Michele Huey's Blog: God, Me, and a Cup of Tea, page 46

A Pretty Kettle of Fish

 

[image error] Photo by Jimmy Marks. (c) 2012 Jimmy Marks. From Creative Commons. flickr.com

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. – Psalm 27:14 NIV

Have you ever made a mess of things because of your impatience? You prayed and prayed, and, not getting an answer, you decide to take matters into your own hands. Or maybe it wasn’t impatience that got you into trouble, but a lack of faith, a failure to trust God, to believe that He’s got it under control, that He really will keep His promises.

You’re in good company.

Abraham, one of the Bible heroes whose amazing faith is recorded in both the Old and New Testaments, got himself into a mess on more than one occasion by taking matters into his own hands, running ahead of God, and demonstrating a serious lack of faith.

Remember when Sarah, his barren wife, talked him into sleeping with her maid Hagar so she could have a child by her? That was a pretty kettle of fish. First when Hagar did indeed get pregnant by Abraham, Sarah complained that Hagar now regarded her with contempt. So Hagar was sent away, only to be rescued by El Roi—“The God Who Sees Me”—and sent back to Sarah. (Genesis 16:13)

Fourteen years later Hagar was sent away again, this time with Ishmael, the son she’d borne to Abraham. Once again, God rescued her in the desert, promising her that Ishmael “would become a great nation.” (Genesis 21:18)

All because Abraham and Sarah couldn’t wait on God, who’d promised a son to the childless couple, who were well past parenting age.

Then there was “The Lie”—a half-truth, really. You know what I always say: A half-truth equals a whole lie. What was the lie Abraham told? That Sarah was his sister. Well, technically she was. They shared the same father but not the same mother. Back then it was okay to marry your half-sister.

Why didn’t he want to reveal that she was his wife? Because she was beautiful, and there was a distinct possibility when they travelled through foreign territory, where the kings saw beautiful women and took them for themselves, Abraham would be killed so the local ruler could add Sarah to his harem. So Abraham said Sarah was his sister.

Not a total lie. But not the whole truth, either. He conveniently left out the part that she was his wife to save his own skin. And worse, he told her to lie, too. “This is how you can show your love to me,” he told her. “Wherever we go, say that I am your brother.” (Genesis 20:13)

As a result, Sarah was taken into the king’s harem on two occasions (Genesis 12:14–20; Genesis 20). Both times God intervened and brought her out unscathed.

So you see the great man of faith, Abraham, had his character flaws, too. He was, after all, human like the rest of us. And God’s Word doesn’t paint these heroes of faith as perfect. Instead, we see them warts and all so we can learn something from their mistakes.

What do I learn from Abraham’s messes?

That God is faithful. He doesn’t cast us off as useless or hopeless because we make the mistake of running ahead of Him, taking matters into our own hands, and making a mess of things. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful [true to His word and His righteous character], for He cannot deny Himself” (1 Timothy 2:13 AMP).

I learn that God is merciful and will save us from ourselves, if only we let Him. But we do have to live with the consequences of our actions.

I learn that His grace is sufficient and that He won’t leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) but will walk with us and give us the strength to carry the cross of consequences.

What kettle of fish do you find yourself in?

Why not trust it to the Fisher of Men?

Lord, forgive me when I run ahead of You and muddle things up but good. Help me to listen to You and follow Your plan. Amen.

Read and meditate on Genesis 20–21 

(c) 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.

When You Run Out of Yourself

[image error]Image courtesy of supakitmod at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. – Hebrews 12:1 NKJV

When I was first hired as a part-time feature writer for the local paper, I could barely contain my excitement. Not only would I be realizing a lifelong dream—to be a writer—but also, finally, I had the chance to fulfill what I believed was a calling from God: to write a devotional column for the newspaper.

Several years earlier God had given me the vision; now the time had come. So I thought.

But as many times as I suggested it, the publisher said no. “I want you to focus on your feature stories,” he told me.

One day I walked into his office and he had the day’s newspaper spread out before him. He was complaining about wasted space. It just so happened that it was the day the weekly religion page was published, along with a boxed devotional they obtained online.

This was my chance.

“You want to see wasted space?” I flipped the pages to the religion page. My forefinger stabbed the canned devotional. “That’s wasted space. Those are dry as dust. Let me write something fresh.”

