I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”


This has always been a favorite Christmas hymn of mine, but this Christmas it evokes new emotion. Today I am deeply saddened by the immense hatred that I am seeing and hearing from many of those who profess the name of Christ. I don't know when I have ever been witness to such disdain and contempt for the president, the government and people of other races and nationalities.
I was reminded of Daniel and his friends when they were in captivity in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar (a bad king) had invaded Jerusalem and God gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar's hand. Daniel and friends were stripped of their country, their families, their food, their names and anything else that defined who they were. If anyone had right to complain about the leadership and government it was them! I'm sure they didn't agree with the healthcare situation in Babylon, nor did they worry about their retirement funds and rights to bear arms. They had NOTHING of their own and were completely dependant on the government for everything...and none of this was of their choosing.
Daniel 1:8 says that "Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or wine so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself." Verse 9 says that "GOD granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials." Daniel may not have liked Nebuchadnezzar, but I don't see anywhere in the book of Daniel where he disrespected him and talked badly of him. On the contrary, in the midst of this governmental overthrow, this is what Daniel writes:
"Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; he gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding." Later in that chapter, when given the opportunity, Daniel introduces Nebby to the God in heaven! Daniel and friends eventually gain positions over the administration of the province of Babylon but that still doesn't guarantee their safety. Nebby gets mad because they won't bow down to his idol and throws them into the blazing furnace. This is when Daniel draws on his faith in his covenant partner, God, and trusts Him to defend them. In chapter 3 verse 17 Daniel says "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of your hand O king. But EVEN IF HE DOESN'T, let it be known to you, O king that we are not going to serve your gods..."
If we as believers are concerned about the direction of our country, we can choose who we will serve. But no where in the Word do I see God giving us permission to hate and speak evil against those who disagree. Shouldn't we follow Daniel's lead? He spoke up for what he believed, he spoke respectfully to those in authority over him and he trusted his Covenant God to defend and deliver him in His time and choosing.
I may not agree with the current administration on everything. I may not like some of the decisions they make. But as a believer, I am called to love my enemies. I am told to bless those who curse, to pray for them, to feed them. God tells us that He will repay evil for evil. Vengeance is His. He will curse those who curse us. By hating and devouring each other, we are making ourselves tools to be used by the enemy to create more hatred against the cause of Christ. We are of no earthly use to Christ while we are full of hate.
The other issue I see is contempt for people of other religions, color or nationalities who come to this country to make a life for themselves. Why do we as believers go to great lengths to take the Gospel to other countries because we have a 'heart to see them saved', but if these same people move to our country, we grumble and complain that they are taking over and there will be nothing left for us? We have infinitely more than we could ever need and yet we are such selfish people not wanting to share what God has so graciously given us. Most of us were born or brought to this country by no choice of our own. We were placed here by God and yet we act as if we somehow deserve it.
I don't usually use my blog as a soapbox, but in this season of Peace on Earth, I wanted to state my wish for peace among the body of Christ. I want to see us love the way Christ loved, give the way He gave and trust the outcome to Him. I happen to believe that all men are created equal in His sight and no man is beyond redemption. I want to state publicly that no matter the color of your skin, the country you were born in or the political party you belong to, Christ died for you and loves you beyond your wildest dreams. And because of that, I too love you.
Merry Christmas!

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

*As a footnote, I find it ironic that this Christmas hymn was written during The Civil War...the most divided we have ever been.

Lessons I've Learned

So here it is the week of Thanksgiving, and like many churches, our worship service on Sunday centered around giving thanks to God for so many things that we have. But this past Sunday, the choir sang a song that caused me to think. (I love when that happens!) One of the lines of the song said "for lessons we've learned, we give You thanks". I had never thought about giving thanks to God for lessons I've learned, but wow, am I ever thankful for those lessons!
When I consider it deeper, I realize that those lessons came with a price. I was always the kind of kid who didn't learn as much in the classroom as I did on the field trips and unfortunately most of my spiritual lessons have required a field trip or two. Even now, I am not a book or lecture learner, I learn by experience. Therefore, the most significant lessons in my life usually came out of experiences that often include failure and pain.
For instance, I learned about the incredible grace of God after I had walked far from him only to return and feel the forgiveness and acceptance that only He gives. I learned about His perfect timing during 4 painful years of infertility and His generosity after giving birth to 3 children. I learned about His sense of humor when He told me to buy the fabric store. :-)
I continue to learn about His sufficiency each time I have the opportunity to teach Bible study or lead worship. I learn about His sanctifying power every time I choose to obey His voice. I continue to learn about His forgiveness and grace every time I don't choose to obey His voice.
There are so many other lessons that I'm thankful for. I'm thankful He continues to teach me, stretch me and mold me. And this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for the lessons I've learned and for the ones still to come.