You’d hardly expect to find old St. Nick in jail. But St. Nicholas is more than a children’s Christmas legend. He was flesh and blood, a prisoner for Christ, bishop of the Mediterranean city of Myra.
What do we know about the real St. Nicholas? He was born, ancient biographers tell us, to wealthy parents in the city of Patara about 270 A.D. He was still young when his mother and father died and left him a fortune.
As a teen-ager, Nicholas’ humility was already evident. He had heard about a family destitute and starving. The father had no money for food, much less the dowry needed to marry off his three daughters. He was ready to send his oldest girl into the streets to earn a living as a prostitute.
Under the cover of night, Nicholas threw a bag of gold coins through the window of their humble dwelling. In the morning the father discovered the gold. How he rejoiced: his family was saved, his daughter’s honor preserved, and a dowry for her marriage secured. Some time after, Nicholas secretly provided a dowry for the second daughter. Still later for the third.
But on the third occasion, the girls’ father stood watching. As soon as the bag of gold thudded on the floor, he chased after the lad till he caught him. Nicholas was mortified to be discovered in this act of charity. He made the father promise not to tell anyone who had helped his family. Then Nicholas forsook his wealth to answer a call to the ministry.
At the nearby city of Myra a bishop supervised all the churches of the region. When the bishop died, the bishops and ministers from other cities and villages — Nicholas among them — gathered to choose a successor.
Nicholas was in the habit of rising very early and going to the church to pray. This morning an aged minister awaited him in the sanctuary. “Who are you, my son?” he asked.
“Nicholas the sinner,” the young minister replied. “And I am your servant.”
“Come with me,” the old priest directed. Nicholas followed him to a room where the bishops had assembled. The elderly minister addressed the gathering. “I had a vision that the first one to enter the church in the morning should be the new bishop of Myra. Here is that man: Nicholas.”
Indeed they did choose him as bishop. Nicholas was destined to lead his congregation through the worst tribulation in history.
In A.D. 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered a brutal persecution of all Christians. Those suspected of following the Lord were ordered to sacrifice to pagan gods. Nicholas and thousands of others refused.
Ministers, bishops, and lay people were dragged to prison. Savage tortures were unleashed on Christians all over the empire. Believers were fed to wild animals. Some were forced to fight gladiators for their lives while bloodthirsty crowds screamed for their death. Women suffered dehumanizing torment. Saints were beaten senseless, others set aflame while still alive.
Yet persecution couldn’t stamp out Christianity. Rather it spread. Third Century leader Tertullian observed, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
Those who survived Diocletian’s torture chambers were called “saints” or “confessors” by the people, because they didn’t forsake their confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. Nicholas was one of these.
Finally, after years of imprisonment, the iron doors swung open and Bishop Nicholas walked out, freed by decree of the new Emperor Constantine. As he entered his city once more, his people flocked about him. “Nicholas! Confessor!” they shouted. “Saint Nicholas has come home.”
The bishop was beaten but not broken. He served Christ’s people in Myra for another thirty years. Through the prayers of this tried and tested soldier of faith, many found salvation and healing. Nicholas participated in the famous Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. He died on December 6, about 343, a living legend, beloved by his whole city.
St. Nick of yuletide fame still carries faint reminders of this ancient man of God. The color of his outfit recollects the red of bishop’s robes. “Making a list, checking it twice,” probably recalls the old saint’s lectures to children about good behavior. Gifts secretly brought on Christmas eve bring to mind his humble generosity to the three daughters.
Yet if he were alive today, this saint would humbly deflect attention from himself. No fur-trimmed hat and coat, no reindeer and sleigh or North Pole workshop. As he did in life centuries ago, Bishop Nicholas would point people to his Master.
“I am Nicholas, a sinner,” the old saint would say. “Nicholas, servant of Christ Jesus.”
I have been challenged recently by my husband to think of compassion and mercy not just during the Holidays, but all year round. And, as the I look outside and see frost on the windows, we are reminding our children of many people in our city without a warm home, or food to fill their tummies. As we all see needs at Christmas, I am provoked and grateful for a Savior that provides compassion and mercy.
How can I safely and age- appropriately teach and train my children to embrace their culture not just for the coolness of Seattle but lovingly observe and act when they see needs? Our children are paying attention to our actions and words. Whether it is seeing their dad go back in to a restarant with the lingering homeless man to buy him a meal or having a stock pile of “Cliff” bars in the glove box of the car for the street corner beggar, our kids are taking in how we respond to those in need.It is our responsibility to shepherd our children in mercy.
I want to teach them compassion Biblically. And, at Christmastime I want them to grow in gratitude for the countless blessings of family, shelter, and provision. My heart aches for the lonely, homeless, and suffering. As I look around at the many blessings in my life, I am humbled by God’s great love. I want to share it. But, more importantly want to act. God is Holy, Perfect, and Amazingly MERCIFUL to me. Out of this experience in my own heart, I long to share the Gospel of Jesus with others.
We see a lot of homeless wonder in to Mars Hill each week, and some stick around to learn and receive help. Other faces leave and we don’t see again and we wonder where they are now. Many suffering come to Redemption Night and/or go through Redemption Groups and by God’s beautiful grace are transformed by His love.
Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Luke 14:13-14
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
I am challenged and inspired to pray about how this momma (me) can embrace this culture’s needs, with a heart full of burden, and missional passion. Wanting to share Christ with this culture, through mercy and humble acts of service…
“Have you discovered that Jesus sometimes gets lost in the middles of the hustle and bustle of His birthday party? Would you like to be able to keep your children’s focus on Jesus and also join them in the wonder of the celebration”
I bought this book two years ago. My favorite activities to do with my kids are the Candy Cane Reindeer and the Happy Birthday Jesus Cake. The cake has different elements symbolizing Gospel Truths. FUN stuff is in this book!
Mostly, I like it for the topical journey it takes you through: lights, trees, advent wreath, caroling, santa claus, etc. Merry Christmas!
Advent is a word that means “coming” or “visit”. In the Christian season of Advent we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. Our preparation includes many things:
• We remember Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore them.
• We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus.
• We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.
• We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.
By lighting one candle each week of Advent, we help ourselves to get ready for the birth of Jesus. The candles have different meanings, each based upon the Bible. These meanings help us to understand how special the birth of Jesus is for us.
Today we focus on the coming of Christ as our Shepherd.
Prayer for God’s Help
[This prayer can be read, or simply used as a model.]
Dear God, thank you for this season of Advent that helps us to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas. As we read the Bible and light a candle, may excitement for Christ’s coming burn in our hearts. Amen.
Scripture Readings
[Parents, you may wish to abbreviate or eliminate certain readings depending on the age(s) of your child(ren). You may also want to read these selections out of a Children's Bible.]
Psalm 80:1-7
In this Psalm we join the people of Israel as they invite God their Shepherd to save and to restore them.
Isaiah 40:1-11
This passage looks ahead to the coming of the Lord, who will care for his people like a shepherd.
Revelation 7:9-17
Like God’s people before the coming of Christ, we also look ahead to the time when Christ, who is both the Lamb and our Shepherd, will finish his work and “God will wipe away every tear” from our eyes.
Lighting of the Candle
[As someone lights the first purple candle, the following should be read or paraphrased. If you're doing this online, in order to "light" the next Advent candle, click on the wick of the purple candles until you "light" the right one.]
We light this candle because, like God’s people centuries ago, we also look forward with hope to the coming of the Shepherd. The purple color of the candle reminds us of the seriousness of our hope.
Prayer of Hope
[To be read or paraphrased.]
Dear God, as we light this candle, we hope for your coming as our Good Shepherd. Please gather us in your arms, feed us with spiritual food, wipe away every tear from our eyes, and “let your face shine, that we may be saved”. Come, our Shepherd! Amen.
Closing Song
One tradition we have at Christmastime is to read a Christmas story at Family Dinner. I have bought our kids a new Christmas book every year and have quite a few now! They squealed with glee today when I brought this stack of books out today:
This is our collection of Christmas books for our children:
One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham
The Legend of Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
Where’s the Baby King by Karen King
Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett
Pine Tree Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs
The Little Shepherd and the First Christmas by Arch Books
The Newborn King by Dalmation Press
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff
Gigi- The Perfect Christmas Gift by Sheila Walsh
The Legend of St. Nicholas, A Story of Christmas Giving by Dandi Daley Mackall
We love Christmas at the Wilkerson Home. It is our favorite. All the excitement and anticipation for Christmas morning is experienced every day of December. The last couple years, we have done an Advent Box Calendar. EACH day has a different activity or craft or special treat to make together. The kids take turns opening the doors and reading the day’s activity.
Here is our list for this year. I will print out each day and put the paper in the calendar and surprise! Each day, we will anticipate something fun to do together. Note- these are not in order of how we will do them.
Decorate and sing Christmas songs
Color Christmas pictures and paint toenails red and green
Color Christmas Cross Ornaments
S’mores from the fireplace with Christmas Music
Read 1 Christmas Storybook by Candlelight
Make Sticker Nativity Scenes
Write letters to Jesus and Make Happy Birthday Jesus Cake
Read “Follow the Star” story and Make star shape big cookie
Family Karaoke Christmas songs
Candy Cane Sugar Cookies: Read the Legend of the Candy Cane
Good News Sing and Rhyme and Christmas Tree Candy Cones
Watch a Christmas movie with Christmas treats
Go out to see the Christmas lights & get hot cocoa from Starbucks Read 1 Christmas Storybook and wrap Christmas gifts
Make Happy Birthday Jesus Cake and put on new Christmas P.J.’s!!!
Worship Jesus, Give Him Gifts at the Cross, & receive presents from Him!
Assemble Gingerbread House and read a Christmas book
Deliver Meal to Neighbor and Christmas gift
Watch Christmas movie and eat Christmas Tree Shaped Pizzas
Make Star Ornaments with jewels and beads
Color Christmas Mural (whole family coloring) with Christmas Music
Christmas Nativity Sticker Scenes and Christmas book
Write letters to Grandparents about Christmas
Make Edible Manger Scenes and read Christmas Story
Make a Snowman and have snowball fight
I love this book. This book is now and most likely will forever be in my top ten Christian reading list. Ellen Vaughn convinced me with true Biblical form why gratitude matters. She took me to places I have never learned about; stories of suffering that I never wanted to read about but was glad that I did.
