that very prophecy recorded in our own sacred Scriptures.
H: I knew to look for a Star—a very special Star to the west—proclaiming this One’s arrival. As my father and my grandfather before me, I regularly studied the night skies, searching for the one out of Jacob.
J: When did you first spy the Star?
H: Oddly enough, it had arisen more than a year before I saw it, in skies further to the east. Magi from Persia and eastern Arabia began arriving in Moab with one goal: to follow the Star. I met them there on my frequent business in the region, and I was shocked but deeply stirred by their tidings. The Star was beckoning to those who would heed: Come at once to the land of Jacob. I had no choice but to drop my business dealings and join my fellow magi. We had but one goal: to behold and to touch the Desire of nations.
J: You, a star gazer and believer in magic arts, along with others of the same persuasion, actually believed you would find in Israel, a nation that historically outlaws such practices, One who would command your respect and attention?
H: We knew He was there. If we found Him, however, we would not merely pay attention; we would pour out our hearts to Him in adoration.
J: Any luck?
H: At first, none. No one in this land of prophetic fulfillment could give us any coherent direction. Truly, among ourselves, we magi wondered if those to whom this Child was sent actually cared about His advent at all.
J: You did eventually find a Child, though, did you not?
H: Yes. Herod had heard of our inquiries and sent for us. His chief priests and scribes had informed him from Scripture that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem. From our collective data, Herod deduced the Child was nearing two years. He then commissioned us to make haste to Bethlehem to search carefully for the Child. When we found Him, we were to report immediately back to Herod.
J: So Herod knew you were looking for a Child, not intending to plant one.
H: Absolutely! We continued from Jerusalem, now traveling south to Bethlehem, following the Star.
J: Describe the Star to refresh our readers’ memories, please.
H: Oh, how could one forget such a display! The Star was more lustrous than any in the heavens, and boasted a tail that extended far below its upper peak. It stood low on the horizon, ever beckoning west to those of us from the East, but for those in Jerusalem it took its stand to the South over tiny Bethlehem, pleading with any who would pay heed, Come! A Child has been born! As we drew near to the little town, we were amazed that so few seemed to pay the Star any attention at all. “Oh, that?” they would say. “That Star’s been in the same spot now for nearly two years. We’re used to it by now.”
Despite the nonchalance of most of the people, we met a humble shepherd who lit up like the Star itself when we asked about a Child king. He took us with great joy to the makeshift home of a carpenter and his wife and their young Son. On the way he told us tales of angels radiating heavenly light far more brilliant than the luster of the Star. The angels directed him and his peers to this same Child, who according to the angels, was none other than the Savior, Christ the Lord. We knew it was true as we entered the home and met Mary His mother and saw the young Child.
We immediately fell in worship; we could not speak other than in praises to God. His mother, a young girl, to be sure, stood humbly, even embarrassed, yet dignified, obviously soaking up all that she was seeing. After some time, her husband extended his hand to us and allowed us to hold the Child. Such lowly beginnings for the very Son of God! It made utter sense, though. The King—yea, the Savior of the human race—had to be clothed with humility so that the lowest of the low could rest assured that they, too, were included in His embrace. Likewise, the highest of the mighty would be brought to their knees embracing His revelation.
To be continued…
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
(The preceding has been fictionalized.)
Interview with the magi, page 1: Christmas Series Part 12
For the next three days, I will post a rare interview with one of the magi who trekked to Bethlehem in search of the Christ Child. This document from antiquity has been passed down for millennia in my family. My many-times-removed, great, great, great, great, etc., forebear, Dorotheonea Fricknacius, was a young reporter for the Jerusalem Journal around the time of Christ. She, like Lydia in Paul’s day, was something of a novelty—a woman in the work world. Her journals show that she sensed the hand of God on her pen as she wrote, and she always cited Psalm 68:11, “The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host.”
She famously tracked down one of the magi from the East who had sought out, found, and worshiped the newborn Messiah. She changed the names involved to protect the innocent. Her ancient account will appear for the next three days in the First of All, Pray blog, starting with today.
Interview with Harar, magi from the East
By Dorotheonea Fricknacius, reporter for Jerusalem Journal
[Reporter’s note: Shortly after last year’s slaughter of male children aged two and younger in Bethlehem and its environs, I became increasingly concerned about what part, if any, the mysterious royal visitors from the East might have played in this devastation. Understanding that they were connected to a “child search”, I had to know if they had any influence on Herod’s subsequent all-out attack on the baby boys of Bethlehem and throughout Judea. My sources gave me several regions in which I might find some of the eastern kings and magi, so I set out two months ago in a caravan heading east. My first stop was to be in Moab, our neighbor to the east of the Dead Sea. Here my effort was immediately rewarded for there I met a man who was the spokesman for one of the magi whom I will call Harar. He was reposing in the region of Mizpah on his way to other business when I was granted an interview. I determined that if all went well, I would have no need to continue eastward in search of more magi. Fortunately, Harar told me everything I needed to know. I praise God; I do not relish camel rides.]
Harar: My servant tells me you come from Jerusalem to obtain an interview concerning my recent Judean visit. I must first ask, however: were you sent by Herod?
Journal: No, sir. I have come seeking Truth.
H: You, a native of Judea, come to me, a Gentile astronomer, to seek truth?
J: Yes, sir. Although my people are blessed with the Holy Scripture, it seems in this case that those further from the Truth in distance and blood have searched for it more diligently than many of us to whom it has been so graciously sent. I seek to learn of your purpose for visiting Bethlehem.
H: Are you speaking in reference to the Child?
