Meditations

Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD. Lamentations 3:40

“Let each one examine himself [or herself] to see what he [or she] has done up to now and what more he [or she] ought to accomplish. It is not enough to cite general principles, make resolutions, condemn grace injustices, make denunciations with a certain prophetic daring. None of this will carry any weight unless accompanied in each person by a more lively realization of his [or her] own responsibility and by effective action. It is too easy to make other people responsible for today’s injustices, if, at the same time, we don’t realize that we too are responsible and that a personal conversion is therefore the first necessity.”

Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini in Octogesima Adveniens, Letter dated 14 May 1971.

I think this will be my word for 2025: examine.

We can trace the spiritual practice of “the examen” back to Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). It has five steps.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.

I think this will fuel my generosity as it will increase the gratitude in my life and help me attend to my emotions better.

Today Montini teaches us that if we examine ourselves it will lead to a “more lively realization” of our own responsibilities.

That change that starts in each of us grows as others embrace it, which leads to change in our contexts. Rather than point fingers we pray and fast.

We become like Ezra and Nehemiah who rebuilt their people through prayer and fasting. I am excited for what God has in store for 2025.

It needs to start within me (and you too if you so decide). Examine.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

“The Child we have been contemplating in the crib during the last few days is the Redeemer of the world and of everyone in it. He has come in the first place to give us eternal life as something to be looked forward to in this life and to be fully possessed after death. He has become a man to call sinners, to save what was lost, and to make divine life known to all men.

During the years of His public life, our Lord had little to say about the political and social situation of His people, and this in spite of their oppression by the Romans. On different occasions He makes it clear that He does not want to be a political Messiah nor a liberator from the yoke of Rome. He came to give us the freedom of the sons of God: freedom from the sins we had committed, which had reduced us to a state of slavery.

He came to give us freedom from eternal death, another consequence of sin: freedom from the dominion of the devil, since man could now overcome sin with the help of grace. And finally, He gave us freedom from life according to the flesh, which is opposed to supernatural life: the freedom bought by Christ through the Holy Spirit, has restored to us the capacity, of which sin had deprived us, of loving God above all and of remaining in contact with Him.”

Alessandro Farnese (1468-1549) in The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (SCDF) as recounted in Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation, 53 (22 March 1986).

We must contemplate the generosity of Jesus as we think about what we will give ourselves to in 2025.

Look closely. He did not give Himself to political agendas. He did not fight for justice or social change. He did not seek to liberate His people from Roman oppression.

He had a bigger agenda. He wants us to have a bigger agenda as we move toward 2025.

In his day about 500 years ago, Farnese called the Church to focus on what the Child in the crib came to accomplish and to continue His mission. I am echoing that call with a focus on sharing life generously.

There are three words for life in Greek: bios, psychē, and zōe.

Bios points to physical life. People who give themselves this life focus on comfort. They fight for political justice and tend to demand what they think they deserve.

Psychē relates to feelings, affections, desires, and aversions. People who give themselves to this life aim for social change.

Zōe links to divine and supernatural life. It’s the uncreated, eternal life only found in God and also the life uniquely possessed by the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

If you want to spread the divine and supernatural life of God in 2025, please keep reading.

At GTP we multiply faithful stewards and help ministries to follow standards so they flourish. This increases the spreading of zōe exponentially.

To submit a grant to add 2-3 staff to serve underserved workers, we need to expand our support base.

Before funding us, a foundation wants to see more monthly givers. In November we only had 37 and needed to reach 100 by 31 December 2024. Then God supplied a matching grant.

GTP gets $100 for every monthly giver that starts their monthly giving by year-end.

We are up to 88 monthly givers. Praise God, but we need 12 more. Be one of the 12. Set up monthly giving at any amount. And position GTP to get a $500,000-$600,000 grant. That is not a typo!

Please set up monthly giving to GTP here. Strengthen GTP to spread zōe exponentially.

“He saved others,” they said, “but He cannot save Himself!” Matthew 27:42

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, including everything that seems to us piercingly inexplicable or incomprehensible. Nor must we forget that our greatest happiness and most authentic good are not always those which we dream of or long for.

It is difficult for us to see things in their true perspective; we can only take in a very small part of complete reality. We only see the tiny piece of reality that is here, in front of us. We are inclined to feel that earthly existence is the only real one and often consider our time on earth to be the period in which all our longings for perfect happiness ought to be fulfilled…

Our Lord did not change the laws of creation for His own benefit; He chose to be a man like us. He had the power to do away with suffering, but He never used that power for Himself. Although He worked miracles to feed the crowds, He Himself suffered hunger. He shared with us the experience of exhaustion or pain.