At first, the graphic on the front cover scared me away. A woman jumping in the air with pastel blue sky behind her says to me (judgmental–I know.) “Christian fluffy thoughts and extra biblical insights that aren’t gospel based.” Suspicious thoughts went through my ultra-cool raised eyebrow. I dear woman of God recommended it to me- so I overlooked the jumping lady. ;0
Thankfully, my first impression with the cover was completely wrong.
First, Ellen is a gifted, award winning writer. Part of the reason that I wanted to read this book, was just for Ellen. To learn from her. She is writing to the same audience I hope to write my book to someday. She is sharing truth with women who want to know Jesus in every aspect of their hearts and lives. Secondly, Ellen has a Biblical worldview and framework for her teaching and writing. She weaves ideas together from scripture, which stirs my passion and makes me lower that eyebrow.
The story of the ten lepers that Jesus healed was especially gripping and heart changing for me. OF the ten, only 1 went to find Jesus to thank Him. Ellen tells stories so well, tears streamed down my face many times while reading this book (which rarely happens for me).
“Some believers seem to be looking for life principles that are just a little more spiritually sexy. Be thankful? Oh, of course. But give me something more exciting, more dramatic, something remarkable that I can do to change my life. ”
“Cultivating a grateful heart is not just an add-on nicety, a civil tip of the hat to God as we steamroll through OUR day. A posture of purposeful, perpetual thanks to God is absolutely central to Christian character. It gives glory to Him. It is the key defense against Satan’s temptations to despair, distrust, and dysfunction.”
The Gospel is the foundation for all gratitude! She taught me many things, but probably the biggest “ah ha” for me was to use gratitude not as an “add-on” but a relational intimate practice in my prayer life daily with God. How thanking Him for specific ways that He is good, holy, and precious to me humbles my heart and puts worry aside and is replaced with more joy and trust in God.
I am grateful for Ellen Vaughn and her willingness to walk the brutal and joyful road of writing for my benefit and blessing. I took notes for my own journey with Jesus but also for my writing development. Thank you God for her and using her to minister grace to me and many others.
I despise weakness… I get overwhelmed. Relational debt, housework debt and procrastinated project dread sneak up, drain the life out of me, and leave me feeling discouraged and flat out weak. Those overwhelming moments reveal my true weakness. Yet too often, I deny it. Blind with ambition, I reach for my bootstraps, pull myself up, and get back to work.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
My heart naturally resists depending on God when I’m weak. The noise in my heart, amplified by tough self-sufficiency, can drown out the Holy Spirit’s reminder: “my power is made perfect in your weakness.” …yet weakness is a gift. There are the times when his voice breaks through the noise and exposes my heart. It is a struggle to swallow my pride and obey, but it is in that turn of repentance—right in the midst of the mess—that I begin to hope again. The truth is that I am weak every second, not just when I feel overwhelmed. Jesus wants me to see that when I am overwhelmed, he is giving me a gracious gift: the ability to see more clearly my constant need for him. So rather than denying weakness, I can boast in it because it draws me closer to Jesus in worship. For example, the other day I was scurrying around the house getting stuff done, feeling very behind on my seemingly urgent tasks. Our third child invited me to play dolls. Pause. Graciously say no, or accept this opportunity to connect with my daughter? In the moment, my heart was faint, overwhelmed with my work. I thought, “I can’t play right now!” Yet, the Holy Spirit changed my thoughts to dependence and flexibility in my weakness. We had a great time playing. When I went back to work, my heart was more tender than it had been previously. Feeling overwhelmed is a signal to check my heart’s dependence on God. Am I softened to the Holy Spirit? Digging in to depend on God? Do I find my soul’s refreshment in God’s sufficiency? In these times, I’m learning to cling to my Savior, who accomplished perfect work on the cross and continues to save me from my sin. God meets me at the point of my prideful self-sufficiency and lovingly brings me to my knees in worshipful dependence. Worship through work is not just working hard for God’s glory; it is also in the attitude of humility, realizing how weak and unable we are. We can all grow in dependence on Christ and boast in our weakness. We must humble ourselves before the face of God and thank him for the gift of weakness.
Ecclesiastes 6:7-9
All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor manhave who knows how to conduct himself before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
in the Net Bible: All of man’s labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach yet his appetite is never satisfied! So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive? It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile – like chasing the wind.
I chase the wind of a thinner body, cleaner house, healthier choices, finished projects, peaceful relationships, etc. I long to treasure the feeling of everything in my life in order. I seek tasks more frequently than the ongoing peacefulness of being in communion with my Savior Jesus. My Vanity streak in my heart is thick. God is loving me as I repent of the preoccupation of my self and my “toiling.”
God has enabled me to enjoy Him. Treasures in HIS kingdom last, not things on earth. IT is so easy for me to replace contentment in that knowledge with worry and toil. My Father knows my needs and is graciously providing His Grace each day- so that I can continue to work.
Contentment is not wrapped up in being “ok” with the material possessions we have or the season we are in. Contentment is a peaceful heart in light of seeing the meaninglessness of earthly strife, and putting hope in the Savior in and through it all.
1 Timothy 6:6-8
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
“If I aspire to anything, it should be serve my God and King. I must to learn to seek his kingdom first.”
Mars Hill Church has been doing Redemption Groups for two years and has seen Jesus change hearts, mend lives, and heal many wounds. It is miraculous and a gift to see transformation by the Gospel of Jesus. I have led groups and really enjoy the weight and honor of the opportunity to see God’s grace at work.
