Entrances

The title of the ancient hymn, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, in a way does not seem realistic, especially around this time of year.  How are we to keep silent in this the busiest time of year?  We have presents to buy; decorations to hang; parties to go to; endless preparations for Christmas.  And what about “Joy to the World”, or “O Come All Ye Faithful”?  These aren’t exactly silent expressions.

Yet that is exactly what that opening line of this hymn from the liturgy of St. James of the 4th century demands…silence.  Of course “Joy to the World” and all those other beloved hymns and carols have a place and express the joy that we feel when celebrating once again the birth of Christ.  The other stuff of Christmas also has its place even though they seem more like trappings at times.  What does all this mean?  Where is it going?  

It may be related to imagination.  One part of this hymn in particular takes my imagination to another place; another time; another realm.

First off, the hymn can be used as a communion hymn any time of the year.  The last line in the second stanza says, “He will give to all the faithful, his own self for heavenly food,” and points to a Eucharistic celebration.  There are elements of both Advent and Eucharist contained in the lines.  However it is most commonly used during the Advent season and speaks to the miraculous Incarnation.   The thought that comes to mind is contained at the beginning of stanza three.  It reads:

“Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, 

As the Light of Light descendeth from the realms of endless day;

That the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.”

I checked on the word ‘vanguard’ the other day and it implies an entourage that accompanies a king on his way to or from a battle or other major event.  I can envision Heaven as the great plan of salvation begins to unfold.  The unnumbered hosts of Heaven have known about it for eons, and the time has finally come.  The ‘commanders’ (if there are such things among the angels and other ‘hosts’ of Heaven) gives the order and everyone forms two lines, each facing the other, beginning at the main gate; banners of some kind raised; trumpets blare some sort of fanfare.  Christ, the Light of Lights descends, getting smaller the closer he gets, and in doing so brings light to a dark world.  He intends to vanquish the darkness once and for all.  It is a kind of journey ‘downward’ to earth as he takes his place among us in the form of an infant.  

I can’t imagine the transition.  Leaving eternity, this boundless God, who is his own eternity, becomes one of the most helpless of all creation – a human newborn; what an amazing thought.  

At the same time the demons of Hell are getting more and more nervous.  They are terrified of this Light that is descending.  They can’t bear to look at him.  But, when they realize what is going on – that he is coming as an infant – they begin to sneer with glee thinking, ‘this shouldn’t be too hard, to defeat a baby.  We’ll just alert old Herod and he can carry out our plan’.  All along they do not realize what is really going on.  Their power begins to weaken at the very presence of this one who is the light of all eternity.  Becoming an infant will not change that.

Trips of imagination are part of the Christmas season, I guess, and this scene has always taken me to other places; fired my imagination.  

Our response?  Silence.  Just stop for a while and ponder what’s behind it all.  Stop the ‘hubbub’; stop the frenzy.  Recall what it’s really about; how God in Christ came to us from his eternal realm, where he was the Light, to become one of us; an infant; one who depended on his mother for everything, and did what all infants do.

Recall how this infant grew up to become a kid, a teenager, then a grown man who ministered to the lowest of the low; who forgave; and ultimately provided the final sacrifice for our sins. Remember how he can dwell in us now and fill us with love so great he welcomes everyone into his kingdom.  

Most of all let’s occasionally just…be…silent…and let this miracle soak in.  Imagine him descending from the halls of Heaven, entering his mother’s womb and finally being born in a barn.  Find time to just be silent and listen…somewhere…sometime…it will give you a new perspective on the season.

He is born; the Messiah has come.

Thanks be to God.

 

Lord of the Holidays

Christmas trees; lights; candles; the music; snow; decorations; shopping; family gatherings; presents; all of these are earmarks of the Christmas holidays.  They are important in that they help define the season.  The problem is, they can become the only earmark to which we give any thought.  They can become that which actually defines the season.  We get so caught up in buying presents, shopping and these other things that the true reason for Christmas is put on the back burner, yes even for Christians.  Perhaps we don’t do this intentionally, but it does happen.

Ironically, the very word Christmas means Christ’s birth.  Even when we use the term “Xmas” to describe Christmas, we are not leaving Christ out of Christmas at all.  The Greek letter X is the first letter in the name Christ.  The candles represent the star of Bethlehem that the wise men saw and followed and the idea of Christ as the Light of the world.  The exchange of gifts at Christmas is also representative of the gifts the wise men brought to the Christ Child.  So, it seems that no matter how hard we try, we cannot remove Christ from Christmas.  He is the reason Christmas exists in the first place.  