His soul tasted every bitterness: indifference, ingratitude, betrayal, slander, moral agony in its highest degree when He took upon Himself the sins of the world, the shameful death of the cross. His enemies were astonished by His incomprehensible behavior: He saved others – they said mockingly – He cannot save himself.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 1 (London: Scepter, 1993) 254-255.

Brace yourself. Today’s post is inexplicable and incomprehensible.

In church history, today is known widely as “the feast of the holy innocents” which remembers the killing of all the young children in Bethlehem ordered by King Herod in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus, a horrible atrocity.

In reflection, Fernandez reminds us that God works on a bigger scale than we can see.

So that means, when someone says to you that they don’t believe in God because there is so much suffering in the world, you can remind them of this: suffering exists because of the sin of humankind.

And when God became flesh, He endured suffering to bring an end to sin and accomplish our salvation.

But it does not stop there. We too get to sacrifice. We too get to suffer. We too get to have people look at us and say, “He saved others. He cannot save Himself.” And please, let me explain what I mean by this.

Following Jesus is a call to the same inexplicable and incomprehensible way of living.

When we live, give, serve, and love sacrificially, there are benefits we forgo so that others might benefit. There are hunger pangs we feel so that others may experience satisfaction. This is Christian generosity in its purest form.

Next time someone celebrates a billionaire giving a few million or a millionaire giving a few thousand, just yawn.

That’s not the sacrificial, hold-nothing-back generosity that Jesus celebrates, but rather surplus giving. Encourage them to give it all away and experience hunger and tastes what happens next.

It was 15 years ago that Jenni and I shifted our treasures from earth to heaven. What a ride it has been since then.

We have experienced plenty and need, health and cancer, joy and hardship. We have seen God pay medical bills and then supply more than we ever imagined for enjoyment and sharing. We took hold of life when we shifted from surplus giving to practicing generosity.

In the former, you give from your means. In the latter you share what God supplies. It’s way better.

And you get to experienced hardships too, which humbles you, keeps you dependent on God, and reminds you of His faithfulness. Looking to 2025, join us in living the inexplicable and incomprehensible generous Christian life.

And bad things may happen, like the innocents of Bethlehem, but we trust in our inexplicable and incomprehensible God.

He might engage you in saving many people. And He might ask you to sacrifice yourself. Do it. Your gain in the kingdom will likewise be inexplicable and incomprehensible.

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:54-60

“Yesterday we wrapped Christ in swaddling clothes; today, he clothes Stephen with the garment of immortality. Yesterday a narrow manger cradled the baby Christ; today the infinite heaven has received Stephen in triumph.”

Fulgentius of Ruspe (468-533) in Sermon 3.

I read this yesterday and it seemed fitting in light of our recent focus on Christ in swaddling clothes and lying in the manger. Take a moment and ponder the significance for each of us.

The day after Christmas is observed in the church calendar as the Feast of St. Stephen. It’s the day when we remember his triumphant service as the first martyr.

Consider the brevity of Stephen’s ministry. He gave one testimony before the Sanhedrin. He preached one sermon. He connected the dots for one audience. And that brief moment in history cost him his life.

But don’t miss the scene in heaven. Jesus stood at the right hand of the throne of God. The significance of this posture of service cannot be understated. Jesus worked, interceding for Stephen. Likewise He sees our service, stands and intercedes for us.

Also notice that Saul, who would become known as Paul watched all this unfold. That reminds us that God can convert even our most fierce opponents. See the triumph that awaits us. But we must risk everything to grasp it.

To live generously and triumphantly, we need to join the line. Two days ago, we celebrated that Christ came humbly to give His life as a ransom for many. Yesterday, we recall that Stephen gave his life as a martyr and witness to Christ.

And today is our day to give our lives in anticipation of the same triumph and immortality. Sadly, however, most people live only for this world and all it has to offer. What will you do? Jesus is watching.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were alone. But God sought out simple people as their companions: some shepherds perhaps because, as they were humble, they would not be dismayed at finding the Messiah in a cave, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

It is to the shepherds of that district that the prophet Isaiah referred: those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them a light has shone…

Naturally, the shepherds would not have set out without taking gifts for the baby. In the eastern world of those days it was inconceivable that anybody should present himself before a respected person without a gift.