If you have habitual sin and or lingering wounds- there is hope and forgiveness at the Cross of Christ. Jesus cleans our hearts and gives us His righteousness. It is amazing!
1Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that wemight die to sin and live to righteousness.By his wounds you have been healed.
If you are interested in going through a redemption group at Mars Hill Church, connect with the campus counseling pastor. IF your church would like more information about Redemption Groups, please see the above website– packed with information.
Ever deny your struggle? So that you won’t look bad or feel needy? I have been the religious person and am by God’s grace, have had eyes to see and a heart to repent of this sin. The Sin is Religious Idolatry. Or as David Powlison calls it- Religiosity.
“the driving forces in religion are self-exaltation, love of status, reputation, visibility, pursuing religious behavior for gain, essentially becomes a puppet of self-righteousness. Ultimately using God as a superstition because of fear and control, getting the goodies and avoiding the bad things.” -David Powlison
Trapped by appearances and morality; the religious idolater adds to the Gospel of Christ. Religious people are compelled to do things of God, but may not actually know Jesus. There may be the motions and will that sets up a life to look great; but is disconnected from God in the heart.
Addictive Religiosity is the hardest addiction to break, because it is the hardest one to see:
Seemingly from God
Authority of Scripture
Influencial people
authority of personal experience
As I was growing up in Christ, I was surrounded by Jesus–loving people, but many (not all) who didn’t humble themselves and expose their struggles/sin and their sanctification journey. Part of it was doctrine, but more often it was the church culture that turned off the need for this raw transparency. I learned how to turn off the honesty and replace it with religiosity.
I am not blaming the christian sub-culture. But, what a dis-service to set people up with gospel knowledge/information but not a humble transformation that is seen by others at a heart level? Religious idolatry is all about protecting yourself from being seen for the– truly dependent and sinful person we all are. It is about steeling glory with morality instead of walking in the light with struggles.
Repentance for the Religious Idolater, including myself, doesn’t mean talking about sin all the time and being dark, and swinging to the opposite of the the fake joy spectrum. Repentance for me has been: letting go of my reputation, depending on the Holy Spirit, mourning for my own pain and others, being humbled by suffering, seeing the Gospel of Jesus in the mundane tasks of my life, not giving packaged answers or advice to people, seeing my sin of prideful performance with God, continual repentance, etc. That is just a few of the changes that the Lord has done.
Religious talk was usually about me performing Christianity. As God continues to save me from this, HE is way bigger and I am shrinking. And, the Gospel of Jesus is so beyond my comprehension.
Religious idolatry clings to things of God and not God himself. Blessings are the product, instead of the Gospel. God himself is the prize of my belief in Him. Treasuring Jesus is my only true hope.
Feeling distraught and invisible recently, I dramatically threw myself down on the couch at the end of the day and said to my husband, “You didn’t even see all the work I did today.” My husband said to me, “Well, sweetheart, God sees you.”
Duh.. Sometimes, our sinful need for praise from people invades our hearts and can make us easily forget that God does see us and is always present. It is his presence that is ultimately satisfying. Even the most sincere acknowledgment from those near us-is empty and gives no life.
Who we work for:
As I labor through all that God has called me to, I wrestle with various questions: Why do I work? Who do I work for? What is the pay off or reward for my work?
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
I look out at the audience from the stage of my life and I see many people who’s approval motivates my work to be well done. Fear of man is a sin that I am very familiar with, and by God’s grace am being changed into a woman who fears the Lord more.
Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
We are working for God. He has called us to work not for ourselves or others, but for him. God is not the image of the “boss” you have pictured or have experienced. He doesn’t give job-descriptions, interviews, reviews and bonuses, or lay people off. In fact, our work will never be perfect enough, our intelligence insufficient, our productivity never deserving of reward. We can’t reduce a Holy and magnificent God to our “box” of a supervisor. We have to stop serving God with a “work hard enough to please Him” mentality. He is not pleased with our work. All of our work is inadequate. God only receives perfect holy work, which ours can never be.
Why we work:
The good news is that for the believer, Jesus gives us his perfect job review, his flawless work, takes the test for us, and in his divine majesty clothes us with his righteousness, which is the precious inheritance. We don’t get the inheritance because we worked hard. It could never be enough. We will always fall short. God’s free and perfect saving grace is given to anyone who believes, no matter what the resume says. On the cross, Jesus took our work ethic, our fear of man, our shame, our pride, and paid with his life.
He gives us his holy spirit, who enables our lives to give glory to God. It is the Holy Spirit is who fills my heart with wonder and reverence through the mundane to the significant parts of my day. The Holy Spirit convicts me of sin and turns me the other direction. Work can only by worship enabled by the Holy Spirit.
No audience, no approval, no relationship, or productive day can compare to the gift, the inheritance of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. HE is my reward. Every dish, diaper, errand, relationship, act of service, sacrificial commitment, every job undone or well done, can be offered as an act of worship. Depending on God to accomplish His glory in us and through us is a glorious opportunity that we get! Work is worship not because it is done well. It is worship when my heart is tuned to the presence of a holy and loving God who is glorified by my dependence on Him in all that my hands are called to do. As I worship, my work is transformed from tasks to glory.
