In a Moment, In a Manger

It changed

                Everything

                as the radiant beams of God’s Glory

                                Leapt up

                From the most humble of circumstances

God’s Invasion of Grace

In a moment

In a manger

God punches through

                the veil that appeared to divide

                the Divine from the Down-Trodden

                the Holy from the Lowly

                the Eternal from the Time-Bound

In a moment

In a manger

God Himself

                In Son Jesus Christ

                Dawns the Fragility of Flesh

                                And…

                                Everything Changes

Because in that moment

In that manger

God would no longer be thought

                Only…for us

                Now…God with us

                God Himself

                                In Son Jesus Christ

                                Walking miles and miles

                                In the worn-through soles of our shoes

                                In the tattered garb of human frailty

                                Through the broken shards of earth-born living

In a moment

In a manger

Distance spanned

Division Eclipsed

The King from on High

                Had now come low

                Condescending to us

                                And we…

                Accosted, scandalized, captivated

                By the simplicity

                                Of the One that Comes

                                Not as conquering ruler

                                But…

                                                Suffering Servant

                                                As lowly peasant

                                                As One…like us

                                                As One…for us

                                                As One…with us

Who in a moment

In a manger

Wearing our Flesh

Filling our Fragility

Sanctifying our Skin

                In Coming to be as we are

                Makes possible

                                Our coming to be like He is

                                Humble

                                Whole

                                Holy

Yes Holy…

For this Invasion of Grace

Is not complete

In a moment

In a manger

                This moment is the set-up

                For moments to come

                                Of teaching

                                Walking

                                Sharing

                                Loving

                                Modeling

                                Calling

                                Struggling

                                Suffering

                                Dying

                                Rising

                                Ascending

                                And…

                                                Sending…of God Himself

                                                In Spirit

                                                That he is no longer

                                                Only God for us

                                                And God with us

                                                But now…God in us

For the One who in a moment

In a manger

Who takes up flesh

Now takes hold of our flesh

Inhabiting our fragility

Laying waste to our resistance

Invading our Space with His Grace

Filling up our Broken Cracks and Empty Places

                With the Glory

                the Radiance

                the Majesty

                of His limitless Grace

                So that in all things

                In all ways

                At all times

                We might become like

                The One who stooped low

                To become like us

In a Moment

In a Manger

Everything Changes

                And that…

                Is the Christmas Miracle.  

Hope Through the Thick Cloud of Depression

Has it settled in like a thick cloud again?  It’s denseness, at times both suffocating and restrictive. 

“Yes.

There are moments…when…every…breath…feels…labored.

When the haze makes seeing beyond this present moment nearly impossible.”

Is it piling up?  When it was just one or two things you thought you could handle it.  But now it feels like everything.

            All at once…

            No let up…

            Really…again.  How much more can a person take?

“Where’s my bed, my bottle, my blanket and remote.  Maybe if I just wait it out here.  Forget about it…sleep it away, drink it away, wish it away…

            it’ll go away?

            Maybe?”

But no, the thoughts – they are relentless.  Even in your exhaustion the thoughts keep coming. 

“Make them stop, will they ever stop?  I’ll do anything to make it stop…”

            Anything?

            “I didn’t mean anything?  Don’t worry, I mean it’s crossed my mind, but doesn’t everyone have that thought?  I’m good though, really.” 

                       

But are you?

It’s thick this cloud.  You really can’t see, beyond now, beyond here…

“What did you say?  You say you are there for me.  Wait, I can’t see you through this cloud.  I’m afraid if you are waiting for me to reach out…you might be waiting awhile.

            I…don’t…know…which…direction…to…reach. 

                                                                                                Man, I can’t breathe.”

“But I’m not the only one that can’t see you, you can’t see me.  You see me, but you don’t see me.  You see me fake laughing at work pretending to be ok.  You see me cheering on my child at the ball game not knowing that later that night I’ll wish I was dead, feeling like a failure as a parent.  You’ll see my smile at church that hide the tears trying to break through.  You don’t see me, partially because I won’t let you…partially

            Because you won’t let yourself.

            You don’t know what to do with me.

            How to talk to me.

            How to walk with me.

            What it means to love me.”

What can be done? 

            “Care.

            …but be gentle.

                        Don’t be trite.  It may not be better tomorrow.

            Care enough to love me through it.

            …but be patient.

                        Depression can make me sound like a jerk sometimes.

                        I didn’t mean to snap at you.

            Care enough to reach through the fog.

            …but don’t let go.

                        I need you, even though I’ll tell you I don’t.

            Care enough to tell me of God.

            …but not of his anger.

His love.  Remind me that God’s not impatiently waiting for me to get my act together, but with every tear drop, he weeps with me.  Tell me that He is holding me –as you hold my hand.  Cause in that moment, God is what I see in you.  Tell me that He is safe…that he can take it, my fears, my failures, my regrets, my worries, my past, my present, my future, my…

            Care enough not to give up

                        To sit with me in quiet when I need it.

