Author: web_cicb

I need to take the tram to work more often…you just never know when you might come across something valuable!

We are two weeks into the New Year and I thought I’d ask you: how are those New Year’s resolutions going? Maybe that’s an unfair question. While most of us have dreams and desires for the future, we find it hard to stick with goals and resolutions. Researchers at the University of Scranton say that only about 8% of people achieve the goals they set for the New Year. Maybe that’s because most of us don’t really like setting goals. While in seminary, I heard a talk entitled “Stop setting goals.” At the time, I was struggling with goals, setting them and achieving them. In fact, I was often stressed out over making sure I had the right goals and how I was working on them. I felt that without a list of goals to work on, my life might not be very successful. The speaker’s point was that some people love setting goals while other people would rather solve problems. It turns out that not everyone gets all excited about working towards goals. Many people are too busy dealing with a whole host of problems but they are making progress anyway. So his advice was this: stop setting goals and start solving problems. In team sports, there are people that play offence and people that play defence. Those on offence want to get as many goals as possible by scoring on their opponents. They are motivated to get the ball in the net. Those on defense need a plan to prevent as many shots as possible getting into the net. While the outcomes may be the same, it’s often a matter of reframing the issue. Some people love setting goals and reaching them. Others love to work on defining problems and solving them. The research shows that both types of people are equally successful. Both types of individuals want to enjoy life and make progress in different areas. However, if your energy levels drop by a hundred points when asked to set goals, you might be a problem-solver. Reframing the issue may help give the motivation you need. Whether you prefer to set a goal or solve a problem, the Bible encourages us to submit everything to God: Trust in the Lord with all your heart     and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight   (Proverbs 3:5-6) I set a goal of joining a gym and going three times a week this year. I’m hoping it helps me with this problem of a few extra pounds I have been carrying around.

Shortly before Christmas I entered an electronics store in France and was searched by a security guard before I could go in. It wasn’t that I looked suspicions or anything; they were doing that to everyone. Safety and security has become a big issue in this part of the world. So much of our lives now deal with issues of protection in one way or another. Living next door to two other countries I am never without my identification cards. I’m not always stopped when crossing a border but need to be prepared if I am. Many people have alarms in their house or cars. We have multiple passwords that we can’t remember in order to access various accounts on the internet. Credit card companies are coming out with ever more layers of security to prevent theft and fraud. Going through airports these days is an ordeal for the bravest among us. Public spaces in most major European cities are now monitored by dozens of security cameras. For all the work and effort going into keeping us safe I have a sense that most of us are feeling less secure about a whole host of things. We understand the need for increased surveillance in public places and when travelling; vigilance is needed. But we can’t help but wonder if it is enough. Security and safety have always been a concern. In ancient times cities were surrounded with walls in order to keep citizens safe and enemies out. Each city needed its own army and had to be prepared for battle at any time. It is sad that our world remains dangerous and there are people willing to cause harm. As necessary are these measures are, we Christians need to ultimately realize that our trust and security is in the Lord. The Psalmist writes: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7) I don’t know what lies ahead for 2016. There is certainly no end of hot spots that could erupt at any moment. The world may become an even more dangerous place. We can have a peace in the midst of all this. Our trust is in the Lord and we couldn’t have a better protector.

