Immanuel, "God with us"

Christmas is upon us once again.  You'd be hard pressed to find an American who hasn't heard of Christmas.  Most of those same people know that the holiday is somehow connected to a child, a manger, some angels, maybe something about a star.  In other words, we all seem to know a little bit about Christmas.  But do we know about why this particular child's birth has been remembered for over 2,000 years?  It was certainly worth noting that Jesus was born of a virgin, that doesn't happen every day does it?  But more importantly, Jesus was Immanuel, which means "God with us".  Jesus is the incarnation (God taking on humanity) of God.  In this case, he is literally, God with us.  When the world was created, God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.  There was nothing between God and his creation.  After the sin of Adam and Eve (the Fall), an unbridgable gap opened up between God's perfection and our fallen state.  We had no way to come to God, and he couldn't be with us any longer.  Perfection and imperfection don't mix.  With the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the finale of the process of God's redemption of humanity was set in motion.  As God, Jesus could achieve the perfection that we cannot.  As a man, Jesus could stand in our place before God and receive our punishment.  The baby in the manager 2,000 years ago made it possible for us to be reunited with God by dying on a cross thirty years later and rising from the dead.  He is indeed, God with us. 
Merry Christmas.

The last time the World was supposed to end...

I've been reading Tom Holland's The Forge of Christendom: The End of Day and the Epic Rise of the West which focuses on the End Times fascination and/or hysteria that occured throughout Christendom in and around the turning of the Millenium (1000 AD).  The book is excellent, and it reminds me that throughout Christian history there have been voices crying out that their particular generation had become so corrupt and morally bankrupt that surely the return of Christ was imminent.  And yet the world continues to turn and the day and hour that only the Father knows is not yet upon us. 
One of the interesting aspects of Holland's book is the numerous reminders that Churchmen KNEW that knowledge of the specific Day of the LORD was forbidden, that only the Father knows (and he isn't sharing that one).  And yet, those same priest and bishops went on to speculate to their flocks or interested kings that the End Times were upon us because of all of the "signs"
We certainly aren't immune to that same specualtion fever.  During my early years the Soviet Union was portrayed as the Evil Empire that woud rise up behind the Anti-Christ; when the Soviets crumbled a new home needed to be found...Fast forward to 9/11, another event that was portrayed as a sign of the beginning of the end...And yet, speculation of this nature continues to be dangerous or at least futile.  It conditions Christians to give up fighting for their communities, to assume that decay is inevitable and that we're doomed to failure. 
This generation is certainly corrupt, we've perfected the art of killing the unborn child and passing it off as convenience (like one-hour photo), we've embraced the destruction of marriage and enshrined the celebration of sexual immorality.  We've done all this and more, but we're not better or not worse than the generations that came before us.  When your grandparents were kids their parents were decrying the corruption of the youth and worrying about the future.  And yet God always sparks a revival through the faith of his people, God gives us a chance to swing the pendulum back toward righteousness and justice.  Our God is a God of restoration and hope; as his people, we must be ministers of hope and renewal.
When is Christ coming back, you'll never hear me speculating, I have no idea.  I'm here to do the work of the Lord today, I'll let God decide the future.

Ten years and counting...

It was ten years ago today that Nicole and I shared our first kiss.  From that day forward we've been together (married 8 1/2 years now).  We've already lasted beyond the average length of marriages in America today (somewhere around 7-8 years) and we have no intention of stopping.  The sad truth is that many in our society, and far too many of them are Christians, don't take their marriage vows seriously.  People stand before God, promise to love someone for the rest of their life, and then simply walk away when the grass is greener or they just don't feel "happy".  Forget for a moment the disaster this has been for children whose lives are torn apart (and who may never really trust anyone as a result), and simply marvel at the audacity of assuming that a promise made to another Christian (assuming Christians at least follow Paul's guidelines in this; I know many do not) in the house of God; standing before the altar, with a man of God giving witness; marvel that this promise isn't considered to be more important than one's own "happiness". {we don't need to debate whether divorced people are happier than married people, they are clearly not happier being "free"}
It is amazing to me that people can simply give up.  {I'm not talking about the two exceptions that I believe the Bible would sanction, the cheated upon spouse who MAY leave if they want, or the spouse who is abused}.  Most divorces in America today end for reasons of convenience; a horrible excuse if ever there was one.
Of all of the challenges facing the Church today, this may be the most dire.  If we don't promote marriage, encourage marriage, and support marriage (on an individual basis and the principles behind it), how can we possibly bear witness to the Gospel's power to change lives?  If Christianity in America is going to stand against moral relativism and offer true Hope for those who are lost, we MUST redeem the marriage in our own house and begin to once again take our vows seriously.
For Nicole and I the very idea of considering an end to our marriage is off limits.  Neither of us has ever threatened anything of the sort while mad, nor do we allow ourselves to wonder what life might be like apart; we're in this together, together for life.
It's been ten years since my wife and I first kissed, God willing, we'll be celbrating this day for many years to come.