His mouth turned down in a cross between a frown and a pout. “I’m not going to pay for it,” he said.

“That’s fine,” I answered, excitement and joy spreading through me. I took his words as permission. After all, he didn’t say not to write it. He just said he wouldn’t pay for it.

That was 20 years ago.

Oh, I had plenty of ideas those first few years. Family was the best fodder. Something was always happening I could write about. I also tapped into 45 years’ worth of lifetime memories.

Eventually the kids grew up and left home, and their personal privacy trumped my need for writing material. And, after two decades and more than a thousand columns, the lifetime memory reservoir is drying up. In short, I ran out of Michele.

Every week I face a blank computer screen—and an equally blank idea bank. When an idea strikes, it takes only a moment to realize “I wrote about that already.”

So I pray, “Lord, help me. Write this column through me. What do You want to say this week?”

Despite my prayers, I still approach writing this column with anxiety.  It’s a big responsibility when you accept God’s call.

Oh, you start out with enthusiasm and excitement and plenty of ideas. But God’s calling isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. And it’s downright scary when you have to depend on someone other than yourself, even if that someone is God.

Haven’t I yet learned when God calls, He will equip? Hasn’t He faithfully answered my “write this column through me prayer” every week?

At some point we all hit the wall—the point where we run out of ourselves and feel as though we have nothing left to give.

Actually, we don’t. That is, we have nothing left of ourselves. But that’s a good thing—running out of ourselves. Because if we are to continue, we must let God fill us with Himself.

What about you? Have you hit the wall in your service to God?

You serve the God of endurance and encouragement (Romans 15:5)

And remember the words of the great missionary Hudson Taylor: “God’s will done God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”

Lord, forgive me when I depend on myself and not You. Remind me You are the God of unlimited resources. Amen.

Read and meditate on 1 Corinthians 15:58

(c) 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.

R & R

[image error]Acadia National Park (c) 2013 Michele Huey All rights reserved.

 

The LORD is my shepherd…He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. – Psalm 23:1,2 (NIV)

When the kids were little and I was a stay-at-home mom, January was my R & R month. Just as the military gives its troops time for rest and relaxation to refresh them for the battles to come, I, too, found fighting life’s day-to-day battles left me with an I’m-so-tired-I-can’t-go-on feeling. Especially after the hectic holidays.

So, after the decorations were put away and the house somewhat back to normal, I decided I needed a vacation of sorts. I couldn’t afford to fly off to a warmer climate, and the frigid temperatures, blowing snow, and howling winds of a typical Northeast January made traveling anywhere but to town for groceries a battle in itself. So why not hole up and take the first month of the year to refresh my spirits and rejuvenate my energy?

I spent the time reading and working on a sewing or crocheting project. My family enjoyed homemade bread, cinnamon rolls made from scratch, and other goodies I usually didn’t have the time to make. When the kids had a snow day, we played board games and sipped hot chocolate topped with a healthy dollop of extra creamy whipped topping.

When February rolled around, I was ready to come out of my self-imposed hibernation and face the world.

Rest is important to body, mind, and spirit. That’s why God commands us “to remember the Sabbath day.” The Hebrew words for Sabbath means “cessation.” One day in seven was set aside for rest and worship. God Himself set the precedent when He ceased from His work of creating the universe and everything in it.

Nowadays it seems the world spins faster. Technology has increased the pace of life. We’re slaves to overcrowded schedules. We overcommit our time and overdo ourselves, but for what purpose?

January is almost over, and I’ve spent most of it taking myself on a guilt trip because I haven’t done what I’d planned to do on my projects. Perhaps my R & R has been calling to me, and I’ve been resisting.

Since I preach every Sunday, that day for me is a workday. Instead of choosing another day for my Sabbath, I work through an ambitious to-do list every day of the week, then wonder why I’m always feeling so tired.

God ordained the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2–3), and His Son reminded us that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). This is a day God purposed for our benefit, to restore us physically, mentally, and spiritually—and to give balance to our lives.

More than ever, we need a Sabbath day, and, yes, even a Sabbath month or year, to recharge our spent energy, refocus our goals, redirect our steps, and renew stalled-out dreams.

Thank You, God, for the renewal a Sabbath brings. Amen.

