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Don’t Store Your Joy and Hope in the Attic this year!

Today I accomplished one of my least favorite tasks of the year. Taking down the Christmas decorations always makes me a bit melancholy. One of our Christmas staples is a yard display that spells out “Joy”. The sign is simple yet the nativity scene incorporated into the letters clearly communicates our feelings about what this holiday represents. As I took down the display I thought about the reason I love this decoration so much.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great JOY to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2, NLT)

That is where I place my joy as I head into a unstable New Year. I find my joy in the Messiah, the Lord – who was born in the city of David. It is so easy to remember the reason for joy during the Christmas season. But now that we are past this wonderful season it is very easy to pack my joy away and unpack lots of worry. The twenty-four news cycle feeds on negativity and hearing the message of gloom and doom over and over has it’s effect. Our country is going through a difficult period but you would think the apocalypse is directly upon us when you watch the cable news networks. The news reporters peddle fear and I choose not to buy it. The angel of the Lord told the shepherds not to be afraid. Jesus talked a lot about fear.

“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. (Matthew 10 – NLT)

And these words from Jesus could have been in response to the news reporting hysteria we hear nearly every day.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.” (Luke 12, NLT)

I believe those words. I may not have all that I want but I trust God to provide what I need. In America we too often confuse those concepts.

So I have made some decisions. I don’t make vows because I know I will fail at some point. Making a vow dooms me to failure. Choosing a direction allows me to stumble off course now and then but then get right back on track.

I have decided to direct my time a little differently this year. I want to spend less time watching and reading the news and more time reading and meditating on God’s Word. I want to pray for our leaders in Washington but I am going to trust God to provide my hope. I want to live joyfully in each precious moment that God gives me and not live in paralyzing fear of the future.

I have packed away the joy decoration for this year but I want to unpack the joy that Christ gives me every single day in 2017. You can do that too. May you have a joyful New Year in spite of your circumstance.

January 2, 2017
Don’t Let Santa Influence Your Theology

It is a classic Christmas song. Santa Clause is comin’ to town and you had better watch out ’cause he is making a list. So no pouting, No crying. Be on your best behavior or else. Sadly that kind of thinking is all too common among followers of Jesus. I am borrowing one little bit of content from John Lynch, one of the authors of the The Cure. He addresses how we are programmed from childhood to default to performance theology. He calls it the “Santa Claus is Coming to Town theology”.

You better watch out
Better not cry
Better not pout
I am telling you why
Santa Claus is comin’ to town
He’s making a list….checking it twice…three times…every day
Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin’ to town
He sees you when your sleeping, nows when your awake, he knows when you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake.

Oh, he’s watching. Waiting for you to screw up so you will get coal instead of a bicycle. You had better please him. And we teach our kids to put on the mask and be something they are not. Because Santa Claus is comin’ to town. This omniscient being who is judging our every deed is coming to town…and we learn to do the dance early. Buck up…be good. Don’t cry. Don’t pout. Santa Claus is coming to town. (©Copyright 2003, William Thrall, Bruce McNicol, John Lynch. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.)

He is exactly right. We learn that we get good things and receive love only when we are good and do good things. Santa is pleased (and we later substitute God) when we obey. So we learn early. We had better be good. Or least fool everyone around us to think that we are being good.

Ask any child this Christmas if they are being good and I will wager you will not get this response.

“Well, to be honest, I am really struggling with the whole being nice thing. I have actually been pouty and I cried yesterday. It just isn’t working out this Christmas so I suspect the toys will have to wait.”

Nope. What you hear is the lie that we learn early and too often keep handy in our arsenal for a lifetime.

“Oh yeah. I am being really good! Or at least better than my sister and brother.”

I remember (vaguely) the tension of the Santa Claus years. I knew I hadn’t really changed much. I tried to modify my behavior for a week or two leading up to Christmas but I knew I had failed to really be good. I learned a couple of things early. I learned how hard it is to change behavior by sheer willpower and I learned that I could fool Santa by living a lie. I did not learn about grace. That maybe Santa gave me gifts because of who I was and maybe he came to my house because I was lovable instead of rewarding me for what I had done to please him. I figured I had fooled him and to get the good stuff I would have to continue to hide the little boy who broke an ornament and then hid it.

Isn’t that too often how we view God? We had better not cry. Better not sin. I’m telling you why. Jesus is coming to town. He’s making a list and He is checking it not once or twice but every moment of every day. God knows if you’ve been bad or good so if you want to be healed or happy or prosperous you had better be good for goodness sake. If I do mess up I am scared to death that I will get a bad life or miss all that God has for me. So I put on the mask and try to be really good for Jesus. If I can fool those around me maybe, just maybe, I can fool God too.

Satan sells the lie so convincingly. And we buy it for months and years and even decades.

