Monday, 29 December 2008

• So, Just How Many Times Do I Have to Repeat the 'Sounding Joy'??

  Guest post submitted by Goinwell

  I'm in a hotel, basking in the love of my family and holiday carbohydrates. I fully intended to have posted my series on The Incarnation of Christ by now, but...
  
  The week before Christmas, our beloved nine-year-old Weimaraner, Duchess, suddenly went blind and spiraled downward due to diabetic complications. We sent her to her rest the day before Christmas Eve.
  
  I also knew family time would be busy-between seeing my son and grandchildren, birth mom and siblings, plus a brother-in-law and his wife.
  
  This Christmas is very important for us as a family because my son, Jeremy, is scheduled to be in Afghanistan next year at this time for his second deployment.
  
   I never anticipated, though, the holiday humbug of identity theft.
  
  Once we got on the road, FTD called to inform me that my selection was sold out and I needed to choose another arrangement. By the time we circumvented to the bank, someone on a swipefest shopped for me at Columbia House, Blockbuster, and seventeen other sites.
  
  I told the customer service representative at a printing company that I didn't order the business cards with a landscaping logo and a tree. I stressed, "...but I'm a writer!"
  
  I immediately stopped my card, sniffled on the desk of the patient bank rep, and talked my husband out of Texas-style revenge. He reluctantly agreed to lead the thief to Jesus before tying him to his favorite rodeo bull.
  
  Thank God, we have provisional credit; thank God, through all the "unexpecteds" and busyness, I still feel His embrace.
  
  How can we not, even when so many things threaten our joy?
  
  Christmas IS the embrace of God!
  
  I'm still going to post the notes from my teaching series on the Incarnation of Christ. It doesn't matter that we've passed the arbitrarily set date for Christ's birthday; "Christ in us IS the hope of glory"...365 days a year!
  
  I enjoy celebrating the holidays in the manner of many earlier Christians, bringing greenery into our home during the Advent Season (four weeks prior to Christmas), but not lighting the tree and other luminaries until Christmas Eve. It symbolizes lighting the way for Joseph and Mary to find a warm place in our home for the Christ Child.
  
  Taking time before Christmas to focus on the long-awaited promise of his first coming and its fulfillment, and then the promise of His second coming and my readiness keeps me tangle-free from the commercialization and secular aspects that so often push the manger into the background.
  
  I love a Christmas Eve service, don't you?  Families long ago would attend a midnight mass; hence, they would greet one another on the way with the hail, "Merry Christ-Mass!"
  
  The word "mass" means table. Therefore, they were telling each on their way to the Church, "be blessed and happy at the Communion Table as you celebrate the arrival of our Savior"!
  
  In fact, three traditional masses helped Christians understand the magnificent gift they had received from God:
  
  Midnight Mass focused on the divinity of Christ-"Emmanuel, God with Us".
  
  Sunrise Mass on Christmas Day centered around Christ's assumption of humanity...how He chose to became one of us in order to identify with humanity in every way and become the perfect, compassionate sacrifice for our sins.
  
  The Mass at Noon was the most celebrated because it taught the full union of both God and man in Jesus Christ, legally securing our redemption by paying the price for man's sin (as a man), but ransoming us without fail as God.
  
  Only after the masses on Christmas Day did the frolic and fun began for twelve days (Christmas Evening-Epiphany Eve, Jan. 5). Trees remained lit and families, having first honored Christ with their worship, enjoyed many gala festivities, which included gift giving for each day. (I like it better this way because of the sales AFTER Dec. 25!)
  
  Christ was circumcised eight days following his birth and named "Jesus" (The first time He shed His blood for us!). Interestingly, on our calendar this date is January 1. A study of the names of God and their meanings makes a powerful devotion for the New Year!
  
  The Twelve Days of Christmas end on the eve of January 5. Next, hearts prepared for Epiphany. The word means, "Appearing" and is celebrated on January 6.
  
  Although in most crèches we always see the Wise Men along with the Shepherds, the magi actually arrived about two years later to Joseph's HOUSE (Matthew 2:11; also, Herod killed children two years old and under.)
  
  How amazing to think that gentiles, led from afar, were the first to give Jesus gifts and worship Him!
  
  I always ask myself during this time, "What gifts have I given Jesus this past year? Were they the quality of the Wise Men's-gold (costly), myrrh (sacrificial) and frankincense (given out of a true heart of worship)?
  
  When I get home, I'll catch up on my correspondence and post notes that I believe will help us better understand the Incarnation as it happened over 2,000 years ago, and as it continues through Christ's Body today.

  I'll wait patiently on the bank's investigation, pray for the culprit (and my husband), take up Duchess' bed and food trays and soak my aching feet.
  
  I know that you, too, will attend to heartbreaking and unpleasant things that run parallel to the good. That's life on this side.
  
  But don't let these things steal your joy this season. It's not too late-it's STILL Christmas!
  
  The classic carol proclaims:
  
  "Joy to the world, the Lord IS Come! Let earth receive her King!"
  
  Sing it to YOURSELF. Command your INNER world (mind and emotions) to be joyful! Charge your will to open up and receive King Jesus to reign over your circumstances!

  "Let every heart prepare Him room"...
  
  Examine and rebuke any negative, life-draining emotions and attitudes you may have recently packed away that crowd out the love and power of God to work on your behalf.
  
  Prepare! Receive! Sing! Heaven and Nature will back you up; proclaim joy to all around you, and then repeat it--"the sounding joy"; repeat it over and over--until you are full and overflow to others who need to hear the Good News...
  
  IT'S STILL CHRISTMAS!

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