                        To endure my awkwardness – believe me it feels worse for me.

                        To laugh with me in those moments when the light breaks through.

            Care.

            …but be tender.

And let me love you back.  Please don’t let this only be about me.  That just adds the guilt.  Share with me.  Let me be there for you.  As much as it is possible.” 

Has it settled in like a thick cloud again?

“Yes.”

Is it still hard to breathe?

“Yes…more…often…then…I…care…to…admit.

            But it’s less lonely here now, knowing you are close enough to see through the haze.

            It’s less fragile here now, knowing God’s hand holds me.”

But what’s different…what was done?

“You cared.

            And reminded me…

                        God cares.

            In that moment…

            That was just enough.” 

Bringing Gifts to Jesus

Bringing Gifts to Jesus

On Christmas Eve all across America, churches will fill with worshippers eager to celebrate the coming of Christ into this world.  Bridgeway, we will join those thousands for 4 services at our 2 Campuses, 3:30 and 5:00pm at each campus.  The theme of this Christmas Eve will be, in keeping with our Making Peace Series, “Bringing Gifts to Jesus.”  We will be focusing on the journey of the three Magi and the gifts they carried to Jesus. 

However, beyond a message, you will have a special opportunity to “Bring Your Gifts to Jesus.”  This year, we will be taking a special offering in all four services.  NONE, I REPEAT, NONE will stay at Bridgeway.  I’ve identified three projects as part of our Nazarene Network of Global Partners to bless with what I’m praying will be somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 dollars.  Each of these projects will receive an equal amount of whatever comes in the offering. 

Project 1:  I have a close friend, a real Peace-Maker, that is serving as a Global Missionary in Australia, planting a church that is attempting to deal with the Global Refugee Crisis in Brisbane.  Australia is a hub of immigration and their church wants to stand on the forefront of engaging those that have been displaced from their homes.  Emman and Jade Chapman and their two children, Caleb and Savannah Zoe are evidence of the sacrifice of Peace Makers. 

Project 2:  Education for Children IN Syria.  Our Global Ministries is engaged in educating the young children in the war-torn country of Syria.  This is our opportunity to engage the work of Jesus instead of listening to the talking heads on TV. 

Project 3:  The Global Refugee and Immigration Fund for the Church of the Nazarene.  This fund helps missionaries all across the globe to engage the Refugee Crisis.  Friends, we have boots on the ground making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable.  We have a chance to join this Kingdom Work. 

I would like to challenge you to start praying now.  How much might God challenge you to give during this Christmas Season to impact the mission of Peace-Making in this world?  Bringing our gifts to Jesus is a way to make that happen. 

Let’s see God astound us on Christmas Eve with an offering like Bridgeway has never before seen for the purpose of giving it all away to our Global Partners. 

Thank You 

Pastor Jeff 

#ChoosePeace

Hate fuels Hate

Violence begets Violence

Evil prompts Evil

This is the dance of the devil

Who lures us in

To the very actions we loathe

We become participants

In Fear

In Irrationality

In Bigotry

In Thought

In Glance

In Spreading the Death-Dealing Agenda of the devil

We cling to our reasons

Freedoms

Justifications

Political Ideology

And Religion

Yes…Religions of Violent Propaganda

And Demented Yearnings for Armageddon

And forget

Neglect

Write-Off

Dismiss as untimely, unsafe, unproductive

The words of the Savior…who we attempt to protect

With our “Merry Christmas”

And Nativity Scenes on Public Ground

Who suggests that 

Blessed are the Peacemakers

Cross-carrying trumps Sword-Wielding

Love conquers Hate

And Sacrifice is made Holy

In Advent we proclaim Peace

From our pulpits in church

But cry out “kill the bastards”

From the streets

We are getting permits to pack instead

Of getting on our knees to pray

We post

We tweet

We meme

But…refuse to deny ourselves

Take up our cross

And follow the one

Who reaches out in risk

Shares tables with betrayers

Crosses bridges with the outsiders

Forgives the unforgiveable

Whose agenda is Life and Love

Grace and Peace

Hope and Transformation

May God Break the Fear in our Hearts

With the Perfect-Love of Christ

May we refuse to

Dance with the Devil

Choosing Hope

Instead of Hate

Loving

Instead of Loathing

Friend-making

Instead of Fear-Mongering

Brotherhood

Instead of Bigotry

Reconciliation

Instead of Reactionary Evils

It’s that kind of love

That could get us killed

Certainly

But we might be

In good company

With the One

Whose Love Triumphed

Even in Death.

Or it could

Be the difference

Between the brutality of today

And the blessings of

Tomorrow.