HITCHED!

A venerable “dawg” got married yesterday. Ashish, aka Canis conditor—the founding “dawg.” (For more on the erstwhile “Dawgs” at the University of Aberdeen, see here and here.) To add my humble barks to that canine’s celebration, I, Canis medicus, made a day trip to San Antonio.

In the guest book, as I scratched in my name, I noticed a column for “comments.” I couldn’t resist. My sage remark was, I confess, a plagiarism.

“It is not good,” I wrote, “for the man to be alone.”

Persnickety scholars of Scripture will immediately point long and bony fingers at my theft; the Lord, Himself, uttered those words long ago as He went about creating humankind.

"It is not good
for the man to be alone;
I will make him a helper
suitable for him."
Genesis 2:18

Why, then (they invariably ask me), did you decide to remain alone?

Because (I invariably answer them) I was born single!

But ...

By all means marry.
If you get a good wife,
you'll be happy.
If you get a bad one,
you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates

Seriously …

Mine is not vocational singleness (for professional reasons), ideological singleness (for philosophical reasons), biological singleness (for physiological reasons), provisional singleness (for practical reasons, single until …), etc. It is ecclesiological singleness—by choice, for life, unto Christ, in community.

Does that sound too extreme? It wouldn’t have, to Paul … or Jesus, for that matter! Or to Jeremiah, John the Baptizer, Augustine, Aquinas, or Francis of Assissi; or to Handel, Isaac Watts, Amy Carmichael, or John Stott. All singles. And I am proud to be a midget in the company of these giants—a single.

This is not a screed on marriage! Not at all! According to Paul, either state is a gift:

… each person has
his own gift from God
one in this manner
[to be single],
and another in that
[to be married].
1 Corinthians 7:7

They are both valid and valuable platforms for fruitful ministry unto God. The question is: What is your gift?

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7, does highlight the advantages of lifelong singleness for ministry.

But I want you to be
free from concern.
One who is unmarried
is concerned about
the things of the Lord,
how he may please the Lord;
but one who is married
is concerned about
the things of the world,
how he may please his wife,
and his interests are divided.
The woman who is unmarried,
and the virgin,
is concerned about
the things of the Lord,
that she may be holy
both in body and spirit;
but one who is married
is concerned about
the things of the world,
how she may please her husband.
1 Corinthians 7:32–34

It is true, there is an unusual degree of freedom a single person has: freedom to focus on the body of Christ, freedom from co-scheduling with family, freedom to suffer, …. For those reasons, I decided, about two decades ago, to forego the preoccupations (and pleasures) of family life. My personality, my passion for ministry, what profit I had witnessed as God used me—all led me to that momentous decision.

And what will I lose, you ask? Nothing!

No good thing
does He withhold
from those
who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11

No good thing is beyond the grasp of any of God’s children, whether single or married … as long as they walk uprightly. Our God is a faithful God, a providing God.

So what will you choose for His glory? Marriage … or singleness? What is your gift?

ARISEN!

A few years ago, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of King’s College at the University of Aberdeen (King’s is in the background—the building with a crown atop it), award-winning Scottish sculptor Kenny Hunter was commissioned to do a piece. Youth with a Split Apple it is called; it now adorns the campus of our fair alma mater.

Supposedly, the work represents one of the fundamental poses of the human form in classic art—the reclining figure. It has, however, always reminded me of someone just waking up, heavy lidded and drowsy. (The raucous cackle of gulls in coastal Aberdeen is enough to wake anyone up, even a bronze artifact!)

And the sculpture base looks, to me, suspiciously like a coffin. And, yes, this reclining youth does hold a “split apple,” though for the life of me I can’t figure out what he is doing with a split fruit in that rather awkward horizontal, somnolent position.

Maybe Mr. Hunter was thinking of Adam and apples, and death and burial, and about waking up some day. If he had actually been ruminating about such serious matters, he’d have been on the right track theologically.

While the “wages of sin” is, indeed, death, …

… the free gift of God
is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

In other words, there is hope for those of us—all of humanity—stricken with the terminal disease of sin. The price of sin has been paid, fully and finally.

… He [Jesus Christ] Himself
bore our sins in His body
on the cross,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds
you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24

Thus, for believers who have placed their trust in Christ for salvation, there is no more “death.”

Jesus said …,
“I am the resurrection
and the life;
he who believes in Me
will live even if he dies,
and everyone who lives
and believes in Me
will never die.”
John 11:25–26

This death that believers in Christ escape is, of course, not physical death—part of the curse we are afflicted with, after that deplorable affair of a bitten “apple” long time ago. The life that Jesus promises is eternal life in the presence of God after our days here on earth. In fact, that this will happen is so certain that Paul calls the death of believers “sleep.” They will wake up!

For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again,
even so God will bring
with Him those who
have fallen asleep in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:14

And all of this is guaranteed by the resurrection of the Lord who died for us.

… now Christ has been
raised from the dead ….
For since by a man came death,
by a man also came
the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
so also in Christ
all will be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:20–22

One man started it all. One Man will end it all. Indeed, He already has! The victory has been won!

Christ, the Lord, is risen today,
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King,
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save,
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led,
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise,
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Charles Wesley, 1739

Happy Easter!

FIRE!

I’m scribbling this from Pittsburgh, where I’m visiting friends. Today, it was cold, dreary, cloudy, and wet. Reminded me of Aberdeen in bonnie Scotland. (No wonder Texas always looks/feels good!)

Anyhow …

One good thing (among many) about the abode of my friends was the blazing fire in the hearth. Ban the cold, I say. Away with temperatures below 80˚F (27˚C). A pox on winter. Fire. Cosy and comfortable. Balmy and blessed. Good fire.

But the same entity that provides bright bliss also is the agent of dire distress. Wildfires. Arson. Conflagrations. Bad fire.

Good and bad fire. And so it is, even in the Bible.

A “bad” fire is on the horizon.

But who can endure
the day of His coming?
And who can stand
when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire ….
Malachi 3:2

But thanks be to God! Believers have been saved from the fiery wrath of God by the sacrificial payment of their sins on the cross by God incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ.

… there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1

Yet there is a fire for believers—in this world—a fire that purifies, a fire that refines, a fire that disciplines. A “good” fire.

In this you greatly rejoice,
even though now
for a little while, …
you have been distressed
by various trials,
so that the proof of your faith,
being more precious than gold
which is perishable,
even though tested by fire,
may be found to result
in praise and glory and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6–7

This “good” fire we can expect. It will come. Sooner or later. A strengthening fire. A stretching fire.