But God and Santa are very different in their approach. God does not keep a list. He is not impressed by our hernia inducing straining to control sin.

You know the verse well.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT)

Jesus offers us so many gifts. But the one we seem to have the hardest time unwrapping is the gift of grace. The gift that allows us to become who God desires us to become as we simply trust Him and quit trying to be “good” for goodness sake. We are saved by grace and faith in Christ. We become like Him by the same radical strategy. Faith that He has changed us into a new creation. And understanding the grace that gives us good gifts even when we don’t deserve them.

Don’t let the Santa Claus theology live into the New Year. Go straight to the gift of grace that Jesus left under the Cross. Open it. And clothe yourself in His salvation, acceptance and love. It may be the best gift you have ever given yourself.

December 19, 2016
My Christmas List Is Very Short

If I could have one wish for those of you who read these humble ramblings it would be very simple.

Amy Grant recorded “My Grown-up Christmas List” for her “Home For Christmas” album. The lyrics imagine an adult going back to Santa with a different perspective on what matters most in life. Instead of material things the writer now asks for good things for others. I love the sentiment of the song.

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list

I thought about my “grown-up” Christmas list this week. I would love for all of the things in the lyric above to come true. But I have lived enough to know they will not. Everyday lives are torn apart. Wars start too frequently. Time does not heal every heart. Some who are reading this are lonely. Right seems to lose way too often and love ends for many.

So what could I wish for that would be available for all? My grown-up Christmas list would have one simple wish. That every person would truly understand the outrageous grace gift that God offers to each one of us. All we have to do is open that gift in faith. Christmas is when the gift came to earth wrapped in swaddling clothes.

I wish that everyone who hears the Gospel message would comprehend the one way love that God demonstrated. Instead of turning His back on sinners who deserved just that God chose to reach out to His creation with a radical plan for forgiveness. A plan that is unlike any other religion in history. Man made religion always demands something to earn salvation. God’s plan for redemption requires the lost to bring nothing to the table other than their sin and the need for salvation. Nothing.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT)

Not a single requirement other than believing. A gift of grace. Grace that is so vast and inexhaustible that no sin or sinner can exceed the scope of this amazing grace to cover their sin and redeem them. I coined an acronym for grace that only partially captures the enormity of God’s love.

God’s Radical And Complete Embrace.

God initiates salvation. The plan is so radical that it feels otherworldly. Salvation is complete and God’s embrace shows His desire to know us as His beloved children.

I wish that everyone who believes the Gospel would truly believe that they are a brand new creation. Recreated as a saint with complete freedom in Christ. Adopted as a child of God. Forgiven forever. And that all of those things are completely true because of Jesus.

I wish I could give those things to everyone on my list. Life will give us sadness, loss and loneliness but trust in Jesus gives us hope in the darkest storm. It started with the baby we celebrate at Christmas.

December 11, 2016
The Cattle Were Lowing?????

(Today is a re-gifting of a “Christmas Classic” from earlier. How does a blog become a classic? It is your blog, your site, and you pay the server charge so you can call it whatever you want. So enjoy a classic from Christmas past)

One of my contributions with these modest little musings is to continually ask the tough questions.

While listening to  “Away in a Manger” my inquiring mind kicked in. You likely know verse three of the song.

The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

As I listened an important series of difficult and probing inquiries popped into my head. What noise, exactly, were the cattle making when they started lowing? Was this normal cow talk? Did lowing just sound better than mooing in the lyric or is lowing a more spiritual and reverent cow sound? And then the most important question came to mind. What is wrong with me?

I can’t answer the last question but I can help with the others. Lowing is defined at dictionary.com as “the characteristic sound uttered by cattle; a moo”.

So little baby Jesus was awakened by the characteristic sound uttered by a cow. That would not have flowed well in the lyric so I understand using lowing. The next part of the song is disturbing to those of us who are parents. If any of the babies who grew up in our household were awakened by cattle lowing they would be squalling (defined as “the characteristic sound uttered by a ticked off baby; a scream”).  During the course of my intrepid investigating I discovered that this verse was not original to the song. It was added in the early 1900’s for a children’s program by Methodist minister John T. McFarland. While verse three is not a part of the original Christmas carol canon it does create an image of Jesus that we need to rethink.

I remember as a child singing “Away in a Manger” and picturing the baby Jesus with this beatific smile on his face and a little halo hovering over his head. In my imagination the animals were swaying and singing like the campfire scene from the movie “Three Amigos”. I pictured Mary and Joseph as awed spectators as the baby Jesus acknowledged the shepherds and welcomed them to his place (remember…the earlier lyrics told us he didn’t have a crib). My images of the baby Jesus were indeed childish. But I wonder if we don’t carry a little of that flawed perspective about the “Baby Jesus” into our adult Christian journey (like Ricky Bobby in the movie Talladega Nights…you bad Christians know what I am talking about).

