Advent Day 7: Not Fair? There's Hope.

"Life is not fair," one says.
"Deal with it," another exclaims.
"My life is filled with lemons," one complains.
"Learn to make lemonade, my boy," another instructs.

And of course, well-meaning observers advise:

"Toughen up."
"Develop thick skin."
"Adopt a c'est la vie mindset."
"Keep your emotions under the sleeve."

Is it not difficult at best and debilitating at worst to see lush and green grass on the other side of the fence while yours is dry and brown? When all the signs indicate that you're the one doing all the watering, it seems unfair that the neighbor's lawn is faring ten times better. When it seems you're the one serving and seeking the Lord, is it not challenging to undergo trial after trial while others seem to be thriving in every way?

Friends, on this 7th morning of Advent, my mind goes to a passage from the Holy Word I do not usually consider in the context of Advent -- Malachi 3:13-18 -- but today it ministers to my heart like no other.

It reads like this:

"You have spoken arrogantly against me," says the Lord. 

"Yet you ask, 'What have we said against You?' "

"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. 

What do we gain by carrying out His requirements 

and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? 

But now we call the arrogant blessed. 

Certainly evildoers prosper, 

and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.' "

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other,

and the Lord listened and heard.

A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence

concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name.

"On the day when I act," says the Lord Almighty,

"they will be my treasured possession. 

I will spare them, 

just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 

And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked,

between those who serve God and those who do not."

As I ponder the above passage, I cannot help but see how very much these words resonate with the hope of Advent. I can see that regardless of what happens to me in this life, the Most High God is my source and my hope. As such, even in the light of a tumultuous life and less than satisfying circumstances, He is still my constant refuge and shield.

When it rains on my parade, He is my hope.
When water is dumped on my fire, He is my hope.
When my dreams and goals are dashed, He is my hope.
When my heart is torn and broken and sorrowful, He is my hope.

When, a year ago, I was contemplating the atrocious death of my brother and the seeming victory of the wicked (in this case, the abductors/murderers) who took away his oh so precious life -- my tears are still so fresh, my heart still so raw -- I found Christ to be my only hope. Certainly, both the abduction and the eventual assassination were allowed to occur and, to be sure, it was the worst tragedy I have had to face in my life. Still, the Father's Word remains true:

He will come to deliver those who believe in Him.

The Coming One says, "On the day when I act . . . they will be my treasured possession. I will spare [the righteous], just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him."

So, did He or did He not spare my brother's life?

From an earthly perspective, the sheer fact that for the past 54 weeks I have not seen the sparkle in his eyes or heard his memorable jokes causes me to admit that God did not spare Simon. His treasured counsel, infectious laughter, loving words, and encouraging spirit have not been with me for ages, it seems. And I grieve over the monumental loss of his presence.

Yet . . . (Praise the Lord!) . . . from a heavenly or biblical perspective, the loving Father graciously spared Simon. Though my brother suffered a great deal as he was mercilessly tortured, the Father did not leave him comfortless. Our Lord is Immanuel -- God with us. He heard Simon's cries, felt his aching heart, watched his agony, saw his pain, listened to his plea, paid attention to his labored breathing until the very last molecule exited my beloved brother's body. Our Father was so sensitive to Simon's needs that He kept a detailed record of the hurts endured by His faithful son.

Does the Father spare the persecuted Church?

As far as I can understand from an earthly perspective, suicide bombers continue to claim hundreds and thousands of lives, others are starved to death, yet others are fatally shot, and still others are inhumanely treated in prisons -- lives upon lives have not been spared physically. Yet, amidst chaos and grief, God's glory is manifested as these lost lives bear witness to the truth and hope of the gospel.

Does the Father spare you and me?

Friends, you and I have been spared (thus far) the abduction and assassination that snatched my brother away from this earth. Yet, in our own way, we have not been spared the injustices that crowd our lives. Wounds and stripes of different shades and weights have been inflicted upon us.