Beloved, do not be surprised
at the fiery ordeal among you,
which comes upon you
for your testing,
as though some strange thing
were happening to you.
1 Peter 4:12

This “good” fire will also test our works for potential rewards.

Now if any man builds
on the foundation
with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood,
hay, straw, each man's work
will become evident;
for the day will show it
because it is to be
revealed with fire,
and the fire itself will test
the quality of each man's work.
If any man's work
which he has built on it remains,
he will receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 3:12–14

And, one day, the fire of God’s judgment will signal the end of time, the Bible teaches.

But the day of the Lord
will come like a thief,
in which the heavens
will pass away with a roar …
and the earth and its works
will be burned up.
But according to His promise
we are looking for
new heavens and a new earth,
in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:10, 13

Peter assumes that if the end is coming this way, soon and very soon, there is a mandate for the kind of life we ought to be leading.

Since all these things
are to be destroyed in this way,
what sort of people
ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening
the coming of the day of God …!
2 Peter 3:11–12

The fire’s a-comin’. The end approacheth. Look for it. Hasten it.

Therefore, since we receive
a kingdom which cannot
be shaken, let us show gratitude,
by which we may offer to God
an acceptable service
with reverence and awe;
for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28–29

“Good” fire … and “bad!” So … holy conduct and godliness, reverence and awe.

HANDS!

If you noticed something strange about those hands playing the Steinway, you did good. There is something strange. While those hands—right and left—share genes, they don’t belong to the same body. No, I haven’t been up to any Photoshop tricks. I did this the old-fashioned way, getting a ten-year old to wiggle his arm through the shirt of his forty-year old Dad, and having them contort themselves to create the illusion of one pianist with two hands—two different hands. (Thanks, Philip and Rick!) While the youngster is, himself, a budding musician, Dad’s got a doctorate in the field. One dabbles; the other produces and performs (and “professes”) music. The humble endeavors of one are augmented and transformed and complemented by the “musicmanship” of the other.

Grace for the believer is like that! After all, there ain’t much (read: “anything”) we can do with which to please God, without His prevenient (“going before”) grace. Grace is absolutely necessary if we are to continue in a relationship with God. In other words, it is not only essential for our justification (being set right with God), but we also cannot be sanctified (grow in holiness) without grace. We need help in every way, being hopelessly incapable and inadequate for these things. I need a hand! And a hand, God gave. In fact more than a hand. Paul proclaims:

Christ lives in me ….
Galatians 2:20

Grace! A helping hand.

Therefore let us draw near
with confidence
to the throne of grace,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help
in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

It is grace that enables us to be what we are.

But by the grace of God
I am what I am,
and His grace toward me
did not prove vain;
but I labored even more
than all of them, yet not I,
but the grace of God with me.
1 Corinthians 15:10

It is grace that gives us the perspective and incentive for a godly lifestyle.

For the grace of God
has appeared,
bringing salvation to all men,
instructing us
to deny ungodliness
and worldly desires
and to live sensibly, righteously
and godly in the present age.
Titus 2:11–12

It is grace that manifests God’s power through us.

And He has said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is
perfected in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

It is grace that prepares for us the good works we will do.

For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works,
which God prepared beforehand
so that we would walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

It is grace that helps us perform those good works.

And God is able to make
all grace abound to you,
so that always having
all sufficiency in everything,
you may have an abundance
for every good deed.
2 Corinthians 9:8

It is grace that gives us spiritual gifts.

But to each one of us grace
was given according to
the measure of Christ's gift.
Ephesians 4:7

And of course, grace is also operative in our glorification—the full conformation to the image of Christ.

Therefore, prepare
your minds for action,
keep sober in spirit,
fix your hope completely
on the grace
to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:13

Without His helping “hand,” we would remain lost in our sin—unjustified, unsanctified, unglorified. His helping hand—what amazing grace!

’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
John Newton, 1779

Amen, it will!

BOATS!

Something strange about them in the Gospel of Mark. Not the best place to be; not the safest way to travel. Always a complication. Storms. And tests. Particularly tests. Tests of faith in boats in Mark. Maybe the sea ain’t a good place to be. It’s always a test of faith in a boat on water.

And those poor disciples. They don’t do to well on those quizzes in water. Surprising: “Fishermen fail sea tests!” They do! In all three major boat dramas in Mark.

The first vignette. Jesus is in the boat with them on a stormy sea. The irony: the carpenter sleeps; the fishermen panic. Though, of course, this was no ordinary card-carrying, labor-union-belonging worker of wood. Anyway, Jesus calms the sea in a trice. And asks the stricken disciples:

“Why are you afraid?
Do you still have no faith?”
Mark 4:40

“How come you aren’t believing yet?” You see, in the first four chapters of Mark, they had already seen Christ healing various diseases—nothing seemed too difficult for Him to cure, not even a mother-in-law! The disciples had seen Christ drive out demons. Indeed, they had themselves been given the authority to cast out demons. They—simple, unsophisticated Galilean fishermen—were waging spiritual warfare. This Jesus was no mere spiritual teacher. No prophet had ever done the things he did. Why, He was even going around forgiving people! Now who could do that but God? The disciples had seen it; they had heard it; they had experienced it—the power and presence of God in Christ. They should have put it all together—He was God. But … they had forgotten!

Then, two chapters later, another boat complication. Jesus, not with the disciples when they commence the journey, shows up walking on water, in the middle of their perilous journey in the thick of another storm. And there they go again—they’re scared.

… they all saw Him
and were terrified.
But immediately He spoke
with them and said to them,
“Take courage; it is I,
do not be afraid.”
Then He got into the boat …
and the wind stopped; and
they were utterly astonished,
for they had not
gained any insight from
the incident of the loaves,
but their heart was hardened.
Mark 6:50–52

Just before this incident, Jesus had just multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand. Nope, they hadn’t learnt anything from that.

Two more chapters later. Another vessel episode. No storm though. But these dudes begin to fret. They had only brought one loaf aboard with them and they had 12 +1 people to feed. What were they going to do for food? Oh, dear! They just might starve to death. On a boat. In the water.

And Jesus, aware of this,
said to them,
“Why do you discuss
that you have no bread?
Do you not yet see
or understand?
Do you have a hardened heart?
Having eyes, do you not see?
And having ears,
do you not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves
for the five thousand ….”
Mark 8:17–19

The path of discipleship—Mark’s theme—is strewn with ship situations. Indeed, these watercraft examinations are part and parcel of our lives—our own journeys of discipleship. How will we respond? With faith, trusting in God’s presence, His power? Remembering what He has done? Responding in anticipation of what He will do?

… for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

And not just walk. We pilot our boats by faith as well.

MEDITATION!