Heartily:
1. In a cordial manner; with warmth and sincerity:
2. With zest or enthusiasm.
Colossians 3:23-25 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Do I work- Heartily? What is my heart like when I work? What am I thinking when I am working? Sometimes, I am thinking how good it feels to have modern appliances to load dishes and clothing, other times I am thinking complainer thoughts like: “is it really possible to dirty this much…URG!”
Thankful thoughts cultivate a heart towards “working heartily.”
When Mike and I are around the house and getting on each others nerves a bit, we have over the years played a very decisive game we made up, called, the ” Thankfulness Game.” We take turns saying things that we are thankful for. God enables us to see Him in our surroundings as blessings and changes our hearts to acknowledge him, which is WORSHIP.
I try to play the thankfulness game or prayers of gratitude when overwhelmed with duties, tasks, jobs at home. As God sees my struggle and my desire to depend on Him, He enables my heart to worship Him in it. As I observe God in my work, my praying heart starts to rest and is more peaceful.
Working hard doesn’t always produce a heart that works Heartily.
Imagine Martha in Luke 10, working hard, fast, and bitter. God is the one we work Heartily for, not for approval of others. You can have a hard core work ethic, busting in for someone or yourself and not recognize God at all. Sincere worship is the dependence on an enjoyment of Jesus in all aspects of our lives, even in work!
My prayer is that as God continues to show me my sin with work, that my heart be FULL of thankfulness for hands to work, eyes to see, and the grace from God that enables any fruit that comes from my hands…
Are you Heartily working? Are you prone to grumble and complain when you work? How could gratitude in the mundane tasks of life increase your worship to Jesus?
Work I understand. Rest- not really. The other side of work is REST and BOTH are amazing opportunities for worship. God has had me on a journey full of difficult twists and turns- learning how to depend on Him in my work, letting go of agendas, navigating through glory and repentance, and giving my roles to God as worship.
Genesis: 2:2
And on the 7th Day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the 7th day from all his work that he had done.
God rested.
We are finite creatures, unlike our Infinite God. He didn’t “need” rest, yet He rested. A whole day devoted to rest. He wasn’t weak or tired. He didn’t need to rest just to make it through to the next crazy busy week.
What if God rested out of pure love for his people- as an example to show us how to worship Him also by resting? He gave us a gift of His grace, by resting.
I don’t rest well. Work is my default and rest is more difficult for me to do. I work until I “need” to rest. Rest is more of a necessity rather than discipline most of the time. Rest feels like pleasure and is far too infrequent. Yet, God calls me to rest – not as an optional survival method.
How many of you when you rest, take the moments to enjoy God? Is your busyness stilled for a moment? Does your soul finds satisfaction in refreshment of God? And when you experience this soul rest, do you regret not resting more often? Exactly. That is why God established the Sabbath, to give us opportunity to worship Him, with disciplined rest.
I had a burst of excitement this morning, one of those moments where many truths hit you in to one momentous jolt of heart! As Mike talks with me about Worship and Change, and reading his latest paper on counseling that confronts religious dualism, I am jumping with joy that I get more of the gospel!
Change happens in some ways layers at a time over time. In our community, there is a lot of teaching and biblical plea to address heart and not just behavior. But, they are connected not separated parts of who we are.
For me to see what I worship- my idols, my straying heart, is to address the spiritual part of who I am. As I repent of sin, acknowledge who I am in Christ, I can rejoice of his grace! Out of that joy of right worship, my heart is shaped, and the other parts may be affected. The heart is connected to the body.
Proverbs 14: 30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
The heart is connected to the mind and strength.
Mark 12: 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
To worship Christ, I don’t just worship with my spirit, but as my heart is joined with Christ, through progressive sanctification, my whole self is made holy!
Holistic:(from ὅλοςholos, a Greek word meaning all, entire, total) is the idea that all the properties of a given system (biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic, etc.) cannot be determined or explained by its component parts alone. Instead, the system as a whole determines in an important way how the parts behave.
My whole self, holistically worships, thru repentance and progressive change.. I am already holy in Christ, free, forgiven, His blood covers every part of my pain and sin. Yet, I still work out my salvation with fear and trembling, not because I am unsure of His grace, but because I know Christ’s grace covers me. I am humbled by the battle over my flesh so that I never take his grace for granted. My wretchedness shows me what to rejoice over. I rejoice in Christ and the grace and love he offers.
“There are other parts to being human. In Eric Johnson’s book, “Foundations for Soul Care”, he proposes four “orders of meaning” They are all interrelated and touch on one another, but they are hierarchically ordered. That means that some of them are more significant than others. His orders of meaning in order of the greatest to least significance: spiritual, ethical, psychosocial, and biological. Just because, these are distinct orders doesn’t mean they are disconnected from each other. For example, if I repent of sin at the spiritual order, that will have cascading changes throughout the lower orders, possibly even to the point of rewiring neural networks in the brain at the biological level. Going the other way, if my brain suffers injury, that would undoubtedly impact the higher orders that are built upon it; I may become more emotionally volatile which becomes a temptation to sin in my anger.” -Mike Wilkerson
Holistic Worship is the seeing myself in Christ, whole and new. Until we are glorified with Christ, we have to contend with our fallen bodies, depraved hearts, and minds affected by sin. In Christ, we have freedom, joy, calling, adoption, and GRACE in the midst of suffering. Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sin and only by grace did he do this! And I am in awe and fully boast in Christ!