Is life fair?
No. Not at all.
But hope still stands.

Whatever unfairness or persecution or trial you and I may face, let us remember Bethlehem, the town where the hopes and fears of all the years were met in the coming of Christ.

Yes. The Coming One will do for all His faithful children what He did for my brother and all other martyrs for the cause of Christ. He is our comfort. He will graciously come and act when He sees fit to do so. He will wrap us up in the fold of His arms of love, compassion, and grace. He will distinguish in the day of reckoning between those who serve Him and those who do not. Though we cannot see everything right now, the day will come when our faith will be indeed sight.

Come, Lord Jesus!
You are our only hope!

Advent Day 6: Hope in His Name

Good morning to you, friend, on this 6th morning of Advent!

People are weak.
People need love.

You and I are weak.
You and I need love.

Countering the weakness and lovelessness of humanity, Agape is expressed most generously through the multiple meanings or facets of the name of the Coming One. The beauty of Advent is this: It inspires the believer to pause and reflect upon the significance of God's name as it graciously reveals His character, identity, value, purpose, works, commands, and blessings. Advent, thus, argues that the Coming One is not this nondescript, unnamed, characterless deity but a monarch whose very name brings hope to the whole world.

God's name gives us hope because:

   -  It is glorious and awesome (Deuteronomy 28:58)
   -  It is wonderful (Judges 13:18)
   -  It is majestic (Psalm 8)
   -  It is good (Psalm 52:9)
   -  It is a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10)
   -  It is holy (Isaiah 57:15)
   -  It is the only name that will not fade (Zechariah 14:9)
   -  It provides salvation (John 1:12)
   -  It houses the prayers of the faithful (John 14:13-14)
   -  It is above every other name (Philippians 2:9)
   -  It is superior to the names of angels (Hebrews 1:4)

The Coming One is called:

Elohim. He is the strong One! He is sovereign, creative, mighty.
El Elyon. He is the Most High God! He is supreme.
El Olam. He is the everlasting God! He is inexhaustible.
El Shaddai. He is God Almighty!

YHWH Jireh. He is the provider. He supplies our every need.
YHWH Nissi. He is our banner. He is our means of victory.
YHWH Ro'i. He is our Shepherd. He cares for us daily.
YHWH Sabbaoth. He is our commander-in-chief. He commands all the starry hosts on our behalf.
YHWH Shalom. He is our peace. He brings us rest and serenity.
YHWH Shammah. He is ever present. He is personally present and active in our lives.
YHWH Tsikkednu. He is our righteousness. He is our means for right standing and sanctification.

With such a name at our disposal, how can we despair?
With such a glorious Helper and blessed Hope, how can we fear?

"The Lord is my light and my salvation,

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life,

of whom shall I be afraid?"

Ps 27:1 

There is power, joy, grace, peace, love, and hope in that name. It is the only name that will send Satan and his hordes to their place, and cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess the Lordship of Christ forever.

So, let us wait for Him, hope in Him, and look up to Him until the ultimate Advent of glory!

Advent Day 5: Does Anyone Care?

Good morning, friend!

Have you ever lived through one of those seasons? You know, the ones when it seems that no matter what you do or say, regardless of how loudly you scream or wail, despite the frantic and panicky SOS signals you send, all you get in return is __________________.

Nada.
Niente.

Blank stares.
"Talk to the hand" responses.

No one cares.
Not a soul seems to heed your cries for help.

I have had my share of such seasons. I know what it is like to feel squeezed by the pressures of invisibility and lovelessness. Yet, as I ponder the message of Advent this morning, I am made aware of a most significant truth:

When in dire straits, it is tempting for me to believe the oft-rehearsed lie that no one cares.

Hmmm.
Is it a lie?
Yup. It is definitely a lie.

Moreover, when a kind soul lends me a helping hand, I mistakenly resent the kindness of such a one seeing it more like a pitiful act of charity.