Read and meditate on Psalm 23

(c) 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.

A Woman of Noble Character

 

[image error] Mary Fugate (Family picture, used with permission)

“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”   Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – Proverbs 31:29–30 NIV

Rarely, if ever, have I used this column as a tribute to a person. This week, however, I’m stepping out of bounds in order to honor a woman who impacted many lives in the Punxsutawney community and beyond, mine included.

I was a brand new Christian when I met Mary Fugate nearly 40 years ago at my first Bible study. A young mother with a busy two-year-old, I was struggling with the adjustment from being a fulltime teacher to a fulltime wife and mother—not only to my life and my schedule, but also to our pocketbooks.

Mary, herself the mother of six, took me under her wing, inviting me to the local Christian Women’s Club luncheon as her guest. I couldn’t have afforded it otherwise.

A whole new world—new friendships (most of them lifelong), a new purpose—opened up to me. Eventually, thanks to her influence, I became a member of the CWC committee, a guide for the Friendship Bible Studies, a teacher for Good News Club (Child Evangelism Fellowship), and now, a lay preacher and inspirational columnist and speaker.

Over the years, I was honored to serve with two of her five sons on the steering committee, and subsequently the board of directors, that launched two community ministries, Campus Life/Youth for Christ and the Punxsutawney Christian School. When I taught at the school, I was further blessed to teach four of her grandsons, all fine young men.

Although I saw little of Mary through the years, I could always count on her prayers and support. For as long as I knew her, Mary hosted a Thursday morning prayer time in her home. I can’t express how much it meant to me to know my requests and needs were being lifted to the throne of grace week after week.

I ran into Mary in the grocery store right before Christmas. That moment is forever etched in my mind, heart, and spirit. She looked great—vibrant, full of joy and peace. Love shone in her eyes, encouraging words poured from her lips. We hugged. Little did I know it would be the last time I’d see her on this earth.

My heart is breaking and tears blur my vision as I write this.

To paraphrase John Donne, “No woman is an island.” Our lives are an ongoing stream in the course of time, one life touching another, touching another, touching another, on and on, until time is no more.

What I am today is because of Mary’s influence. And I know I’m not the only one. Her godly example, her love, her prayers, her support, and her encouragement are ripples that will go on through generations.

Well done, good and faithful servant! Rest in peace, Mary Fugate. I love you.

Thank you, Father, for this woman whose life has blessed my life and the lives of countless others. May the godly example she set of love, loyalty, friendship, encouragement, and support ripple down through eternity. Amen.

Read and meditate on Proverbs 31:10–31

(c) 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.

 

Pierogis and Peace

 

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If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. – Romans 12:18 NIV

A Florida woman found herself behind bars over the holidays when she went after her brother with a knife for eating a plateful of pierogis.

According to the newspaper article, the siblings were at their mother’s home when the two got into an argument about the brother scarfing down the whole plateful. At some point, the 36-year-old woman grabbed a knife and threatened to retrieve the eaten goodies.

The article didn’t say whether the pierogis were homemade or how big the plate was. A serving platter? A dinner plate? Nor did it say whether they were the last of the dish or whether there had been a history of bad blood between the two.

The confrontation ended when the woman plunged the dagger into the hood of her brother’s truck.

Just when you think you’ve heard everything (shaking my head).

Not that I always got along with my siblings. My sister once threatened to drown me in the soapy water when we were doing dishes. Another time my brother grabbed me by the front of my shirt in anger. Imagine his surprise when I, five years younger and much smaller, grabbed his shirt right back. We three kids would get into it so badly at times, our mother fled across the street to her mother’s, saying, “Go ahead. Kill each other.”

Of course she didn’t mean it. We were typical siblings—we had our share of arguments. But we had good times together, too. After all, we were kids, not middle-aged adults who should know better than to fight over a plate of pierogis.

Sometimes it’s just a small thing that appears to incite the blowup.

But the eruption has been building over time, like volcanic gases building up far beneath the earth’s surface. We hold onto our hurts and slights and grievances and stew over them. We keep a record of wrongs, and when we’ve come to our breaking point, like a volcano that can’t contain the buildup of gases any longer, we explode.

[image error] (c) 2010 Walter Lim. Some rights reserved. Flicker.com

A woman once justified her temper to me by likening it to a volcano. “Once I explode, that’s it,” she said.

