Independence Day, Face Mask Mandate and Romans 13.1-7

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On this 244th birthday of the United States of America, many of her citizens are living under a face mask mandate as a response to the rising cases of Coronavirus infections. Setting aside the problems with media sensationalization, test result reporting, false positives, data collections and conflicting results of Hydroxychloroquine treatments, in this blog I want to form an educated Christian worldview on individual rights, personal liberty and submission to government authority in light of Romans 13.1-7:

Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

Christian Standard Bible (Holman Bible Publisher: 2017)

At face-value, the imperative “submit to the governing authorities” sounds absolute and universal, meaning regardless of the form of governance―be it democratic, republic, authoritarian, totalitarian, fascist, monarchy and/or dictatorship―as Christian, we are to always submit to the governing authorities. At least, that is how it was explained to me growing up in the American church. Yet, when I read the news of a governor threatening that “the state will record the license plates of any people at a mass gathering, including in-person church services” or that a state’s Department of Public Health encourages the “snitching” of church gathering, I cannot imagine, theologically or logically, this was what Paul had in mind when he wrote his letter to the Roman Christians during Nero’s reign. Furthermore, I cannot fathom that through this view all Chinese Christians who are worshiping in secret in spite of their government’s anti-Christian stance are indeed “opposing God’s command” (Rom 13.2).

In this passage, Paul states governing authorities are “God’s servants” three times. This is a significant clue to aid our understanding. Human authority is an institution established by God to function as his intermediary in maintaining civility in society (this was so in the Old Testament days after the Israelites rejected theocracy, God as their King). God’s servants are those who accomplishes the will and purpose of God―however indirectly or unintentionally. We see in verse 3 that “rulers are not a terror to good conduct”; verse 4 tells us they serve for our good and an avenger for wrongdoers; and verse 6 we are commanded to fund their function through taxes as keeper of good conducts and punisher of wrong actions.

So, immediately, we see that there is a qualifier built-in to the imperative to limit the power of human authority. They are to function by upholding moral values―good and evil―and moral duties―right and wrong―as God has defined it. This implies that when government exceeds its limits of authority by defining what is good and evil, right and wrong according to it own standards, in defiance to what God has established (cf. Rom 13.1b) then we are free to disobey this rogue regime. This is the reason that Martin Luther King’s civil disobedience to the injustice of racism was the righteous thing to do; and this is the reason that Dietrich Bonhoeffer should not be condemned for his participation in the failed Hitler assassination plot in order to preserve the lives of Jews and fellow Germans by shortening the war.

But, in 2020 what am I to do as a Christian, one who tries to imitate Christ, with municipal face mask mandate and the infringement upon personal liberty in light of spiking cases of Coronavirus?

I can confidently say that whether I choose to wear a face mask or not is not part of moral value. We cannot rightly say that mandating face masks to prevent the spread of Coronavirus is moral, otherwise there must also be a mandate to wear masks to prevent spreading other similar infections such as seasonal influenza or tuberculosis or common cold. However, libertarian freedom is a moral value as it prevents mankind from oppression, and therefore, it is the government’s role to preserve the freedom to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, as stated in the Bill of Rights. Since wearing a face mask is not a divine moral value in which I must uphold, then I do not have a moral duty to wear one. Furthermore, infringing on one’s libertarian freedom is a moral evil, therefore, it is my moral duty to speak against it (and against the shaming, manipulating or coercing others into wearing one).

For you see, the partiality that James speaks of includes me being partial to myself as well.

But wait… there is a mandate that I must submit to and obey. Paul adds to the duty of submission to civil authority with another duty, the duty to observe the law of love (Rom 13.8, 10). It is the same as the royal law that James speaks of, “Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well” (Jas 2.8 CSB). For you see, the partiality that James speaks of includes me being partial to myself as well. What it means is that as an act of service in love for my “neighbors”―those who are at-risk of fatality as result of Coronavirus infection―I will self-quarantine should I contract the virus (just as I have done when I had the flu) and I will wear a face mask voluntarily when I am worshiping at church, sitting next to someone who is in the at-risk group if social-distancing isn’t possible, or when I am asked to wear one.

