Moments With God.
Advent Week 3
JOY
Saturday, December 18
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These texts are hardly Christmas texts, are they? Nothing about the little child, no angels singing, no shepherds, no romantic scenes. No, there is talk of judgment, revenge. And if this were not enough, the little child of Christmas talks about eternal punishment, something that will last as long as the eternal life. What joy is there? For "Joy" is the heading of this sequence.
Although we might wish it were different, the Bible is very clear about the final results of the coming of our Lord. There will be those that will want to hide, that would rather have the mountains fall upon them! And there will be those that will be invited to enter the Kingdom to be with Him forever.
Christmas certainly is God's love displayed, for those who want to see it. But God is not like Santa. Or the god of French philosopher Voltaire, who said: "God will forgive me, that's his occupation." Faith in God separates, even among friends (Ps 55:12-14). Christmas requires an answer. It is, in the words of Randy Maddox, Responsible Grace. God has entered the world more directly than ever. His Son, the image of the invisible God, has emptied Himself to save us. And eventually, all will bow before Him, willingly or unwillingly.
But how about the joy? The very idea that people will be lost forever, the judgment, it is too horrifying even to imagine. The famous Brirtish writer and scholar C.S. Lewis once said, in the end, there will be two sorts of people, those that say to God "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says "thy will be done." The choice is ours. The consequences immense. But the lovingly stretched-out hand of God is there first. Without that hand, there would have been no choice. Without God giving everything to save us, there would be no dark side of the offering of salvation. Even His judgment is meant to establish the new earth. Even His judgment is still an offer of His love, still a hand, stretched out, taking us seriously to the very last moment.
So yes, there is joy! God does love all of us and is doing everything to reach us! He has sent a small child in the world--one day He will send the King of Kings. But his objectives are the same for ever and ever: He wants to save us! Let's celebrate!
Hans Deventer
Father,
I'm sure you remember the time Votaire said, "We never live; we are always in the expectation of living." When one doesn't have You in their life they don't know what it is to live. They don't know what true joy really is. It is hard to find amidst all else that life and death gives us.
I pray that these words will make a difference in someones life so they can find the joy in the midst of all the justice and judgement of You.
Amen
[Psalms 55] [Zechariah 8:9-17] [Revelation 6:1-17] [Matt. 25:31-46]
or suggestions to Yvonne Edwards.
Edited: Dec. 9, 1999 8:05 a.m.
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