You may say, "What is so threatening about people in need being offered charity or assistance?"

The more I think about life and people, the more convinced I am that you and I are afraid of two main things -- appearing too weak and being unloved. Despite walls of pride and self-gratification erected to meet those needs, we often find ourselves dissatisfied and despairing. We tend to be a "been there, done that" type of people striving to be so independent that, if we are helped once, we work very hard to prevent ourselves from ever being in that position of weakness again.

While this attitude might bring us earthly success, it goes against the grain of the gospel, which tells us that Christ, the Coming Once, cares for us and loves us deeply. He cares enough to have justified us at Calvary over two thousand years ago, enough to continue offering us daily justification, and enough to be forever the only One who can justify us. Whether caused by the desire to save face, to keep appearances or to practice self-righteousness, the weak/unloved stigma plaguing our hearts has a most depleting impact on us, giving us a load that is much too hard to bear.

And what is this load of which I speak?

I, for one, grow tired from striving to be self-sufficient, self-reliant, self-sustaining, self-fulfilling . . . I am exhausted from feeling weak, ineffective, unheard, inefficient, unsolicited, inadequate . . . I grow weary from feeling unloved, uncared for, unwanted . . .

Where is hope?
To what truth shall I turn?

Today, I am grateful for the hope of Advent that reminds me of One who always hears my cries, knows my sorrows, relates to my predicament, notices my efforts, understands my struggles, wrestles on my behalf, and bandages my wounds. Hope is found in the Coming King who is both strong and loving -- in Him I can be complete.

So, whenever it seems like nobody cares, I am grateful for the reminder to look again and listen closely: Christ cares. Christ loves deeply. He is indeed the Hope of glory, the Comforter of my heart, the sole Satisfier of my soul!

Advent Day 4: The World vs the Word

The first call of Advent is a summons to hope in the Lord, to look with expectant eyes toward the mountains, to watch and wait with bated breath for the coming of Christ. Such a summons is an act of divine grace as it diverts our too easily distracted and frightened eyes from the wiles of this world.

The world says, "Put your hope in spouse, lover, friend, fame, employer, paycheck, entertainment, substance, alcohol, pleasure, etc."
The Word says, "O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption" (Psalm 130:7, NIV).

The world says, "Look down. Cover your head in shame. You're doomed, you're finished, you're nothing."
The Word says, "I lift my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1-2, NIV).

The world says, "You are a nobody."

The Word says, "You are God's workmanship." Eph 2:10

The world says, "Take it now."

The Word says, "Wait for the Lord." Ps 27:14

The world says, "You'll die an old maid; you'll rot in your bachelor's pad."

The Word says, "I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion." Hos 2:19

The world says, "I'll do it my way."

The Word says, "I am about my Father's business." Lk 2:49

The world says, "Do all you can to get ahead."

The Word says, "Make every effort to put the concerns of others ahead of yours."

The world says, "Love those who like you; blast those who hate you."

The Word says, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

The world says, "You are entitled to your own opinion."

The Word says, "Listen to The Lord your God and obey His precepts."

The world says, "You will pay dearly for your misdeeds."

The Word says, "Christ has already paid for your sins."

The world says, "Take matters into your own hands; take revenge and hate those who have wronged you."
The Word says, "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:13-14, NIV).

Indeed, it is very gracious of God to call us to hope in Him. With misplaced hopes, we grow overwhelmed, confused, dizzy, worried, disillusioned, embittered, listless, and overstretched. Knowing our tendency to forget and to fret, the Holy Spirit prompted the prophet to pen these words:

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? 

The Lord is the everlasting God, 

the Creator of the ends of the earth. 

He will not grow tired or weary, 

and His understanding no one can fathom. 

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 

Even youths grow tired and weary, 

and young men stumble and fall; 

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary, 

they will walk and not be faint." 