“But look at the damage it does,” I replied.

How much better to avoid the eruption in the first place.

People are going to say and do things that irritate us. That hurt us deeply. Intentionally or unintentionally. I’ve known folks who are born faultfinders, folks who harbor a contentious spirit, folks who are just spoiling for a fight—with anyone. Perhaps they want revenge—to pay someone back for a hurt inflicted or a wrong suffered. The problem with revenge is where does it end?

It’s not our job to label folks, to judge them, or even to understand why they act the way they do. According to God’s Word, it is our job to get along with them and to love them.

Not easy, I know, but we can accomplish this by doing three things:

Focus on the good in that person. It is there. If you can’t see it, ask God to show you.

Forget the unkind word, the thoughtless or malicious deed, the harsh attitude, the contentious spirit. By forget, I mean don’t keep thinking about it. Ask God to help you truly not remember what that person said or did that hurt you. He’s done it for me.

And pray—for that person, for the situation, for your own actions and reactions, your heart attitude, and for peace to prevail.

How much, after all, is really worth fighting over?

Help me, Lord, to focus on the good, forget the bad, and forgive as You have forgiven me. Amen.

Read and meditate on Ephesians 4:20–32

(c) 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.

Facing the Giant

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

[image error] Photo by tmaull (c) 2008. Some rights reserved.(Flickr.com)

To celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary last year, a friend and her husband took a weeklong sailing vacation in the British Virgin Islands. Although they hired an experienced captain to pilot the 39-foot Catamaran, my thoughts at the time were, “I’d never do that!” Perhaps I’ve watched too many adventure movies, such as The Perfect Storm or read too many articles about some hapless individual getting lost at sea.

Another friend loves to sail and owns her own sailboat, which she singlehandedly maneuvers on Northwestern Pennsylvania lakes. Sailing, she says, calms her spirit and gets her mind off her worries.

Another friend—also past middle age—celebrated her birthday last year by going skydiving.

[image error]Photo by Laura Hadden (c) 2005. Some rights reserved. (Flickr.com)

I have to admit I envy these women. Not in a jealous way, but in an admiring one. To be honest, my inner spirit whispers, “I wish I could do that!”

Funny thing is, the older I get, the more fearless I become. Maybe it’s because I realize the time I have left on earth grows shorter and shorter, and I’m missing out on too much simply because I’m afraid.

I used to be terrified of deep water, but two years ago I conquered that fear and learned to swim.

I once remarked—feeling brave at the time—that I wanted to bungee jump the New River Gorge in West Virginia. I’ve since changed my mind because I don’t think this old body of mine would take the jerky stop. But now whenever we drive over it, my husband, the big tease, likes to remind me of my boast.

Just like he teases me about wanting to zip line. “Do you realize how high that is?” he points out whenever we see someone gliding on a cable suspended far above the ground. He knows I’m scared to death of heights.

[image error]Photo by Tara Joyce, (c) 2009. Some rights reserved. (Flickr.com)

But bungee jumping and zip lining look like so much fun. So I want to conquer my fear. How else to conquer fear but to face it?

By fear, I don’t mean a reckless fear or a “No Fear” attitude. That can be dangerous. Fear, after all, in the right amount, is healthy. It prevents you from doing something foolhardy that you’ll regret.

By fear I mean an unhealthy fear that keeps you from realizing your potential, from enjoying the thrill of adventure, from trying new things—a fear that keeps you in the safe corner, always watching and wishing.

What is fear, after all, but an emotion—a powerful one—that can paralyze us or propel us forward.

The fear the Bible talks about isn’t a being-afraid kind of fear, but means respect and reverence. For example, I’m not afraid of storms, but I respect their power.

Respect is important in conquering fear. Respect means you acknowledge the danger but take steps to minimize it. You prepare. You train. You learn all about whatever it is you fear or want to do. And you don’t adopt a careless, “I’m invincible” attitude.

Young Timothy had a timid spirit, and his fears were keeping him from realizing his God-given potential as a pastor. So his mentor wrote to him, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (1 Timothy 1:7).

The young shepherd David knew he could conquer the giant because he’d conquered wild animals threatening his flock. And he knew God would enable him.

What fear is keeping you from reaching your potential? From enjoying life? Making you afraid to try new things?

