Eleventh Day of Christmas

“On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me…eleven pipers piping.”

Scripture

Psalm 40; Luke 5:1-11; 6:12-16; 24:45-53

For reflection

Here is a multiple-choice quiz regarding today’s gifts: “The Apostles were: a) not highly gifted supermen; b) rather ordinary people from a variety of walks of life, c) early responders to Jesus’ invitation to follow him and who were subsequently designated and equipped witnesses to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; d) all of the above.  I am wondering if this might have been a question asked of the English Catholic children of the 1500’s who were being taught, as part of a catechism, that the “eleven pipers piping” really meant The Eleven faithful Apostles.  The answer is (drum roll): all of the above.

Those of us who have put the Apostles on a stained glass pedestal would benefit from participating in a “Living Last Supper.”  This Easter-time drama brings the Last Supper to life with Jesus and the twelve Apostles gathered around the table.  Frozen in a pose, each actor ponders Jesus’ statement that one of them would betray him.  Each disciple, in turn, steps into the spotlight to tell his story and reflect on the betrayal question: “Is it I?”   Painstakingly researched for biblical and historical integrity, the soliloquies reveal the earthiness, unique character, selfish desires, questionable motives, noble aspirations, and trusting hope of each Apostle.  One comes away with a sense that the Apostles are ordinary people; they could be you and me.

On the other hand, these ordinary people had an extraordinary encounter with Jesus.  They received an education that stood everything they believed upside down.  They witnessed incredible value placed repeatedly on those whom society and religion discarded as refuse.  They observed the miraculous on a routine basis.  They grappled with the mind-boggling prospect that their journey to Jerusalem would not result in Jesus being crowned king but in Jesus being crowned with thorns and crucified on a cross.  They witnessed the surprise of the empty tomb, welcomed the presence of the risen Christ, watched him ascend, and received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  Whatever had been ordinary about them became extraordinary.

The New Testament uses two terms to identify the Apostles.  First, they are considered “witnesses” to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  Second, they are “sent ones,” sent forth to tell their unique story and teach the way of Jesus.  They who joined many others as followers and trainees, or “disciples,” became a designated core to become special witnesses of the heart of the Good News.  Their companionship with Jesus and their faithfulness to His calling set them apart.  In the light of the Resurrection and Pentecost, every small detail in their years with him became magnified.   It is clear that the early church revered their unique role in terms of witness and leadership.

Eleven remained faithful.  It is to this day one of the most tragic and haunting elements of the gospel story that one of the Twelve would ultimately decide to betray Jesus.  Judas Iscariot’s story should be witnessed and weighed as carefully as the other Eleven.  After betraying Jesus, Judas hanged himself.  What we might understand of his turbulent heart could steer us clear of his choices and outcome.

History records that all but one of the Apostles died horrific deaths at the hands of those who also conspired to crucify Jesus.  The most notable is the death of Peter, who asked to be crucified upside down, for he did not consider himself worthy of being crucified in the manner of his Lord.  Only John, it seems, escaped a gruesome death; it is believed he died of old age while exiled on Patmos Island.  The Apostles are appreciated not only for their witness to the Good News, but for their faithful witness to the Good News to the very end of their lives.

Journaling/prayer possibilities

Reflect on the story of the calling of the first disciples—Peter, James, and John.  Note what is ordinary about them.  Note, also, any indication of what is about to become extraordinary in and through their lives.  What do you receive in receiving the gift of the witness and teaching of the Apostles?  Offer thanks for their obedience and witness.  Consider the extraordinary hope and future God is bringing near to you as you follow Jesus.

Song

“Jesus Call Us o’er the Tumult” by Cecil Frances Alexander

Jesus call us o’er the tumult

Of our life’s wild restless sea;

Day by day I hear Him saying,

“Christian come and follow me.”

As, of old, disciples heard it

By the Galilean lake,

Turned from home and work and leisure,

Leaving all for His dear sake:

In our joys and in our sorrows,

Days of toil and hours of ease,

Still He calls in cares and pleasures,

“Christian, love me more than these.”

Jesus calls us: by Thy mercies,

Savior may we hear Thy call,

Give our hearts to Thine obedience,

Serve and love Thee best of all.

Benediction

May you hear the call that goes out to all people: “Follow me.”  May you respond with an open heart and grace-assisted discipleship.  May you offer your life in witness to the Good News, saying “send me” amid the dailyness of life.  Amen.

Tenth Day of Christmas

“On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…ten lords a leaping.”

Scripture

Psalm 119:9-16; Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 4:1-14; Mark 10:17-22

For Reflection 

Ever give or receive one of those “for the person who has everything” gifts?  What about a gift for a person who has nothing?  Or for a recently appointed leader?  Or for a couple just beginning their life journey together?  Or for a community plotting its course or a nation begin birthed?  Today’s gifts are perfect for these occasions.  Opening today’s gifts, we hark back to something familiarly old and are invited to embrace something promising enough to dramatically reshape our future.