Is 40:28-31, NIV

Today, let us respond to God's gracious invitation to rest and hope in Christ, the coming King! As we do so, we will not merely walk nor run but we will joyfully take flight and soar with hope for Immanuel is with us every step of the way. He alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. He alone can carry us through the trials and He alone can do more than we can ever dream or imagine. He alone is our hope, our coming Lord!

Advent Day 3: The Eternal "Here"

Good morning, friends, on this third day of Advent!

I am grateful.
I am grateful to be alive.
I am grateful to be able to breathe and smell and taste and talk.

In the midst of the harsh realities of life, the fact that I am alive and aware of my surroundings, of my duties, of my opportunities, of my trials and tears, is enough for my heart to well up in thankfulness and rejoice in the hope of Advent.

The hope of Advent is reflected, albeit dimly, in our natural longing for happiness, joy, acceptance, meaning, and purpose, We all have wishes, desires, dreams, and goals, all of which translate into a hope that is closely linked with waiting.

Waiting, it must be said, is not an easy thing to do. Disappointments, discouragement, and distress are often the words that mark our journeys of patience. While waiting, it is often all too easy for us to become tired and weary as pressures assail us on either side. Deadlines, demands, directions, doubts, and depression tend to bombard us. Our dreams and goals sometimes seem so ludicrous in comparison to the dreary reality of our lives.

Yet the psalmist reminds us that we have reason to hope,

"But now, Lord, what do I look for?

My hope is in You."

Ps 39:7, NIV

The promised Messiah is infinite in understanding, power, and strength -- our hope is in Him. 

He is the Prince who gives us the peace that passes all understanding -- our hope is in Him.

He is also the gentle Shepherd who carries us in His arms -- our hope is in Him.

He is the Wonderful Counselor who tells us what to do -- our hope is in Him.

So, then, where is this Coming One?

Where is He today when bills have gone unpaid for far too long?

Where was He when my brother/friend had a fatal heart attack on his way to the DR?

Where was He when my brother Simon Serleus was abducted and mercilessly murdered?

Where was He when the cancer cells grew at such an alarming rate that my sister's life was curtailed?

Where is He in the midst of the turmoil facing my family for the past too-long-to-categorize-or-quantify season?

Where is He when children are murdered, workers abused, spouses neglected, authorities undermined, infants orphaned, youths raped, pregnant mothers forced to deliver their stillborn babies, and . . .?

He was here.

He has always been here.

He is here.

He is coming here.

He will always be here.

He is the eternal "here" -- Immanuel, God with us!

Some may say that such a hope is bogus or mere wishful thinking.

On the contrary, it is an expectation based on God's wisdom. It is our secure anticipation of the advent of our special gift, our treasure, our desire, our ultimate goal, and our source of joy -- the coming of our Lord.

Yes, Jesus is the blessed Hope of every follower of the gospel!

Advent Day 2: The Hope of Glory

Good morning, friends, on this second day of Advent!

Thank you for taking this journey with me as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the Nativity, the Incarnation of God on earth.

In God's infinite wisdom, He has placed within each person a natural yearning for something better -- a hope that is vibrant and motivates our seasons of life. The more we read the Bible, the more we learn that this yearning is not merely for something better, but rather for Someone better, the One and only wise God!

In Colossians 1:5, the apostle Paul reminds us that, as we wait for the Lord, God has already stored up for us in heaven the hope that is found in the gospel -- this hope is Jesus, the Light of the World.

"Light of the world,

You stepped down into darkness

Opened my eyes, let me see

Beauty that made this heart adore You

Hope of a life spent with You . . ."

Hope, indeed!

There is so much gracious hope in Advent, a word that simply means "coming" -- the coming of Christ. As believers of the gospel, we understand that at Creation, Christ came and turned darkness into light. Physically speaking, we grasp that Christ also came through His human birth in history. He came not as the political leader and monarch sought after by most Israelites, but as a special King -- the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Old Testament prophecies foretold this fact concerning this King: Jesus, the Word of God, would be made flesh for our hope and our deliverance from the tight grip of our disobedience and rebellion against God.