Galations 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whichthe world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
What brings tears of awe to your eyes? What brings you satisfaction? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.(Proverbs 9:10) It is the satisfied emotion that rests in the awe and presence of God. Knowing his wrath, his judgement, his power, his holiness, his grace, his sacrifice, his faithfulness, his tender mercies, his riches, his holiness, we bow in reverence, in fear.
I fear wind. The wind that is so powerful that the giant evergreen trees towering, surrounding, over our house swaying 50 miles per hour with branches falling terrifies me. Oh, some people have said, “wind storms are cool.” or “the loud sound of the wind is peaceful.” what??? Some winters, I have allowed the fear of the wind and the trees to be so controlling in my heart, that I don’t trust God to protect me, my family, or our home. Fear can be irrational. Fear can be all-consuming. Fear can seemingly take over our thoughts. Every winter a tree falls near our home. On days that it isn’t windy, my heart can experience more peace. I know that fearing God would mean even on the wind storm days, my heart would be in the same place as the “still” days. Fearing God is to trust him and his power over my fear of the wind. To experience calm and rest because God is keeping me safe. The last couple seasons, my wind fear has decreased as fear of the Lord has increased! I have bathed in psalms that talk about God being our fortress, refuge, safety, rock, stronghold, etc. As God has supplied my heart with His fatherly care, concern, lordship, and strength, I am starting to get it. There is no formula for replacing one fear for the right fear. Yet, in God’s grace, he has calmed my fears as I have placed more trust in God’s power, protection, specific love for me, his wrath, his kindness, and his mercy. I have to fight for this trust and fear. I have to tune my heart to the music of Psalm 27,31,61, 71 and believe the words!
In the same way that paying attention to the wind stirs my fear, which motivates me to hide from the wind, fear of the Lord motivates me to hide in him.
Psalm 46:1 God is my refuge and strength an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea
Deuteronomy 6:13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.
God wants us to Fear Him. He wants my heart to trust him, because he wants me to be satisfied in him, so He is glorified.
Proverbs 19:23The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
Deuteronomy 10: 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.
Fear of the Lord leads to life, and satisfaction.
“Fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience, and it is interchangeable with “worship,’”rely on,””trust,”and “hope in.” Like terror, it includes a knowledge of our sinfulness and God’s moral purity, and it includes a clear-eyed knowledge of God’s justice and anger against sin. But this worship-fear also knows God’s great forgiveness, mercy, and love. It knows that because of God’s eternal plan, Jesus humbled himself by dying on a cross to redeem his enemies from slavery and death. It knows that, in our relationship with God, he always says, ”I love you” first. This knowledge draws us closer to God rather than causing us to flee. It causes us to submit gladly to his lordship and delight in obedience. This kind of robust fear is the pinnacle of our response to God.” -Edward Welch When People Are Big and God is Small
Fear of the Lord is Worship.
“Fearing the Lord means that this worshipful awe is the single and unchallenged motivator of everything I think, desire, say, and do.” – Paul Tripp, The Quest for More
Fear of the Lord is REAL beauty.
Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Are you amazed at Jesus? Are you bored in your Christianity? Do you tremble when you see glimpses of God’s glorious grace and presence?
We need to fight for fear of the Lord. It is a temptation for me, for all of us, to not fight for the fear of the Lord. It is a fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12) It is a battle to take the blinders of the world off, to fight against indwelling sin, and to fight against evil (Ephesians 6:12).
Just yesterday, a surprise early fall wind storm hit us. With power outages all around and a giant tree that split in half, resting on trees near our vehicles, and wind so loud you could hear the branches spitting. I saw the wind picking up early afternoon. Jesus worked on me. I felt peace. Instead, of right away having anxiety, I went to Psalm 121 and read it out loud to my kids and prayed silently that I would trust God and have peace in my heart. I took a nap! Now, that my friends, is redemption. It snuck up on me. I was sharing with my husband how I didn’t worry, then I realized I am growing in the fear of the Lord. God’s grace is evident! Thank you, Jesus!
How can we practically cultivate and at a heart level have the Fear of the Lord? Borrowed from When People Are Big and God is Small:
1. Review the creation psalms: Psalms 8;19;29;65;104
2. Meditate on the enthronement psalms: e.g., Psalm 95-97;99
3. Memorize Psalm 139. It states that God’s providence is so extensive it goes into all the details of our lives.
4. Go through worship songs/hymn book and highlight songs that express God’s majesty and holiness.
5. Read the book of Habakkuk. It is similar to Job in that God directly addresses a man who had questions about what God was doing. All the questions were resolved when Habakkuk was schooled in the fear of the Lord.
6. Read The Holiness of God,by R.C. Sproul.
7. Review the New Testament passages on hell. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10;2 Peter 2:6, and Revelation 14:9-11.
8. Talk with others in community about your reflections and meditations.
AND- pray for the Lord to show you where you are hard hearted to fear him. Our God is slow to anger and abounding in love, holy and faithful to hear your desire for him.
Cultivating fear of the Lord is also surrounding yourself with other people who demonstrate this beauty.
Let us work out our salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING. Lord, thank you for your faithfullness to care for me. You are my rock, my safe place, my hiding place, my comfort, my refuge. I thank you for the work of redemption you have done in my heart. Jesus, your blood was shed so that I could experience new life in you, thank you that I receive that gift daily. You are a good dad, who knows me. Amen.
