Manger

My grandson, Payden, was a cow in the nativity scene in the church Christmas play in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Leah informed me that during rehearsal Payden improvised with some non-bovine dance moves while they sang “Silent Night.” Who knew that Franz Gruber’s classic melody was a dance track? None-the-less, it was a “moo–ving” performance! Nativity scenes were initiated by Saint Francis of Assisi in the early 13th century to remind the masses that Jesus was the reason for the season. It seems Jesus being marginalized is an issue for every generation. I believe that some of this is because mankind has a hard time keeping Jesus arrival in the manger. We’ve unwittingly marginalized Luke’s poignant words, “there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7).” Jesus was swaddled in an animal trough so he might underscore His arrival as the promised Messiah with the paradox of redemption. That is, He who was glory from on high made His debut not in jewels, fine linen and palace walls but in hay, stench and stable surroundings. Why? Because there was no room… no reception or fanfare and though heaven and strangers from afar worshiped at His feet, Herod plotted to take His life! The Apostle John’s nativity declaration is, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him (John 1:11).” Jesus began a manger guy and continues to be a manger guy!

Let me explain, the redemptive paradox is that God reconciles mankind not with high and exalted staging but in the weakness of a cross that declares victory in surrender! Jesus didn’t hang out with or band together with the religious elite but chose His company with outcasts and the common. His teaching was about everyday things not the theological musings of the rabbis. He spent the majority of His life in a small town with work that left Him with rough hands and sawdust in His lungs. And during His ministry He had no place to call His own but rather depended on the service of a handful of protective women. To an outsider Jesus look more like riff raff than like a Messiah. You see, Jesus has always been a manger guy… a son of man who illuminated that the glory of God was not in the vessel but the content! That every soul coming into this world can embrace the true light no matter if they are born prince or pauper. The gospel is for ALL!

Just curious… but where did we get all those animals and where does it say the Magi came to the stable? Easy enough… as Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof says, “Tradition!” I kind of like a nativity crew of characters –it makes it interesting and colorful. However, I hope we never lose sight of the manger that reminds us, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:3-5).” -DAN

Dancing

One of my absolute favorite things to enjoy these days is to see my granddaughter Makaiya dance to the music of her electronic toys. Makaiya isn’t standing or walking yet but she bobs her head side to side to the beat of the music and to the delight of her Pappy. Her sheer joy and exuberance is contagious as well as entertaining. I hope her life is filled with moments of dancing! Now, those words probably until the day I die will always stick about half way up because I grew up in a household that was dead set against the devil’s tool of dancing that lured so many innocent youths into debauchery and illicit affairs of the flesh (we weren’t sure what debauchery was but we knew it was bad stuff)! So, in elementary school I had to explain to my teacher that I couldn’t circle with the other kids singing, “B*I*N*G*O, and Bingo was his name’o…,” because well, we don’t dance. Now, don’t get me wrong… I appreciate my parent’s desire to instill holiness into how I viewed the world (even when I got my mouth washed out with soap a few times) but the end result is it gave a skewed view of what the Bible actually says about dancing and left me and many of my generation rhythmically challenge and card carrying left footers! But somewhere in the mix of all of this I landed with two feet squarely on the dance floor with the same wish for myself as I have for my grandchildren… a life filled with moments of dancing!

Now, before you get irate about the thought of a dancing preacher let me remind you of what Scripture actually says about dancing. The words translated dance (and its various forms) total less than thirty references in Scripture. The majority of them are positive references that range from Miriam and the Israelite maidens dancing with tambourines and singing praises for being rescued from Egyptian pursuit, to David dancing before the ark in praise and adulation over the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Jesus uses dancing to illustrate joyous celebration in the story of the prodigal son and the Psalms end with an exhortation to praise God with dancing. Yes, the Israelites were dancing before the golden calf and Herodias’ daughter danced before Herod for John the Baptist head and yes, yes, yes, the works of the flesh in Galatians 5 include revelry which is drunken dancing. But by far the idea of dancing in Scripture is just as Makaiya already knows… it’s an expression of joy… a rhythmic exuberance that is in tune with praise, adulation and appreciation.