J: Yes, sir. As you surely have heard, soon after you and your party departed Bethlehem, a slaughter of the innocents was ruthlessly carried out by decree of Herod.
H: So I have been told.
J: After the slayings, Herod implicated you and your fellow magi with planting a male child from the east into a household in Bethlehem. This child supposedly would one day overthrow Jerusalem and then give control of Israel to the kings of the east. With this story he defended the massacre.
H: Such lies will not prosper! So you have come for the Truth?
J: Yes, sir. I want to tell my people your story.
H: Quite the contrary, young lady. This story belongs to the Jews. The fact that they are largely unaware of it makes it no less theirs. My fellow magi and I were merely appointed by Providence to play a small role, and now our lives will never be the same. Oh, that Israel would have recognized the dawn of her visitation!
To be continued tomorrow…
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
(The preceding has been fictionalized.)
Shepherds: Christmas Series Part 11
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8
Working men—shepherds—were out in the field, doing what they had done all their lives—working their trade. It was to such hardworking laborers that the heavenly announcement came.
In our day, perhaps the good tidings of great joy would have been announced to cops on the beat or to paramedics on a run. Perhaps linemen repairing fallen wires or retail associates arriving early to the store would be the recipients of the big announcement. Maybe some Denny’s servers or cooks on their break during the overnight shift would receive the angelic proclamation.
To be sure, wise men, with their learned calculations and studious research, would find their way to the newborn King, but God made certain that common “blue collar” laborers of the day were given a VIP invitation straight from Heaven itself.
What was it about these shepherds that merited such an angelic visitation? Had they proven that they possessed impeccable knowledge of Scripture? Had they demonstrated profound spiritual proclivities? Were they skilled in ascertaining the move of the Spirit? Had they ever been established as reliable prophetic voices? No, no, no, and no. Why, then, would God condescend to send His angels to them?
Sometimes when I hear of pedigrees and qualifications bandied about in the Church as to why God will speak to some in our time but not others, I wonder if we really understand the Lord at all.
“From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came;
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tiding of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy!” (First published in 1760; author unknown.)
God knew what He was doing when He sent the angelic host to that certain band of shepherds who were abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. God hit the bull’s-eye by choosing rough, common folk to receive angelic revelation. He was setting the stage for the proper functioning of His Church way back in the infancy of His Son’s earth life. He was revealing with every detail of the nativity what really mattered to Him; He was revealing the invaluable estimation He placed on every soul.
“God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy!”
Despair, oppression, and immovable restrictions upon individual lives were lifted when souls came to faith in Christ. No longer were men and women held in bondage to the stifling limitations imposed upon them by governments or religion. Certainly, not everyone opened up to the freedom that came through faith in Christ. As a result, outward opposition to such liberty still existed, yet those who found rest and rebirth in Him experienced a freedom that defied the oppression of man—and it liberated them from the power of the devil.
Indeed, the message proclaimed to the shepherds was wondrous and utterly inclusive: Unto you is born this day a Savior. Unto you—no matter how insignificant you may think you are—has come a Deliverer. You have been chosen to be recipient of God’s greatest gift to the earth—His Son Jesus Christ.
What a comfort! What a joy!
Dorothy
© 2015, Dorothy Frick
No room: Christmas Series Part 10
While they were [in Bethlehem], the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7
Have your plans ever fallen through? Can you imagine going into labor or assisting someone else who was about to give birth yet not being able to find clean, comfortable facilities?
This was the situation in which Mary and Joseph found themselves. Bethlehem was packed with census travelers and the inn was flat-out filled up. No vacancy. No room. Not even a corner.
I don’t know—but if I had been Mary, I might have battled with indignation and outrage. Don’t they know who I’m carrying? The angel visited me. I’m blessed above all women. Let me see the manager right now!
But nowhere in the Scripture is there any indication that Mary thought any of these things. Instead, she and Joseph, led by Providence under the light of a lone, majestic star, humbly allowed themselves to be reassigned to a hillside cave, of sorts—some kind of shelter for livestock. There they had a semblance of privacy; there the Lord of lords was born under the oversight of mildly interested cows and sheep quietly munching hay, shifting their weight and nosing in for a closer look.
Have you ever felt that there was no room for you, your talents, your skills, your insight, or your gift? You’re in good company. The Lord entered life this very way. In fact, few people paid any attention to Him at all that first Christmas. To be sure, had Mary and Joseph been shown to the penthouse suite with the best view of Bethlehem, fussed over by servants and served the best food money could buy, the story of Christmas might have been a source of great pride for some, but it never would have manifested the simple dignity of humility—the essence of God becoming Man.
By design, God entered the earth as Man in humble obscurity. His destiny had nothing at all to do with the trappings of human power or success. His destiny was to lift up the meek and to bring down the mighty—by leading each to repentance, cleansing them by His shed blood, and creating within each one a new heart.
The question of Christmas is not: Is anyone making room for me? No; the question each of us must ask this Christmas and throughout our lives is: Have I made room for Jesus? Am I giving Him full reign of the facilities of my heart? Or am I insisting on keeping certain rooms in my life for myself? These may be uncomfortable questions to consider, but they are of eternal significance to the course and destiny of your life.
The good news is this: whoever you are, you were created with a permanent vacancy in your heart that can only be filled by the Lord Jesus. He says to each one of us, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Welcoming the Son of God into the vacancy of your heart will change your life. And as you grant Him not only room but also free reign of your life, you will be transformed to be more and more like Him (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. (By Isaac Watts, 1719.)
No longer ask, Will there ever be room for me? But determine this above all other concerns: I give my life to make room for You—have Your way in me.
Lord Jesus, there is room in me for You.
Dorothy
© 2015, Dorothy Frick