The Antidote

December 25

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:17

There once was a King who loved his subjects, and those who loved him lived within the walls of his kingdom. Those who did not return the King’s sentiment chose to live outside the kingdom walls, yet even those the King treated with respect and kindness.

One day the King’s only son came to him and said, “Father, there is an epidemic that is killing untold numbers of people outside the kingdom walls.”

“And you believe we should help them,” he said rhetorically.

“Yes, Father. I do,” he said nodding.

“Do we have an antidote?” the King asked.

“We do,” the son replied.

Knowing his son well, the King knew there was something his son wasn’t telling him, “I sense there is a catch?”

“Yes, Father,” said his son. “The antidote must be delivered to doctors outside the kingdom gate. They say that whoever delivers it must not reenter the kingdom for fear of infecting those inside.” The king waited, knowing his son wasn’t finished. “I cannot ask anyone else to make that sacrifice. I will take it myself.”

A mixture of pain and pride swept over the King, “And you are willing to sacrifice yourself for those who hate us?”

The father knew his son’s great love could never allow the answer to be no, “It is the right thing to do.”

“Then go, my son,” the King proclaimed. “And may the antidote bring healing to all who are sick!”

†

Those who live outside God’s Kingdom have a terminal disease and they, like the people in today’s story, have no cure.

Those who live inside the Kingdom know what they need, because God, in His great mercy and love, has provided the Antidote.

When you’re lost you don’t know it. But if someone lovingly presents God’s plan to those who will listen, telling them about the power of Jesus to set lost souls free, they might be saved.

And the King speaks, “I’m looking for volunteers to take them the Antidote.”

Prayer

“Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus as the Antidote for our sin. Lead me to the ones who are lost that will listen. In Jesus’ Name, amen!”

 Miraculous Transformation

December 24

Behold, I make all things new!

Revelation 21:5 KJV

Christmas Eve was the day the tree went up; and that not until dinner was done, and we boys were in our pajamas, ready for bed when the trimming was complete.

Dad loved the anticipation of waiting to put the tree up on Christmas Eve…and the excitement in his three son’s eyes as we not-so-silently waited while he fitted the stand into the base of the tree.

There was order and purpose in the trimming, and we knew better than to buck Dad’s ideology where tree-trimming was concerned. “Boys,” he’d say, “trimming begins with lights.” So the standard teardrop lights were wrapped around the tree first. Then the bubble-lights were hung with special care, making sure the tips of the tubes stood up straight. 

Next were the ornamental-glass bulbs. First the round ones; then the long, tapered ones, followed by the few hand-blown bulbs we had accumulated, placed at strategic locations. The wooden ornaments were next; and finally, the red and green paper chains. As the trimming progressed, the tree came to life. With the ornaments and chains hung, Dad would utter our final instructions, “The tree isn’t finished until the tinsel is hung, boys.”

Little boys haven’t the patience to hang individual strands of tinsel. We just grabbed handfuls of ‘icicles’, heaving them as hard and high as we could. Then Dad would proclaim, “Looks great! You’re done…time for bed!”

As memorable as the Christmas Eve tradition was, the miracle was revealed on Christmas morning; for our haphazard efforts had been transformed into something awe-inspiring! The tinsel had mysteriously been re-distributed, and there were presents under the tree! Oh, the miracle of Christmas!

†

As the years have passed I’ve grown to appreciate the tremendous restraint my father showed by allowing us to hang the tinsel as little boys, waiting to create the miracle of Christmas morning cloaked in mystery. The love of a good father is a powerful thing.

God is such a Father. Yet, He will not straighten out our messes uninvited. He waits, not just on Christmas Eve, but always, offering the Greatest Gift imaginable…His Son! A Gift that takes away our tangled mess of sin, transforming us into an awe-inspiring miracle! All Heaven eagerly awaits our response.

Prayer

“Lord, I give You the tangled messes of my life. Create something new and miraculous! Amen.”

 Virgin Birth? Yeah, Right!

December 23

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

Luke 1:34 KJV

The year is 1 B.C. A young woman has just been told she is now pregnant! “How can this be?” she asks her Heavenly messenger.

She is about to experience and endure an almost unbelievable event. She will be accused by friends and neighbors alike of having pre-marital sex with Joseph, to whom she was only engaged. There is no use trying to explain. I mean…who would believe?