Someone has said that Christ must be Lord of all, or he will not be Lord at all.  Attempting to leave Christ out of Christmas is like having a birthday celebration with the person having the birthday not present.  He must be Lord of the holidays; our holidays.

When we sing the beloved carols of Christmas like “Joy to the World” or “Silent Night,” let your minds wander back to a lowly barn where there is the smell of animals.  A young girl is in the pangs of labor.  She gives birth to a baby boy and has to lay him in a feeding trough.  Picture her concerned husband.  Not the prettiest sight ever imagined, but this is where Jesus was when the shepherds first saw him.  This is how God made his entrance into our world.  Allow this picture to embed itself in your mind, to bring you back to a more simple way of celebrating.  

There is nothing wrong with trees, lights, candles, music, snow, decorations, presents, or family gatherings, as long as the Baby of Bethlehem is Lord of all of these.

“O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord”  

Thanks be to God.

 Some thoughts on Faith

Ok, I understand that there have been volumes written about faith, but I thought I’d share some scriptures and some personal observations. 

Faith can be defined as a system of beliefs.  Someone might ask, “What faith are you?”  You might answer, “I am Christian,” or, “I am Jewish,” or you might say you are an atheist, which is itself a type of faith. 

More importantly, however, faith, for the believer, is living with total trust in God.  

Below are some scriptures and personal observations about faith in the life of a believer.  This is in no way extensive, and I have tried to give references to sources where possible.  Some are my own thoughts.  Scriptures are quoted from a variety of translations.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.  Assurance and conviction…the basics of faith.

Faith sees best in the dark.  (Kirkegaard).  When we have no idea what is next, God does.

Faith is taking hold of God’s hand and walking into the darkness. (source uncertain) Trusting in the darkest of moments.

The faith of God’s elect is the faith that can see in the dark, the faith that is calm in the tumult, the nightingale faith which can sing among thorns, the faith which shines like a lone star when everything around her is black as midnight.  (Charles H. Spurgeon). Faith provides the assurance of God’s presence when it seems impossible.

Faith is not understanding perfectly, but trusting completely, being finished with sin. (David Winter, The Confessions of Saint Augustine, in Christian Classics in Modern English.) Perfection is not being asked for, but constant trust is.  Faith that God will give us victory over temptation and sin.

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.”  Hebrews 11:6. Faith is a requirement if we desire to please God.

“It is by grace you are saved, through faith.”  Ephesians 2:8 Grace is extended when we do not deserve it, and faith is that trust that brings us into relationship with God.

Faith is not always easy, but it is always necessary, maybe even required.

Faith is the bird that sings [even when the song is unknown], and sees light while it is still dark. (Rabindranath Tagore) Once again, substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is deliberately focusing on God, while deliberately not worrying about what is coming. The key word is “deliberately.”

Faith seems to be the name of the game. Without it, there is nothing.

Forsaking All I Trust Him. Note the first letters in each word

Job said it best in 13:15, with this “gut punch” statement, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” Perhaps the most difficult aspect of faith, trusting God no matter what.

My late father in law was a man of great courage. He saw a plot of land off of I75 in Northern Kentucky.  He envisioned a beautiful church there, put his strong faith in God, and now Central Church of the Nazarene sits there as a monument to the greatness of our God and Brother Little’s rock-like faith.

My own dad had a “motto” of sorts. He would say, “God’s going to work this out, I KNOW he will.”  Dad did not always get the answers he asked for.  In fact he had some pretty rough trials during his lifetime.   But God was indeed always faithful.  He simply asks us to have that kind of faith...trust anyway.

My sister, Marian, lived a life of faith most of her time on earth, trusting Jesus daily for grace.

My brother, Tom, embraced faith in Christ just a couple of weeks before his journey to heaven in 2018.

My other siblings, Anita and Buddy, have fulfilled God’s call on their lives and have been living lives of faith since childhood.

In these uncertain times, let us put forth a major effort to deliberately trust God’s providence in all things, and live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us.

Lord, increase our faith.

Thanks be to God.

  

“After a Long Time,” Thoughts on the Return of Christ

It’s happened again. Another verse has stood out after having read it many times. I read a short line in Matthew 25:19, the passage about the parable of the talents. In light of the desperate condition of our world, and that inner longing for the return of Christ, it hits me that we simply don’t know when he will return. We can’t know.