I know. You are wondering what I am doing in the “lotus position.” Well, first of all, that ain’t no lotus. Not only am I disinterested in yogic procedures and maneuvers, gone are the days when my limbs were supple enough to twist themselves into inexetricable musculoskeletal knots. Moreover, that’s no temple I’m located in. That venerable looking doorway is part of the St. Mary’s Cathedral (Domberg St. Marien), an impressive Gothic structure in Erfurt, Germany. Begun in the 11th century, parts of it were completed in the 14th—it is over 700 years old! Of note is the fact that on April 3, 1507, a certain monk named Martin Luther was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in this same Cathedral, after having spent two years in an Augustinian friary also located in Erfurt. This worthy would, in a decade, become the Father of the Protestant Reformation.

Anyways, lotus or no, meditation is always a good idea, provided one is meditating on the right thing—the Word of God.

... you shall meditate on it
day and night,
so that you may be careful
to do according
to all that is written in it;
for then you will make
your way prosperous, and then
you will have success.
Joshua 1:8

Living by the Book—always a recipe for success in God’s eyes. And meditation is a recommended prerequisite to that endeavour—a pondering, a musing, a reading and rereading, a recollecting and remembering of God’s Word, bringing Scripture to mind with thoughtful reflection and contemplative deliberation. An entire Psalm—the very first one—is dedicated to this thesis, with its attendant benefits.

How blessed is the one
who does not walk
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand in the path of sinners,
nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight
is in the law of the LORD,
and in His law
he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly
planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in its season
and its leaf does not wither;
and in whatever he does,
he prospers.
Psalm 1:1–3

Meditate on these things, things of the Word of God—whatever things are …

… true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute,
if something is excellent
or praiseworthy,
dwell on these things.
Philippians 4:8

Meditating on the deeds of God—what He has done, for we are never to forget, never to overlook, but always to remember.

I shall remember
the deeds of the LORD;
surely I will remember
Your wonders of old.
I will meditate
on all Your work
and muse on Your deeds.
You are the God
who works wonders;
You have made known Your
strength among the peoples.
You have by Your power
redeemed Your people.
Psalm 77:11–12, 14–15

Meditate. Remember. Such a discipline of mind is a clinging on to God, a conscious attention to His Word, a constant mindfulness of His presence and activity in our lives. At all times.

When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You
in the night watches,
for You have been my help,
and in the shadow of Your wings
I sing for joy.
My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 63:6–8

May we discipline ourselves for that practice daily.

Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock
and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Meditate!

MERCY!

That is indeed a Sphinx at the feet of which I’m pictured. Not in Egypt, but in London. There sitteth (or lieth?) the beast on the Embankment that adjoins the Thames. And no, it isn’t ancient, but of recent vintage, simulating—hieroglyphics and all—the Great Sphinx of Giza on the bank of the Nile.

The Sphinx is a mythological figure—in this case, it has the body of a lion and the head of a person. And it wasn’t just the Egyptians who had Sphinxes; Indians, Sri Lankans, Burmese, Thais, and the ancient Greeks had them, as well. As a matter of fact, it is thought that the word “sphinx” comes from the Greek “sphiggo”—“to strangle!” In Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus, she (yes, the sphinx is female!) proposed riddles to passersby and proceeded to strangle and devour them if they couldn't answer. Her riddle was a standard one: “What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?” Oedipus solved the puzzle: man—he crawls on all fours as a baby, walks upright on two feet as an adult, and hobbles with a cane when aged. Worsted at her game, she killed herself.

Mythological creatures and gods and goddesses are generally of that ilk—irascible, unpredictable, unreliable and, often, ruthless, heartless, merciless. Devotees of these spend their lives appeasing the wrath of their object of devotion. Unfortunate!

The God of the Bible is different. He it is who is described as the God of mercy.

… we too all formerly lived
in the lusts of our flesh, ….
But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love
with which He loved us,
even when we were dead
in our transgressions,
made us alive
together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved).
Ephesians 2:3–5

All mankind having sinned—rendering themselves incapable of doing anything to set them right with God—this God of mercy had mercy on our plight. Rich in mercy and love, He sent Jesus Christ, God incarnate, to atone for our sins, by his death on Calvary’s cross and His resurrection.

Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There, my burdened soul found liberty—at Calvary.
William R. Newell, 1895

We could do nothing. We were helpless and hopeless. Lost! But now …

… by grace you have been
saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works,
so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8–9

Not of works, indeed. Not by appeasing any god. Not by undertaking pilgrimages. Not by performing sacrifice. Not at all. Because the only sacrifice that could be made, has already been made.

Grace! Mercy! Love!

In this is love,
not that we loved God,
but that He loved us
and sent His Son
to be the atoning sacrifice
for our sins.
1 John 4:10

No more the gulf between God and man; no more the distance; no more the dread of a god; no more the vain attempts to satisfy a deity. God, taking the initiative, has reconciled us to Himself through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father
Of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His great mercy
has caused us to be born again
to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead.
1 Peter 1:3

Now I’ve given to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary!

BEARING!

Last weekend, I was in San Antonio, for the American Academy of Dermatology’s 66th Annual Meeting. The shindig was held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, an impressive 1.3 million-square foot host to about a million conventioneers each year.

So they need to move attendees efficiently from event to event, from one of its 60+ meeting rooms, ballrooms, and exhibit halls, to another. Escalators. Bearing people to and fro, hither and thither, up and down. Bearing old and young, lean and stout, male and female. Bearing heavy loads.

While literally meaning “to bear” or “to carry,” the figurative sense of “bearing” people or burdens, is commonly employed in the Scriptures, as well.

To be sure, the epitome of such bearing was Jesus Christ, the Bearer of sin.

This [Jesus’ ministry]
was to fulfill what was spoken
through Isaiah the prophet:
“He Himself
took our infirmities and
bore away our diseases.”
Matthew 8:17

In the agonizing, staggering, unimaginable process of bearing our sin—His substitutionary atonement for my sin and yours—Jesus Christ also, literally, bore His cross to Calvary.

They took Jesus, therefore,
and He went out,
bearing His own cross,
to the place called
the Place of a Skull,
which is called in Hebrew,
Golgotha.
John 19:17

In turn, believers who have placed their trust in Christ as Savior are to follow their Lord on the journey of discipleship, bearing their own crosses. Jesus’ words are serious—He demands priority; His is to be the position of preeminence in our lives; His and no one else’s. He declared …

“If anyone comes to Me,
and does not hate
his own father and mother
and wife and children
and brothers and sisters,
yes, and even his own life,
he cannot be My disciple.
Whoever does not bear
his own cross and
come after Me
cannot be My disciple.”
Luke 14:26–27

Suffering is an integral part of the Christian’s spiritual pilgrimage. Bearing up for the sake of Christ. Bearing, enduring, persevering ….