Dancing is joyous and natural! Can there be “dirty dancing?” Yes, even Hollywood knows that! This Sunday I guarantee that there will be dancing at church… that is, toes will be tapping to music, kids will unplug their joyous energy and bust a move and the hearts that we celebrate our Lord with will beat to a rhythm! May all this dancing be great adulation for the one who created us, sustains us and calls us to His side! And may all our lives be filled with moments of dancing! –DAN

Christmas Spirit

It’s the time of the year that people start talking about trimming trees, watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music while they warm up to the Christmas spirit. That Yule tide feeling that has you breaking out in a chorus of “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas” even when you know the climate you live in makes such imaginings less than likely. Never-the-less, you’re up for a jolly, holly, Christmas! Unless you suddenly are blindsided by the reality of the commercialization, opulent indulging, consumer overloaded greed that drives overspending, gadget insanity and a spirit of not Christ worship (basic meaning of Christmas) but rather Stuff worship that Jesus says drives a spirit of building bigger barns (i.e. boxes to hold our stuff –Luke 12:18)! Hey, wait a minute preacher… did your grandma get run over by a reindeer or something? Christmas spirit is all about giving and sharing the blessings we have with our loved ones and neighbors!

I agree, I agree… but not at the expense of fiscal responsibility and good stewardship of not only the physical but the spiritual spirit of the season. My mother would always counter our ungrateful spirits when we complained about receiving only one toy for Christmas, with a lecture about how she put a remnant of a flour sack around a brick for a doll and nailed a tin can lid to a stick to roll around as her car. Christmas spirit was not in the status of the gift, or the price tag but rather in the joy of sacrifice that unlocked the imagination of a little girl that turned bricks into dolls and tin can lids into cars. Okay, preacher… now, you’re meddling and jeopardizing my chances for an I-pod Touch, so let me quickly remind you that the Magi brought gifts to the first Christmas party that were not only expensive but specialty gifts!

I agree, I agree… the Christmas spirit is about bringing the best to the party! I’m just suggesting we need to think long and hard about what brings the best! We need to see not just gold, myrrh and frankincense but swaddling clothes, manger tainted straw and desperate quarters that are warmed not by expensive gifts but by worship lit up by heaven’s star. That’s the spirit of the Christ mass… that’s the joy of giving! It’s not about whether we have designer dolls or brick dolls designed by a child’s imagination… it’s about the spirit of giving not receiving. Weigh your gifts with love and meditation on a spirit that will last a lifetime. Make memories that last beyond forgotten toys that can only nurture a moment. Share gifts that are from the heart that are filled not just with Christmas spirit but the Spirit of Christ. And by the way, thanks mom, for brick dolls and tin can lid cars that fill my spirit every Christmas! -DAN

Thankful

In our Life group we are studying the psalms. We have challenged each one in our group to write his or her own psalm with the idea that psalms are an important way to express faith and relationship with God. Our challenge is not a poetry contest nor is it an exercise in theological understanding. We want to join David, the Sons of Korah, Asaph and the others with giving words to our faith, our anxieties, our hurts and our praise. So, here’s my ‘tis the season psalm:

Psalm 151*
For the director of music. To the
tune of, “Joyful Thanksgiving.” Of Dan.

O God and Father of Whom joy surrounds
Your majestic throne;
My soul thirsts for Your presence
as one longing in a desert place alone.
Yet never solitary in these arid places;
deceptive wells are many; ever bitter.
I am a lost child in a crowded marketplace;
too easily sold to the highest bidder
and too quickly branded another’s servant.
But I will offer praise from lips parched;
thanksgiving from a heart that knows
its true master;
I will mount high upon the morning’s sunrise;
and in the bright of day,
proclaim the Lord’s sovereignty.
He is worthy of all praise,
He is the rising and mighty tower,
that provides safety, in a world adrift.
So sing with thanksgiving all ye people of God;
Sing with heart, soul and mind
for He is gracious to his children.
Sing, sing, sing…
O God and Father of Whom joy surrounds
Your majestic throne;
Our souls thirst for Your presence
as a people longing for the Water of Life.

* There are 150 Psalms… so, I figured mine to be 151 not as an addition but as a follower, longing to praise God! -DAN

Baby Pew

Most Sunday mornings I’m sitting in the baby pew… no, that has nothing to do with the olfactory senses or a miniature version of a pew –rather, it is a reference to a gaggle of toddlers that are lovingly held by their relatives and friends that surround me. These fresh eyes see the world of worship in an interesting way. They tilt their heads in curiosity while their loved ones belt out hymns of praise and in frustration squirm while communion emblems are cautiously circumvented around them as the juice and crackers are being passed down the row. Their first vocal response in worship is an echo “amen” they heard. They can’t figure out why they are asked to be quiet or why the adults seem to put their heads down and pretend they’re asleep only to be awakened by an “amen.” They can’t understand for a moment why adults can’t see that pews are great for jumping, crawling under and drawing on. They have no patience whatsoever for songs books staying in the rack and are completely baffled why attendance cards should not be eaten. They’re happy however that it seems they share their adult wards assurance that once the sermon starts it time for a nap. Yes, I’ve learned much from the baby pew about the nature of worship!