We have all had to wait on things. As a kid, I used to look at people older than I, some even not that much older, and wonder what it would be like to be that age.

I also recall wondering what it would be like to be in high school, then college, then wondering what work I would do. I wondered what it would be like to be married, be a parent.

Waiting is part of the human experience. We Americans are not very good at it.

I used to read a lot of Bible prophecy, all in an attempt to figure out what was what, when would this happen, who is the anti-Christ, when will the temple be built in Jerusalem, how do you interpret signs, all kinds of stuff. I used to get frustrated when I read something that was not in line with how I hoped things would be.

Then, I heard a humorous statement by someone I held in very high regard. When asked if he was a pre millennialist or a post millennialist, he responded, “I’m actually a pan millennialist; I believe everything will ‘pan out’ in the end.” This definitely caught my attention. How could someone like him feel that way?

Then the Bible began to redirect my thinking. I got the impression after searching and not finding any answers I liked, that I should be ready for whatever is next. I honestly did not know what that would be, but I had to be ready. I finally understood.

The passage that really stopped me cold, and settled the issue was in Matthew 24:36. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Wait…what? You mean even Jesus did not know when that day would be when he was here on earth…? That’s how my layman’s mind interprets that. Of course, now that he is glorified, sitting on the right hand of the Father, interceding for us, I assume he knows now. But, if even he did not know when that day would come, how can WE know? Where do some get that arrogance, claiming to know something even Jesus did not know when he was here? Later, he issues a bit of a warning in Matthew 24:42, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” The original says, “Keep watch…”. In other words be ready for whatever is coming.

Admittedly, it has been a LONG time since Jesus uttered those words. Many in the New Testament years, and beyond, fully expected his return during their time. As the centuries passed, that expectation continued. At one point in the19th century a group gave up all their possessions and waited on a mountaintop for him to come on a specific day. It did not happen. In the 20th century a lot of things happened that seemed apocalyptic, much like our own desperate times now.

In times of distress, we might pray a prayer like, “How much longer, Lord?”, or, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” That’s fine. He understands our frustrations, and want us to pour out our hearts to him, but his timing is his own. It is something we simply cannot know.

Our best option is to remain faithful, keep at his work, and hope he finds us busy when he does return.

I was happy to see that the Church of the Nazarene — of which I am a former member — elected its second female General Superintendent a few years ago, Dr. Carla Sunberg. Something by her was posted on Facebook the other day, a statement that speaks volumes in our desperate day: “The world is changing. We can either get frustrated and try to control it or we can say, ‘Maybe God is at work,’ and get involved.”

I am choosing to not fret, but to abide. I am choosing to continue his work to which I have been called. I am choosing to not strive. I will try to be faithful until his day actually comes.

Remember, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows…”. We are just to abide in him and stay busy.

Thanks be to God.

In Pity

Ok, this is one of those passages that I have read a thousand times, and on the “thousandth and first” time, a small detail finally caught my attention. That small detail proved to be the center of the whole story.

The thought is, when we suffer, or are going through hard, stressful times, Christ actually pities us like he does in the story. This is not the kind of pity where we hear, “O, I feel so sorry for you,” but the kind where the person actually experiences the fear, pain, and frustration of what we are going through. We would probably call it empathy.

I saw this in a passage I read in Matthew 20, verses 29-34. Jesus is leaving Jericho with a crowd following him. He sees two blind men by the road, and when they hear that Jesus is passing by, they immediately begin calling to him, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.” Interesting, they apparently knew who he was. The crowd begins to try to get them to back off, but they are persistent and cried the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

Jesus then did something strange. He asked them what they wanted him to do. At first it would seem obvious, but he wanted them to reveal their heart. We don’t let our requests be known because God does not know what they are. He wants to commune with us.

Then verse 34 stood out like a neon light. “And Jesus IN PITY touched their eyes and immediately they recovered their sight and...[another important point]...followed him.” They knew who he was, but the only thing stopping them was their blindness. When they got their sight back, they followed him. I have a feeling Jesus saw all of this before it even happened. However, he wanted them to reveal their hearts to him. He wants the same from us.

Are we admonished in scripture to lean into his heart that feels pity for us? Peter reminds us in his first book, chapter 5, verse 7, to “Cast all your cares on him for he cares for you.” Why would Peter tell us to do that if it would not amount to anything? He cares for us, and feels pity during our times of distress.