The Ten Commandments may have done more than anything else to form the Hebrew people into a distinctive and cohesive people.  The Decalogue gave them unique identity.  It truly made them peculiar among neighboring nations.  The Ten Commandments formed the core of their covenant with the unseen Yahweh, the exclusive relationship with whom is the first of the Commandments.  Through the Ten Commandments, they became principled in their actions, successful in their dealings, and enduring in their posterity.

How we approach the Ten Commandments makes all the difference in how--or if--we incorporate them into our lives.  I learned them mostly as prohibitions and this is how most people think of them.  A bunch of “Thou shalt nots” is the lingering and negative impression.  An alternative approach is to explore the provision of each commandment.  What does each commandment affirm about life?  What does it uphold as valuable?  What does it preserve and promote?  Look for the covenant principles behind the “Thou shalt nots.”

E. Stanley Jones talked about the fact that we do not break the Ten Commandments, or any other God-given precepts.  Instead, we break ourselves upon them.  The commandment holds; we yield.  Richard Foster put forth the image of a life-giving river with boundaries.  When the boundaries are observed the river provides for many aspects of life.  When the banks are flooded and breached, it becomes a rampaging torrent leaving chaos in its path.  So it is when we venture beyond the Commandments.  The boundaries are not set because we cannot be trusted; it is that covenant life simply cannot survive beyond them.

What happens with the Ten Commandments in the New Testament?  The encounter with the rich young man in Mark 10 is indicative of the way Jesus interpreted the Ten Commandments and the Law.  Keeping them minimally or self-righteously may well miss the mark.  There is something beyond the letter of the law that is life giving; there is a spirit of the Commandment that invites us to an authentic and growing relationship to self, others, and God.  It is this life in the Spirit, with its hallmark of love, that brings the Ten Commandments into the realm of provision and affirmation of all that is life-giving.

So, the image of ten lords leaping in joyful dance fits the Ten Commandments.  They are "lords," holding power that impacts day-to-day aspects of our lives. But they are leaping because in the intent and fulfillment of their "rule" is joy. Put these together in life in the Spirit and you've got a celebration that is inviting and inspiring, indeed. 

Journaling/prayer possibilities

Open the Ten Commandments and read them separately and thoughtfully.  What likely principles or life-affirming values can you discern behind each one?  How are you incorporating the Ten Commandments into your life?  Which of the Commandments have implications for you in relationship to the larger community?  Offer thanks for the Commandments and for the Spirit who brings them to life within us and within our communities.

Song

“Father, Thy Merciful Design” by Charles Wesley

Father, Thy merciful design

We see and joyfully approve;

Thou kindly dost Thy laws enjoin

To make us happy in Thy love.

With joy we own the gracious end

For which Thy laws were all bestowed;

Thou dost each command intend

Our present and eternal good.

Benediction

May you find God’s commands gracious in intent, directive in decision-making, and sweet in fulfillment.  May they open to you a freedom not found elsewhere or before.  Amen.

Ninth Day of Christmas

“On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…nine ladies dancing.”

Scripture

Psalm 37:1-9; Galatians 5:16-26

For Reflection

Long awaited, Christmas Day came and went.  We lingered in its afterglow and looked forward to the New Year holiday.  Yesterday we enjoyed the first day of the year with a day off, the last of the season.  Today we look at a calendar that stretches before us with two full months of winter.  And yet we are still being equipped for this season of the spirit.  We are still receiving gifts on our way to Epiphany.  What we receive and incorporate into our lives may be invaluable for the journey ahead.

Behold today’s gift: a gracious fruit basket, the very finest quality and choice selections.  Unconditional love.  Surpassing joy.  Abiding peace.  Longsuffering patience.   Generous kindness.  Genuine goodness.  Sensitive gentleness.  Unflagging faithfulness.  Heart-guarding self-control.  Savor each one.  They are yours, every one.  Not something to strive toward, attain to, earn, or hope for.  They are part and parcel with the very Christian Spirit.

Unlike the gifts of the Spirit, which may be given diversely and selectively, all believers are graced with all the fruit of the Spirit.  Gifts of the Spirit are given as needed for unity in the body and for creating community.  But the fruit of the Spirit are core qualities given to every believer.  Gifts of the Spirit may come and go; the fruit of the Spirit are constant.