It’s time to give that fear to God, forget what’s behind you, and reach for the abundant life God has in mind for you.

You know, I think I’ll add “go sailing” to my bucket list.

Father, I give my fear to You. Help me to embrace the challenges and to live my life to the fullest. Amen.

Extra tea: Read and meditate on 1 Samuel 17:1–50

Even more tea: Research how many times “fear not” or “do not be afraid” appears in the Bible.

(c) 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.

 

Selah!

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Selah!  – Psalm 46: 3, 7, 11 NIV

If I were to choose a Scripture that best describes my life in 2016, I’d select Psalm 46. The psalm begins, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” The year was filled with many challenges, particularly health issues and family transitions.

If I were to choose a Scripture for the New Year—as a theme verse to reflect on throughout the year—I’d select a word used 74 times in the Bible, mostly in Psalms (71 times—the other three can be found in Habakkuk) and often overlooked. Perhaps we ignore it because it’s only one little word of five letters standing all by itself at the end of a verse. Perhaps we pay little attention to it because no one knows with certainty its meaning, not even biblical scholars. So we skip right over it and keep on reading.

But the word Selah is not to be ignored, even if we don’t know what it means.

Strong’s Concordance defines Selah as “to lift up, to exalt.”

So the first word I want to focus on is PRAISE.

Sometimes the phrase “Praise God!” slips through our lips almost meaninglessly and is soon forgotten. How often do we truly praise God—from the heart, not just the mouth?

On a recent drive to a doctor’s appointment, I spent nearly the entire 45 minutes praising God—aloud. It all started when I thanked Him for dry roads and good weather. One praise flowed after another. Once the pump was primed, the water of praise just gushed out.

Too often I focus on my problems, not on praise. Can it really be that much easier to list a litany of laments than all the ways God has lavished His love upon us?

Another definition for Selah is “the writer’s instruction to the reader to pause and exalt the Lord,” or “pause and calmly think of that!” (Note the exclamation point, which I didn’t add. It was already there.)

The focus here is on the word PAUSE. [image error]

How often do we intentionally pause and praise God? I’m ashamed to admit it, but I don’t give God the time He is due. Too often my prayer and Bible reading time is like rushing through the drive-through, gobbling junk to appease my hunger, rather than take the time to savor the banquet and sip from the overflowing cup of blessings my Lord places before me (Psalm 23: 5).

Try it. Put your day on pause and sit down and focus on the things you can praise God for. Little things. Big things. Speak them aloud—there’s power in the spoken word—or write them down. It won’t be long before the clouds of hopelessness and despair part and you feel the warmth of His sunshine flood your soul.

Pause and praise—and one more thing—PRESENCE.

Just as the meaning of Selah is uncertain, so are the days that will comprise 2017.

But of one thing I am certain: That His Presence will go with me (Exodus 33:14). For He has promised, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Thank You, Lord, for being with me every moment of every day. Remind me to pause and praise You often throughout the New Year. Amen.

Read and meditate on Psalm 46

NOTE TO READERS: Have you chosen a theme verse for 2017? Please email me at michelehuey@hughes.net and tell me what your verse is and why you chose it.

Happy New Year! May the LORD bless you and keep you. May the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the LORD lift up His countenance on you and give you peace throughout the new year. (Numbers 6:24–26)

(c) 2017 Michele Huey. All rights reserved. Photo by Wilbur D. Huey. (c) 2015 Wilbur D. Huey. All rights reserved.

Following the Star

 

 

[image error]Star of Bethlehem, Magi – wise men or wise kings travel on camels with entourage across the deserts to find the savior, moon, desert, Holy Bible, Etching, 1885 (Courtesy of Wonderlane, Flickr Commons )

Read and meditate on Matthew 2:1–12

Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. – Matthew 2:9 (NLT)

When I was a child, Christmas Eve was a magical time. Perhaps it was the air of excitement and anticipation. Perhaps it was the lights on the Christmas tree, casting a soft glow on the darkened living room throughout the long evenings. Perhaps it was the carols we sang. Perhaps it was the Christmas story itself, with all its mystery and awe.