I don’t know what kind of year 2015 was for you. It might have been one of your best years ever. Or, you could be glad it’s on its way out.  Certainly this was a challenging year for the world in general. We saw continued threats from terrorism, danger from deadly disease and risk from various weather patterns. A prayerful posture is needed as we head into 2016. While thing around us may look dim, we don’t need to be disheartened. Take a look at the message of Isaiah 60:1-3, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. In the midst of great darkness Isaiah commands God’s people to ‘arise’ and to ‘shine’. Isaiah’s message is that, in spite of the darkness all around, it is a new day for God’s people. It’s time to arise because the light of God has come to us. Jesus declared himself to be the light of the world. We have received that light and are no longer in the darkness. We have a hope and face a bright future because we belong to Jesus. The fact that we are ‘children of God’ is enough to deal with whatever comes our way. We are called to “shine” so that others will be drawn to Jesus (nations will come to your light). God does some of his best work when things look very dark. The people in darkness are looking for a light and they should be able to see that in our lives. As we shine for Jesus others will be attracted and will come to know him as well. So ‘arise and shine’ for 2016 may be your best year ever. I didn’t say your most profitable year, or your healthiest year or even the easiest year. It may, in fact, be a very difficult year. But remember – the light of God has come to you and as you shine forth, others will come to know him as well. That’s enough to make it a great year in the eyes of God.

Mary did you know, that your baby boy Is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know, that your baby boy Will one day rule the nations? The song, Mary Did You Know, has become very popular at Christmas time. The song asks Mary, the mother of Jesus, if she understood the importance of the child she was carrying.  Whenever I hear this song I want to stop it and say, “Yes, she knew, she knew!” She knew because the angel told her. In Luke 1 we read: “But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (1:30-33) We get even more insight into Mary’s knowledge when she sings her own song of praise after meeting with Elizabeth. Yes, Mary knew that the child she was carrying was the saviour of the world. Mary knew that Jesus was destined for great things. But she didn’t really know what lay ahead. She couldn’t know then the depth of love or power of emotions that she would feel for her son. She didn’t yet know of the pride she would take in seeing him at work. Nor, could she fully comprehend the pain that would pierce her heart as she looked at the cross. This knowledge would only come through living it out. This knowledge of Jesus, who he was and her relationship with him would only come through daily interaction. Many of us know about Jesus. We have the right theological answers about who he is. The events of his life are well known. His teachings are valued and discussed. But there is a difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing him in a personal way. Christ came to earth so that we might know him. Getting to know someone comes through time and regular conversation. Our spiritual life is all about getting to know Jesus and growing in his likeness. That takes a lifetime – one day at a time. In this life we will face many joys and sorrows. We don’t know what lies ahead. But we can know Jesus and he promises to be with us each step of the way. This Christmas, may you know more fully the one who is our saviour.

One doesn’t normally think about Sherlock Holmes stories at Christmas time. But Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Holmes obviously loved a great mystery.  Set at Christmas time The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle involves the theft a rare blue carbuncle (a type of semi-precious stone). While investigating a scuffle a policeman finds an old hat and a goose. He takes the goose home for Christmas but his wife finds the carbuncle in the bird’s throat. Holmes can’t resist getting involved and sets out to determine how the stolen jewel ended up in a Christmas goose. (If you have extra time and want to read the short story- click here.) There a few a mysteries in the original Christmas story but perhaps the biggest is this: how did God end up in a human body? This mystery is at the heart of our faith. Jesus was both fully divine and fully human, at the same time. We struggle with this. He either seems all too human or all too divine and remote from our problems. It boggles our brain to understand that he had two natures. How is it possible? We don’t really know other than the writers of Scripture make it clear that the mystery is real. John tells us that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) The first two chapters of Hebrews deal with the nature of Jesus. It emphasises his divinity and his humanity. He was the perfect one to help bring us reconciliation with God. Hymn writer Charles Wesley expressed it this way: Veiled in flesh the Godhead see Hail the incarnate Deity Pleased as man with man to dwell Jesus, our Emmanuel It’s a great mystery that leads to our great salvation. Make time to reflect on this during the holiday season.