“Yah, right! The Holy Spirit came upon you, and now you’re going to give birth to the Son of God! Uh huh…right…” But she knows the truth…It does not matter that they do not believe, LORD. It is enough that You know. She submits to God’s plan, pondering…Why was I chosen to bear Your Son? How will this all turn out? Many will believe, but just as many will not accept the truth. I mean…it is impossible by all human accounts. May You find Your servant faithful, LORD.

Months later, Jesus is born. Lowly shepherds are afforded the privilege of being the first to see this ‘Child of God’. The Virgin welcomes them, remembering clearly the glorious occasion when she was made pregnant by God’s Holy Spirit. Will they believe me? she wonders. And she tells them her story.

With great joy these sheepherders listen, and then run off, anxious to tell the Virgin’s story to all who will listen…“God has a Son!”

†

With two-thousand years of hindsight, many have come to believe this Virgin’s story. As a matter of fact, the Barna Group found that three out of every four American adults, including non-believers, accept the virgin birth as truth; 33% worldwide.

As you read today’s story what is in your heart? Do you find yourself with a shadow of doubt? If so, I pray God would show you the truth of Who He is today. Because if we cannot come to terms with God’s ability to cause a virgin to conceive, we will have a problem believing Jesus is the only way to Heaven.

Prayer

“LORD, search me and see if there is any doubt in my heart that You were born a virgin birth. And if You find any, show me how to resolve it. Amen.”

 Spiritual Puberty

December 22

When they saw the courage of Peter and John…they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13

Thirteen year old Jeremy was glad today was Saturday. He didn’t hate school, not really. As a matter of fact, he had a lot of good friends among the Middle School populace, but he needed a break. The ribbing he’d endured over the last three weeks was getting old. His given name had been replaced with names like, ‘Cackle’, ‘Squeaky’, ‘Pitchy’ and ‘Pube’. Although kids can be cruel, this was just a case of good friends giving him a hard time as the onset of puberty was becoming apparent.

Jeremy’s father had explained that as his hormone levels increased, noticeable physical changes would begin to take place. Among them was the voice-change he was now experiencing. Jeremy understood that his voice would go from the high-pitched adolescent tone he was used to, to one of a deeper, more resonant quality.

Dad had also explained that the change would take months, possibly even a year or two to complete…a process Jeremy wasn’t looking forward to.

“Look on the bright side,” his dad had said with a chuckle, “All the girls will notice!”

†

Just as dramatic and noticeable as the voice-change of puberty, people notice changes in our actions and attitudes when we hit our spiritual stride.

However, unlike the physical transformation from adolescence to adulthood, spiritual puberty is not a guaranteed event. The acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice does not insure spiritual maturation; spiritual maturity must be sought and acquired.

Like Peter and John, we must walk with Jesus, sharing His life, before there is a noticeable difference in the way we act and respond to life’s challenges and uncertainty. A casual relationship didn’t bring the Apostles to the spiritual maturity with which they changed the world, and it won’t work with us either.

Admirably, most Christians want to make a difference for Christ and His Kingdom. However, this level of commitment requires an intimacy few are prepared to commit to. But that’s exactly what Jesus wants, for us to strain through the adolescence, and strive for spiritual maturity.

He never said it would be easy…only rewarding.

Prayer

“Birth in me a deep desire to know You, Lord Jesus. Help me commit to the life-changing relationship You intended us to have. Amen.”

 Holy Fire

December 21

“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Luke 3:16

Jason and Sherry had gotten iPhones specifically so they could ‘Face-Time’ during his deployment. The fairly-new app allowed them to see each other while they talked. “Hi Honey,” Jason greeted his wife’s call. “It’s really hot here!” he teased, knowing it was probably cold back home in the Midwest.

Sherry’s response was tactful and direct, “I’ll trade you places anytime you want, dear. The thermometer broke last night when the temperature hit -27°!”

Jason’s reaction was one of concern, “Are you serious?! Did it really get that cold last night?”

Her grin told him he’d been had… “Nah…but it felt like it when Ricky and I brought wood in for the stove.”

An involuntary shiver coursed through Jason’s body and he smiled. It could get pretty cold at home when the Canadian winter air descended from the north. As a matter of fact he had spoken with his eldest son just prior to leaving for Afghanistan about not letting the fire go out because it was harder to get the temperature back up when the house grew cold. “Is Ricky following orders?”

“You’d be proud of the job he’s done, Jay. It’s been toasty in here, and the fire has never come close to going out. Ricky took what you told him seriously,” Sherry answered.