The extent to which this fruit are flourishing in our lives depends, in part, on how effective we are in dealing with what the Apostle Paul describes as “the sinful nature.”  The fruit of the Spirit is in sharp contrast to the acts of the sinful nature.  In Romans 7-8, Paul makes it clear that there is a major conflict between the sinful nature and the Spirit.  Demanding gratification for insatiable desires, the sinful nature leads one down a path of shame, self-destruction, and community chaos.  But there is a way of out of this trap: “Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

The other part in letting the fruit of the Spirit flourish in our lives is to “live by the Spirit,” be “led by the Spirit,” and “keep in step with the Spirit.”  The answer to the debauchery and topsy-turvy life led by the sinful nature is not the law.  Law-ish living sets up a façade that appears civil and righteous, but it is unable to contain, quell, or redirect warring passions.  The invitation to live by the Spirit is a way of the heart caught and taught as we draw near to God in faith.  We turn away from the demands of the sinful nature; we turn toward Christ and find our identity, belonging, and life-leadership in him.  As we let go of that which cannot change or save us, we wholeheartedly embrace the love of Christ that will never let us go and never cease to draw out the best in us.

The fruit of the Spirit are gifts for personal growth and for making a difference in the world.  Remember the prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury pardon, etc.”?  Living in or by the Spirit frees us from pettiness and self-absorption; we are free to look upward, outward, to serve, to care, to mend, to bridge.  And as we do, the fruit feeds us.  Love begets love.  Joy sows joy.  Gentleness begets gentleness.  These nine ladies dancing may well sweep us off our feet and into such a dance that we will never be satisfied standing on the sidelines again.

Journaling/prayer possibilities:

Reflect on this dynamic of turning away from the sinful nature and being led by the Spirit.  How is this essential conflict being resolved in your journey of faith?  Consider the fruit of the Spirit as essential resources given to you to make faith and discipleship possible; receive each one afresh.  Also imagine them as an ever-ready resource in the daily opportunities of decisions, relationship-building, conflict resolution, negotiations, etc.  Thank God for these gifts and for the opportunities to share them.

Song

“Eternal Life” by St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace:

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Benediction

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.  (Numbers 6:24-26)

Eighth Day of Christmas

“On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…eight maids a milking.”

Scripture

Psalm 46; Matthew 5:1-12

For Reflection

Opening the gifts from our True Love today, we come to the heart of the Good News shared and lived by Jesus Christ.  As only sharing apprehends the seven gifts of the Spirit, so the Beatitudes are most often perceived as blessing when we have lived through the tough circumstances to which they are the gracious response.  When we respond in Beatitude responses, we will know we have embraced today’s gifts.

Of all the twelve days of gifts, these are the most radical.  The Beatitudes go to the heart of our deepest passions and life circumstances.  They point to gut-wrenching realities of life: poverty and emptiness, loss and grieving, powerlessness and social contempt, spiritual hunger and yearning for right to prevail, seeing needy persons being treated unjustly and neglected, bitter division and violence, religious persecution, insults, gossip, and false accusations.  Only heaven-borne grace can conceive of and make possible the radical outlook and actions described in the Beatitudes.

It is one thing to learn the Beatitudes, to have memorized them and to be able to quote them.  This is often as far as it goes in Christian catechism or Sunday School.  But, like the Ten Commandments or the Lord’s Prayer, familiarity does not mean we understand them or joyfully cultivate them as a heart and life orientation beyond a merely formal and legal application.  Compliant and eager to be an ideal Christian as I was as a child, I remember inwardly revolting at most of the Beatitudes.  It was easier to just recite them and keep them as stained glass phrases.  As I have continued to revisit them, my understanding and appreciation has increased, but they are no less challenging forty years later.

The Beatitudes run counter to American machismo and status quo.  They unsettle the presumptions of consumer Christianity.  On the surface the Beatitudes seem to be a se-up for certain failure in society that apparently rewards rugged individualism, conformity to sameness, upward mobility, the appearance of mental or physical toughness, and a thoroughly materialistic and self-indulging orientation to value and action.  Dig deeper in the Beatitudes and it gets increasingly difficult to straddle kingdoms.  What emerges is that Jesus actually declares people blessed whom Western civilization has over the millennia come to despise or disparage.  The rest of Jesus’ ministry is one way or another verification that his is an upside down kingdom, an invitation to downward mobility, and an lifting up of all who sorrow, who are relegated to the margins.

Above all, the Beatitudes call for trust.  They call for what Brennan Manning names “ruthless trust.”  Because the blessedness or results described in the Beatitudes seem so far-fetched or distant, they call for ruthless trust in the invitation, worldview, Kingdom order, and certain future Jesus describes.  As Manning puts it: “Faith in the person of Jesus and hope in his promise means that his voice, echoing and alive in the Gospels, has supreme and sovereign authority over our lives.”  Does it get any more radical than that?

It is appropriate that the Beatitudes are received on the first day of the New Year.  And in this case they are received on the first day of a new decade.  So while we wish each other a Happy New Year, we might do better by offering each other a prayer for Beatitude grace.  Receive these eight maids a milking, these extraordinary gifts for the year’s journey.  And may we also receive the ruthless trust to see them come to fruition in our hearts, lives, and world.