When people set up their Christmas nativity scene or crèche, they don’t usually have a dragon among the animals. Yet the Bible tells us of a dragon that sought to ruin Christmas and our future. One verse you’ll probably never see on a Christmas card is found in Revelation 12:4, “And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born”. You can see why this doesn’t fit our Christmas narrative. No woolly sheep, no angel choirs and no innkeeper. It’s hardly a feel-good statement. The first few verses in Revelation 12 recall the Christmas nativity from a very different perspective. A woman is pregnant and ready to give birth to a child. A dragon appears with seven heads and ten horns ready to destroy this child as soon as he is born. Who is this child? The “one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.” (12:5) The child is protected, caught up to God and his throne. This is a one sentence summary of the birth, life and ascension into heaven of Jesus Christ. It’s not your typical retelling about shepherds and kindly wise men. In John’s vision, the immediate result of Christ’s birth is a war across the heavens. (12:7) The great dragon called Satan is defeated and falls from the sky. This is an account of Christmas we would prefer to ignore. It’s a cosmic war that rages and we are part of it. As God prepared to step into this world to save us, the enemy pulled out all the stops to prevent it. And he continues to do so today. He now fights against God’s people. We live in the middle of a cosmic drama than no television show or movie could accurately portray. Here and there we see the invisible breaking into the visible. The current crisis in the Middle East, among other places, is evidence of unseen battles in the heavens. Why does God reveal this picture to John and to us? Is it to frighten us? To cause us fear and anxiety? No. It’s to bring us comfort and strength. The child is safe and the dragon is defeated. God is victorious. Yes, this drama is still playing out. Perhaps we are near its conclusion. But we know how it ends and this brings us the comfort and joy that Christmas is all about. We have a saviour and he will put all things right again.

This past Sunday was the first week of Advent. Advent is that period of time during which we are to prepare ourselves for Christmas and the coming of Christ. We aren’t preparing for the Christmas that is celebrated in malls and public spaces which focuses on Santa and winter festivities. Rather, we focus on the Christmas of history – the one that celebrates the coming of the Lord Jesus in human flesh to redeem us from our sins. I thought that over the next few weeks, I would offer some Christmas verses that perhaps we don’t always think about but nonetheless describe what happened at Christmas. Here’s one of my favourites from Philippians 2:5-8 as found in The Message: “Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.” The Apostle Paul writes about the incarnation, when God himself stepped into human flesh. In coming to earth, Christ set aside the advantages and privileges of his deity in order to become a servant to all. His selflessness is an example to all of us. During this Christmas season, let’s remind ourselves that Christmas is not about having warm feelings and enjoying hot chocolate but rather giving of ourselves for others. Let’s follow the example of Jesus.

A farmer in the Swiss canton of Aargau made a profitable find recently. In July, he decided to remove a mole hill on his property. In the process, he found a bunch of old coins. In September, a group of volunteer archaeologists did some more searching and found even more loot: 4,166 coins to be exact. They were made of bronze and silver and constitute one of the largest such finds ever. The coins were from the Romans in the 3rd century, meaning some of them are almost 1800 years old. They bear the images of different Caesars from that period of time. Researchers speculate that someone was using the ground as a makeshift vault for safekeeping. The coins were kept safe all right – they remained hidden for centuries. The money would have represented a small fortune even for the 3rd century. No word yet on what their modern day value might be. So think for moment about the man or woman who hid away all those coins. I suppose they didn’t trust the banks, if there were any. No doubt they were hoping to be rich and had plans to do something with all that money. Maybe they were saving up for something special. Whatever the dream or reality, they never got to use the money. It just stayed hidden in the ground waiting for someone else to come along. Jesus had special instructions for people in his day. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Our world is often obsessed with hoarding money and items that are subject to decay. Jesus’ point is that ‘we can’t take it with us.’ Too often our treasures are left buried in a field for someone else to take advantage of. They don’t add value to our lives or the lives of others. So while we are here on earth, we should be investing in heavenly treasure. What’s the currency of heaven? People. So the question becomes, “Am I investing in projects and ventures that will result in people spending eternity in heaven?” We all have enough toys and gadgets to play with. While we might always hope for a larger bank account, most of us are doing just fine. So in addition to planning for retirement, make sure you are also investing in a heavenly treasure. Someday you’ll be glad you did.