John 15:4 is an invitation to abide in him as he abides in us. This is another way he shows his concern and pity for us. I have wondered what “abide” refers to. One definition is “to live or dwell.” Carol and I have been in our home for nearly 30 years now. When we come home, kick off our shoes, get comfortable, we immediately feel like we belong there. We are safe, protected. We abide; we don’t just keep our belongings there, but our lives are anchored there. So it is with us abiding in Christ. He is with us, in us, and living with us. We are anchored in him. He has given us the promise of his constant presence.

Faith and trust are fundamental not only to pleasing God, but to abiding in him as well. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. Someone said that faith is taking God’s hand and walking into the unknown or darkness. The scriptures call faith substance and evidence. (Hebrews 11:1)

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in him and not to lean on ourselves. He will direct us. He will do it in his own time, but it will happen.

The two blind guys had faith in him. They knew who he was, and received their sight. Jesus had pity on them and granted their requests. He relates to us no differently. He feels our pain. He understands our sorrow. He can sustain us through difficult times, because he cares for us and feels pity, the kind in which he really does know and feel our pain and deepest needs. He wants to bear them with us.

He has called us to spread his love and grace to those around us. Our job is to experience the heart of Jesus and share his love, his caring love.

Thanks be to God.

Finding Hope in Troubled Times

Is anyone feeling fearful or uneasy about now? How about just concerned? I hope you’re not panicking, but it is perfectly normal to feel uneasy about what is going on in the world right now with this deadly virus spreading, becoming a pandemic that has disrupted our lives. One person said we are feeling grief; grieving over the loss of a normal life. Unless you are doing something different, thinking about something else, or making yourself do something else, you will be thinking about it constantly.

I am not one to gripe about the media very often, but I must tell you we need to turn the news off occasionally. It is enough to make you literally sick if you’re not careful. We can’t ignore what’s going on, but we have to look in different directions for a healthy balance.

It seems that the coronavirus caught us unprepared. Therein lies the source of our fears. We see new numbers every day that are distressing. We are behind where we should be. We weren’t ready for it, and are uncertain about our future.

There is help in addressing that uncertainty, however. True, under no conditions do we know what tomorrow holds, but as the old gospel song says, “…I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.”

So, how do we balance our need for information, acknowledging concerns that are part of this crisis that we are in? Also, how do we maintain our sanity. I have been searching the Scriptures for some answers. Here are a few:

Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd watches over his own
Psalm 37, see especially the verses speaking to God’s protection
Psalm 46, especially verses 1 and 10.
Psalm 91, God keeps those who acknowledge him and his protecting power.
Psalm 94:19, Christ’s consolation dispelling fear
Isaiah 35:4, God will be there for us
Isaiah 41:10, God’s help and encouragement to not fear
Matthew 28: 18b-20, his promise to never leave us.
2 Timothy 1:7, a spirit of love and a sound mind has been given to us
1 Peter 5:6-7, cast all our cares and anxieties on him for he cares for us

I encourage you to look at these and find some of your own. There are many more to be discovered. Read them slowly and let the Father speak to you through his words. We serve a great God, who has promised to never abandon us. Believing these words is a conscious choice we make, and we receive the assurance that his word is true. He is with us on this uncertain journey, but he knows where it is going. Just, “Be still,” and go with him, and trust that when he says, “…I will help you,” he means what he is saying.

Thanks be to God.

The Train
Dave Liles, January 24, 2020

The tracks were in an open field. They proceeded westward, then bore right just a little toward an unknown destiny. A distant light signaled the end of day. The tracks were surrounded by trees, grass, gravel, a field, and a small wooden station for people waiting to catch the train that inevitably comes for everyone.

Marian was there during the last few hours of her life eagerly waiting for her train to come. At last the train did come and the great Engineer stopped, not only for her get on, but to welcome her aboard. He dispatched an angel conductor, who took her by the hand and led her to a car that was celestially beautiful, more perfect and beautiful than anything Marian had ever seen in her life.

The car shone with a bright golden light that came from no apparent source. While she knew she had gotten on a train car, this seemed infinitely larger than anything she had ever seen. Everything seemed to change in an instant. She soon had the feeling she was no longer on the train. There were people everywhere, walking about, some singing, some just talking, some reclining, resting by the most beautiful river she had ever seen. There were all kinds of magnificent trees on either side of the river. There were larger figures there also, watching, as if standing guard. They resembled the conductor who helped her on to the train.

Then, she saw some familiar faces. She could not believe her eyes. She saw her mom, then dad, then her brother, whose name was Tom, then ancestors she had either known or heard of. Tears of joy began to flow. The reunion was grander than she had ever imagined.