Maybe that’s what made Christmas Eve so magical: I accepted without reservation the Christmas story in its entirety – from a virgin giving birth to the Son of God in a stable, to angels announcing the birth to lowly shepherds, to a bright star leading the Magi to Jesus. I understood that whatever science or nature could not explain, God could. After all, He is the Creator and set the laws of nature in motion. I had no doubt that poisoned Christmas for me.

These days, however, there are those who would remove the reason for the season, who scoff at the miracles and spoil the magic, who reject that which cannot be explained except by the touch of God.

The Magi, learned men from the East, could have scoffed, too. But they didn’t reject what their own eyes saw – a colossal star with a radiance that shone even during the day. These astronomer-mathematicians recognized the importance of this brilliant star that appeared at the time of Jesus’ birth.

But how did these heathen Gentiles, these nonbelievers, know that a Jewish king was born?

Familiar with the prophecies of Daniel, who was an exile in their land hundreds of years earlier, these wise men who studied the heavens knew the Jews were waiting for a Messiah promised by God Himself, someone who would save them and rule them forever.

They knew the Hebrews considered the constellation Pisces as representing their own nation. The planet Saturn, viewed as a wandering star, represented Jerusalem, their capital city. Jupiter, another “wandering star,” denoted royalty.

When Jupiter and Saturn converged in Pisces three times in two months, the wise men knew something big was about to happen. This astronomic event normally occurred only once every 804 years. Then a few months later, Mars joined Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation.

As they puzzled over the meaning of this, they noted the first time this happened was on the Jewish Day of Atonement. Putting all this together, they reasoned that a Hebrew king was about to be born in Judea.

Then, another amazing event occurred: A brilliant new star appeared in the constellation Aquila (the eagle), brighter than anything they’d ever seen, so intense it could be seen in the daytime. To the wise men, this brilliant new star, actually an exploding star called a nova, was the announcement they were waiting for: The King of the Jews had been born.

A king whose birth even the heavens proclaimed was a king they had to see. So they prepared for the long trip to Bethlehem, where they found the infant king. They didn’t doubt when they found the child not in a palace, but in a humble house. They didn’t doubt when they saw how poor his parents were.

They believed what most Jews in that day weren’t even aware of – that this child was both a King and a God. When they presented their costly gifts – gifts denoting royalty – they worshipped Him.

For these astronomical events to come together at the very time Jesus was born, for Gentile magi to recognize the significance of it all, for this star to lead them to the exact location of the child they were seeking – can only be explained by the touch of the Divine – God reaching out and making the impossible happen.

The wise men – nonbelievers – believed the miracle in the sky and followed that star until it led them to the Savior.

What about you? Are you following that star?

Jesus, when the wise men saw the star that led to You, they rejoiced with “exceedingly great joy.” Fill me with this joy every day as I follow the star that leads to You. Amen.

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(c) 2016 Michele Huey. All rights reserved.

Why Mistletoe?

 

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We love, because He first loved us. – 1 John 4:19 (AMP)

I had a doozy of a time finding mistletoe this year. Maybe it was because I was looking for it Sunday morning before church so I could use it in my sermon, “The Symbols of Christmas.”

That and I still needed to get a sprig to hang on the ceiling beam between the kitchen and the dining room, which has become a Christmas tradition in our home. Truth be told, rarely does anyone smooch under it. But I still like to hang it up.

How did mistletoe, a symbol of love (which we celebrate on Valentine’s Day), become associated with Christmas?

Legends about this evergreen plant go back to the ancient Druids of Britain, who believed mistletoe had special healing powers and used it in their winter solstice ceremonies. Actually, “mistletoe,” in the Celtic language, means “all heal.”

When Christianity took root, pagan practices and beliefs were condemned, and mistletoe was all but forgotten until the 1800s, when Victorian England revived the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe as a sign of love, romance, and good luck.

When I researched mistletoe for information for my sermon, I discovered it’s actually an aerial parasite, having no roots of its own. To survive, mistletoe attaches itself to a tree, from which it gets its nourishment.

Like love.

Love, whether romantic love or brotherly love, doesn’t exist on its own. All love originates from, and gets its nourishment from, agape love—divine love. Agape is the highest form of love, transcending all other types of love. It is the love of God for man—unconditional, unlimited, sacrificial, selfless, giving of itself regardless of circumstances. God’s love is the tree that sustains us—physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally.