Hopefully I have clearly stated my case for the proper Christian worldview regarding to liberty, face mask mandate and Romans 13. Please feel free to comment and respond (with civility) below with your thoughts of agreement or disagreement.

Where Is God in Times of Distress?

Photo by Inzmam Khan on Pexels.com

In the midst of the health and economic turmoil that is in the world today, I woke up this morning anxious and in distress. I am in virtual exile from my brothers and sisters in Christ and from my coworkers. So, in my quite time I cried out to the Lord to speak to me… I need to sense his presence more than ever. As I prayed, the Lord directed me to Psalm 42 (and 43) for today is 4-2. He lifted me up with the exact words I need to hear right now: hope in God!

In Psalms 42-43 the psalter longs for God to come to his aid during a time when he can’t sense God’s presence. He is exhausted and spent―his soul thirsts and hungers for the life-giving, life-sustaining living God (Psa 42.1-2). Yet God is nowhere to be found. He felt he is in this crisis all alone as these accusatory words taunting and mocking him, “Where is your God?”

The psalter’s memory of the past only brought sorrow in his present condition (Psa 42.4). His soul (his emotional state) is downcast―he is depressed and in despair, and feels hopeless. Yet his mind (his intellectual state) reminds him of God’s steadfast love, comfort and security that he experienced in the past. Remembering life in the past only brings sorrow for today; but remembering God’s character and his works in the past brings hope for now and beyond. He is a promise-making and promise-keeping God, and he has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. And that is why he is praiseworthy.

The psalter’s present situation seems bleak and hopeless―he feels he’s drowning under the crushing weight of the storm, unable to breathe. He is overwhelmed without relief in sight. In spite of his feeling of loneliness and despair, he experientially knows through prayers, God will faithfully sustain him through the day and comfort him through the dark nights (Psa 42.8). Therefore, I will not allow my fears of the present to rule over my soul. This is not some sort of cavalier claim or empty hope on the unknown; rather, it is a hope built on my trust and confidence in God’s character, in who he is. Of all the “Why?” and “Where?” and “How?” questions asked by the psalmist, the most important (and implied) question is the “Who?” question: Who is God?

So, who is God in these two psalms (they are one psalm in the Hebrew Bible)? God is:

• He is the living God who gives and sustains life (42.2)
• He is my salvation (42.5)
• He is a faithful and compassionate God (42.8)
• He is my fortress and my safe place (42.9; 43.2)
• He is my defender (43.1)
• He is light and gives light, i.e., understanding (43.3)
• He is truth and what he says is true (43.3)
• He is my guide who brings me safely from exile (43.3)

Because he is all these things and more, I have hope in him!

So, what am I to do during a crisis to see God at work? I am to:

• Pursue God relationally (42.1-2)
• Remember God’s deliverance in the past trials and that he does not change (42.4)
• Hope (have confidence) in God that he has promised to come through for me and sustain me just as he promised (42.5)
• Pray for his faithfulness and compassion to sustain me through the difficult day and frightful nights (42.8)
• Pray for his defense against false accusers―those who taunt cast doubt about God’s character, i.e., my mind of the flesh and the enemy (43.1)
• Pray for understanding (light) of His Word (truth) so I can walk in confidence as he guides me in navigating the treacherous terrain (43.3)
• Praise God when he shows up and when I get to the other side of this present troubles (43.4)

As the Apostle Paul tells us, this is a constant battle of the mind: the trust in a faithful God (what I cannot see) versus the fears of the flesh (what I fix my eyes on). There are days when the flesh wins, but there are also days when his grace is sufficient for me. Regardless of the present circumstance and my mental and emotional state, I will hope in God and in his character, for he alone is praiseworthy.

Magi: the Kingmakers

In the Book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar referred to Daniel by an interesting title: the chief of the magicians (Dan 4.9). You may be familiar with the story: around 600 BC Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judea as part of his campaign to stake claim to the former Assyrian empire. His objective was to impose Babylonian dominion over what remained of Israel a vassal state. In doing so, the Babylonian army pillaged Jerusalem and its temple, and took Jehoiakim, the last king of Judah, along with 10,000 of the best and brightest Jews into Babylon, in which Daniel was among them.