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star:
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet, I was wounded by the archers, spent.
Leaned me against the tree to die, and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned:
Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?
Yes, as the master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole. Can he have followed far
Who has no wound? No scar?

Amy Carmichael (1867–1951), missionary to India

Indeed, Paul claimed the borne scar as a badge.

From now on
let no one cause trouble for me,
for I bear on my body
the brand-marks of Jesus.
Galatians 6:17

Bearing in suffering, bearing for Christ, bearing like Christ, also involves bearing the burdens of those in our eternal family—our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bear one another's burdens,
and thereby fulfill
the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2

This business of bearing burdens is to be carefully attended to within the community of believers, as we follow the example of Christ.

Now we who are strong
ought to bear the weaknesses
of those without strength
and not just please ourselves.
Each of us
is to please his neighbor
for his good, to his edification.
For even Christ
did not please Himself.
Romans 15:1–3

Bearing one another, bearing with one another, let’s bear our burdens faithfully till the end.

BOUND!

I had the privilege of visiting the British Library in London a few months ago—the national library of the U.K., boasting over 150 million items in innumerable formats, print and otherwise. One of the largest of its kind in the world, akin to the Library of Congress in the U.S.

In the foyer of the Library, was this fascinating bronze bench in the shape of an open book with a ball and chain. I had to have a picture with me sitting on it. This sculpture by Bill Woodrow (Sitting on History, 1995) ostensibly refers to “the book as a captor of information from which we cannot escape” (so says the website of the British Library).

I know of only one Book that fits that description. A Book with information from which we cannot—nay, must not—escape. A Book which has the words of eternal life—the Bible—bearing Good News of critical importance. A Book to which we must be bound. For it is through this Book that we learn of God, His holiness, and our sinful state. In this Book we find how we can appropriate, by faith, salvation from sin.

… the sacred writings …
are able to give you
the wisdom that leads
to salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:15

This Book—inspired, inerrant, and infallible—is sufficient to render one, in God’s eyes, capable, complete, and competent. We must be bound to this Book.

All Scripture
is inspired by God
and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness;
that the person of God
may be adequate, equipped
for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16–17

It is because this Book is the Word of God, that it has prescriptivity—it is binding upon the faith and practice of all believers, it is protable for application in the life of all its readers. Bound to the Book!

I trust in Thy word.
I wait for Thine ordinances.
I will keep Thy law continually.
I seek Thy precepts.
I will also speak of Thy testimonies ….
I shall delight in Thy commandments ….
I shall lift up my hands
to Thy commandments, which I love.
I will meditate on Thy statutes.
Psalm 119:42–48

It is because it is the Word of God that it deals authoritatively with matters of critical importance to mankind. Because it is the Word of God, it is perennial—remaining vital and potent across the span of time, projecting its validity for all time. If perennial, then binding forever. Bound to the Book.

“The grass withers,
the flower falls off,
but the word of the Lord
abides forever.”
And this is the word
which was preached to you.
1 Peter 1:24–25

Believers’ response to this Book, then, is to be bound to it—to live by it—so that their lives may be pleasing to God, as they grow in Christlikeness.

… like newborn babes,
long for the pure milk
of the word, that by it
you may grow
in respect to salvation.
1 Peter 2:1

And in so growing, the sweetness of the Word becomes more real daily. Of the contents of this Book, the Psalmist wrote:

They are more desirable
than gold, yes,
than much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and the drippings
of the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:10

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,

Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;

Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.
Philip P. Bliss, 1874

Indeed!

CURVED!

This phrase is heard and seen in every station of the London Underground: Mind the Gap. A note of caution to passengers reminding them of the gap between carriage door and station platform. The problem? Misalignment. Train cars are, obviously, straight. But not all platforms are. Therefore, the distance between these straight cars and those non-straight platforms can be significant at certain points. Besides, some stations service trains with different floor heights, such that platforms, not perfectly aligned to the height of a standard car, create yet another potentially dangerous gap. A gap through which you don’t want to fall. Thus … Mind the Gap. Misalignment—platforms not aligned to trains.

Most stations in Toronto have adopted the practice as well; so also some in Singapore, Hong Kong, Athens, and Paris. Such signs, however, are increasingly rare—apparently, curved platforms are not in vogue!

Misaligned. So are we. Warped … when compared with the only standard of straightness (righteousness)—God. Straight car : curved platform :: “straight” God : curved human. Misaligned.

Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
Revelation 15:4

And in the dazzling light of that holiness, all of us human beings are curved and crooked, distorted and deviant, with a propensity towards sin that is “caught, not taught.” Classic theologians describe mankind as incurvatus in se—curved inward, on itself. Luther agreed, in his Lectures on Romans:

“Our nature, by the corruption of the first sin, is so deeply curved in on itself that it not only bends the best gifts of God towards itself and enjoys them …, but it also fails to realize that it so wickedly, curvedly, and viciously seeks all things, even God, for its own sake.”

While believers in Christ have been declared righteous (“straight”) before God—i.e., justified—there still is a gap between that aligned position and our misaligned practice. Mind the gap!

O LORD,
lead me in Your righteousness …;
make Your way straight before me.
Psalm 5:8

And it is God’s Word, the Bible, that the Holy Spirit employs to keep us straight.

Oh that my ways may be
established to keep Your statutes!
Then I shall not be ashamed
when I look upon
all Your commandments.
I shall give thanks to You
with uprightness [straightness]
of heart, when I learn
Your righteous judgments.
Psalm 119:5–7

One day, however, all of this curvature and crookedness, distortion and deviance, all of this misalignment and mismatching—all of this sin—will be banished! A gapless existence!

… creation itself also
will be set free
from its slavery to corruption
into the freedom of the glory
of the children of God.
Romans 8:21

When the Righteous King comes to reign, all things will be straightened, rectified, debugged.

And the government
will rest on His shoulders;
and His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the
increase of His government
or of peace, on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and righteousness
from then on and forevermore.
Isaiah 9:6–7

And until that time, we wait …

… according to His promise …
looking for new heavens
and a new earth,
in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:13

Till then, may we, in the strength of the Spirit, live lives aligned to His holy standard.

Teach me Your way, O LORD,
and lead me in a straight path.
Psalm 27:11

Mind the gap!

DIVINE!