This Christmas why not take a little time to think about the implications of the incarnation. That nice little theological word is used to denote when the second person of the Trinity assumed human form in the person of Jesus Christ and became both fully God and fully man. C.S. Lewis called the incarnation “the Grand Miracle.” He wrote: “The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation…. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this…. It was the central event in the history of the Earth–the very thing that the whole story has been about” (from Miracles, chapter 14).

By a miracle that passes human comprehension, the Creator entered his creation, the Eternal entered time, God became human–in order to die and rise again for the salvation of all people. “He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; down further still … (to) the womb … down to the very roots and sea-bed of the Nature He has created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him” (Miracles, C.S. Lewis).

Take a moment to meditate on the mystery of that. Fully God and fully man. I am sure the little Lord Jesus would have had the normal response to being awakened by any cow noise…lowing or other. His swaddling clothes had to be changed just like any baby.

How does that affect me this Christmas? Because God became flesh I can relate to a Savior that understands the frailties of my flesh. Because the Creator understands His creation I can be sure that God understands my pain, frustration and loneliness. It is difficult for me to relate to an invisible God. That is the miracle of God becoming man. I can relate to Jesus because He has walked in my sandals. Joni and I were always appreciative and blessed when people expressed love and care while she was battling breast cancer. But when a breast cancer survivor expressed that love it connected on a different level. They had been there, felt the fear, fought the tiring battle and traveled the long road. That is the sovereign genius of the incarnation. We can relate to God in flesh in a way that is different. When I suffer I know that Jesus understands. He has been there. When I am lonely or feeling betrayed I can know (in my finite ability) that He understands. When I am joyful and laughing He understands. By becoming like me I can believe that Jesus can empathize with me on a different level. Because I know He gets it then I also get it. God loves me and Jesus has my back.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.   (I John 2)

Jesus became our advocate and our path to salvation when He arrived on earth. The miracle in the manger was not Jesus ignoring whatever cow sound they were making. The miracle was God becoming flesh.

December 5, 2016
My Heroes Aren’t Famous

We rightly use the term hero for soldiers, police officers, fire fighters and other first responders. Those men and women deserve the title. Some call those whose faces adorn celebrity magazines or perform in athletic venues their heroes. But my heroes are not famous or powerful. This definition fits my heroes.

A person who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal.

That describes two of my heroes. On November 24th Harry Word passed from this life to spend eternity with the Lord. Just the day before Jake Washburn received a second chance at life with a double lung transplant in Phoenix.

Let me share why these two men are my heroes.

Harry Word was a faithful and caring presence at my home church, Waterbrook Bible Fellowship. I told him just a few weeks ago that he was my hero because he wanted to be in church no matter how much pain he was feeling or how difficult the task might be to get there. Whenever I woke up feeling tired or out of sorts I would think of Harry dragging his aching body willingly to church and then I would get ready to go. If Harry could get there I certainly could as well. When I got to church I would often see Harry slowly making his way to his front row seat to soak in the music and message with a smile of contented joy on his face.

He always had a word of encouragement and a promise to pray for you.

When Harry passed away the comments were revealing.

“A wonderful Godly man”
“I will miss his hugs. I thank God for the time I got to share with him”
“His sweet presence will be missed””So thankful to have known him”
“A great man with a great impact”

Isn’t that the resume that all of us would like to have as representatives of Jesus? This is Harry with his bride Jerry. Pray for her and the family as they mourn their loss.

I met Jake Washburn just a few months ago through dear friends Laura and Duke Barnett. They told me about this remarkable young man who loved Jesus, his family, his friends and the Rangers in that general order. Jake has lived (emphasis on lived) all of his life with Cystic Fibrosis. He received a double lung transplant a few years ago. We developed an online correspondence about faith and starting pitching.

I finally got to meet Jake in person at Globe Life Park this past season.

When I met him on the field those transplanted lungs were beginning to fail and Jake had his oxygen tank in tow. Unless he could receive a second transplant his prospects were grim. For a thirty year old young man to hear this news you might have thought he would have been a bit discouraged or downcast. You don’t know Jake. His smile and confident trust in God lifted and inspired me. Jake received a baseball signed by Ranger manager Jeff Banister that featured the team slogan.

#nevereverquit

I know Jake had to be discouraged at times as the prognosis got worse and worse. How could you not be when receiving such news? But his faith was undaunted. When he was rejected by a couple of hospitals for a second transplant Jake asked his friends not to be angry with the doctors who denied his surgery. He simply said that God is in control and He will make a way. Hundreds if not thousands were praying for this special young man. I have no other explanation other than a miracle happened. A transplant team in Phoenix agreed to review his situation. They put him on the list and he moved to Phoenix to wait.