Nebuchadnezzar ordered some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility into his court’s service. He found Daniel to be among the best of the bests, the brightest of the brightests—having possessed extraordinary insight and intelligence, and wisdom and a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems—thus, he appointed Daniel the chief over all his magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners (Dan 1.6; 5.11-12). In essence, Daniel was in charge of all the wisest of men of Babylon, i.e., the magi (see Mat 2.1).

Even when Darius the Mede (Dan 5.32) and Cyrus II the Persian (Dan 1.21; 6.28; 10.1; Ezr 1.1) succeeded Babylon as the dominant powers, Daniel continued to serve in their courts. It was during this time Daniel received the vison of the coming “beasts,” those nations that would rise up following Babylon (Dan 7-8), studied the writings of Jeremiah (Dan 9.2; Jer 29.10) which foretold the return from exile after 70 years, and the vision of the forthcoming of the Son of Man—the divine-human judge, the Messiah—487 years after the return from exile to vindicate and liberate God’s people, and to punish the wicked (Dan 7; 9-12). So, for the greater part of his time in exile, Daniel educated and trained all the wisest men of Babylon. Throughout the centuries these wise men coronated and counseled their kings—they were in fact the kingmakers.

In 538 BC when Cyrus II gave the Jews permission to return to Jerusalem, only approximately 42,000 of the Jews returned to their homeland, whereas millions of the Jews, including Daniel, who was too old to make the journey, chose to remain in Persia (2Ch 36.22-23; Ezr 1.1-8). During this time, this Persian diaspora was the largest Jewish community outside of Judah. This contingency of Jews maintained their cultural and religious identity into the first century. And just as the Jews in Palestine were looking forward to the coming of the Messiah (see Luk 2.25), there were no doubt some Persian Jews who did likewise.

It is, therefore, my hypothesis that the magi who followed the star and came to celebrate the birth of Jesus were indeed Jewish descendants of those who remained in exile. They weren’t just some random pagan astrologers from the East who saw the star and followed it out of curiosity. Rather, they continued the tradition that Daniel had instituted through studying the Scriptures for signs and calculating the timing for the coming of the Messiah (Dan 9.25-26). It was during the course of their studying and seeking that they observed the Christmas star as it was foretold in Numbers 24.17. They journeyed to Palestine and found the Christ-Child (now around age 2) precisely because they were looking for him. And they came prepared to coronate him as the King of the Jews, and more importantly, the King of their hearts (Mat 2.2).

So, on this Christmas Day as you read the familiar Christmas story, when you come to these mysterious magi, take a moment to reflect who they were, and may you also find Christ the King and crown him to be the King of your heart.

Christ and the Five Cups of Seder

“Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.‘”          ― Exodus 6.6−7

In the passage above the Lord God explained to Moses of what he was about to do for the Hebrews, to redeem them from bondage. In this dialog God uses four expressions to describe his redemptive actions:

1. “I will bring you out…”
2. “I will deliver you…”
3. “I will redeem you…”
4. “I will take you to be my people…”

The Jewish tradition instituted over the Seder is to drink a cup of wine for each of these expressions. First, they recite the Kiddush over the first cup, read the Exodus account from the Haggadah over the second cup, recite the Grace after Meals over the third cup and sing psalms and hymns over the fourth cup. While there are numerous explanations as to the significance of the various steps of the redemption, but when we consider the atoning work by Christ on the cross, we can see their ultimate significance in regards to our salvation:

1. Salvation from harsh labor — we no longer have to work to achieve our own salvation by meeting its demand, for it is impossible for any of us to do so in the first place.
2. Salvation from servitude — we are no longer slaves to “Egypt,” a symbol for all that is worldly, i.e., sin and our selfish desires; instead we have been freed from its consequences and conquer over the flesh.
3. Salvation from enemy — we are no longer under the threat from our enemy since he has been defeated by the blood of the Lamb just like the Egyptian army was decimated by the raging Red Sea.
4. Becoming a nation — we who are followers of Christ are part of God’s family, his children and inheritance.

