Restoring old cars...

Ah, Christmas! Even after all of these years, there is still something special about tearing the wrapping off of a present. It's not that I am so much into getting gifts - I would much rather give than receive - but there is still something exciting about surprises (good surprises) that makes opening presents a joyful experience.

This year I had seen a car magazine that had some interesting articles in it and was about to purchase it when my wife said that she would get it for me for Christmas. I nearly forgot about it until weeks later I found it under the tree - wrapped in the brightly colored Christmas wrapping. When I tore off the paper I remembered why I wanted the magazine, and have read pretty much all of the articles by now. It was one of my favorite presents (picking it out for myself didn't hurt the surprise at all!).

What I like about the magazine is that it is all about restoring a car and making it better than it was originally. Some purists might say that the modifications go against the "restoration" of the car, but I appreciate how the changes make the car more contemporary while retaining the original lines of the car.

And believe it or not, it made me think of what God is doing to us.

I'm like one of those old cars. They didn't get the greatest gas mileage originally, nor did they have the most comfortable ride. That was when they were brand new. My life is pretty similar. Just like those old cars, when I came into this world I had my own flaws - a sinful nature that was passed on from generation to generation. Even at my best I was no good.

Then through the years I thought I was improving, but "life" seemed to be hitting me pretty hard. I got dinged here and there, and even with some paint to cover the problems, I knew that under it all I had body filling and even some rust. There were times when my spiritual life was barely managing on a few cylinders, and I didn't have a generator to keep the charge up on my battery. Sure, there were times that I got a jump start, but it never seemed to last very long.

Then Jesus came into my life. He said that He was going to make all things new - and even better than the original. So He started working on me. And I tried to help, but I messed things up more than ever. But He never gave up - He just picked up the pieces that I gave Him and started straightening them out again.

He's still working on me. Sometimes, like at the beginning of a year, I am more focused on letting Him make the necessary changes, and I hand over the keys to my life. That's when I see more progress. Then sometimes I take the keys back, and even pick up the hammer and try to straighten a fender here or there - and nearly destroy everything. But He is always willing to pick up the tools and start again - if I let Him.

This new year, as we enter 2009, I pray that we all will be willing to allow God to perform a transformation in our lives, that the changes will be seen by all around us, and that they might "glorify our Father in heaven."

Just like with those old cars in the magazine, that's the restoration that I am looking forward to seeing in my own life.

God bless you abundantly!

Immanuel

I can't seem to go anywhere these days without seeing something that reminds me of Christmas. Whether it's the stores with all their decorations or the sales that confront me with the fact that I really need this or that item for that "special" person, the season is full of reminders of a significant celebration.

While the businesses are careful to wish me a "Happy Holidays" greeting (in their attempts to avoid anything that could be construed as religious), I discover that it's getting harder and harder to find anything religious in the Christmas season. Even those organizations that seem religious in nature are jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to reaping the benefits of a commercialized Christmas.

I have to be honest - I enjoy the decorations of lights and holly in our house. While the tree still is devoid of ornaments and tinsel (that's a task for later tonight!), it now has a few packages scattered around its base. All the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, even though only one child will be coming home for Christmas - some traditions are hard to break! And I must admit that this year I have enjoyed the Christmas music on our local Christian radio station more than in previous years, and the recent Christmas story at church brought a tear to my eye.

But I have still felt an emptiness when it came to celebrating this year. So I went back to the source - back to my Bible. It was there, in Matthew 1:23 (quoted from Isaiah 7:14), that it all came together for me. "Behold, a virgin shall be with Child and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us.'"

That's when it hit me! It wasn't about a Baby born in a barn. It wasn't about the three wise guys giving their expensive gifts. It wasn't even about a group of angels singing to some quaking shepherds. It was about a God who loves us so much that He could not stand being away from us! It was about a God who wanted to be know by the name Immanuel!

I love the words of the song by Michael Card, Immanuel:
Immanuel, Our God is with us
And if God is with us, Who could stand against us?
Our God is with us - Immanuel!

And that is the beauty of it all - It wasn't about then, it is about forever! Not a God who came then and went away, but a God who is still with us, and has every intention of being with us throughout eternity.

That I can celebrate! I can rejoice in a God who came as a Child only to stay as my Savior and Friend! That is something that I can rejoice in throughout the year!

God bless you abundantly - and Merry Christmas!

Early Morning Reflections

It's six o'something in the morning, and my mind wouldn't allow me to sleep even though this is one of those mornings when I could have stayed in bed for a few hours. Since last week I was not able to send out my weekly blog, I thought I would get this one started a little early.

We have a new covering over our world this morning - only a few inches of snow, but enough to change the view as I look out my window. It's dark, but there is just enough light from the nearly full moon, partially hidden by the clouds, to reveal the wonderland beyond the warm confines of my home. I'm sure we will get more today (at least that is what is predicted), but for now it is stopped.

Christmas is almost here. My wife has been busy wrapping presents and getting them sent off to friends and family. More lie of the floor waiting to be tackled in the next few days. The tree is finally upright, but bare. It also leans to the northwest, since I broke the stand in an attempt to get it "straightened." Maybe we'll have to fix that....

I have spent some interesting moments thinking about the Christmas holiday. While we say we celebrate the birth of our Lord, we know that He was not born on this day (most scholars agree that His birth was probably sometime in the fall or maybe in the spring - not much data available to support the December 25th date). There is nothing in the Bible that supports the celebration of the day of His birth (the only thing new that Jesus did ask us to remember was the foot washing service in the upper room and the meal that followed - "Do this in remembrance of Me"), but many Christians today are almost militant in their defense of this day.

What amazes me is how the non-Christians are so intent on not making Christmas a religious holiday - yet if Christmas completely went away, so would the gift-giving and the commercialism that fuels the economy at this time of year. So many businesses that rely on their sales during this season would probably go under, and the economy would be even more bleak than it is right now. If the gift-giving tradition really did come from the example of the Wise Men presenting their gifts to the Christ Child, then without that standard to follow we would have to just keep our money in our wallets and our toys to ourselves....

So how do we make this time of year significant to us and our families and not get sucked into the world's interpretation of this celebration? How can we not get wrapped up in the gifts (pun intended) and find something that is meaningful to extract from the bustle of the season?

I'm not a scholar, nor definitely not one of the "Wise Men," but I would propose this for your consideration: Look to Christ for your example. Christ used the celebration of a wedding to do His first miracle - and he provided for a need that, at that time, they were not able to fill on their own. Do you see someone that has a need during this time of year - a need that they do not have the means to address? It might be something small or large - but do it as Christ would have done. Christ also gave to those who did not deserve. According to the law, the woman who was caught in adultery should have been stoned - but He said "Neither do I condemn you." So give to that person who doesn't deserve it. Maybe it's like filling the stocking with goodies instead of the lump of coal that they deserve.

Finally, give without expecting to get something in return, or make sure that you give something anonymously. As you do that, maybe you could include something that says "I received a gift that I didn't deserve from my Friend Jesus, and He invites me to 'freely give' to others. This gift has no strings attached - it's only given to let you know that Jesus offers you the gift of His love every season of the year - not just at Christmas time. I encourage you to consider accepting that gift into your life today."

Maybe Christmas can have true meaning after all!

God bless you abundantly!