There’s my nephew, John, and I at Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloß Neuschwanstein) last summer. The most photographed building in Germany (a couple of hours south of Munich), it is also one of that country’s most popular tourist attractions, its fairy-tale looks lending its semblance to the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland, and to the Disney logo. King Ludwig II (1845–1886) was the one responsible for this florid, fascinating, and fabulous (from “fable”) piece of Bavarian art, complete with fancy chandeliers, flashy murals, and flushing toilets. Ludwig dedicated the edifice to Richard Wagner, the composer, and many structural elements of the castle echo themes from the operas of the latter. In a letter to the maestro in 1868, Ludwig asserted: “It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin at Hohenschangau in the authentic style of the old German knights’ castles …. The location is the most beautiful one could find, holy and unapproachable, a worthy temple for the divine friend who has brought salvation and true blessing to the world.” Now I don’t know whether you care for Wagner or not. I don’t. But even if you do, this is a bit too thick. “Divine”? One “who has brought salvation and true blessing to the world”? Wagner? What rot!

And there is salvation
in no one else
[but Jesus Christ];
for there is no other name
under heaven
that has been given
among men by which
we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

And as for blessing, Christ alone is the source of real blessing.

Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us
with every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3

Time and again, in the annals of human history, mankind has tried hard to assume divinity. As someone once quipped, “Ever since God created man in His image, man has been trying to return the compliment.” In vain! Such attempts only come to naught. No one can be likened to God—no one! I’ll let God speak for Himself through the prophet Isaiah …

To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you
compare with Him?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you
from the beginning?
Have you not understood from
the foundations of the earth?
It is [God] who sits
above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants
are like grasshoppers.
[He] stretches out the heavens
like a curtain and
spreads them out
like a tent to dwell in.
He it is who reduces rulers
to nothing, who makes
the judges of the earth meaningless.
… He merely blows on them,
and they wither, and the storm
carries them away like stubble.
“To whom then will you liken Me
that I would be his equal?”
says the Holy One.
Isaiah 40:18, 21–25

King Ludwig’s fate was not pleasant. Apparently his uncle, Prince Luitpold, complicit in those inevitable palace intrigues, deposed the king and had him declared insane in 1886. A few days after the coup, Ludwig and the psychiatrist who had him committed were found dead in a lake close by. Their deaths remain a mystery to this day.

And, needless to say, Ludwig’s “divine friend,” who ostensibly was the one who “brought salvation and true blessing,” died, too—of a heart attack, in 1883.

I could search for all eternity long and find
There is none—
There is none—
There is none like you!
Lenny LeBlanc, 1991

None, indeed!

RETURNED!

It’s called Adele Bloch-Bauer I. Painted by Gustav Klimt in 1907, it hung in the Vienna home of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, Adele’s husband and wealthy industrialist. With the Anschluss of Austria by the Nazis in 1938, this and other paintings from Jewish collectors like the Bloch-Bauers were confiscated (read: “stolen”). After the war, this particular piece fell into the hands of the Austrian government; they refused to part with it. After a long drawn out legal battle in the US and Austria (Republic of Austria v. Altmann), it was ruled that Maria Altmann, the niece of Ferdinand and Adele, and other surviving family members, were the rightful owners. It was returned to Ms. Altmann in Los Angeles in Jan 2006.

Later that year, Ronald Lauder, the cosmetics magnate, reportedly paid $135 million for Adele Bloch Bauer I, making it the most expensive painting ever, beating Picasso’s Boy with a Pipe ($104 million, 2004). It remains in Lauder’s Neue Gallerie in New York. “This is our Mona Lisa,” he proudly comments.

This story bookended the documentary, The Rape of Europa, that I got to see over the weekend with friends. Highlighting the unimaginable and unconscionable theft of priceless art during WWII, the return of this particular objet d'art to its rightful owners gave one a sense of vindication and justice. Returned!

And so also we. Returned to our rightful Owner!

And [Christ] Himself
bore our sins in His body
on the cross,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness ….
For you were continually
straying like sheep,
but now you have returned
to the Shepherd
and Guardian of your souls.
1 Peter 2:24–25

Returned, by grace, to our rightful Owner—our Creator, from whose fold we had wandered. Transferred, in His mercy, from the kingdom of darkness into His kingdom of light.

… the Father … has qualified us
to share in the inheritance
of the saints in Light.
For He rescued us
from the domain of darkness,
and transferred us to the
kingdom of His beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption ….
Colossians 1:12–14

Redeemed. From slavery to sin—helpless, hapless, and hopeless. But now, the believer in Jesus Christ is redeemed and returned. We’ve been rescued from the sentence of eternal death; we’ve received the gift of eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God
is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

Redeemed. Returned.

… our great God and Savior,
Christ Jesus, … gave Himself
for us to redeem us
from every lawless deed,
and to purify for Himself
a people
for His own possession ….
Titus 2:13–14

And what a costly redemption it was—$135 million is nothing compared to the price that was paid on the cross for you and me.

… you were not redeemed
with perishable things
like silver or gold
from your futile way of life
inherited from your forefathers,
but with precious blood,
as of a lamb unblemished
and spotless,
the blood of Christ.
1 Peter 1:18–19

Returned, praise God!

Worthy are You …
for You were slain,
and purchased for God
with Your blood
persons from every tribe
and tongue and
people and nation.
Revelation 5:9

And such a magnificent redemption and return lays upon us a responsibility before our God and Savior.

For you have been bought
with a price:
therefore glorify God
in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:20

Let us live worthy of the redemption that has been wrought for us.

Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel,
for He has visited us
and accomplished
redemption for His people.
Luke 1:68

Amen!

MOMENTUM!

I’ve been staying up late these past few nights watching cricket. For those of you North Americans oblivious to the existence of that majestic sport, here’s a brief lesson: You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's on the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in, and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in, and the side that's been in goes out, and tries to get those coming in out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out. When both sides have been in and out, including the not-outs, that's the end of the game. Simple, isn’t it?

Anyway, India is playing Australia in Sydney and the other day there was a spectacular display of batting at its best. One of the foremost batsmen ever, the incomparable Sachin Tendulkar (IND), scored 154 runs, ceasing only because he ran out of partners at the other end of the pitch. What a sight to see (there he is after reaching his 100)! Masterful strokeplayer—regal in technique, astute in judgment, delightful in style, dazzling in execution. One less-than-theologically-accurate sign in the stands said it all:

Commit all your crimes
when Sachin is batting,
They’ll go unpunished;
even the Lord is watching.

One reporter noted that a bunch of noisy school boys in the bleachers were admonished by their teacher, “Nobody talks when Tendulkar is on strike.” Soon the kids were chanting: “Nobody talks / when Sachin strikes.”

The applause when Tendulkar reached his century carried on for close to two minutes.