However, there is actually a fifth expression in the dialogue between the Lord and Moses, “‘I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD’” (Exo 6.8). The fifth cup (also referred to as Cup of Elijah) is left untouched for a very simple reason: the Jews are waiting for the arrival of Elijah to announce the arrival of the Messiah for their redemption and enter into their permanent land that God first promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Now, fast forward to Jesus’s Last Supper with his disciples. They most likely observed their Passover meal in similar manner. At the end of the Passover feast, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. Interestingly he ends their meal by telling them, “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Mat 26.29). Here Jesus made it clear that he will return one day to redeem his people once and for all, and return with them to his Father’s kingdom. That is the day of his Second Coming which will be the day when we will finally drink from the fifth cup of wine.

And it will be a day of great celebration for we are finally home!

Was Christ Abandoned by the Father?

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” — Psalm 22.1

On the cross the Lord Jesus was heard crying out these words from Psalm 22 (Mat 27.46). Over the years I’ve heard many preachers explain that God the Father abandoned his Son because he cannot look upon sin, which Jesus bore the sin of the world upon him on the cross. However, this explanation has always bothered me. If I were to believe that Jesus is divine and part of the Trinity (and I do) then how can he divest himself from being a member of the Godhead at this moment? Does that imply that God’s nature became a duality from a triunity for a mere moment? Of course not, otherwise that would be heresy!

Some attempted to respond by explaining that this was Jesus the human speaking, not Jesus the divine. Again, if I were to believe that Jesus is the God-man (and I do), that he uniquely possessed a nature that is both divine and human, then neither can he separate his divinity from his humanity. This is referred to as his hypostatic union (hupostasis), the union of his divinity and his humanity into one essence. It means he does not have two separate essences but rather a singular divine-human essence, much like when mixing cream in coffee where the liquid is not part cream and part coffee but rather an insoluble homogenous coffee-cream mixture. Therefore, Jesus can no more divest himself from his humanity and remain the Second Person of the Trinity than the Godhead can divest the Son from the Trinity and remain God.

Finding these explanations unsatisfactory, I began to study Psalm 22. In my study, I discovered that the Hebrew verb “forsaken” (ȃzab) means to loosen, that is, relinquish or permit. In this context it can be understood as refusal to help. David was crying out to God, begging him to come to his aid but no one came, as he cried out, “Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help” (Psa 22.11). We know that David did not believe he was abandoned by God since later he wrote, “For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him” (Psa 22.24). Thus, the feeling David had was not the actual abandonment by the Lord but rather he felt alone because there is no one who can help in time of trouble.

By applying this understanding of the meaning of forsaken, now I am able to resolve the main tension from these agonizing words of Christ on the cross. Jesus was crying out to the Father in agony because he must endure the cross without the Father’s help of deliverance. In other words, he must endure the agony of death on his own in order to redeem all humanity as the final sacrifice foretold in Isaiah 53.10.

Furthermore, I believe Jesus may have recited Psalm 22 in its entirety. You might ask how I arrived at this conclusion. Psalm 22 ends with, “they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” Take note of the last four words, “he has done it.” It literally means “It is finished!” which were the same last words spoken by Jesus (Joh 19.30).

Therefore, it is important to look at the theme of Psalm 22 in order to understand Matthew 27.46. Despite of his feeling of abandonment, David continues to place his trust in the Lord for he has shown himself to be faithful and trustworthy to his people. He says, “The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!” (Psa 22.24). No, the Father did not abandon Jesus on the cross. It was his steadfast love for all humanity that kept him from rescuing his Son from a torturous death. As you reflect on the work of Christ this Easter, thank the Father for his steadfast, extravagant love that it was his will to crush him to redeem you for all eternity. Take hope and be encouraged, for the same God who did not despise or forsaken David in his time of trouble is the same one who will hear you when you cry out to him in distress.

 

It Is All About Me!

The symbol of our Christian faith is not an empty tomb to celebrate the resurrection, but rather an instrument of torture, suffering, and death. The singular purpose of the Roman Cross was to inflict the maximum amount of pain and agony for the longest possible time – its victims seeking death but not finding it soon enough. All the while the modern culture rarely gives it a second thought, other than using it as a shiny trinket adorned one’s neck. It’s a stark contrast of a faith built on suffering and a pop culture striving to be comfortable.

Why?