On November 18th Jake posted this quote from Kari Jobe.

“The only thing I want in life is to be known for loving Christ”.

How can you not root and pray for a warrior like that? Just a few days earlier he had posted this verse on his site.

Jake lives that hope. He knew that whatever happened he would be okay. He would either have a second chance to live and breathe or he would be eternally healed with Jesus. And then the call came that new lungs were available. I will never forget watching Jake share on Facebook Live the wonderful news. He kept asking over and over that we pray for the family of the donor who were grieving even as their sacrifice gave life to Jake and others. It was a powerful moment. The surgery was a success. Jake is breathing with new lungs thanks to a selfless donor, an amazing medical team. legions of prayer warriors and a God who sovereignly made a way for Jake to make it to Phoenix. One of the first things he did after waking up from surgery is to scratch out these words on a whiteboard in his hospital room.

Jake wrote “never ever quit” and “Rangers”. His handwriting was a bit shaky after major surgery, anesthesia and being all tethered up with tubes but we can forgive that! Keep praying for his healing and recovery. And be encouraged that God can use regular people reflecting Jesus through trials and suffering in miraculous ways. He certainly did that with my two heroes.

Jake and Harry shared one very important trait. They were both prepared to die. The irony of our Christian journey is that when we are prepared to die we are prepared to live. Out of that truth we can live without fear of the future. We can live joyfully knowing that God has plans for us that are good. Our future and our hope may be present or eternal but that hope is real in the lives of followers of Jesus.

Heroes like Harry and Jake don’t make headlines. What they make is much more important. They make a difference.

November 28, 2016
Give Autographed Copies of Stay for Christmas!

Give a personalized copy of Stay to someone dear this Christmas. I am offering free autograph plates until December 15th for any new purchases. And I am donating a portion of every book sale to Patriot Paws. Patriot Paws is an organization that trains service dogs to assist veterans who deal with PTS, mobility and other injuries.

Go to Amazon, Barnes and Nobles or other book sellers to buy a copy of Stay.

Then private message me at my Facebook author page or email me at dave@daveburchett.com and I will send you a personalized autograph plate to place inside the book. Here is an example…

Give a special gift (or receive one) and help a wonderful cause!

But hurry. This offer absolutely ends on December 15th.

November 25, 2016
Still Much To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving

Turn off the news for a day and concentrate on what you have to be thankful for this holiday. I think you might be surprised at how many good things you take for granted everyday. I love the concept of Thanksgiving. The idea that we collectively take a day to concentrate on the abundant blessings we have in this country.

Thanksgiving Song by Mary Chapin Carpenter captures the intimacy of this wonderful holiday.

Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered round this table.
From far and near we travel home,
Blessed that we are able.

I have so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. I am grateful for another year with my best friend and bride Joni. I am grateful for three wonderful sons, two amazing daughter-in-laws, and four heart stealing grandchildren. I am blessed that our family will be able to be together this Thanksgiving. I am grateful for good friends. I am grateful to be an American.

Grateful for this sheltered place
With light in every window,
Saying “welcome, welcome, share this feast
Come in away from sorrow.”

Every year brings sorrow. Friends and family have suffered illness this year. Some have gone through deep trials. Some have passed away. Sorrow is a part of this journey. But there is something healing about counting blessings and feeling gratitude. Taking that time provides a sheltered place from sorrow. For me the light in the window of my soul is my trust in a God that is faithful, loving and good in both blessings and in sorrow.

Grateful for what’s understood,
And all that is forgiven;

Jesus is the light that said welcome when I felt anything but welcome. He invited me to the feast that I did not deserve to attend because of His grace. Jesus said I was forgiven. How can I be anything but grateful if I understand the magnitude of that undeserved love?

We try so hard to be good,
To lead a life worth living.

I might add a little personal clarification to Carpenter’s lyric. I understand the desire to live a life of significance. I get trying to be good. I believe we have a reason for being here. But my experience with the grace of the Lord Jesus has taught me that it is not trying so hard to lead a life worth living that brings peace and joy. It is following Jesus each day. It is allowing God to love me and asking Him to help me give away that love to others. It is trusting God to provide opportunities to serve. It is believing that God is faithful even through sorrow. It is trusting that what God says about me is true. That I have been changed and I have a new identity in Christ. I am deeply loved and cherished by God. I am declared righteous because of Jesus and that righteousness has nothing to do with how hard I work to be “good”. It is because of Christ. I am so grateful for grace. So very grateful.

Paul’s words to the Colossian Church make a fitting devotional thought for this holiday.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:12-17, NLT)

I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving.

November 20, 2016