Not that Sachin was the only batsman to score well that day. Others had begun India off well earlier, but it was up to this maestro to consolidate the innings. “Ignition is vital,” said a commentator, “but it means nothing if there’s nobody to switch on cruise control.” Though cruise control driving is a passive exercise, the point is well taken: It’s not enough to start well; one must sustain a strong beginning for the long haul.

So it is, also, in the Christian life. It’s not enough to start well. We must sustain that momentum. But there are detours aplenty and distractions galore. And before you know it—we’re shanghaied, snared. Cruise control lost! Momentum dissipated! Good start forgotten!

So then let us not sleep
as others do, but let us be
alert and sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:6

Alert and sober, let’s dive into 2008, doing the work of the Lord with dogged perseverance, unflagging momentum.

Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding
in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your toil
is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

And let this be our prayer for one another …

… that [we] will walk in
a manner worthy of the Lord,
to please Him in all respects,
bearing fruit in every good work
and increasing
in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power,
according to His glorious might,
for the attaining
of all steadfastness and patience.
Colossians 1:10–11

Let’s be working steadfastly, patiently for the Lord, …

… knowing that from the Lord
you will receive the reward
of the inheritance.
Colossians 3:24

Hang in there, trusting God to keep us standing firm, even when everything around us crumbles.

Some boast in chariots
and some in horses,
but we will boast in the name
of the LORD, our God.
They have bowed down
and fallen,
but we have risen
and stood upright.
Psalm 20:7–8

Sustain the momentum, stand upright … till the end!

CARRIED!

My, how quickly they grow! Seems like it was only yesterday I was carrying them. Now these strapping youths—my nephews: a college freshman and the other in high school—carry me with ease. There I am, at their mercy. And thankfully, mercy they had, for they didn’t deposit me on the floor to pay me back for the hard times I’d given them all these years! I trusted them to bear me without damaging my delicate structure. But those muscles of theirs, now bursting with vim, and those joints today bouncing with vigor will, alas, one day be felled by feebleness and fractured by frailty. In other words, they, too, will end up like me—old and decrepit, out of kilter, weak in constitution! We humans are programmed to end our earthly days in such ignominy. There is only One whose muscles and joints unnerved and unhinged never become. If you have ever wondered who will hold you without failing, take heart. This One declares:

Even to your old age
I will be the same,
and even to your graying years
I will bear you!
I have done it,
and I will carry you;
and I will bear you
and I will deliver you.
Isaiah 46:4

One may trust muscles and joints, wallets and banks, honor and reputation—but they will all, without fail, come to naught. Only the omnipotent God can bear us through these days of tumult and trauma—the Creator God who is never tired or taxed, stressed or strained. Instead He lends us His strength, His might, His power.

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God,
the LORD, the Creator
of the ends of the earth
does not become weary or tired ….
He gives strength to the weary,
and to him who lacks might
He increases power.
Isaiah 40:28–29

Though bearing us through the turbulences of life and imbuing us with strength is cause for thanksgiving, let us never forget that this is a God who bore much more!

Surely our griefs
He Himself bore,
and our sorrows He carried;
yet we ourselves
esteemed Him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through
for our transgressions,
He was crushed
for our iniquities;
the chastening
for our well-being
fell upon Him,
and by His scourging
we are healed.
… the LORD has caused
the iniquity of us all
to fall on Him.
… the Righteous One,
My Servant,
will justify the many,
as He will bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:4–6, 11

Yes, He did, our Lord Jesus Christ who …

… Himself bore our sins
in His body on the cross,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness ….
1 Peter 2:24

And this God of love …

… who did not spare
His own Son,
but delivered Him over
for us all,
how will He not
also with Him
freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32

Ours is a God who can be trusted, as He reminded the Israelites.

The LORD your God
who goes before you
will Himself fight
on your behalf,
just as He did for you
in Egypt before your eyes,
and in the wilderness
where you saw how
the LORD your God carried you,
just as a man carries his son ….
Deuteronomy 1:30–31

Relax! This same God is carrying you.

Like a shepherd
He will tend His flock,
in His arm
He will gather the lambs
and carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead
the nursing ewes.
Isaiah 40:11

He’ll bear us through 2008. Happy New Year!

HEART!

After several years’ absence, I made it back to an old haunt—our fair city, Boston, the unofficial hub of New England. It was a delight to connect with church friends from my days in that metropolis as a dermatology resident about a decade ago. Brothers and sisters in Christ with whom I had the privilege of serving our great God: we were Bible Study members together, led worship and made music together, worked on leadership teams together, sat on a pastoral search committee together, laughed and cried and worked and played together. Those were fun days!

However, I question the sanity of one who chooses to venture into this part of the world in winter. I must be losing it—Vienna during Thanksgiving and now Boston around Christmas. Bostonians have already been through three major storms this year, one wicked nor’easter dropping over 24 inches of the detestable (at least to me) white stuff just days before my arrival. Consequently, our aircraft meandered in the skies above Boston’s Logan airport for the good part of an hour seeking to squeeze into the line of planes hoping to land on the only runway open. And the cold wind! Brrrrr ....

Yup, winter has arrived. I can fully identify with Christina Rossetti’s opening lines …

In the bleak midwinter,
frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone;
Snow had fallen,
snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Just like this past week! But that less-than-desirable circumstance, long time ago, did not restrain our God.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him,
nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter
a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Hardly what one would imagine as circumstances fitting for the arrival of the King of Kings.

Angels and archangels
may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
thronged the air;
But his mother only,
in her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the beloved
with a kiss.
Rossetti, 1872

Not only were His first days strange, this King’s last days on earth were equally incongruous—crucified on a cross. The King of Kings disregarded, disrespected, disbelieved, disobeyed.

The Gospels poignantly echo with the implied challenge: How will you, dear Christian Reader, respond to this King?

What can I give him,
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man,
I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him:
give my heart.
Rossetti

All of us humans are called by God, firstly, to place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior—“giving our heart.” This is to believe that Jesus Christ, God incarnate, paid the price for our sins, precluding, for those with faith in Gods’ provision of salvation, eternal punishment and separation from God forever.

For God so loved the world,
that He gave
His only begotten Son,
that whoever
believes in Him
shall not perish,
but have eternal life.
John 3:16

And, secondly, Christian responsibility now calls us believers to live lives marked by the love of God in Christ—“giving our hearts” to Him daily.

And you shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
Mark 12:30

May this Christmas be a reminder to us all that …

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts, 1707

TEACHER!