So, there is hope for us in Advent as we are invited to partake in the expectation, anticipation, and preparation for who Christ is and for what He has done for us. Arriving into the world as fully God and fully man, Jesus came to identify as one of us, as the Son of Man, as a baby born in a manger, and yet also as someone who is altogether different . . .

"Here I am to worship,

Here I am to bow down,

Here I am to say that You're my God.

You're altogether lovely,

Altogether worthy,

Altogether wonderful to me."

Yes. Hope has come for the average Joe or Jill as well as the highest officer in the army. Hope comes to us daily knocking on the door of our hearts to be allowed in to dine and visit and converse and live fully with each and everyone of us.

Hope comes to fill . . .

our grief
our shame
our despair
our sadness
our poverty
our torments
our temptations
our waywardness

                             . . . with the fullness of Christ.

And, glory!

Hope is coming again in great power and presence to bring Christ's Kingdom into completion.

So, friends, Advent gives us cause to rejoice. Christ's coming unearths gratitude and joy from the deepest recesses of our hearts because Jesus is our only hope.

"My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly lean on Jesus' name."

May you and I no longer hope in mere pleasantries, paychecks, and pomp and circumstance!

Instead, may we hope in the grace of Jesus, the Hope of glory!

Advent Day 1: Adventus

Adventus.
A Latin word that translates into our English word "coming."

Advent.
An anglicized form of the above Latin term, Advent denotes the time beginning four Sundays prior to Christmas -- a 4+ week season observed by many Christian worshipers as a period of expectant waiting and mindful preparation for the celebration of the Incarnation of Jesus.

This morning, on this first day of Advent, I am keenly aware of an unmistakable sense of longing and expectation that is within me. It brings memories of days gone by, seasons that I celebrated in the company of long-lost relatives and friends. It brings back to me a haunting melody from my college days, a chant sung by the Biola Chorale in La Mirada, CA:

Veni Creator Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator

Mentes tuorum visita

and in our hearts take rest;

imple superna gratia,

Come with supernatural grace

quae tu creasti pectora.

To fill the hearts You have created.

Today, Advent collides with my heart like bad news bumped into the heart of Job, the famous biblical character we have come to associate with severe losses. In spite of the collision, Job found a song to sing:

"Though He slay me, 

yet will I hope in Him . . ."

Job:13-15a

Often, I have been granted words for others . . .

quiet words

tender words

gracious words

beautiful words

encouraging words

words to savor

words to uplift

words to uphold

words to empower

words to strengthen

Yet, for months and weeks and days, such words took a sabbatic leave when it came to my blogging. Interactive media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram allowed others to see a bit of my pain. But it was hard to find the words and even harder to take the time to write a full post.

I pled . . .
I hurt . . .

I wept . . .

I ached . . .

. . . in relative silence!

I knew not really what to say to my heart.

The quietude of my grief was much too loud for me to hear the words I needed.

Like Israel was experiencing over 2,000 years ago, I have felt oppressed and jostled by life's circumstances. Hearts ached, spirits were arid, bodies sagged, and souls were desperate for freedom and newness -- Oh boy, do I relate!

But also like ancient Israel, I am learning to sing the words of the psalmist,

"I wait for the Lord,

my soul waits,

and in His Word I hope."

Ps 130:5, ESV

Hope.

Certainly, hope is the first message of Advent -- a message filled with grace and truth. For this first week of Advent, daily messages on the topic of hope will be posted here. It is an opportunity for you and me to focus on the Savior, the Creator of the world who came, who comes daily, and who will come one final time to fetch us (all those who believe in Jesus) home.

May I learn to hope in the Lord alone, the One and only who can wipe away my tears, who can iron out the wrinkles of my heart, who can turn my mourning into dancing again, who can set my feet on a rock solid foundation today and forever!

Yes, my hope is in the Lord of lords.