–J. Lee Butts  (Written in Blood)

       “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
                         –John 1:4 (NKJV)
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December!  What a wonderful month of celebration.  It is a month of birthdays:  my Mom’s (who dearly loved Christmastime) and my Aunt’s who were both born on this date.  And of course the main one that we celebrate is the birth of our Lord.  It is a month of singing:  carols and songs about the Christmas season.  Let me remind you that there is a difference between a Christmas song and a Christmas carol.  “White Christmas” and “Silver Bells” are examples of songs; “Silent Night” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” are examples of carols.  The carol is a hymn, and these bring reference to the Son of God–Jesus Christ.
       From time to time during the month I will refer to a hymn, and the first one was written in 1872 by Josiah G. Holland.  It is one that is rarely heard much less sung that tells of the birth of our Lord.  The Incarnation–what a mystery!  I doubt that the angels can even fathom what was taking place on the day in Bethlehem so many years ago.  Oh, there were on the scene, and they were praising and rejoicing, but I wonder, I just wonder if even they with their heavenly knowledge understood.

               There’s a song in the air!  There’s a star in the sky!
               There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry!
               And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
               For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

       There was commotion taking place.  The heavens were alive and the spirit realm must have been fluttering with excitement.  Imagine, the One who sits upon the throne has chosen to become a man.  The evil one must have grinned in delight for he now has a chance to defeat his foe, just as he did Adam in the Garden so long ago.  

               There’s a tumult of joy o’er the wonderful birth,
               For the virgin’s sweet Boy is the Lord of the earth,
               Ay!  the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
               For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

       The star, that wondrous light that guided the magi to Bethlehem was more than a bright light in the sky.  I believe it represented the glory of God.  The glory that the Child willingly placed aside to come to earth to face the perils that each man faces, and more.  He would be attacked like no other ever had been or ever will be.  Yes, there was the physical abuse, but I can only imagine the emotional, and the spiritual war that took place within Jesus.  I like to think that when Jesus looked up into the heavens He remembered that star.  
       
               In the light of that star lie the ages impearled;
               And that song from afar has swept over the world.
               Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing
               In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

       Because of the birth of the Son, we have the hope of salvation.  Salvation that He provided on the cross, but started before at the birth.  Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior understand the warmth that is in their heart; one that is aflame during the Christmas season.  Look down upon the baby lying there so serene, so innocent, and remember that He is more than just another child; He is the Savior of mankind.

               We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song
               That comes down through the night from the heavenly throng.
               Ay!  we shout to the lovely evangel they bring,
               And we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!

The star gave light to the magi to find the Child, just as He is the light for us to follow.  Rejoice, for we have seen a great light, the light of the world lying in a manger.

                          –Elmer Kelton  (Other Men’s Horses)

       “Yes, the LORD will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase.”

                          –Psalm 85:12 (NKJV)
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       There is a saying that money isn’t everything, but it’s way ahead of whatever is in second place.  Now, first of all, that is a bold-face lie.  The problem is that many people think that or strive to prove it true and in doing so lose all that is truly valuable.  I knew of a man who made $50,000 a week.  Wealthy?  Maybe in the eyes of the world, but he lost his wife and his children to drugs.  
       Solomon wrote, “There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun:  Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.” (Ecclesiastes 5:13, NKJV).  What are those “severe evils”?  Mentioned already is the loss of a family.  But many of these men live in fear waiting for the next crash.  Some, like Howard Hughes, become a recluse, others spend their money to bring more evil upon the land like Soros.  We remember at this season the story of Ebenezer Scrooge who hoarded his wealth not caring about others until…  Look at verses 16-17, “And this also is a severe evil–just exactly as he came, so shall he go.  And what profit has he who labored for the wind?  All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.” (NKJV)
       That is not to say that you should not enjoy the blessings of work.  In fact, Solomon in the next verse states, “Here is what I have seen:  It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.”  Labor and its fruits are a gift for man to enjoy.  The dollar will not satisfy, therefore, we need to find pleasure in the simple things.  Walter C. Kaiser wrote, “The man who has learned the secret of enjoyment as a gift from God will not become anxious over the length of his life.  He has too much joy living to brood over the impermanence of his mortal being.  Rather, each day is taken as it come, as a gift from God.”
       Moreover, blessings given to you are to be shared in one form or another.  We need to invest in the vertical dimension of life and less in the horizontal.  Where are your treasures stored up?  The man to whom God has been generous is expected then to be generous.  To whom much is given, much is expected.  I like the words of John Wesley, “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”  There needs to be more men like Wannamaker, LeTourneau, and Penny in this world who understood the value of living for the kingdom of God.  True, there are great philanthropists in the world, but why do they give?  Is it to ease conscience, or to meet the needs of others?  How many give to organizations that have a truly Biblical worldview of giving and helping?  Hmmm, think on that.
       God wants you to have the gift of contentment in your heart and this comes not from hoarding or in spending your life working for the American dream and dollar.  My Mom had a saying, “have to go to work–have to make a dollar.”  Mom liked to make money, but I saw her in the last years of life living not joyously, but in regret.  She never under-stood what true contentment was.  Her idea was to make money, and sure she would give it away, share it, but she had the wrong motives.  Man should enjoy life, not possessions.  Think of this, man, including the wealthy man, must return to his Maker devoid of riches, not even having a cloak.  Nevertheless, there still are men who will spend all their days in great sorrow and distressing labor for such an empty goal as this.
       In the Christmas season, learn the gift of giving, but with right purpose.  Don’t give to get, don’t give to manipulate, don’t give because of guilt–but give out of a joyous heart and from the blessings of God.  Remember, what is the value of giving if you have nothing at the end and there is no treasure in heaven.  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  I might add–the important things.
                 “If we focus more on the gifts than on the Giver, we are guilty of idolatry.  If we accept His gifts, but complain about them, we are guilty of ingratitude.  If we hoard His gifts and will not share them with others, we are guilty of indulgence.  But if we yield to His will and use what He gives us for His glory, then we can enjoy life and be satisfied.”
                            –Warren W. Wiersbe

