THE WALK
(Luke 24:13–34)
By Dave Veerman
Trudging on the weary road
Slumped shoulders, faces sad
Hope had died, their hero slain
Lost all they thought they had
A fellow traveler joined the two
In walk and conversation
Questions, answers, Scriptures shared
Till their destination
Before their meal he took the bread
Blessed and broke he gave
Suddenly they knew his name
The One who came to save
More than thirty years before
In lowly stable birth
He arrived to walk with us
Cohabitant of earth
Growing, working, child and son
Through teen years and beyond
Finite limitation
A fully human bond
Though perfect, tried and crucified
God as man, our sins he bore
Three days, then, triumphantly
Arose to die no more
Like the two Emmaus bound
My focus shifts away
Knowing doubt, assuming loss
Giving circumstances sway
But Jesus drawing closer there
To give, to help, to guide
Along my twisting path he walks
Softly at my side
Too often, though, my eyes are closed
To where he walks and why
And I continue shuffling on
With tear and weary sigh
Lord I long to see and know you
Presence, power, loving grace
Here with joy and safely home
Held in your embrace
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
NO PLACE TO LAY HIS HEAD
The Christmas story has become really sanitized.
I mean literally. How many depictions do we see, how often do we think, of the Christ Child in the manger, surrounded by shining angels, kindly shepherds, pretty sheep… and bugs and worms, rotted bits of feed and dung, dirt and moldy straw?
The manger was likely in a rough, dark, musty cave, not in an open-air lean-to that the greeting cards portray.
We can also wonder whether Joseph and Mary were told "No room in the inn!" not only because the city was crowded… but perhaps because innkeepers declined rooms to unmarried pregnant girls.
Homeless...a mother who was single when she conceived… rejected...forced to the humblest place in the city to be born, farm animals as attendants: the Bible accurately calls it a lowly birth.
What has NOT been scrubbed clean from the story is that the Bible called it a lowly birth hundreds of years before it happened, in every particular – these details and many more. Truly this was the Son of God.
But we should not turn to the next pretty greeting card this Christmas season. Linger in that stable, and you will see more. You will see children today born in similar circumstances. Parents in distress. No place to live. Little to eat. Rejected and despised.
When God chose to humble Himself and become flesh, He emptied Himself of His royal nature, and became… middle class? A suburbanite fretting over student loans? Someone managing a household budget and hobbies? OK, those might not be profiles of average Bethlehemites of the day… but they are not profiles of millions of babies born around the world today, either.
God identified with the most basic level of humanity. He meets us at our humblest places, conditions, and realities.
When we think of this unsanitary and unsanitized picture of the Nativity, does it change our attitude toward Jesus, the Incarnate Lord, come to live with us?
Does it change our attitude toward homeless, rejected, vulnerable, hungry children being born every day?
Does it change our attitude toward our own hearts?
The Christmas story has become really sanitized.
I mean literally. How many depictions do we see, how often do we think, of the Christ Child in the manger, surrounded by shining angels, kindly shepherds, pretty sheep… and bugs and worms, rotted bits of feed and dung, dirt and moldy straw?
The manger was likely in a rough, dark, musty cave, not in an open-air lean-to that the greeting cards portray.
We can also wonder whether Joseph and Mary were told "No room in the inn!" not only because the city was crowded… but perhaps because innkeepers declined rooms to unmarried pregnant girls.
Homeless...a mother who was single when she conceived… rejected...forced to the humblest place in the city to be born, farm animals as attendants: the Bible accurately calls it a lowly birth.
What has NOT been scrubbed clean from the story is that the Bible called it a lowly birth hundreds of years before it happened, in every particular – these details and many more. Truly this was the Son of God.
But we should not turn to the next pretty greeting card this Christmas season. Linger in that stable, and you will see more. You will see children today born in similar circumstances. Parents in distress. No place to live. Little to eat. Rejected and despised.
When God chose to humble Himself and become flesh, He emptied Himself of His royal nature, and became… middle class? A suburbanite fretting over student loans? Someone managing a household budget and hobbies? OK, those might not be profiles of average Bethlehemites of the day… but they are not profiles of millions of babies born around the world today, either.