In Luke 22 we find Jesus sitting with His Disciples at the Last Supper. He was eager to spend this last Passover with them, to explain the significance of it. He said to them, “I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Take this (cup) and share it among yourselves; I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes. This (the broken bread) is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:15-20, emphasis mine). The observance Jesus instituted for the church, His bride, is to remember His broken body and spilled blood all done for her… and to do it often.

Why not remembering Jesus by celebrating the triumphs and victories?

You may have heard the saying, “It’s about all God; it’s not about me.” Well, in this case, I do believe it’s all about us… about me, specifically. The symbol of the Cross is a reminder that it should have been me on that cross. I can identify with the Psalmist when he cried out, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (51:3) or when Isaiah confessed, “For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities” (59:12). I would even venture to say we may just be viler than those two thieves crucified with Christ on Golgotha that day.

I will remember the Cross today even in midst of His triumph over death for it is because Jesus took my place there so that I can celebrate here… thank you, Jesus, for making it all about me!

That Chicken Is No Chicken!

Unless you have been on a media fast or just returned from an intergalactic vacation, you are no doubt aware of the firestorm Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-Fil-A caused by simply stating that the company’s business philosophy is based on biblical principles. In his interview with Baptist Press (full article link: Guilty As Charged) Cathy said that Chick-Fil-A is not a Christian business because Christ didn’t die for businesses but He did die for people. However he continues, “But as an organization we can operate on biblical principles. So that is what we claim to be. [We are] based on biblical principles, asking God and pleading with God to give us wisdom on decisions we make about people and the programs and partnerships we have. And He has blessed us.”

One of the guiding biblical principles is the restaurant’s founder S. Truett Cathy’s 66-year old tradition of closing on Sundays. It’s a time given to employees to spend quality time together worshiping with their family at church. As far as I’m aware, there hasn’t been one single protest or boycott until the restaurant changes that policy… that’s not to say I didn’t wish for a quick fix of spicy chicken sandwich pulling into their parking lot on my way home from church, forgetting they’re closed. There are no radical groups or city officials demanding that they force their franchisees to open the doors on Sundays or else.

Another guiding principle for the chain is their outstanding customer service, or “second-mile” service as Cathy refers to it, which is based on Matthew 5:41 where Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount, “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” Again, I don’t ever recall seeing a customer yelling at their employees to stop being so nice and demanding to be treated like dirt.

From its successes the restaurant chain formed the Winshape Foundation (WinShape.org) to provide support from foster care programs to children’s summer camps to college scholarships to marriage ministries in an effort to build and strengthen the family. Once again, there were no media firestorms demanding Chick-Fil-A to dismantle its many programs and ministries… until recently when Dan Cathy affirmed their commitment to support and strengthen families, the biblical definition of the family unit. At one point one journalist (I’ll give him the benefit of doubt) even stated that their biblical definition of marriage is equivalent to spewing hate-filled racial slurs, justifying that just because it’s protected speech it shouldn’t be said in the first place.

Boston’s mayor, Tom Menino was the first to step up to the batter’s box by telling the media he wants to keep the restaurant chain out of Boston because of its support of traditional marriages. I think the mayor has forgotten that it is akin to discrimination based on race, creed, sex, or religious beliefs. Menino later backtracked his rant.

Of course Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago also jumped on the anti-chicken wagon by stating that, “Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.” So, Mayor Emanuel not only speaks for the entire city of Chicago on the issue of same-sex marriage but he also is making a moral judgment, meaning he is imposing his own moral view on all Chicago residents. Furthermore Chicago Alderman Moreno has publicly announced that she has blocked Chick-Fil-A’s expansion into the Logan Square neighborhood. I’ve been to Chicago many a times and driving through its streets (all of it before the streets of Chicago looking almost like warlords filled Mogadishu) I have seen many storefronts that I hope do not reflect the “Chicago values,” specifically the adult entertainment shops, strip clubs, and off-track betting… or may be that’s Rahm Emanuel’s vision of the future Chicago?

