Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! The ridiculous amount of snow we've had here in the Northwest has made life difficult lately, but I'm still excited to have an official white Christmas. ;-} Christmas is always a bittersweet time for me. There is so much joy in celebrating the miraculous birth of Jesus--the fullness of God come to earth to dwell with us, die for us, and live in us! Hallelujah! It still seems pretty crazy to me every time I think about the God of the universe who loves us so much that he sent his only precious son to be born in a stable, live a life of ridiculed service, and die a humiliatingly painful death on the cross for my sins. Wow! The craziness of that reminds me of 1 Corinthians chapter 1:

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

How powerful! Jesus came to us in a lowly way, and it was utter foolishness to the world. So many of the things God does are foolishness to those who are of the world. When I think of the crazy way God broke through my sin and despair and saved me, my heart is filled with so much joy. How completely nuts is it that the God of the universe loves me that much? I am so thankful for God's "foolishness".

These verses also remind me of what Paul tells us in the following chapter:

14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

While the message of the birth of Christ brings joy to my heart, it also brings sorrow. I grieve for those who consider the message of the cross foolishness. My heart breaks for those who don't understand the truth of God's grace in Jesus because they have closed their hearts to the Holy Spirit. This Christmas, I am praying for so many friends and family who need the Lord's truth in their lives--praying that Jesus would be a light into their world, illuminating the truth of God's love for them.

I think that sometimes this DTS trip seems like foolishness to many of the people in my life. Why pay a whole bunch of money to go halfway across the world when you could stay here and start MAKING money to go to school? It doesn't make sense to those who aren't in step with the spirit. In fact, it seems the exact opposite of "good sense". I know that while the world sees this venture as a fool's errand, the Lord has called me to it and he will bless be as I obey him. It's hard not to get discouraged by the world from time to time, but as I come to God with the burdens on my heart, he gently encourages me with his truth, like the word he gave me yesterday from Psalm 62:

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

No matter what the world throws at me, the Lord will be my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken! Can I get an AMEN!?! ;-}

So this Christmas, as I prepare to travel to Australia in 6 weeks to join with the Lord in a bit of "foolishness", I rejoice. I mourn for those who are lost, but I know Jesus will turn my mourning to dancing as I seek him. Mostly, I am thankful that God is with us.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Has come to thee, O Israel!

Merry Christmas, my dear friends. May you be blesses as you think on the wondrous birth of our savior.