Christmas in Crisis

This entry is not intended to be long. But, just to be a message about Christmas. The world as we know it is in a seeming perpetual state of crisis. The brokenness of humanity has reached an apparent critical mass, but this was, has been, and always will be the context of Christmas.

Christ entered the world at a time of great crisis. The Roman Empire was pressing toward its zenith as the largest empire in the world. There was cultural, racial and gender-based oppression throughout the known world. This is the world of Hanukkah some 250 years before Christ and the world of Christ Himself. He entered the world to edeem the world by being in it but not of it. This is the world in which we live...not much has changed as much has changed. Democracy has replaced Monarchy, but Plutocratic Imperialism still lives strong. The police have become our praetorian guard...with the ability to compel us to do things with threat of force. Justice seems far away...or turning a blind eye toward the cries of injustice. Nothing new...right?

This is why I have hope. God has not forgotten His people. His ears are not too deaf to hear, nor His arms to short to save (Isaiah 59:1). He has heard and is hearing the cries for justice. God is up to something. As often the night is darkest before the dawn (an annoying cliche)--God is up to something. This Christmas will be one to remember the true reason for the season. When God revealed himself as Savior, Yeshua, Immanuel. God will reveal himself in Ferguson, Los Angeles, New York, all over the country and the world. Justice and peace will be seen by our eyes and we will marvel and say, "This is the Lord's doing."

God will shine...God will shine..."A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." That was the birth of Christ...the new and glorious morn took time (30 plus years to come to fruition...and it is still dawning some 2000 years later). The work of Christ did not begin with Christmas and end at the Cross...no, no, no...He was there with Stephen at his reckoning...Paul and Silas in jail...Peter, James and John at their ends...He was in the protests around the world...He is with the families as they mourn. Christ is still moving. God is still who he is. (This does not mean that I am all of a sudden ok with it all, not at all. Quite the contrary every fiber of my being is on fire for justice, my heart is broken, my head is spping with everything going on.) God is still moving...still working...still listening.

Merry Christmas...from crisis...to revival.