Proverbs 31: 26-27 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Speaks With Wisdom: Have you ever regretted speaking with a friend and you said something you wished you hadn’t? I hate that feeling, knowing I didn’t pray or acknowledge God in the conversation. The fool opens his mouth and speaks. The wise exercises prudence and is thoughtful with each word. I am not suggesting when I see you, you are basically silent then all of the sudden you pipe out KJV language to me, to sound oh so spiritual! YIKES! However, what I do believe is- that if I am prayerful as I listen to someone, whatever comes out of my mouth is thoughtful, prudent, and profitable. Speaking wisdom is James 3, if you want further study on the tongue that is controlled and submissive to God and for HIS purposes, not our own. Do we really speak wisdom? To whom do you feel like you are more ready to speak wisdom with? Why? Do you care what they think more than possibly your child listening to you? What about your spouse, if you are married? Do you speak wise words that build them up, pursue their heart, pointing them to Jesus, giving gentle correction and encouragement? Let’s speak words of wisdom, giving words that love.
Teaches Kindness: When we communicate with others, what is our posture? If we are to open our mouths with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on our tongue the heart’s posture is: humble, teachable, ready to speak truth, ready to give encouragement, content to be silent, warm, and wants to walk with a suffering person. The teaching of kindness is not a formula, where you need to have ready in your back pocket a list of kind things that a christian does. The teaching of kindness is knowing God, scripture, the heart is repentant and has experienced the beauty of redemption. AND is ready to be patient and loving with others as they walk through their own transformation. It doesn’t have to be a christian conversation. It is any expression of your joy in Christ, an act of service, a kind word, a warm hug, a meal, a thoughtful prayer, whatever the spirit of God gives. The teaching of kindness IS from God. Behavior that reflects Christ is modeling kindness.
Stays Productive: She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. She tends to the tasks of her home, not eating the bread of idleness. No sluggards here! Where do you find you are tempted to know what your household needs are and you rebel and choose idleness in the form of distraction? Productivity isn’t just doing stuff. Doing stuff can be just a distraction! NO, the kind of productivity here is focused, active, and persevering. Working until it is done. Productive because of Jesus. Not to just check the item off the list. (talking to myself, here) Productive as an expression of worship. Productive because of stewardship. Productive to love your family. Productive as repentance. (doing things you aren’t fond of). Productive as thankfulness and pleasure. (enjoying the blessings of healthy bodies to do work, appliances to help you, furniture to dust, and precious hungry mouths to feed, etc).
For me-I need more allegiance to the holy spirit when I speak, that I would speak with wisdom, that my mouth would utter kindness and enthusiastically exhort in kindness. I need Jesus to enable my mind, body, and heart to be productive. I do work hard, but the work isn’t ever done. My aim isn’t to have a perfectly clean house anymore, it is to truly worship with work. For me, this means that I am growing in consciousness of Jesus while I do the mundane tasks of caring for my family and home. Asking him for help, depending on Christ in everything, especially in “looking to the ways of my household.”
Proverbs 31: 17-25 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hand to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She in not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
Godly Strength: In a world that tells me that power, wealth, health, independence, positive self-esteem, and successful goals is strength, the Bible has many different explanations for what strength is. Godly strength is humble dependence on Christ, faithful security on God’s provision, presence, and grace for you. IN the knowledge of God, His holiness produces a freedom to be strong, because He is strong and He is the one in control. Godly strength is surrendering control and trusting His control. When I think about how magnificent God’s glory is and how perfectly detailed his provision and love is for me, I feel loved and strong!
Godly Clothing: She puts on strength and dignity. I don’t recall ever thinking, “What am I wearing today, OH!, I know, strength and dignity!” My story has an deep thread of vanity and my wordly influence body image. I have struggled for years to see beauty the way God sees it. Biblical beauty is not outward.
1 Peter 3: 3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
Beauty that you put on like FEAR OF THE LORD, strength, dignity, gentle and quiet spirit. In God’s sight, that is true beauty. My cravings for outward beauty are diminishing, and being replaced with a worshipful view of beauty. Out of that inward beauty, the heart submitted to Jesus, will radiate far more loveliness than the worldly outward image of beauty. So, I like to think of this section as a reminder of what I wear.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Godly Confidence: Confidence is not self-focused, self-knowledge, or self-confidence. Godly confidence feels like the pressure is off you. You and I are continually receiving the Grace of God and stewarding and loving others around us all the time, not because we know how, have learned, or have the positivity to impart! Godly confidence is an ultimate trust in the sovereignty of Christ. When I feel this kind of confidence, it is a tender hearted trust that I don’t have to bear the ultimate weight. I will do my job, but I trust God to order my life.
Godly Provision and Planning: It is good to plan, prepare, provide. I love to geek out with lists, outlook, and ooh and awe over productivity tools, yet I could accomplish planning and not acknowledge the giver of good gifts, which is idolatry. I have written about this before, where it is easy to get sucked into behavior modification and set yourself up with a bunch of tools and projects for becoming a more efficient worker. Horray for you if that came from a desire to honor and worship Jesus with simple to complex tasks. YET, if your motives are clouded by desires to be planned, routined, or organized as an end, you have missed the point! We have an incredible opportunity to worship God in the planning, projects, and busy work. A Godly Strong woman plans her life according to God’s plans for her. She sets about her tasks with eager hands, a willing heart, and humble dependence on God to enable productivity in her. She asks for help before, during, and afterwards thanks Him for the perseverance and competence God gave. She provides and organizes to God’s glory.