                         –Louis L’Amour  (The Kiowa Trail)

       “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”

                         –Philippians 3:10(NKJV)
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The Holiday Season (Thanksgiving through Christmas) is sometimes described as the loneliest time of the year.  Many live in regret, many have seen loved ones die during the year, many have seemingly no hope.  That seems to be the theme of Psalm 88, despair from the pit, or the dark night of the soul.  Lawson states, “Darkness shrouded the psalmist without and within, and he could not shake it.”

          1 — O LORD, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You.
          2 — Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.
          3 — For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave.
          4 — I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength,
          5 — Adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand.
          6 — You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths.
          7 — Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves.     Selah
          8 — You have put away my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut up, and I cannot get out;
          9 — My eye wastes away because of affliction.  LORD, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You.
        10 — Will You work wonders for the dead?  Shall the dead arise and praise You?     Selah     (NKJV)

       Some have called this the “saddest psalm of the entire Psalter.”  This person has done things right by crying out to the Lord, but nothing seems to have been done.  God has not answered; God is quiet when he pleads.  He recognizes that God is the one who saves, but there is the impression that God was not or had not listened to him.  The question is why?  Where are you God?
       Perhaps you are in this situation, or have been in this situation.  “Answer me God!  Help me, Lord!” is your heart’s cry.  Where is God?  Where are the angels to minister to me?  What has happened to my friends?  Woe is me–this is a psalm of despair.  “The darkness of the pit closes in on you, and the only bright hope in the whole psalm lies in its opening two verses–you are still talking to God.”  (George O. Wood)
       Think of Jesus, in Gethsemane.  This may be a psalm He prayed in those dark hours before the Cross.  This is the worst, and Jesus asks His disciples why they couldn’t even watch with Him for one hour.  No answers, no guidance–sometimes that is life.  In that case what do we do?  We continue to trust in Him, we continue to hope in His Word, and endure.  C. T. Studd said that, “A man is not known by his effervescence but by the amount of real suffering he can stand.”  Hang on, and keep on crying out to the Lord!

               “Christian brothers, shout and sing,
               Death has lost its ancient sting!
               Christ, the crucified before,
               Is alive forever more!
              Grave, where is thy vict’ry now?
              See the light upon His brow,
              Empty, see, the stony bed;
              Christ is risen from the dead!”
                     –Thomas O. Chisholm

                    –2 Corinthians 4:15 (NKJV)
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       One of the things I have never understood are how some Christians walk around with their lower lip so low that they step on it.  There is very little brightness in their life, their is very little hope and their life is one that is mostly humdrum.  Complaining Christians cannot be joyful Christians.  Unthankful Christians cannot be contented Christians.  It may be an indication of their relationship with God.  Gary Inrig said, “An attitude of overflowing thankfulness is one of the prime indicators of our relationship with God.”  We are to be thankful in the small things as well as the grand things that come our way–in short, we are to be thankful in everything.  Inrig continues, “The state of our relationship with God is clearly revealed by our gratitude towards Him.”
       Christians will say that it is all about a relationship.  Hmmm, but what kind of a relationship I ask?  A nominal one?  A casual one?  Our relationship can be seen by our thankfulness.  Paul writes, “…continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7, NIV)  Notice those last three words, OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS.
       Are you a rejoicing Christian?  Or maybe the one with the fat-lip from stepping on it because of your woes.  One of the early church fathers, Leo I, puts the unthankful person in the category of the foolish.  “Foolish people too often dare to complain against their Creator, not only when they lack something, but also when they have plenty.  When something isn’t given to them, they complain.  And when they have certain things in abundance, they are ungrateful….  Let us rejoice in whatever gifts He gives.”
       Again I ask, what is your relationship with the Lord?  Grateful or ungrateful?  Hateful or thankful?  Bitter or rejoicing?  Moaning your fate or overflowing with thankfulness?  I need not remind you, but I will the words of Paul to the church at Thessalonica, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)  Not only are we to give thanks in all circumstances we are to be “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything…” (Ephesians 5:20, NIV)  In all circumstances and for everything–when you can do that we have a truly dynamic and real relationship.  G.K. Chesterton gives this admonition, “When it comes to life the critical thing is, whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”
       Thanksgiving gives the call for us to be thankful.  Heed the call, listen to the truth, and be thankful in and for all things.