They would take what they had: a lamb, cheese, butter, milk, and curd. Doubtless it is not far removed from reality to imagine the scene as portrayed in the countless cribs of our days and in the Christmas carols which Christians sing with simplicity and which many of us may have made the theme of our prayer.

Mary and Joseph, surprised and delighted, invite the shy shepherds to come in and see the child, to kiss him, to sing to him, and too leave their gifts beside the manger. Nor can we go to the cave of Bethlehem without taking our gift.”

F. M. Willan in Life of Mary, 110.

What gift would you bring to Jesus?

He does not need the latest gadget or article of clothing. He wants us, like Willan envisions, to bring what we have like the shepherds no doubt brought what they had.

The message of giving God what you have has transformed the people of Malawi.

Now over 3,000 churches encourage nearly 60,000 children to bring a palmful of maize to Jesus each Sunday. It’s solving hunger problems, leading the lost to faith, and growing the church. See here for yourself.

Willan shares his story of the shepherds and I shared about the children of Malawi. Now the light of Christmas shines on you.

What do you have? What would happen if you entered the cave, set by the manger, and gave Jesus a kiss declaring your adoration and allegiance? What might He do with what your gift?

I guess you have to give it to find out.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:4-16

“We can well imagine the scene: Joseph explaining time and again with growing anxiety, the same story, that they had come from… and Mary, a few feet away seeing Joseph and hearing the refusals… She probably encouraged him, telling him not to worry, that they would manage… So they made their lodging in one of those caves which served as a stable outside of town with the few belongings they had been able to bring from Nazareth: the swaddling clothes, some items that Mary herself had prepared with that joy that only mothers can experience when they prepare for their first child…

Jesus, newly born, does not speak; but He is the eternal Word of the Father. It has been said that the manger is a chair of learning. Today we should learn the lessons which Jesus teaches us, even when He is just a newly born child, from the very moment He opens His eyes on this blessed land of men. He is born poor, and he teaches us that happiness is not to be found in an abundance of earthly goods. He comes into the world without any ostentation, encouraging us to be humble and not to depend on the applause of men. God humbled Himself to allow us to get near Him.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 1 (London: Scepter, 1993) 222-223.

Three times in this excerpt from Luke’s Gospel we read about the manger. Don’t miss the message of the manger: “God humbled Himself to allow us to get near Him.”

And don’t miss the excitement of the moment for Mary. The swaddling clothes represented the first baby outfit that she had packed for Jesus in her birth bag. Those cloths did not just appear from nowhere! She was prepared.

And Fernandez urges us to notice the lesson of the newborn. The first teachable moment from Jesus to us: “Happiness is not to be found in an abundance of earthly goods.”

God filled Mary and Joseph with happiness and joy as they welcomed Jesus, togged Him in his first outfit, and laid the bread of life in a humble feeding trough. God showered the shepherds with happiness and joy as they got the message and found baby in the manger.

And God lavishes us with happiness and joy as we celebrate together and proclaim the good news widely that “God humbled Himself to allow us to get near Him.” Seriously, we join the story as the sheep who find life only as we feed on Jesus, the bread of life.

Happiness and joy flow to all people according to the angels because the circumstances and the outlook for the future of all humanity changed for all time with the arrival of Jesus. Happy Christmas, indeed!

People ask me why I only say Happy Christmas and not Merry Christmas.

It comes from my study of the biblical languages. In the Old Hebrew and New Testament Greek, “merry” is not a good word; it implies self-indulgent living (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:19 and Luke 12:19).

Sadly, Christmas has morphed from a time of worshipfully and peacefully celebrating the arrival of our Savior to a season of noise, self-indulgence and seeking satisfaction from the purchase of consumer products.

On the contrary, the words “happy or blessed” echoes the response of the wise men en route (cf. Matthew 2:10) and captures the language of texts like the beatitudes (cf. Matthew 5:1-12).

Happy or blessed are those who celebrate the Christ mass. When we observe the coming of the Christ in the manger who has changed everything for everyone, our hearts cannot help but overflow with happiness and joy.

Happy Christmas!

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

“The poverty that God asks of all of us is not a matter of squalor, meanness, slovenliness, or idleness. Virtue does not reside in these things. In order to learn to live detachment from things in the midst of the world of men, we have to look at our model, Jesus Christ, who for your sake became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 1 (London: Scepter, 1993) 206.

At Mission Hills Church this last Sunday, Dr. Craig Smith, drilled down on the contrast between Jesus arriving in the lowly manger and the message of the angels about “glory to God in the highest” and it got me thinking.

