Glory and the Groan

We live in a broken and hurting world. So much so that people take liberties that are not rightfully theirs to take, and, in so doing, harm individuals in ways we were never meant to be harmed. For example, some friends of mine suffered a home invasion this week. Yes, without respect for person or property some criminals identified an empty home that did not belong to them and accessed the home through a window that is unseen from the front of the home or the adjoining road. What cowards. They didn’t steal too terribly much and, thankfully, no one was injured in this particular crime. In fact, indications may be that the criminals were spooked during the robbery and left before they could finish the job – thank goodness.

There are things that are stolen, however, that go beyond that which we can taste, touch or see. For instance, your sense of security is robbed for a time and your sense of peace and stability is eroded just a bit when you become the victim of such actions. As one who has lived through such before, I know how very real those intangible thefts can be and how long they can last.

We tend to recover. I wonder, “Why?” Why do we not linger in the frailty of fear that such actions bring to the forefront of life? After all, who is to say it will not happen again? How does one freely and fully protect oneself in a world where people no longer enter your home as invited guests through your front door, but choose to enter through force - undetected, uninvited and, often unpunished?

Perhaps we do not linger in fear because as real as crime is in a fallen, sinful world, we experience an even greater reality. This reality says that the world is moving toward being restored. Yes, restored. While it may not look like it, I think an indication of this truth can be found in our own ability to heal, move on, get over it, trust again, forgive, get better, let go of the past, etc. Yes, all of these realities point to the deeper reality that, though stained by sin, we and the world are being and indeed have been redeemed. We have been reclaimed and we are being restored! While we do not fully taste this restoration now, nor is it fully experienced, it is evident in every nook and cranny of life.

The Bible indicates on nearly every page that the world has been horrifically disfigured and, as such, human behavior has been altered at its core. Our hearts, once righteous before God, became the seat of wickedness as a result of our sin. This wickedness is so deeply rooted in life and experience that we are told further that it has stained the entire creation. Yes, the creation itself now groans. She groans for the glory that she once knew and will one day know again.

Life, my friends, is a groan. In the groan we experience pain. In the groan we experience betrayal. In the groan we experience theft. In the groan we experience heartache. In the groan, however, we also experience hope. In the groan we experience growth. In the groan we hear the deep sigh of the human heart that exclaims, “One day we will groan no longer – one day we will be renewed.” Yes, in the groan there is glory!

There is glory because God has reunited all things in Him - in and through the person of Christ. Scripture reminds us that Christ holds things - all things - together. Even now, when so much seems fractured, hope is not lost because and only because Christ holds all things together. The culmination – the new heavens and earth – is yet to come. But, even now, in the groan, the Christ child reminds us, Be still my child, I have brought you peace; a peace that never ends and one that is felt daily, even as we groan!

See you Sunday!
Biz

The Glory of . . .

It's like cosmic volleyball of immense verbal proportion. The words, like the ball flying over the net, are tossed back and forth to one another. And, as if for emphasis, they are tossed again and again and again. The words are not light. No, these words have some weight to them. They carry with them the thickness of respect, worship and awe. Take it even one step further and consider this - those who are uttering the words, those weighty, awe inspiring words, are not mere beings. No, in fact, those uttering the words are angels - angels unlike any depicted in modern novels or media. These are not the simple, chubby, cuddly angels we often see - no, these angels inspire awe in and of themselves - they are indeed spectacular beings volleying words of immensity and grandeur to one another in a manner intended to make those who hear pause and ask, 'of whom do you speak?' Here is the volley:

"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"

Simply amazing! These seraphim, seated above God Himself, speak of God and proclaim this simple, yet life changing truth: God is indeed holy and the whole earth is full of this holiness they proclaim. In his own day Isaiah was so moved by this revelation given by God that he himself responded, "woe is me, I am lost, I am undone - I am a man of unclean lips." This is really the only appropriate response one could have when faced with the glory of God. A moment like this can bring us to our knees and cause us to acknowledge our own frailty, insecurity, sin and shame in the presence of such goodness, holiness, righteousness and glory. The ancients referred to this as 'the weight of glory.' Today we refer to it as, 'do what?'