They all gathered around her. Then dad said, "First you need to come with us." They all started down the middle of what was apparently a massive, golden street. Dad was on one side of Marian, mom on the other.

Then she saw it. It was an enormous throne, towering above anything else in the city. She looked up and saw One sitting on the throne. It seemed that the light of the city came from this One, and the throne he sat on. He looked at her with a piercing, loving, cleansing gaze. He smiled then stretched out a hand that looked to be scarred.

Marian immediately dropped to her knees, then fell on her face in the presence of this One, as did everyone with her. It seemed to be the only response possible. There was a massive crowd gathered around the throne, all on their knees, many face down, but He seemed to focus only on Marian. He reached down and picked her up and said, "Welcome to my home."

In the distance she heard the train pull away.

I wonder what it was like five minutes after Marian breathed her last.

“Hollywood Worthy, but Kingdom Destined”

My daughter, Brit Eaton, posted this on Facebook recently.

“This beauty is meeting her Jesus right now. My sweet Aunt Marian... Hollywood worthy, but Kingdom destined. We shared a love of old-timey hymns, musky fragrances and Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind. 😍 She was as close to me as a grandmother yet somehow even more familiar. I will miss you, but I rest in the truth that I will see you again. 💜”





Marian Lee Liles Pearson
February 9, 1930-January 14, 2020

This picture was taken probably in her early 20s, for no specific reason that I know of. She never had any aspirations for Hollywood, but wanted to serve God instead. Admittedly she liked certain Hollywood stars — especially Clark Gable. She went to be with her Lord on January 14, 2020, at the age of 89.

Marian was the oldest child of Bruce and Viola Liles. She was the beloved aunt of many nieces and nephews, as well as her brothers Dave Liles of Mansfield, Ohio, Buddy Liles of Pensacola, Florida, and sister, Anita Williams of Sarasota, Florida. Her church loved her as one of their saints.

Marian was a talented musician who committed her life to serving God through music. She took piano lessons as a child, and only had to stop during the Depression, when mom and dad could no longer afford lessons. She was proficient on the accordion, piano, and organ, and used these talents in churches, revivals, and camp meetings. She used her skills as an organist to play for weddings in Northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati area. She also had a year at Trevecca Nazarene College (now university). In 1958 she went to the Montana Avenue Church of the Nazarene and maintained her membership there until her passing. She was volunteer organist, with occasional duties at the piano.

Marian had an encyclopedic knowledge of hymns and gospel songs. I recall one time walking into the physical therapy room at the Seasons at Alexandria early in her stay there. She was seated at an exercise machine that allowed her to use both arms and legs. While doing this, she was singing a beloved hymn, something like, “It Is Well With My Soul.” Ask her the name of a hymn or song, even a popular one, sometimes just a line, and she would probably know it. Hymns and gospel songs provided a powerful expression of her faith.

Marian also loved nice clothes. She always found a way to get something really nice without paying a lot for it, and flowery things were among her favorites. She had a lot of dressy things she used for playing for weddings.

The one thing people like to recall about Marian was her pleasant, sweet personality. Even the staff at the Seasons would comment on what a sweet person she was. She always had a smile or pleasant greeting for everyone. It was the real deal. There was nothing put on about her.

Her walk with Christ was at the very core of her being. Converted as a child, she had gone through some difficult times in her life, but with God’s help managed to get back up and keep going. Her faith in God’s keeping grace was strengthened. She never missed church unless she was ill or unable to attend, as during the last year or so of her life. She served under several pastors, from Rev. Curtis Coburn to the current pastor Dr. David Crofford. They all loved her and appreciated her dedication to the church. Her faithful walk with Christ was obvious to everyone.

She impacted a lot of people during her life. One couple, Beverly and Vernon Ball, said she has been a God-send to them, and that she impacted their lives for Christ and the church. Marian played for their wedding as newly weds, and continued to be an encouragement to them. During one stretch, Marian was faithful in picking them up for church when they did not have a car. There are, no doubt, many other stories like this one that reflect a kind, Christlike heart that was Marian Pearson, ready to help where called upon. Vern and Beverly were faithful to her during the last years of her life.

She will be missed by all of us, but we rest in the assurance that her home going was peaceful and she entered the presence of God, rewarded for a life well lived for her friends, church, and most of all her Savior.

We love you, Marian. We will all miss you. Rest, now with God.

Thanks be to God.