Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12
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A symbol of hope.
During the month of December I wasn’t going to post anything except the daily Advent posts. I was going to keep my posts simple, seasonal, and spiritual. But something came up yesterday that just demands my immediate commentary!
Before I begin ranting, let me just say that I don’t mind all the old age issues – the gray hair, the aching joints, the generous girth, the sagging jowls, the fading eyesight, not even the jokes and snickers from all those whipper-snappers who are younger than I am. I expected them. But yesterday’s old age harbinger was just too much!
After an afternoon cracker snack I brushed my chin to remove any lingering crumbs. One “crumb” wouldn’t brush away. So I pulled out the old lady mirror I keep in my desk drawer … you know, the one that has the 5x magnification … took a peek, and to my horror, there it was – a chin hair! Not just a fine little wispy thing … No, this was a long, curly, gross bona fide old lady chin hair! How long had that thing been there? How many people had been repulsed by the sight of it? How come I can’t grow eyebrows and eyelashes since chemo, but I can manufacture a big fat chin hair?
Well now, this blog is supposed to be about finding hope for real life. Where is the hope in chin hair? None! There is no hope in chin hair … chin hair is real life, real ugly life! Then I remembered that hope was residing in my bathroom drawer, where a variety of tweezers were waiting to assist me in the fight. But wait, that would mean exposing that ugly hair to the world on my way to the car. No, there must be hope hidden somewhere behind the closed door of my office. So despite the stiff joints, I discovered hope in the grip of my gnarled thumb and fore finger, grabbed that nasty hair and jerked it right off my face! Amazing the strength that can be found in the face (Pardon the pun!) of adversity!
Pretty silly, huh? Getting all jacked up about something as minor as a chin hair. But that’s what we have a tendency to do, isn’t it? We’re confronted by some little annoyance, and we allow it to become a huge obstacle – something that overwhelms us, consumes our thoughts, clouds our day, and plunges us into some dark place. Why do we do that? We don’t need to let those little annoyances loom over us, we just need to see them for what they are, gather the hope and courage and strength to pluck them out of the way, and move on. Oh they’ll probably be back. Like that nasty chin hair will no doubt regenerate, reproduce, and reappear to plague me again in the future. But now I’ll be on my guard, watching for it; and I know I can conquer that silly thing and all its cohorts!
The same is true for those other annoyances that keep showing up. We just need to see them for what they are – just annoyances – and recognize that there is hope to eliminate them. But in the process, we could benefit from those annoying experiences by asking ourselves a couple of questions:
What is God teaching me through this annoying experience? “And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.” Romans 8:28 (The Living Bible)
How can I grow from the struggle to overcome this annoyance? Remember, it’s in struggling to emerge from its cocoon that a butterfly gains the strength to fly!
How can my experience help others? In 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Paul encourages us to encourage others who are going through similar circumstances. “All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.” (The Message)
So annoyances can become opportunities … opportunities to learn, grow, and help others.
Frankly, I don’t think there’s any deep lesson to be learned from the whole chin hair ordeal. Except, I did get a neat, albeit gross, illustration for my post today! I hope you’ve gotten a chuckle or two from my story, but mostly I hope you’ll recognize that annoyances are opportunities to see God working in and through you, even in the small stuff.
Got some “chin hair” stories to share? When have you been faced by a circumstance that seemed overwhelming only to discover that it was an opportunity that God could use to grow you and encourage someone else? Feel free to share in the comments.
Now back to our regularly scheduled Advent posts . . . .
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:18-20
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:8-9
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The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:26-27
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. Luke 2:1-5
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The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in Him the Gentiles will hope. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:12-13
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Matthew 1:18-24
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:26-33
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The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 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. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isaiah 9:2,6-7
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2
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The following article was adapted from “Hope, Love, Joy, Peace: An Advent Study Guide” by World Vision Resources.
Copyright © 2009 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716. wvresources@worldvision.org. All rights reserved.
Foreword by —Mike Yankoski, Author of “Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America” and executive editor of “Zealous Love: A Practical Guide to Social Justice”
The central theme of the Advent season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus at His First Advent; as well as the anticipated return of Christ the King at His Second Advent. Advent is more than celebrating the 2,000-year-old event of Jesus’ birth. It is celebrating the revelation of God in Christ, whereby mankind might be reconciled to God.
Advent also symbolizes the fact that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power.
Advent expresses a spirit of expectation, anticipation, preparation, and a yearning for deliverance from sin and evil. But it also celebrates the hope of deliverance by our loving God.