Jesus did arrive in the lowest of low places. He became poor so through His poverty, we might become rich.

And when we serve Him generously, we accomplish the same thing. We become poor so that we might enrich others. And in so doing, God enriches us for ongoing generosity.

So as you gaze at the nativity today or ponder the first Christmas eve, think about Jesus, our model.

He humbled himself and showed us the way of poverty not as a way of squalor, meanness, slovenliness, or idleness. He showed us the way of detachment from things and attachment to God.

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, let us ask God if there is anything we need to detach from.

I will ponder that with you on my walks with Grace today. I posted her as a header photo as the mornings where we live near the mountains have been gorgeous this week. Not a white Christmas for sure.

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

“It is not ridiculous to be so meticulous about bodily things when the feast [of Christmas] draws near, as to get out and prepare your best clothes days ahead… and to deck yourself in your very finest, all the while paying not the slightest attention to your soul, which is abandoned, besmirched, squalid, and utterly consumed by desire.”

John Chyrsostom in Homily 6; PG 48, 276.

In my Advent devotional, Waiting, I wrote this about today’s Scripture.

“Mary and Martha illustrate how to wait and how not to wait.

Mary models waiting by taking a posture of listening at the feet of Jesus. She waited for Jesus to speak to her. What a great example for us! Martha, on the other hand, learns that waiting on Jesus leads only to distraction and missing
sacred time with Him.

How often do we wait on Jesus, like Martha, instead of waiting for Him, like Mary? As He needs nothing from us, our busyness only causes us to miss what He has for us. Notice the posture associated with these examples. The one who waits for Jesus sits peacefully at His feet. The one who waits on Jesus scurries and worries.

What about you? Are you waiting for Jesus or waiting on Him?”

All that said, while it’s great to “Deck the Halls” as the song goes and make our homes look festive. And it’s great to put on special clothes or even Christmas pajamas. Yes, my wife has me togged up in functional and festive sleeping apparel.

But we must not neglect the decking of our souls. That’s why I write these posts. To sit at the feet of Jesus daily to learn and share what I discover with others, lest my own soul, and yours waste away due to spiritual malnourishment.

In case you missed the devotional, you can download it here. I wrote it for Advent and anytime in the year as we all benefit by studying the topic of waiting, exploring how it shapes us, and ways we can make the most of waiting opportunities.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:42

“To maintain this state of alertness we need to struggle, for we all have the tendency to live with our eyes fixed on the things of the earth. Especially during the time of Advent let us not forget that our hearts are darkened by gluttony and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so lose sight of the supernatural dimension which every action of ours should have as its milieu.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 1 (London: Scepter, 1993) 6.

As we approach Christmas, notice what makes you most excited. That shows where your heart is.

On Friday night, my wife and I watched a cute animated movie on Netflix called, “The Star.” The main characters included a donkey, a bird, a sheep, three wise men, some nefarious characters, and of course, Mary and Joseph.

We both cried at the end, tears of joy because against all odds, we saw the birth of Jesus.

It was one of the highlights of my Advent season because it helped me enter into the story of the real-life human difficulties Mary and Joseph faced leading up to the birth of Jesus, including a king who wanted the baby dead.

All that said, the reason that movie comes to mind links to the star.

The animals saw it. They knew something special was happening. We might miss it if our hearts are darkened with gluttony, drunkenness, and the cares of this life. Watch it. See for yourself.

And don’t lose sight of the supernatural dimension. Live in that milieu every minute of every day.

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” Acts 5:29

“May we strive to contribute towards having the person and teachings of Christ proclaimed in every corner of the globe, without ever giving in to human respect. May we cast aside all pessimism, ever confident in the ultimate triumph of good over evil. The effect of our good deeds will have an immeasurable impact on society. With the grace of the Lord we will be like the stone that falls into the lake and produces one ripple and then another and another until the end of time. Truly Jesus grants supernatural efficacy to all our words and deeds in a way that we are must of the time unaware of.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 357.

Someone asked me recently to comment on why the American society had drifted so far from God. In the words of Fernandez, I said that people give in to “human respect” instead of obedience to God.

In today’s Scripture, Peter passionately reminds us to obey God rather than humans. Only when we do this can we have immeasurable impact on society. We must living in the confidence of the ultimate victory we have in Christ.

Related to our generosity, our good deeds will have great impact. We may never know the reach of them, but like a ripple effect, they spread far and wide. Keep doing good everyone. God sees.

And we may not change the world, but we can impact he world around us in immeasurable ways.