We celebrated a celebrity today. John, about two months younger than my father, turned 80 this week, and that was cause for festivities. Prof at Dallas Seminary now for over 35 years, this man is an institution in himself. He got his Ph.D. in communications when I was four years old—oh, about twenty years ago (not!)—and since then, has been teaching, preaching, pastoring, and administering. Church planter. Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at DTS. Retired chaplain (Lt. Col.) in the USAF Reserves. Chairman of the Department of Pastoral Ministries (where I serve) for fourteen years. This is the guy who grew up in a farm, and who, it is rumored, once said, “I got along really well with animals, it’s people that bothered me.”

The influence he has had on virtually every member of the PM Department at DTS and on many pastors and teachers outside the Seminary is legendary. He is everyone’s grandad and mentor! I’ve had the privilege to be his student, to benefit from his sage advice, to be cheered by his kind words, to have him on my ordination committee ….

He has taught us well. And not just homiletics and pastoral ministry, but also how to be a faithful husband for over five decades; how to survive the tragic loss of a daughter (about five years ago); how to shepherd grandchildren; how to encourage; how to be loyal; how to be positive. And the list goes on and on ….

We love him!

This is a man who has used his gifts—nay, his entire life—to portray to all who come into contact with him, the grace of his God.

As each one has received
a special gift,
employ it in serving one another
as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God.
1 Peter 4:10

In whatever he does, God’s grace works through him.

Whoever speaks,
is to do so as one
who is speaking
the utterances of God;
whoever serves
is to do so as one
who is serving
by the strength
which God supplies.
1 Peter 4:11a

Speaking by God’s grace, and serving by God’s grace. John’s is a gracious God!

… so that in all things
God may be glorified
through Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs the glory
and dominion
forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11b

John has taught us well. He would never say this but, like Paul, such giants in the faith have reason to exhort …

The things you have learned
and received and heard
and seen in me,
practice these things,
and the God of peace
will be with you.
Philippians 4:9

Because John himself was imitating Christ.

Be imitators of me,
just as I also am of Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1

And, in turn, we, too, must be examples to others, just as the Thessalonians, who followed Paul, became models to other believers.

You also became imitators
of us and of the Lord …,
so that you became
an example to all the believers
in Macedonia and in Achaia.
1 Thessalonians 1:6–7

We think much of him.

But we request of you, brethren,
that you appreciate those
who diligently labor among you,
and have charge over you
in the Lord
and give you instruction,
and that you esteem them
very highly in love
because of their work.
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13

And we could wish for nothing more for others than that every believer have a mentor like John, and that all of us, in turn, mentor others. For our great God’s glory!

COMFORT!

Somewhere during my peripatetic circumlocution in Europe. Berlin. The place has tons of coffeehouses and cafés; konditoreis and backereis galore dot the landscape. Lots of them mom-and-pop outfits. And the caffeine they furnish is outstanding, too. Yet, here I am sipping the good stuff at—of all places—Dunkin’ Donuts. Innumerable other institutions I could patronize, but I pick Dunkin’ Donuts. First store (still standing) opened in 1950 on 543 Southern Artery, Quincy, in ye olde state of MA. Dunkin’ Donuts—the quintessential American store (with a lot of franchises abroad, as well). And I chose that brand … in Berlin. Shame on me!

I like to stay within my comfort zone! And that cold spring morning, comfort meant Dunkin’ Donuts. Berlin or Boston, I couldn’t care less. As long as it was Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. Nice feeling. Familiar décor. Recognizable styrofoam. Accustomed taste. Dunkin’ Donuts! Nope, I’m not the adventurous type! Gimme my comfort zone.

He was God, but he became a human embryo, a foetus, a neonate, a toddler, a child, an adolescent, and an adult. God became man and suffered hunger (Matthew 4:2), thirst (John 19:28), and tiredness (John 4:6). Incredible! Deity in a distinctly “uncomfortable” zone. Jesus Christ …

… who, although He existed
in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself,
taking the form
of a bond-servant,
and being made
in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:6–7

Emmanuel—God with us!

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Charles Wesley, 1739

And all for our sake.

For you know the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich,
yet for your sake
He became poor,
so that you through His poverty
might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

For our sake. To die for our sins. To save us.

He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the cross,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds
you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24

And canceling out the effects of sin for the believer, He brought us to God.

For Christ also died
for sins once for all,
the just for the unjust, so that
He might bring us to God ….
1 Peter 3:18

Deity took on humanity for me, to save me.

Being found in appearance
as a man,
He humbled Himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:8

The sinless One made sin. Out of His “comfort” zone. For us.

He made Him
who knew no sin
to be sin on our behalf,
so that we might become
the righteousness of God
in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

Absolute, perfect holiness of Deity, dwelling amongst the total depravity of humanity. And suffering and dying as man.

Surely our griefs
He Himself bore,
and our sorrows He carried;
yet we ourselves
esteemed Him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through
for our transgressions,
He was crushed
for our iniquities;
the chastening
for our well-being
fell upon Him,
and by His scourging
we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4–5

And here I am ensconced in my little comfort zone imbibing Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

Have this attitude in yourselves
which was also in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:5

Let’s step out of our comfort zones and live boldly for Christ. In the power of His strength, through His Spirit, let’s boldly live lives of holiness, humility, witness, and sacrifice. Even if it makes us “uncomfortable.”

COMING!

One of the great museums in Europe is the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, housing most of the imperial Hapsburg collections. Not only are its accumulations of art marvelous, the building itself, opened in 1891, is a magnificent structure in the style of the Italian Renaissance. I spent several happy hours in this home of art (away from the freezing temps outside!), thoroughly enjoying both “container” and “contents,” the latter ranging from Ancient Egyptian and Roman antiquities to Medieval Art to the splendor of the Renaissance and Baroque.

Among its fascinating permanent exhibits was a room dedicated to the Emperors of the Imperium Romanum (Roman Empire). Busts of sovereigns and their children fill the eerily lit room. Here you’ll find good ol’ Julius himself, as well as Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Diocletian, Constantine, and a host of others.

While for the most part the expansion of their reach to much of Europe, northern Africa, and parts of the Middle East, and the Pax Romana—the relative Roman peace in the land during the first and second centuries AD—were good things, these rather nefarious characters on the throne thought a bit too much of themselves. They named themselves Augustus (= majestic), Autocrator (= autocrat), Basileus (= sovereign), Imperator Destinatus (= destined to be emperor), Pontifex Maximus (= chief priest), etc. One of them, Domitian, even labeled himself Dominus et Deus (= Lord and god); this was the guy who supposedly condemned the apostle John to be boiled in oil. Coins of the period refer to him as the “father of the gods”!

And then there was this other King in the first century whose we celebrate this month. His names, though, are for real!