†

In his book,“Viral”, Leonard Sweet writes, ‘…in ancient cultures, the most important thing a household did was to never let the fire go cold. In rural Korean cultures the same ancestral fire burned for centuries, and when they moved they took the fire of their forefathers with them. When your fire went out, it was thought, you lost your connection with heaven. Would that Christians were as careful about tending spiritual fire as these ancients were about natural fire.’

It’s our responsibility to keep the spiritual fire burning, yet for some reason many don’t place an emphasis on it, and fail to keep and communicate the importance of our Holy Fire to their children.

Prayer

“Lord, I want Your Holy Fire inside me to be fanned into a flame that never goes out and is seen and felt by others. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Help Me Forgive

December 20

“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 12:19 NKJV

“Jean should be here by now,” Tracie told Ed. “She’s not answering her phone and her text said she’d be here around 9:30. I’m going over to the farm to see if something’s wrong.”

“Call me when you get there,” Ed responded.

Tracie’s mind wandered as she covered the three miles. But she could not have foreseen nor imagined what she was about to encounter. Pulling into the driveway, she spotted Jean lying behind the house, a pool of blood staining the snow around her head. Running to her side Tracie screamed, “Jean! Oh, no…Jean!” the horror of what had happened was inconceivable. No, God, please! This can’t be happening! Tracie’s mind was numb as she dialed 911.

The Sheriff’s report would state that Jean’s farmhouse had been broken into in what appeared to be a home invasion. At some point a gun became involved, and in defense of her home, Jean was brutally murdered.

†

A kind and godly woman, Jean would have given anyone anything they needed...as long as they asked. But as the murderer discovered, she would stand against anyone, or anything, that threatened her home and loved-ones.

Such a loss is deeply felt and intensely grieved. The devastation left in the wake of a crime so heinous and senseless is incalculable. The long-term effects can shatter and destroy the lives of those left behind if they fail to respond correctly, because when something like this happens our initial desire is to exact revenge. But revenge is as destructive as murder; it’s one of Satan’s most powerful weapons.

The only action that will bring freedom from such evil is forgiveness, but taking the first steps can seem impossible, because to forgive feels like we are betraying a close friend, yet choosing not to forgive fosters bitterness. Once rooted, bitterness chokes out everything good in our lives.

It will most likely take time, but asking God to give us the desire to forgive is a good place to begin. And God and time, given the chance, can heal even the deepest of wounds.

Prayer

“Lord God, forgiver of our sin, Give me the desire to forgive those responsible for Jean’s death. Help me forgive as You forgave us for killing Your Son. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Awaiting Our Return

December 19

…he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him…

Luke 15:20

Sitting in the back of the fire bus, Steve was experiencing a crisis of faith. He decided he was somewhere near, if not at, his emotional bottom. Dealing and using drugs to numb the pain of an abusive and violent childhood had never come close to accomplishing the goal, and Steve remained unsettled.

Where the hell have you been, God?! his soul cried out. Unexpectedly, a picture of a poem Steve hadn’t thought of in years came to mind. ‘Footprints in the Sand’

Instantly, his vision focused on what he’d been gazing at outside the bus. Two sets of raccoon tracks followed the edge a swift-running creek. Watching as the bus continued on, one set of tracks suddenly disappeared, and God whispered, “I have never left you, Steve. I have carried you through all those years of heartache and trouble. I was grieved when your father threw shoes at you. I have always been there.”

For the next six hours God ministered to Steve, reminding him of times long forgotten; the good and the bad. Slowly, Steve’s perspective of a punishing and angry God, looking a lot like Abe Lincoln sitting on his concrete throne at the Lincoln Memorial, faded, to be replaced by the true, loving nature of God.

As the fire bus pulled into the station, God whispered once more, “Return to Me, Steve. I’ll take care of the rest.”

†

Much like the prodigal, many of us have squandered our spiritual inheritance, only to realize the life we’ve chosen isn’t meeting our needs or expectations. Yet unwilling to admit blame we demand, “Where the hell are you, God?!” And because of His great love for us He disregards our obstinacy and immediately picks us up and begins wiping away the dirt and filth. He places the robe of royalty upon us, and on our finger He puts the signet ring of Sonship. All that matters is that we have returned!

In our deepest pain, at our lowest point, God is waiting for us. He wants to tend our wounded hearts and set us free from the things that separate us from a healing, loving relationship that brings joy and peace. The only requirement is that we surrender control.

Prayer

“Abba Father, I’ve had enough of running my own life. I say yes and ask You to take care of the rest. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, amen.”