There is a cultural war going on in America. While it’s nothing new, there is a movement of doing-whatever-is-right-in-their-eyes where decisions and judgments all come down to how one feels. Of course this is the very anti-thesis of living by a set of moral guiding principles such as what Dan Cathy and millions of authentic Christians are living by every single day. It take courage where people falsely accuses you of being hateful or intolerant when you reject the redefinition of what makes a marriage because we know that marriage is more than just a piece of paper or even a commitment as long as you feel or receive love. The biblical definition of marriage is a covenant made between a man, a woman, and the God who blesses the union. All those who violate it (divorces and gay-marriages) will face the consequences of breaking of the covenant (the opposite of God’s blessing)… and the consequences can affect second and third generations afterwards.

I close by reminding all those who are like-minded Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

It takes great courage to stand against the current of public opinions, but it is necessary to do so, with grace and respect because when you walk in the Light sometimes you get in the scrutiny of the spotlight. However, when standing firmly on the immutable Word of God, standing under the spotlight becomes bearable. Dan Cathy certainly has proved that and he remains committed by saying, “We intend to stay the course.”

We need more cultural warriors like Cathy… we need more soldiers of the Cross to fight on humanistic and relativistic ideologies, all the while keeping in mind that, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:11-13).

All I can say is, “That Chicken is no chicken!” Now go forth and eat mor chikin!

He Is Not Here…

I came across an article from the Christian Post that 5,000 Christians attended a rally to support a Nativity display at a Texas courthouse. It prompted me to blog about my thoughts on Christmas 2011.

First, from my observation we are all so high-strung and easily offended these days. This applies to Christians and non-Christians alike.

Why does the Nativity display at the local courthouse offend the atheists so much? It can’t be their desire to uphold the separation of church and state clause in the Constitution because it contains no such wording. Now there are words on prohibition of government to establish religion, but how we interpret “establishment” today is quite different than how our Founding Fathers defined it. After all, when the first continental congress opened, it begun with a prayer to God. And this prayer was not directed at just any generic multi-cultural “god” but rather the God of the Bible. You won’t mistaken the identity of God when you read the opening sentence of the prayer offered by Rev. Jacob Duché on the morning of September 9, 1774, “O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee.” This rich, not to mention humble, tradition continues even today. Obviously those who penned the very words of the “anti establishment” clause in the Constitution didn’t see any contradiction with open display of faith on public property.

Why does removing baby Jesus from the town square offend Christians so much? It was this question that led me to ask another (to me a more pertinent) question, “Why do some Christians insist on keeping Christ in the manger?”

Without going into all the amazing and incomprehensible things it took for God to dwell with men cloaked in human frailty, the Christ Child born in that manger was fully divine and yet totally helpless. The Creator of the universe is now wholly depending on Mary, Joseph, and others to feed, change, nurture, love, and protect Him.

Perhaps as a Christian we want to keep Christ as a babe in the manger because He is so small, frail, and nonthreatening. The baby Jesus is someone we can come, greet, and worship on our own terms. The newborn Jesus can’t tell us how to act godly through the Beatitudes. He couldn’t tell us, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” He couldn’t remind us if we choose to follow Him then the world “will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” The Babe is quite different from the Man.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a great tradition to commemorate the birth of Christ by displaying the Nativity scene. We have several around the house. God’s lavish generosity was displayed in the manger. However, I am thankful that Jesus didn’t remain a helpless baby just like He didn’t remain dead inside the tomb. Instead as the angel proclaimed to the women on Resurrection day, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” God’s extravagant generosity was displayed on the Cross and in the Resurrection.

Where is your Jesus this Christmas?

For me, this Christmas, I will be looking (with my heart) at an empty manger and hearing the whispered words, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was born in the manger. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.”

The Boy Always Comes Back for His Girl

This past Sunday I watched a movie with my girls, a love story. Hey, that’s what happens when there are only girls in the house… I think even the TV remote control is female since it seems that’s all the shows we watch! Anyway, it was a typical Hollywood story of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl after growing up, boy loses girl again to another boy, other boy turns bad and mistreats the girl, the boy comes to help the girl, boy had to escape from the bad boy but promises the girl that he will come back for her, and finally the boy gets girl and they live happily ever after. I think I just described every single chick-flick ever came out of movie studios.