For a child will be born to us,
a son will be given to us;
and the government will
rest on His shoulders;
and His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

The one who is truly Dominus et Deus.

And on His robe
and on His thigh
He has a name written,
“King of Kings,
and Lord of Lords.”
Revelation 19:16

To a world lost in darkness, to mankind stricken with the tragedy of sinfulness and stained by the trauma of sin, came this King. Today is the first Sunday of the season of Advent that celebrates His arrival.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Charles Wesley, 1745

Not only does Advent celebrate the First Coming of this King, but during this season, the church expectantly awaits His Second Coming as well. A remembrance and an anticipation. Looking both backwards and forwards. In Wesley's words ...

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

He’s coming again and soon! And for those who eagerly await his Advent, a special reward is promised.

In the future
there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord …
will award to me on that day;
and not only to me,
but also to all who have
loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8

Even so, Lord Jesus, come!

REFRESHED!

Finally! The day rolled by and I graduated yesterday from the University of Aberdeen. Full of pomp and ceremony conducted in a pompous and ceremonial edifice, the second largest granite building in the world—Marischal College of the University of Aberdeen. Needless to say, the whole affair was in Latin, with subtitles in English, of course! “By the authority which the most high and mighty Princes have in the fullest measure bestowed on this beneficient University, I make you Doctor of Philosophy, as a sign of which I place this cap upon your head and pray to God, supreme in goodness and power, that this act may be blessed and of good augury,” proclaimed the Chancellor of the University as he tapped me on the head. I was then gowned by one of the sacrists at the ceremony in the toga rubra, the scarlet robe of doctoral graduates of the University, and awarded my degree. The John Knox cap, the traditional headgear for Scottish doctors, was a bonus. And so there I was, walking down the stairs from the podium, diploma in hand. Done!

Despite all the ostentation and parade of ritual—an ancient one in place in Aberdeen from about the 15th century—no bar was placed on cheering, of which there was much, for every student. In my cheering party were dear friends from High Church Hilton where I used to attend, during my sojourn in this fair city. I wish everyone had friends like these! Full of love and concern, abundantly overflowing in support and goodwill, these and the others who came later to a celebratory shindig, made my days in Aberdeen go by quickly, those dull, dark, dreary, and damp days. Their prayers sustained me, their care warmed me, their kindnesses refreshed me, their benevolence energized me. Brothers and sisters in Christ, indeed! What Paul requested of Philemon, was fulfilled for me through and by them.

Yes, brother, let me benefit
from you in the Lord;
refresh my heart in Christ.
Philemon 1:20

I was benefited and refreshed in Christ. And not only by these: I would add the many from lands far away, including family and those in the churches I’ve been a part of, without whose tangible love, verbal encouragement, and solicitous acts, this, my latest endeavor to obtain an education, would not have been successful. To all of them—Thank you!

I thank my God
in all my remembrance of you,
always offering prayer
with joy in my every prayer
for you all,
in view of your participation ….
Philippians 1:3–5

God’s grace has been superabundant, his blessings manifold, his mercies overflowing. And much of that through my fellow-believers in Christ. Through them I have seen Christ, time and again, as they obeyed the commandment to …

… be imitators of God,
as beloved children.
Ephesians 5:1

For those who have so depicted Christ, for those who have so demonstrated godliness, for those who have so manifested the fruit of the Spirit, the reward will be great.

For God is not unjust
so as to forget your work
and the love
which you have shown
toward His name,
in having ministered
and in still ministering
to the saints.
Hebrews 6:10

May we all, wherever we might be, find children of God being the arms and bearing the heart of Christ to us in word and deed.

Whoever speaks,
is to do so as one
who is speaking
the utterances of God;
whoever serves
is to do so as one
who is serving
by the strength
which God supplies;
so that in all things
God may be glorified ….
1 Peter 4:11

Amen!

BRRRR!

Vienna, Austria. Or Wien, Österreich, as the natives call this place. Got here Friday. From the frying pan into the freezer, one might say. Going from Texas to Austria felt like that yesterday. It’s a wintry 32°F here. Frigid. As usual, my luggage, with my winter stuff, didn’t arrive till the day after I got here! And so here I am unprotected, for the most part, and all that unwelcome white stuff is lying around, messing up the place, turning gray and unappetizing, getting in your shoes, drenching your socks. You can keep the snowballs. Gimme heat! And sweat! The real macho stuff.

This cold isn’t for me. Sub-zero. Slushy and sleety. Before I knew it, winter had arrived, or, rather, I had arrived in winter. And no means at hand to tackle those dreadfully dreary degrees and dismal days.

In a discussion with His disciples in Matthew 24–25, Jesus warns them to watch out for dangerous times and frigid temperatures. Be prepared, he exhorted.

“Watch out ….
See that
you are not frightened ….”
Matthew 24:4–6

All kinds of things, He alerted them, will be on the horizon towards the last days, as time draws to its end, as days wrap up their incessant movements, as Jesus prepares to return. Watch out. But many will be misled and succumb to devices and stratagems of the evil one to draw people away from the knowledge of God.

“At that time
many will fall away
and will betray one another
and hate one another.”
Matthew 24:10

What a sad chapter in human history. And temperatures, figuratively at least, will plummet.

“Because lawlessness is increased,
most people's love will grow cold.”
Matthew 24:12

I’m struck that we are warned of our love dissipating. Not that our faith would flag or our hope evaporate. Instead, the lulling of love. But we have been warned. Believers who, placing their trust in Christ have become the children of God, are to be prepared and alert and unsurprised; the last days are upon us, this final phase of earth’s history is imminent.

“For this reason
you also must be ready;
for the Son of Man is coming
at an hour when
you do not think He will.”
Matthew 24:44

We are to be alert in doing what we are supposed to be doing. Will our love become frozen? Our care for each other clammy, and concern for our fellow-believers chilled? Our community ice-capped? The church a glacier? It is not without reason that the writer of Hebrews urges us to …

… consider how to stimulate
one another to love
and good deeds,
not forsaking
our own assembling together,
as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another;
and all the more as you see
the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24–25

The end cometh. Watch out. Stay on the alert. Be prepared. Don’t be caught unawares. Let’s our love be warm, genuine, and fervent, unlike that of those whom Jesus described at the end of Matthew 25 with these incriminating accusations.

“I was hungry,
and you gave Me nothing
to eat;
I was thirsty,
and you gave Me nothing
to drink;
I was a stranger,
and you did not invite Me in;
naked, and you did not
clothe Me;
sick, and in prison,
and you did not visit Me. …
Truly I say to you,
to the extent that
you did not do it
to one of the least of these,
you did not do it to Me.”
Matthew 25:42–45

Stay away from the cold!