It is this hope that brings the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth, justice, and righteousness over His people and in His creation.
The season of Advent is a four-week period preceding December 25th during which Christians both remember and anticipate: we look back to Christ’s first coming as a babe in the manger and forward to the Second Coming as the King of kings.
Advent reminds us that we are somewhere between these two arrivals. Jesus Christ, the Lord of Life, has already come in the flesh. He has already been crucified. He has already been resurrected. He has already defeated death. The victory has already been won.
Yet the great HOPE of Advent is that there is another Second Coming.
And in the meantime, we wait, but not passively. In the New Testament, Jesus gives us parables that suggest that waiting must be active. After all, it is the lazy servant—the one who buries the talent he’s been entrusted with by the master—who receives a harsh punishment when the master returns (Matthew 25:14-30).
By looking into the past, we’re reminded of all that Christ has done. By looking into the future, we’re expectant of all Christ will do. Advent helps us remember that we’ve got work to do while we wait. Not so that God will love us, but rather because He already does. We love, after all, because “he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Christ has come. Christ is risen. Christ is coming again. He’s given us work to do in the meantime. How are we living: selfishly or selflessly? Are we caring for our world? Are we loving our God? Are we loving our neighbors?
Recently, while researching Advent, I came across the best explanation of the Advent season that I had ever read, including a truly inspirational perspective of Advent, in a booklet provided by the World Vision organization. During the next 30 days, I’ll post some interesting information about Advent that I’ve excerpted from the World Vision booklet, and we’ll look at some selected scripture passages to help us focus on Advent: The Coming of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.
Tomorrow I will share some excerpts from the Introduction and Foreword of World Vision’s booklet, Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace: An Advent Study Guide. (World Vision Resources produced this educational resource. Copyright © 2009 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716. wvresources@worldvision.org. All rights reserved.)
Each day during Advent I will post some selected scripture passages that will highlight the theme for that week. Some passages will focus on the theme (Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace), and other passages will tell the traditional Christmas story from Old Testament prophecy and the Gospels that we love to read during this season. I won’t include any commentary on the scripture, but will leave that to the reader. Read and meditate on the selected passages. Then listen for God’s message to you from His Word as we remember Jesus’ First Advent, anticipate His Second Advent, and consider His calling to us as we find ourselves between the two Advents!
Feel free to share your thoughts and comments below each day’s reading.
As I begin my preparations for our annual Thanksgiving dinner with our family (at least those who are still in town!), I’m reminded of all the recent Facebook posts about “What I’m thankful for today….” Of course, at this time of year we’re more acutely aware of thankfulness, but shouldn’t an attitude of gratitude be evident every day all year?
Of course we’re thankful for the blessings of a home, and provisions, and rich relationships … and we should be … we should never take these blessings for granted or treat them lightly. But I’ve come to realize that some blessings are disguised in illness, and scarcity, and pain, and problems. So how can we recognize those blessings and be thankful for them? That’s when being thankful gets hard! Thanksliving is easy when life is going smoothly … but what about when things aren’t going well? As we proclaim our thankfulness for material blessings and happy relationships, we forget to be thankful for those hidden blessings in the hard places. But the Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) Another version puts it this way “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” (The Message) I have found in my own experience that if I consciously look for the hidden blessings, if I intentionally express my gratitude IN SPITE OF the circumstances of the moment, I can always find something to be thankful for, and more importantly, an attitude of thanksgiving will lift me above those circumstances and help me focus on the good and blessed! A thankful attitude helps me to remember “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) That one verse helps me to see all of life from God’s perspective.
The Bible is filled with scriptures about thanksgiving and being thankful. It’s a given that “religious” people, people of faith, believers should be thankful. But, more and more in the secular arena, we’re seeing evidence that thankfulness is an essential element of life success – physical, emotional, mental, and even financial! Read any of the successful bloggers/entrepreneurs like Michael Hyatt, Dan Miller, Marie Forleo, Darren Hardy, and over and over you’ll read their declarations that gratitude is not only important, but essential to one’s success in life and business. Who knew?!?!? The truth of God’s Word isn’t just for “religious” folks, but it is truth for everyone!
So as we enjoy our Thanksgiving feasts today and as we express our gratitude for the abundance of food and friends and family around the table, let’s be conscious of our need to develop a daily attitude of gratitude. It will improve our personal perspective on life, it will make us more enjoyable company for those around us, and it will help us to LIVE our thanks every day of the year.