At one key moment of the movie, the young man had to flee for his own safety to regroup so he could later rescue the girl. Before he disappeared into the jungle he whispered to the girl, “I will come back for you.” The girl held on to that promise as if her life depended on it. She pressed onward, even when faced with danger in the company of bad men she walked with confidence, because she knows he will come back for her. Indeed, he did come back for her in the most dramatic rescue while disposing his enemies.

At the end of the cinematic climax I looked at my daughters and said, “The boy ALWAYS comes back for the girl he loves!” Then I proceeded to explain to them the lesson I taught on Palm Sunday, looking at ancient Jewish wedding custom and seeing it under the light of Christ and the Church.

Unlike our modern day custom, the ancient Jews practiced the Shiddukhin, or arranged marriages. The choice of the betrothed bride was the father’s prerogative (Ephesians 1:4). Both the son and daughter trusted their fathers to do what was best for them. Once agreed upon, finalized with a written contract, the couple entered into the Eyrusin, the Betrothal. Legally they were considered as husband and wife, having all rights as married couple with the exception of the physical intimacy, which was reserved for the wedding night.

The eyrusin period, also called the Kiddushim or Sanctification, lasted for one year. Under the huppah (wedding canopy) the couple exchanged items of value, such as rings and drinks from a cup of wine as sign of seal the betrothal vows. This should give a richer meaning to Matthew 26:29 the next time you read it. At this point, the groom and the bride were legally married, having full rights as husband and wife, with the exception of physical intimacy. Should the groom find displeasure in the bride, he must obtain a certificate of divorce. This option was only available to the groom, and not the bride.

During this time both the groom and the bride were to prepare themselves for the day of marriage. The groom’s responsibility was to make an addition to his father’s house, rooms where he can start a family (John 14:2). The bride’s responsibility was to sew and decorate her wedding garments with the finest and whitest linen she can buy and decorate them with the finest embroidery and jewels (Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7-9). Before the groom leaves his bride for the one-year period he would give to her a matan, or the bridal gift (Luke 24:49; John 14:25-27; Ephesians 1:13-14). Its purpose was a pledge of his love for her. It served as a reminder during their year of separation of his love for her, he is thinking about her, and that he promised he will return to receive her into his father’s house one day (Acts 1:11).

When the time came the father gave his blessing (Matthew 24:36-37) and the groom and his groomsmen went to get the bride. As they went, one of the groomsmen would go ahead of the wedding party, blow the trumpet, and shout to declare, “Behold, the bridegroom comes!” (Matthew 25:1-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). The bridegroom indeed came back for his bride and took her to his father’s house. Then the marriage feast begins, with food, music, dancing, and celebrating for seven glorious days.

As we celebrate Easter this Sunday, let us remember that Christ rose on this day to go to prepare for us a place in His Father’s house. He made a promise to His bride, the Church He will come back one day to receive her where they will spend eternally. He has not forgotten her or forsaken her. Remember, in God’s eyes the Church belongs to Christ. Only the Bridegroom can divorce the wife but God has promised that He will never do that in Hosea 2:19-20, “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD.”

So, when you are down and depressed by circumstances of life and the pressures of this world, wondering if Christ will ever return just remember the words of Peter in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Keep looking up towards the sky, you might just see Him!

Yes, one thing is for sure… the “boy” ALWAYS comes back for the “girl” He loves!

Signs

I recently came across a story of Austin, TX motorists being warned of potential zombies ahead by a portable road sign. Not surprising the sign was hacked by pranksters, likely students from University of Texas in Austin, suspects the Texas Department of Transportation. What intrigued me the most from this story was that, “According to the blog i-hacked.com, some commercial road signs can be easily altered because their instrument panels are frequently left unlocked and their default passwords are not changed. Programming is as simple as type whatever you want to display.“

This got me thinking: what if the sign was altered by someone who intended for evil instead of a prank? Warning of zombies caused quite a stir and a few laughs but no one took it seriously. But what if the sign was altered to cause a traffic detour into an area where carjackers await? In this case, something that was designed to warn you of danger such as “Beware of Alligators,” becomes something that may potentially endanger you.

