God's Control

When times get difficult, or troubling, people remind themselves that God is in control. What they mean by that is: God knows what is going on; he doesn't like it anymore than we do; and he is going to correct it to how he designed it to be.

All true. But it seems to me, that he does not always exercise his control like we expect him to. At least, he is not exercising his control now like we expect him to. If you read Revelations about how this world will end, and how he will bring a new world into existence, it seems that, at that time, he will act overtly, and openly, to correct what is broken in the world. But, now, he seems to act in a more hidden, and subtle, way.

In the East, a group of men, who study the stars, see an especially prominent, especially bright, star in the night sky. They study, and discuss it. They decide that it is a sign that a very important king has been born.

If you know that something gigantic, something historic, something that will totally revolutionize the world, was about to happen, would you go to witness it? Evidently, these wise men thought something really big was happening, and they should go and see it.

They planned, prepared, and set out on a long trip. Some estimate it was a two year trip, because of what happens later. But, the star stays in the sky, guiding them the whole way.

They see that the star guides them to Israel, and near the capital, Jerusalem. So, they assume that's where the new king is. They gain audience with Herod, and tell him about the star, and the new king.

Now, Herod is very jealous. He has executed his wives, and his children, because he thought they were plotting to overthrow him. So, he was worried about this new king.

He got as much information from the wise men as he could. And got them to agree to come and tell him about the new king, when they found him.

Now, Jesus, Joseph and Mary are in danger. If Herod kills his own children to "protect" himself, he would have no problem killing someone else's child.

But God is in control. He could put on a size 500 boot, and stomp Herod. He could send an army of angels. He could teleport Jesus, and family, to Egypt. Instead, he warns both Joseph, and the wise men, about Herod, and urges both to escape. And, through the wise men, he provides gifts to Joseph, so he can support his family, while they escape.

Why does God work this way? Maybe, because Jesus, and we have a certain mission, and a particular role, which requires we have particular mind-set, attitude, and life-style? And this mind-set, attitude, and lifestyle fulfills that mission and role, better than a size 500 boot?

God Sometimes Sends Surprises

In Scripture, Isaiah prophecies that God will send his Promised One into the world. And the birth of this Promised One will be a miracle.

Biblical prophecy draws a map concerning the Messiah. We have a map, so when he comes, people will be able to recognize him. One of the more unusual prophecies, the Messiah's mother will be a virgin. In other words, in a world where babies are born all the time, and, in order for a baby to be conceived, there must be a mother and a father … in the case of the Messiah, there will only be a mother.

Or, if you take a step back, the father will be God.

Muslims have a hard time with this. They say that God would never have had physical relations with Mary. I highly doubt that there has been any Christian ever, who believed that was the way it worked. God, who made elephants, whales, and robins, as well as men and woman, is perfectly capable of creating one seed, and one egg, putting them together, and then teleporting the resulting zygote into Mary's body.

What amazes me more than the biological miracle is the sociological, and psychological interactions of the people involved.

First Mary.

Here is a normal teenager, hanging out in her room — maybe listening to her favorite tunes on Spotify, while looking at pictures her friends posted on Instagram — when an angel appears in the room. Imagine the range of emotions racing through Mary: amazement, curiosity, fear, confusion. Or maybe none of those. Maybe peace, calm, and wonder.

The angel tells Mary that God has a job for her. She will be the mother of the Promised One. And the angel gives a summary of what this baby will accomplish. Mary points out that with every other baby in the world, a father is involved. The angel says God has that covered. And Mary believes the angel. There is no confusion, denial, grief, or anger. There is acceptance.

This is an unusual woman. God has just turned her world upside down, and inside out, and she does not flinch, she does not blink.

Then Joseph.

Mary is pregnant with Jesus by the Holy Spirit. And she is beginning to show signs of being pregnant. And, like Mary, like everyone else in the world, Joseph knows that baby making involves one man, and one woman. In that culture, a betrothed couple were considered to be married, just not living together yet. So, logically, Mary had been unfaithful.

That culture took being unfaithful very seriously. Women found to be unfaithful were often stoned. That is, everyone in the village threw rocks at the woman, until she was dead.

So, Joseph, facing what looks like his wife being unfaithful, and all the emotions that involves (sorrow, embarrassment, inadequacy, anger, confusion) and knowing what the rules and penalties of his culture were, has an amazing response. He should be calling for Mary's stoning. Instead, he is seeking a way to end the marriage, but in a way where Mary avoids the anger of the community. He gets sucker-punched by his wife, but seeks a way to give mercy.

Of course, the angel comes back, and appears to Joseph. "Hey, Joseph! You know that crazy story Mary told about the Holy Spirit, and the baby being the Messiah? We, guess what, it's true!"

And Joseph believes. God has just turned his world upside down, and inside out, and he does not flinch, he does not blink. He marries Mary.

We have two people, who, in terms the world understands, were not much. But, in terms God understands, they were two amazing, rare, and unusual people.

The Bottom Line

A scribe asked Jesus how to get eternal life. Jesus turned the question around, and asked the scribe what he thought. The scribe responded: "Love God with all you've got. Love people like you love yourself." And Jesus told him that he was correct.

When gets to the bottom line of Christianity, it is all about love.

Paul writes that a person could be the most accurate prophet in history, speak/pray/sing in tongues, have the Bible memorized, and believe that Mt. Rushmore would be transported to Disney World — and it was, but if all that is not motivated by love, it would be worthless.

