Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Take a Moment...


Two posts at The Blazing Center bring the focus of Christmas back on Christ's sacrifice:
Would You Kill Your Son? / Christmas, A Celebration of Humiliation

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Friday, December 14, 2007

Winter Without Christmas

I'm freezing cold. A flannel blanket is wrapped about my feet and a fire is crackling in front of me, but it doesn't seem to be enough. Jack Frost has caught up with me, and I can't wait until spring. It's like this every year, or at least as far back as I can remember. Christmas is wonderful. Winter, I can barely stand.

Remember what C.S. Lewis wrote about living under the reign of the White Witch? It's "always winter and never Christmas." How did those Narnians survive? Imagine no hope for a spring; no warm sun to shake icicles off the bones. It sounds like death to me.

In my daily Bible readings, I've been looking into Jeremiah's world. He's a hated prophet-- hated because he is a prophet, and doesn't marinade the truth in honey before serving it. He's blessed to be God's confidante, but it feels like a curse to him. He knows the bloody fate of Jerusalem and he can hardly bear it. It is a heavy knowledge to hold, the future. Jeremiah's mind must have oftened drifted back to the more uplifting hope God offered: The Righteous Branch.

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'"
(Jeremiah 23:5-6)

If the future was heavy for Jeremiah, I wonder what God was thinking at the time, knowing so much more. Jerusalem wouldn't always be covered in a blanket of ice and frozen hearts. Eventually the sun would come out again...but not before His own Son's face was smeared with blood. To call it a "Rescue," would be insufficient. A "ransom?" "Sacrifice?" It was the gift of God's Self to a fallen race. What words could describe it?

This is Christmas. The dawn of life and the beginning of the end of death. Jeremiah's anguish cannot be compared to the hope that was embedded in his words. How does Winter stand a chance of conquering with that kind of day in its midst?

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Saturday, December 23, 2006

Love is Nails

They say that pictures speak a thousand words. It's true.

There's a photo on our countertop of a foreign pastor and his family. His little children stare at the camera, unsure whether to smile or be frightened. The pastor himself does not satisfy the popular image of a pastor. He does not pose. He emanates no suave charisma or toothy grin. In reading the article alongside the photo, I find that the pastor's teeth were knocked out by persecutors in his village, who wanted the pastor to leave and take his Christ with him.

Such are the Christ followers—those who bear Christ's image on their hearts. A few, such as the pastor, bear His image outwardly as well. The village pastor's face reminds me of Him who was also beaten and lived His life in humble circumstances as well.

Not many children born in barns are likely to be voted 'Most Likely to Succeed' or are on the 'Fortune 500' list. Yet His birth in the stable will never be forgotten. He entered life surrounded by a cloud of suspicion and disgrace—the son of an unmarried woman.

Yet His coming was heralded by the stars.

He was openly criticized, hated, and betrayed by a friend's kiss. Then He was crucified, beaten until so bloody that He no longer appeared human.

God's Son took the likeness of Man, and in His death even that likeness was torn away from Him. He became "one from whom men hide their face." (Isaiah 53:3) For what purpose was the One who was called the "Morning Star" and "Prince of Peace" beaten to a pulp?

1 John 4:9:

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him."

Because He loves you.

The foreign pastor was beaten brutally for the sake of the gospel. He suffered insults, disgrace, and great physical pain. And yet, he and his family have chosen to remain in his village, despite the persecution that they must face. Right now, they live in constant danger. No obligation ties this pastor to the tribe, and no one would ever blame him if he decided to immigrate to a safer location with his family. After all, how could anyone possibly expect him to love the ones who had cruelly assaulted him?

There can be but one explanation for his decision to stay. This pastor became a missionary because God placed a great love in his heart for his countrymen. This love has not faded, despite mistreatment at their hands. In a small way, this pastor’s story is a reflection of what God has done for us. The very Son of God suffered so much more. His actions were confusing—even a paradox. The All Powerful God surrendered Himself into the violent hands of those whom He came to save. Such is the nature of God's love.

God loves the world with an intense, passionate love—a love so deep and so pure that we can hardly begin to fathom it. On the day of Jesus' birth, God Himself entered the world—to die. And He did it out of love for you.

C.S. Lewis penned a poem, marveling at this as well:

Love's as hard as nails, Love is nails

Blunt, thick, hammered through
The medial nerves of One
Who, having made us, knew
The thing He had done,
Seeing (what all that is)
Our cross, and His.


by Hannah and Lindsey

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Monday, December 18, 2006

Etc.

As my family unwraps Christmas ornaments and tinsel, brushing off eleven-and-a-half months of dust, it becomes time for unwrapping Christmas traditions as well. From my grandma's corn soufflé to the days devoted entirely to making tamales, I've noticed that most of our traditions have something to do with food. Perhaps this has something to do with the great talent for cooking that runs in my family...but probably not. We simply love to eat.

One recipe (that I hope will become a Christmas tradition) has made my mom almost famous this December. Numbers of people have asked for the recipe, but it's actually ridiculously easy. You can try it for yourself:

Mom's De-Classified Chocolate Chip Meringue Recipe

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Whip the three egg whites in a mixing bowl on "high" for about five minutes or until it has the consistency of shaving cream. If you are the type that is brilliant at improvising and improving recipes, do not improvise or add anything to the recipe just yet! It is very necessary for the egg whites to be thoroughly whipped without any other ingredients.

After your egg whites resemble a bowl of shaving cream, add the sugar and vanilla. This is where it gets fun. Dig through your cupboard and add about a cup of anything you wish. From crumbled up peppermint pieces to pecan chunks--all will taste good in these meringues. Personally, I prefer chocolate chips or M&M's* because any food tastes better with chocolate.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place dollops of meringue batter on a tray of aluminum foil (I don't recommend a greased cookie sheet, but the very adventurous can try it.) Turn off your oven before baking the meringues or else they will burn. Set the meringues in the warm oven for about 2 hours or until they resemble lightly browned, hardened shaving cream.

The recipe is so easy it's almost embarrassing to post, but believe me, it's delicious.


*This is not a paid advertisement for M&M's. Beauty from the Heart does not endorse M&M's or any of it's affiliates, but we are open to the idea of endorsing them if they pay in chocolate.

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