Interestingly, agape, pronounced a-GÁP-ē, can also be pronounced əˈɡāp, which refers to the mouth when it is “wide open with wonder and surprise.”

Such is the love God has for us—it should leave us with mouths wide open in wonder and surprise that the God who created the universe—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords—loved each of us so much He left His throne in heaven to take on human flesh, live a sinless life and give Himself up as the perfect sacrifice to pay the price for our sins so we could live in heaven with Him forever (see John 3:16).

Such is the love of God.

And like the mistletoe is an evergreen, so God’s love is eternal—it always was and always will be (Psalm 136). It’s unlimited (Psalm 36:5, 108:4). And it is mine.

God’s is the love from which all other love springs and is sustained. We love, you see, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). And like the mistletoe cannot survive without being attached to the tree, so our love cannot sustain itself. God’s love is the tree that feeds us, gives us life, and enables us to love.

And just like the meaning of mistletoe is “all heal,” God’s love is the healing salve we need for all our wounds—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.

Wow. All that about a sprig of evergreen we hang up in our homes at Christmastime and for the most part forget about.

A sprig of evergreen that reminds us of the love God has for each one of us—nourishing, life-giving, and eternal.

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As we light the third Advent candle—the candle of Love—may we be reminded, O God, of the love that sent Your Son from heaven to earth so that we may have heaven forever. Amen.

Read and meditate on 1 John 4:7–21

Skeletons in the Closet

 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. – 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NLT)

 Are you guilty of skipping the “begats”?

The “begats” to which I refer are found in the first chapter of Matthew—you know, the long list of Jesus’ ancestors. I don’t know about you, but when I read, I like action. History never stuck with me, especially long lists of names I can’t even pronounce, let alone see why they’re important.

I, too, am guilty of passing over the begats. But one time I forced myself to read through them—only because I was following a read-through-the-Bible-in-one-year program and putting a check mark in the “Matthew 1” box without actually reading it was cheating, lying, and being deceitful. I knew it would prey on my conscience, so I plowed through.

And discovered something interesting: Jesus’ ancestors were not a saintly bunch. Up until then, I’d assumed that Jesus, who was sinless and pure, would have had a bloodline that reflected his holiness. Yet “holy” hardly describes some of the characters mentioned. I’d also assumed that his bloodline would be pure as well—all His ancestors would have been Jewish. I was wrong on that account, too.

Jesus’ ancestry includes people who lied, cheated, deceived, stole, and committed adultery and murder. Abraham lied on at least two occasions to save his own skin. Jacob, whose name means “deceitful,” lived up to his name. Judah thought nothing of sleeping with a woman he thought was a prostitute. Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, committed adultery with King David, who had her husband murdered when he discovered she was pregnant with his child.

Rahab was a prostitute from Jericho and not an Israelite. Neither was Ruth, King David’s great-grandmother. She hailed from Moab—Israel’s one-time enemy, a nation birthed in incest, whose bloodline traced back to Lot, who slept with his own daughters. Then there was the shrewd and perseverant Tamar, whose twins were begotten in deceit.

Talk about skeletons in your closet! Jesus sure had plenty in His ancestry.

Another interesting note in the genealogy Matthew recorded is that he included women. It was unusual for women to be listed in Jewish genealogies. Matthew, however, lists five: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. Only two were Jewish. Three bore moral blots.

Everything in God’s Word has a purpose, even the accounts of unsavory characters whom God chose to fill a slot in the ancestry of His own Son.

God doesn’t choose only men to fulfill His purposes. That He allows far-from-perfect men—and women—a part in His plan to save sinners is still more evidence of His amazing grace. Nobody’s perfect, but surely there were people with better moral records than these. God makes good on His promises, even one made 4,000 years before it was fulfilled.

For me, seeing the names of some pretty unsavory characters whose treachery and deceit are chronicled in the archives of man, gave me a sense of relief and freedom.

Relief that I don’t have to be perfect—God can use me, warts and all. And freedom from guilt that my past indiscretions will cause me to miss out on God’s purpose for me.

For God, you see, “has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9 NIV).

Skeletons in your closet? Don’t fret about them. It isn’t what’s in your closet that God’s concerned about—it’s what’s in your heart.

Thank you, God, for the lesson of the begats. Amen.

Read and meditate on Matthew 1