And if these things need to be motivated by love, what does that say about any practice that people who follow Jesus do? All spiritual practices should be motivated by love: prayer, reading the Bible, evangelism, going  to church, and giving to support any work.

Spiritual practices should only be an expression of love, but they should also be an arena for growing in love.

We should connect with our Father, who is love, who washes us in love, who will tweak our spiritual DNA, so we will think, speak, and act more with love.

We should read the Bible, so our Father's mind-set, attitudes and values become our mind-set, attitudes and values.

We should be involved in Christian community, because God did not design us to be alone. God did not design us to be transformed by interaction with him alone. We are also transformed by travelling with others on the same, but also different, journey.

He gave us the metaphor of his people being a body to illustrate how people are different, but how each one contributes to the health, well-being, and growth of the whole body. Together, we all benefit form the other parts. God joins people together to further increase love — among his people, and from his people to the world.

God's Attitude About Lost Things

One day, Jesus was challenged by the Jewish leaders concerning how he spent time with unrighteous people. He had this habit of being kind to, and loving lunch with the prostitutes and tax collectors.

In Jesus' day, and culture, sharing a meal with someone was more than being polite. It was an affirmation of relationship, worth, and connection. It was a stamp of approval of the person. So, the leaders were telling Jesus: "These people lead corrupt, ugly, sinful lives. God says what they do is evil, and you are approving of what they do, and who they are."

Jesus, by no means, approved of sin. But he was born into the world to call people back to the Father. He intended to re-connect people with the Father, in a strong relationship, and growing fellowship. Sin was the reason there was no relationship, or fellowship.

So, Jesus told three stories to reveal the Father's heart toward people. All people. His heart is for relationship and fellowship with everyone.

There are times that my children have not made decisions I approve, that I think agree with who God made them to be. Does scorn, shaming, refusing to associate with them, motivate them to change? Why does Scripture declare that it is God's kindness that motivates repentance?

There is Scripture about breaking fellowship with ones in the church, who do not repent. But it is an extensive procedure, with a focus on restoration, moving back into agreement with God's best, and minimizing a bad influence on the rest of God's children.

The first story is about a shepherd with 100 sheep. One of the sheep gets lost. The focus of the shepherd changes, and fastens on the lost sheep. He leaves the 99 sheep, hikes out into the surrounding country, to find the lost sheep. And when he finds it, he carries it back to the flock.

There are a number of things the story does not say. Does the sheep want to come back? Does the shepherd have to chase it? Is it a 20 pound lamb? Or a 100 pound ewe?

What matters is that the shepherd knows that the health and well-being of the sheep is optimal, when it is with the flock. And the Father know that people are at their optimum, when they have fellowship with him. It is best for people, if God pursues them in their lostness.

The second story is about a woman, who lost a silver coin. Since, it is valuable, that is enough to make someone want to find it. But I have heard theories that the coin was part of her dowry, or part of a matched set, and set into a necklace — even a necklace worn around the head. (A lost coin from such a necklace would be very obvious.)

At any rate, the woman lights a lamp, and sweeps the entire house. She covers every inch of the house. She is intense. She is thorough. And she finds the coin.

And the response for finding these two lost things? Relief, joy, exultation. A party is about to break out.

The third story is about a father, and his two sons. The younger son wanted his inheritance … NOW!! And when his father gave it to him, he went away, and squandered it partying.

Soon, he ran out of money, and out of friends, and out of food. He got a job, but even that could not meet his needs.

And then he thought about home, and thought "Even my father's servants are better off that I am." So, he made up his mind to go home, and get a job with his father. So, he wrote a speech, and practiced it all the way home.

And while he was coming home, the father sees him, and recognizes him from a long way away, His father was elated to see him, ran to him, and threw his arms around him.

The son gave his speech, but the father barely listened. Instead, he order the servants to bring the finest robe (whose robe would that be?), a ring, and sandals.

I have heard some say that the robe was meant he was received into the family, and the ring was an awarding of authority.

And then, the father arranged for a party.

When the brother returned home from working, he heard the party going on. And when he learned his brother had returned, and the party was for him, he got angry.

When the father came out to him, he complained to him: "I have worked hard. I have never complained. I have done all you ask. And I got no party!. But when your son (Note: not my brother) returns after wasting your money, you throw him a party."

God calls us to live in relationship with him. God calls us to live in moment by moment fellowship, And people turn away from God, and the world is broken.

Though God is gracious, and generous, some come to God only for what they can get. Their whole attitude is: "Gimme! Gimme!"

Though God is deeply concerned with our lives, and how we live them, what we do does not, and cannot, affect our relationship with him. It can affect our fellowship. We can cut ourselves off from fellowship with the Father, but we cannot do anything to give us closer fellowship.

These were the basic positions of the two brothers. One said: if I have stuff, pleasure, I will be blessed. The other said: If I do the right stuff, I will be blessed. In reality, they were blessed, because they had a relationship with their father.

The world is broken. It will be fixed somewhat by people living right. It will be fixed somewhat by people receiving adequate provision. But, the primary factor in fixing the world is people coming into a relationship with the Father, and living in fellowship with him.

That's why Jesus spent time with people who did not have a relationship with God. So, he could reveal the Father to them. So, he could reveal the Father's acceptance of them.

That's why we need to spend time with such people.

That's why the father replied to the older son: "You have always been with me. All that I have is yours. But your brother has chosen life. He has returned to where he belongs, where he was created and designed to be. And we need to celebrate that."