Day 2: Glorious and Beautiful

Day 2:

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

 Yesterday we looked at the above scripture and discussed that the King of Kings became physically poor for our sakes.  And he did not leave it at that.  He left part of His glory and His beauty, as well.  When we read about Jesus in heaven, this is what we find:

On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet … I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Revelation 1:9-17

 

When we read about Jesus on earth, we find this:

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by mankind,
 a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces 
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain 
and bore our suffering,
 yet we considered him punished by God, 
stricken by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions,
 he was crushed for our iniquities; 
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
 and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, 
each of us has turned to our own way;
 and the Lord has laid on him
   the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted,
 yet he did not open his mouth; 
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
 so he did not open his mouth.  By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?
 For he was cut off from the land of the living; 
for the transgression of my people he was punished.  He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death, 
though he had done no violence,
 nor was any deceit in his mouth.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Isaiah 53:2-9

 

Of course, there were a few on the earth that recognized His beauty and His glory.  The Three Wise men did, Mary and Joseph did, Peter did, John did, Mary Magdeline did.  But would I have?  I don’t know.  I hope so.  But even now, sometimes I don’t recognize Him in my life and I KNOW who He is.

I, like many, like to watch the X Factor on TV.  There is a version of X Factor that takes place in England and I recently saw the clip from You Tube.  A man walked cautiously on the stage.  He was dressed shabbily and plainly.  He came with his mother, who seemed to be his only support.  He was shaking as he took the microphone.  My expectation was not very high, I assure you.  But then he opened his mouth, and what came forth was pure beauty.  A voice that was so unexpected, so powerful.  The camera scanned the crowd and people literally had their mouths wide open in surprise.  The skeptical look on Simon’s face slowly turned to a smile of realization.  The man can sing!  Amazing!

When I saw the video I cried.  For some reason, it reminded me of Jesus.  Only a select few recognized His greatness.  He didn’t look like what was expected.  There was nothing in the setting of His Birth that revealed to the world Who He was and What He could and would do.

When Jesus was born, most people did not recognize the glorious, beautiful event that had taken place.  People still do not recognize Him.  This season, let’s open our eyes.  Let’s look for Him.  Let’s remember how glorious and beautiful He is.  Let’s remember that He came to make something glorious and beautiful of us.

Update 2014:

Yesterday, I watched my beautiful niece come down the aisle in a long, white dress.  The day had finally come!  All the planning and dreaming and working had culminated in this glorious moment–she was finally meeting her groom at the altar.  A beautiful life awaits them.  I am reminded that we, the Church, all believers, are the bride of Christ.  One day soon we will finally see him face to face.  The waiting will be over and we will experience joy like never before.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Update 2017:

I now have experienced the wedding of two of my daughters.  They were so beautiful in their long white dresses, exuding purity and hope and love.  Both girls had dated these precious, godly young men for years.  They had waited a long time.  And finally the wedding day came, and now they are forever with the loves of their lives.  As a parent, it was the fulfillment of so much of what I had hoped and prayed for them throughout their lives.  And it gave me so much pleasure to see.  God the Father will also have that pleasure, as we the Bride of Christ, finally are united for eternity with our Bridegroom.  What a grand wedding that will be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Day 1: Give and Receive

Day 1

Today, I want us to think of what it meant when scripture tells us that Jesus left his riches to become poor for our sakes.

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 first time I ever read this verse, I was a senior in high school.  I was the president of the youth group and we had adopted a family for Christmas.  Ironically, this family lived only a few streets over from where I lived comfortably with my loving and stable family.  I was in charge of gathering the food, clothing and toys for this needy family.  I vividly remember searching for a Bible verse to write in the front of the Bible, which we were giving them.  And I found this verse.  It somehow seemed perfect and I quickly wrote it on the title page of the Bible.

I also had the privilege of delivering the offerings to the family.  I remember nervously knocking on the door, noticing the peeling paint on the front porch.  A woman, pitifully dressed, opened the door very sheepishly.  She invited me in and introduced me to her precious children as well as her husband whose presence in the middle of the day was evidence of the hard times on which they had fallen.  No work meant no Christmas for this family.

Except that a few self-centered teenagers had momentarily stepped out of their self-centeredness.

It was a simple thing that I did that day.  Deliver some food, a gift or two; play with the kids for just a minute; smile at the sweet lady; give them a Bible verse, which pointed out that Jesus chose poverty so we could be spiritually rich.  The experience moved me and was a greater blessing to me than to them.

Fast forward a year.  When I was home on Christmas break my freshman year of college, there was a knock at the door.  I opened it and there stood the same sweet lady.  I had not seen her in a year.  She smiled broadly, like one who had survived the difficult times and was now better, stronger.  She handed me a wrapped Christmas package.  She said, “You were kind to us when we needed it last year.  Things are better now.  We wanted to do something for you this year.”

I opened two precious figurines, picked out just for me.  I treasure them still.

It’s not too late.  Go do something for someone else.  You will be glad you did.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

                                                                                                Luke 6:38

Update, 2014:

Two weeks ago I ventured out with my two toddlers to Hobby Lobby.  Having been home from China with our new son, Charlie, for only a few days, I felt brave just leaving the house.  It has been 15 years since I had two toddlers to care for.  It’s like riding a bike, though!  You never forget how, but the older you are, the more tired you are!  On this day, I did feel tired–very tired.  Jet lag, middle age, and seven children–I guess I have an excuse!  As I walked hand-in-hand with my two Asian cuties, I heard the familiar sound of the Salvation Army bell-ringers.  There they were faithfully calling out to remember the poor and needy during this holiday season.  As we approached the red bucket, I dug around in my purse for some change, all the while explaining to the kids (at least to Sally who can speak English!) that we needed to help the poor children.  As they both placed a quarter into the red bucket, I had a startling thought:  my children were no longer poor and needy.  They once were, recently were.  But now they were not.  And I was overwhelmed with God’s goodness.  Are you on the other side of poor and needy right now?  Then praise God for it and help someone who is not yet there.  Blessings to you, my friends!

 

Update, 2017:

Today, I found a study I wrote several years ago, about praying for your children.  This truth hit home once again for me and it is a timely truth for this season.

Generous Hearts

Lord, give each of these children a generous heart, for we know that You love a cheerful giver.  May their hearts be focused on all the abundant heavenly treasures that have eternal value, not in the passing earthly treasures of this world.                  2 Corinthians 9:7

                                                               In Jesus’ Name,  Amen

Our society today constantly sends the message that we need more, more, and more.  We need better, bigger, newest, latest.  I am very guilty of buying into the lie of more and better for me, me, and me.

And that is the same society that shouts these false messages to our children.  If I fall prey to this, and I know better, how much more easily will our children fall prey to this “More for Me” mentality?

The only way to counteract this constant message is to give.  We must model for our children a generous heart.  They should see us be generous with our treasures, our talents, and our time.  If we value heaven over earth, they will learn to do the same.  If we hold loosely to our earthly treasures, they too will hold loosely to theirs.  Let’s pray for generosity to be imbedded into our personalities and the personalities of our children.

In addition to praying for your children to have a generous heart, ask the Lord what you can do with your children to model that.  Is there a needy family you could help?  A neighbor for whom you could bake cookies?  Is there someone to whom you could offer food, clothes, or toys?  Let’s not wait until next Christmas to show our children what it means to be generous.