Unfortunately we do not recognize the glory of God that is so very present all around us. If Scripture is to be believed, then all of creation testifies to this glory. The irony of this is that the pinnacle of creation - humanity - fails to see this glory at every turn. I think it is because of the fact that we know little of 'glory' these days. We glory in ourselves, we glory in our possessions, we glory in our achievements, etc. It is this elevation of 'self glory' that has robbed glory of its own thickness and replaced it with a very thin, meager comparison of what it once was - or at least how it was once seen. Today, one might argue, that glory has become weightless and thin - like ‘butter spread over too much bread.’ It looks like something that had promise, but has become something that constantly leaves one 'wanting.'

How does this fit at Christmas? Simple - Christmas has lost her glory. In fact, Christmas may be responsible for replacing the glory of the Christ narrative with something of far less weight that leaves us wanting for more than before. Christmas has become that time in our life when we hone the art of 'spreading ourselves too thin.' It has become a story of a jolly old guy who spreads cheer by bringing . . . toys. Huh? Yes, toys. When a costumed man replaces the true gift giver and elves angels and reindeer replace the heavenly hosts, then we have lost our sense of glory. Perhaps we haven't lost it as much as replaced it with a 'thinner' version - glory that is 'weight free.'

I know, I know. You are thinking to yourself, come on all those 'traditions' point to the true reason for the season. I get that. In fact, we celebrate Christmas in our home and enjoy the trappings of it (to an extent). But what really points to the reason for the season is the Reason himself! What really points us to the reason of the season is the seraphim and their divine volley; Holy, Holy, Holy! Perhaps it is time to pause during this festive time of year and consider for yourself: have I replaced ‘glory’ with something far less? If so, the remedy is simple: hit your knees and proclaim the glory of God! That is what this season is all about and it is His glory that is exclaimed on the night of our savior's birth! The sky lit up and the angels chorused, 'glory to God in the highest.' Now, that is the choir I want to hear! That is what glory is and should always be - that is a word of 'weight.' "Can you hear it?" Or, perhaps a better question, "do you recognize it anymore."

Glory to God in the Highest!

Biz

Christmas Top Ten

Here we are at the beginning of the advent season. I love this time of year! I love the lights everywhere, the smell of the tree, the yard decorations, the Christmas music and all that comes with our Christmas celebration. It seems, however, that every year we fly through this great season. One day it is December 2nd and in the blink of an eye it is January 2nd of the New Year. All too often we are looking back wondering, 'what in the world happened - where did Christmas go?' Sooo, this year I have developed a 'top ten' for Christmas. I am calling it:


'Biz Gainey's Top Ten Things He Wants to Be Able to Say When Christmas 2010 is over'
(Drum roll, please)
• 10 I gained 7 and 3/4 lbs, and I do not care one bit!

• 9 I gave more than I got - a lot more!

• 8 I got in the '10 items or less' line only to find that I had gotten behind someone with 24 items - and I didn't even care!

• 7 I shared the sugar cookies with my wife and kids - finally.

• 6 I successfully used NORAD to track Santa's every move - and finally caught him in the act of trespassing!

• 5 I drank deeply from the relationships God has given me through Westside as we celebrated our best Christmas yet!

• 4 I ate monkey bread - lots and lots of monkey bread!

• 3 I worshipped deeply and celebrated greatly the birth of our Savior and King, Christ the Lord.

• 2 I will not spend 6 months paying off bills for gadgets and games that will not last longer than 3 weeks!

• 1 Thank you, Lord - for you have done it yet again.

Okay, there are my top ten - what about yours? What would you like to be able to say when this year's season has come to an end and we are once again looking into a brand new year?

Celebrate the Season, rightly!

Biz