So, what have these babes in arms taught you Preacher McWitty? I’m glad you asked because they’ve taught me much. First, they have reminded me that Jesus said of them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these (Matthew 19:14).” The kingdom of heaven invades our lives to restore a child’s world that is driven by imagination and curiosity. In the innocent eyes of youth is reflected the longing for knowledge and the joy of discovery. A child leads the way because such are not jaded by past failure or intimidated by the unknown future. Babes in arms are armed to tackle any task because they trust they will be protected by those who love them. My child like prayer is for the Lord to revive in me a daily longing to know Him and serve Him. My petition humbly submits that I oft fail because I haven’t come to the task with fresh eyes… a child’s eyes that are filled with imagination and curiosity.

So, if you see me on the pew playing with my young mentors be assured I’m learning… learning to see God and His people with fresh eyes. Learning to trust and obey because it’s fun and never boring on the baby pew! -DAN

Panoply

Last Sunday I challenged you to look up the word “panoply” if you were unclear of its definition. I suggested that if we are to sing to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs it works best if we know the vocabulary we are using. I also suggested that the dictionary is a delightful read even though the narrative is a little thin on plot. Charles Wesley’s stirring lyrics in “Soldier of Christ, Arise” recommends that if we are “to arm (ourselves) for the fight” we’ll need the panoply of God. This song was originally entitled, “The Full Armor of God.” It also included 19 more stanzas in addition to the 5 we have in our hymnals (Powerpoint slides). My favorite of the edited out portion is the concluding stanzas in Wesley's original song. He rallies the troops in the spirit of historic battle cries with the emotive lyrics:

From strength to strength go on, wrestle and fight and pray,
Tread all the powers of darkness down and win the well fought day.
Still let the Spirit cry in all His soldiers, “Come!”
Till Christ the Lord descends from high and takes the conquerors home.

You see God’s panoply is as Webster defines it, “2. Anything protecting completely or forming a magnificent covering.” As soldiers of Christ we are armed not with our wits or military precision but rather with truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation and the most powerful weapon known to man… the Word of God. These are property of the divine (i.e. the armor of God) and form a magnificent covering when we are alert and keep “on praying on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Our battle is not with flesh and blood but Satan and his substantial resources. We are in the battle of our life. We may be only foot soldiers but it’s not about rank but rather assurance that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).

Every generation needs the panoply of God. No matter when you were born or where you reside the battle is on. It may be as fierce as death knocking on the door or as personal as internal struggles of a relentless sin. You may be hoary headed or wet behind the ears. You may be a seasoned veteran or a recent recruit. But everyone and I mean everyone needs the armor of God, the panoply of His magnificent covering to make it through everyday! -DAN

Tribute Tattoo

The headline caught my eye and the eerie nature of it evoked an unsettled feeling but a genuine curiosity. A British tattoo artist was designing a tattoo to memorialize his young son who passed away from a rare disease at the age of two and half. He planned to use an ink mixture that included ashes from his cremated son’s remains. After a little research I discovered that ancient Middle Eastern people memorialized their dead this way and I uncovered many headlines of a variety of people who have these very personal tattoos. It made me wonder if this was more than just trying to hang on to the physical presence of past loved ones. Was it as simple as the funeral remarks that loved ones will live on in our memories? Or was this an act of denial that death can not separate us from our loved ones? Whatever the answer might be to these questions it is obvious that once again we are reminded how precious life is and our longing for immortality underscores the reality of a God who created us in His image and put eternity into our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

No doubt there may be some who’s first reaction is that this is more than bizarre behavior and is a blatant disregard for the sacred in both the living and the dead. I grew up in a household where we were not allowed to put bubblegum tattoos on because the bible strictly forbade tattooing the body (Leviticus 19:28). Besides, only riffraff sported tattoos that more often than not were lewd, crude and unrefined (as the saying went). However, even a brief glance at the text reveals that to be consistent you would also have to be adamant about forbidding certain hairstyles and beard trimming. The scaring and tattoo prohibition in Leviticus was a warning to Israel to not indulge in pagan religious practices. In verse 19 one of these miscellaneous laws is not to wear clothing woven of two kinds of material (raise your hand in you are presently in violation of this one). Again this is a reference to pagan religious practices that was wrong by association not by nature.

So, are you suggesting one should get a tattoo that mixes inks with cremation ashes? I’m reserving my judgment even though it still seems eerie and bizarre. What I believe to be important is that we never forget that the sting of death has been swallowed up in the Christ victory of the cross (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). Thus, what I desire is the ultimate marks… the marks of Jesus (Galatians 6:17). Then we can honor those who have gone before us by sharing the faith that they shared with us. Now, that’s a tattoo! -DAN