God identified with the most basic level of humanity. He meets us at our humblest places, conditions, and realities.
When we think of this unsanitary and unsanitized picture of the Nativity, does it change our attitude toward Jesus, the Incarnate Lord, come to live with us?
Does it change our attitude toward homeless, rejected, vulnerable, hungry children being born every day?
Does it change our attitude toward our own hearts?
Monday, December 20, 2010
TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'VE SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY ON CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
10. Your letter carrier develops a hernia delivering your MasterCard bill.
9. Your new computer has more RAM than Microsoft headquarters.
8. The Federal government is offering you a bailout.
7. You've taken out a second mortgage to pay for the "Nuclear-powered 3-D Brain Blaster" video game system.
6. A guy named "Nick the Kneecap" keeps calling you at 3 a.m.
5. You spend all your time away from the office or assembly line asking, "Do you want fries with that?"
4. You use cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, and computer manuals to heat your home.
3. The Ghost of Christmas Future reveals your family living at a homeless shelter, but揺ey遥ou're the best dressed people there.
2. You're receiving money for food and medicine from a Russian orphan.
1. You've forgotten the true reason for the season.
10. Your letter carrier develops a hernia delivering your MasterCard bill.
9. Your new computer has more RAM than Microsoft headquarters.
8. The Federal government is offering you a bailout.
7. You've taken out a second mortgage to pay for the "Nuclear-powered 3-D Brain Blaster" video game system.
6. A guy named "Nick the Kneecap" keeps calling you at 3 a.m.
5. You spend all your time away from the office or assembly line asking, "Do you want fries with that?"
4. You use cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, and computer manuals to heat your home.
3. The Ghost of Christmas Future reveals your family living at a homeless shelter, but揺ey遥ou're the best dressed people there.
2. You're receiving money for food and medicine from a Russian orphan.
1. You've forgotten the true reason for the season.
Monday, December 13, 2010
A little Christmas thing for you.
Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2)
There's a story that has become legend in a small Minnesota town. I can't vouch for its truth, only that people tell it as though it really happened. It seems that the retiring mayor was to be honored at a party as he left office. He had been responsible for a number of significant improvements to the town, so it seemed good to have the community pay tribute.
The party was held at the VFW hall, and all agreed it was a great celebration. The music was loud, the room crowded and noisy. The finger food was unusual in its quality and liquid refreshment flowed without restraint until late into the evening. Over coffee the next morning in the Main Street diner, someone wondered aloud if the mayor had enjoyed it, but no one knew. No one in the diner had talked to him or had even seen him there. Only later did they learn that the mayor had checked into a hospital the previous day and had missed the party in his honor. Apparently no one had noticed.
It sounds a lot like Christmas. People get together, the food is great, the music warms the heart — but has anyone seen the guest of honor? The season has become about us — our menus, our travel plans, our expenses. We've lost perspective. Our celebration will be more authentic if our hopes are not only for good sales figures but also for good will among mankind. Christ will be seen among us if our prayers are not only for peace in travel but also for peace on earth.
There's a story that has become legend in a small Minnesota town. I can't vouch for its truth, only that people tell it as though it really happened. It seems that the retiring mayor was to be honored at a party as he left office. He had been responsible for a number of significant improvements to the town, so it seemed good to have the community pay tribute.
The party was held at the VFW hall, and all agreed it was a great celebration. The music was loud, the room crowded and noisy. The finger food was unusual in its quality and liquid refreshment flowed without restraint until late into the evening. Over coffee the next morning in the Main Street diner, someone wondered aloud if the mayor had enjoyed it, but no one knew. No one in the diner had talked to him or had even seen him there. Only later did they learn that the mayor had checked into a hospital the previous day and had missed the party in his honor. Apparently no one had noticed.
It sounds a lot like Christmas. People get together, the food is great, the music warms the heart — but has anyone seen the guest of honor? The season has become about us — our menus, our travel plans, our expenses. We've lost perspective. Our celebration will be more authentic if our hopes are not only for good sales figures but also for good will among mankind. Christ will be seen among us if our prayers are not only for peace in travel but also for peace on earth.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
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