Godly Service: She reaches out to the needy, to the poor. She seems to be aware of her community and the needs around her. She isn’t focused just on her household. She thinks, plans, and works for her household. And, beyond that she is loving those in her community. Why? She serves because she sees seeing others rightly. Fear of man can motivate me to serve others, to impress them with great food, compassion, or just consistent love. Fear of the Lord motivates me to be prayerful and ready when there is a need. Fear of the Lord keeps me quiet about it. With that as a heart motivator, I wouldn’t tell others if I served a widow in my neighborhood, or if I ran a last minute meal to a sick friend. Because, my aim isn’t for their approval, but it would be a worshipful heart, seeing myself actually serving the Lord Jesus!
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working of the Lord, not men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
In reading thru, my estimation of some elements of a biblical strong woman, what jumps out at you? What area, are you rebellious with? Do you sense the Holy Spirit conviction and you are covering your ears to him, as I have with beauty for so long? My prayer is 2 Corinthians 12 for myself, a section of scripture that I have tried to ignore for so long. I think this section of God’s word is so powerful to speak to what really strength is. Verses 9-10. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Proverbs 31:13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. 15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys itl with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
The NIV says eager and the ESV translation of the Bible says willing. Two awesome words to say a woman that is ready to work!
When I walk in to a room that had previously been clean, organized, and presentable, instead I find couch cushions out on the floor, toy bins dumped, thrown, books pulled off shelves, and the floor is covered with various debris of a 30 minute chunk of time, I thought would be bliss? I think to myself, “YOU are kidding me!!! This will take forever to put back together.” My redeemed heart COULD say, “Looks like these kids had fun while I was upstairs making lunch, maybe we can make a fun game of cleaning this up together.” My heart would be stilled. My heart COULD be eager to clean up after my children instead of aggrevation, masked with a happy face, trying not to dishonor my kids and make them feel like a burden.
6am, the alarm goes off. I have an hour before my kids wake up and greet my husband and I for the day. Some mornings, I am eager to get to work, to work out, get some time alone in the Bible and pray that my heart would be patient and that I would be self-controlled that day. Most mornings, my heart groans, “could it possibily be 6, already?” Am I eager, willing, and ready to get up and serve my Lord?
The sluggard stays in bed long past time to rise for work. Proverbs is full of verses rebuking the lazy sluggard, who is the opposite of our eager and willing worker. Here are a few looks at how God describes this reluctant worker.
Proverbs 6:9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
Proverbs 20: 4 A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.
Proverbs 26:14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
Where is Jesus in the midst of the messy play room or alarm clock going off? In my flesh, I don’t see him, I don’t acknowledge the Holy Spirit tapping on my wandering heart. The truth is, those moments are precious opportunities for me to obey. To obey and worship Jesus, to be still, to know that a messy room doesn’t mean I am messy. My messes are not who I am. Even in the midst of chaos and endless task lists, my heart can be calm. My desire is that my heart would be continually Controlled by the Spirit.
Eager. Eager and Willing are the opposite of Lazy and Disobedient. Are you the Eager Servant or Reluctant Sluggard? What motivates you to do either? AGAIN, we are to see that the Fear of the Lord could be our motivation. Fear of man, can superficially motivate me sometimes to get things in order, yet my heart isn’t intrenched in the satisfaction of serving my family, which is serving the Lord.
When I am tempted to not work with eager and willing hands, is my heart sensitive to the Lord? When I say, “ugg, more work, could it really be this much, Lord?,” am I quick to rely on God for strength? Do I pray a dependent on Jesus prayer, “Lord, please make me quick to serve and eager to put others first!”
Do you ever find your self tempted by laziness, a sluggard mentality? Do you struggle to get organized? Do you change your behavior for a while and eventually find that you are right back where you started? I am praying that you, that I, can continue to gaze on Christ and that He would show us where repentance needs to happen. Perhaps, it is selfishness, love of pleasure, lack of self-control, lack of time-management, i.e., stewardship, etc.
Sluggards can repent. And the proud productive worker can repent. The willing servant can repent of feeling like you have arrived. There is no proverbs 31 woman. There is only Jesus. He is the goal, the precious treasure! He is the reason why I can get out of my bed at 6am.
Working with willing and eager hands isn’t the end, it is a means to worship. And it is worship when you surrender your desires and your desires change and become a willing heart enjoying Jesus, and EVERY part of His lavish grace on you.
So, my friend, are you worshipping? Where is your struggle? What side of the fence are you on? Or are you straddling?
You’d hardly expect to find old St. Nick in jail. But St. Nicholas is more than a children’s Christmas legend. He was flesh and blood, a prisoner for Christ, bishop of the Mediterranean city of Myra.
I love this book. This book is now and most likely will forever be in my top ten Christian reading list. Ellen Vaughn convinced me with true Biblical form why gratitude matters. She took me to places I have never learned about; stories of suffering that I never wanted to read about but was glad that I did.
Feeling distraught and invisible recently, I dramatically threw myself down on the couch at the end of the day and said to my husband, “You didn’t even see all the work I did today.” My husband said to me, “Well, sweetheart, God sees you.”