In these few days into 2011, I have been thinking about signs, those warning signs we come across in life which keep us on the straight and narrow path, directing us to our destination. The Apostle Peter warned Christians in his first general letter, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).” He was cautioning and encouraging believers to be on the alert, paying attention to the signs of danger because there is someone who is interested in destroying you. I have made the following observations so I can apply it in my daily living… and I would like to share it with you.

1. Pay Attention to the Signs – Please be on guard and intentionally look for dangers. This does not mean be paranoid about everything, but rather be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Even in the age of GPS that is accurate within 10 feet of your location, road signs are still necessary. These signs give us a wealth of information when we travel, from rest stops to restaurants to gas stations. I remember seeing a sign while driving from the Midwest to California that warned us the distance until the next gas station was over 150 miles. Even though I had enough fuel to go beyond the posted distance, nevertheless I topped off the tank before I entered the desert. In addition I kept my eyes on the temperature gauge (which is also a “sign”) just to be careful. I had just watched Chevy Chase’s Vacation and I didn’t want to fly off the road into the sand as he did!
2. Seek the Truth in the Signs – Just as a prankster or a hacker can alter the sign when it was left unprotected, please be on guard and use your discernment regarding the signs in life. What this means is that you have to know the source of the warning… is it from God or it is based on emotions such as fear, jealousy, disappointment, resentment, or frustration, or even from the ENEMY? You have to know WHO wrote the text of these signs before you heed the warning. If the WHO is trustworthy, then follow them as if your own life depends on them because it does. Sometimes it is easy (easier?) to discern like the zombies warning. However, there are other signs that are a bit more difficult, especially when they appeal to the emotions and feelings within. God is ready to help you with wisdom and discernment (James 1:5).
   
3. Trust the Message – One thing about warning signs is that they give a warning of what is coming up ahead so there is plenty of time to make preparations, corrections, and adjustments. What that also means is that there might be a period after seeing these signs everything will appear to be normal. STAY on guard!! If you trust the AUTHOR then trust the Message regardless of your feelings or circumstances (James 1:6-8)!
4. Watch for Traps – Conversely, if the signs wants you to make an impulsive decision right now that is appealing to the eyes or pride, then be suspicious. It is most likely a trap. Recently on our way home from our Thanksgiving trip to NC we came across a sign in GA that advertised their pecans are the world’s best. Well, of course I want some of the world’s best. Also Christmas is coming up, our friends deserve the world’s best pecans too! When we pulled into the store parking lot, it was the only building at the exit… scam warning alarm immediately went off. The cost of gas at the station attached to the store was at least 12¢ more than the exits before it. Besides, when I started to think logically, just exactly what are the qualifications of those people who declared these pecans world’s best? Our ENEMY has a trap set for us. While he cannot read our thoughts, he is a keen observer of human nature and student of our behaviors. Be assured that he is out there stalking you. God warned Cain right before he murdered his brother, “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it (Genesis 4:7).”
   
5. Be Accountable – Sometimes we find ourselves crossing the line, into the danger zone. When you do, stop immediately and don’t give up (James 1:14-16). Back to Chevy Chase’s Vacation movie, if you will recall that they missed the “Road Closed” sign in the midst of looking at the map and ended up flying off the deadend road in the desert and the ensuing disaster. For those who are married, this is not the time for blame or argument, or even dredge up old wounds; but rather it is a time to stick together, keep the channel of communications open, and work together to seek help. If you are single, find someone you can trust so you can walk together. Just remember, nothing good ever came about in horror movies when people split up. They become victims! Don’t become a victim. There is strength in number… but know that it will get rough before it gets better.
   
6. Forgive and Repent – The second thing you must do when you do cross that line is to seek forgiveness and repent. The first and foremost person is God. David wrote after his adultery with Bathsheba became public, “Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge (Psalm 51:4).” Next seek the forgiveness of that person you betrayed a trust or offended. Last but not least, forgive yourself. This is easier said than done but we can find rest in the words of Apostle John, “in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things (1 John 3:20).” Of course forgiveness and repentance go hand-in-hand. You cannot have just the one without the other.
   

We are indeed living in treacherous times and there are traps all around us. Heed the caution from Peter, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Your alertness in the spiritual realm will help you to navigate through the troubled waters so that this time next year you can say 2011 was the most rewarding endeavor yet! Bon Voyage!

Happy New Year!