Journaling/prayer possibilities

Turn the Beatitudes into prayers for those you know are in the circumstances they describe.  Who is poor, empty, at the end of themselves?  Who is grieving?  In need of mercy?  Persecuted?  Hungry for God and for justice?  Turn the Beatitudes into prayers for yourself.  This may be confession or petition.  Offer thanks for the promises of each Beatitude.  Embrace these deeply in expression of ruthless trust.

Song

Scandalon by Michael Card

The seers and the prophets had foretold it long ago,

That the long awaited One would make men stumble.

But they were looking for a king to conquer and to kill.

Who’d have ever thought He’d be so meek and humble?

He will be the Truth that will offend them one and all.

A stone that makes men stumble and a rock that makes them fall.

And many will be broken so that He can make them whole.

And many will be crushed and lose their own soul.

Along the path of life there lies this stubborn Scandalon

And all who come this way must be offended.

To some He is a barrier, to others He’s the way,

For all should know the scandal of believing.

He will be the Truth that will offend them one and all.

A stone that makes men stumble and a rock that makes them fall.

And many will be broken so that He can make them whole.

And many will be crushed and lose their own soul.

It seems today the Scandalon offends no one at all.

The image we present can be stepped over.

Could it be that we are like the others long ago?

Will we ever learn to listen and to stumble?

He will be the Truth that will offend them one and all.

A stone that makes men stumble and a rock that makes them fall.

And many will be broken so that He can make them whole.

And many will be crushed and lose their own soul.

Benediction

“Ruthless trust is an unerring sense, way deep down, that beneath the surface agitation, boredom, and insecurity of life, it is gonna be all right.  Ill winds may blow, more character defects may surface, sickness may visit, and friends will surely die; but a stubborn, irrefutable certainty persists that God is with us and loves us in our struggle to be faithful.  A nonrational, absolutely true intuition perdures that there is something unfathomably big in the universe, something that points to Someone who is filled with peace and power, love and undreamed of creativity; Someone who inevitably will reconcile all things to himself.”  Amen. -- Brennan Manning in Ruthless Trust

Seventh Day of Christmas

“On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me…seven swans a swimming.”

Scripture

Psalm 133; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

For reflection

We are half way on our spiritual journey to Epiphany.  We have received six precious gifts thus far: 1) Jesus Christ, the Word become flesh, God Incarnate.  2) The Old and New Testaments.  3) Faith, hope and love.  4) The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  5) The Pentateuch or Torah.  6) The days of creation.  What are we doing with these invaluable gifts?  Or, what are these gifts doing in us?  These are not the kind of gifts that lose their luster or wear out.  We may lose interest in them, but they never lose interest in us.  These Christmastide gifts are ones that keep on giving, ever beckoning, ever inviting us to receive them afresh and to be transformed.

Go ahead, open the seventh gift.  What is it?  Oh, it is a gift!  What is inside that gift?  Oh, another gift!  And what is inside THAT gift?  Hey, another gift!  And another.  And another.  And another.  And still another.  You get the feeling that you could keep opening boxes inside of boxes, gift upon gift.  Such is the multiplicity and diversity of spiritual gifts given by God.

The specific gifts recalled on the seventh day of Christmas since the sixteenth century are those listed in Romans 12: Prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, compassion.  Many more could be named.  But whatever the gift, it is vital to know this: spiritual gifts are given for the sake of empowering people of faith to join God in sharing Good News, bearing grace, and making real the anticipated Reign of God.

The spiritual gifts described in Romans 12, as well as in 1 Corinthians 12 and elsewhere throughout the Epistles, are essential gifts for forming, sustaining, and extending community.  Spiritual gifts are about community.  Not about personal advancement.  Not about possessing.  A spiritual gift is not a spiritual gift unless it is selflessly shared.  A community will be a thriving and vital community when graciously given gifts are freely and strategically shared.  What better follow-up to Christmas than for gifts, great and small, to be turned toward serving and building up the community?

It has become an inadvertent tradition in our household to keep a few opened gifts on the skirt around our Christmas tree for days after the 25th.  Big gifts get whisked away, played with, put on, plugged in.  But to this day a few small ones remain under the tree: a box of fireplace matches, a bottle of cologne, a bag of potpourri, a couple of games, a basket of crafts, a book, a flashlight, a quote a day calendar of the 365 Stupidest Things Ever Said.  Not the most expensive or desirable gifts, but useful ones just the same.  They remind me of the diversity and usefulness of spiritual gifts, particularly less desirable ones.

Like the faith, hope, and love received on the third day of Christmas, the gifts we receive today are spiritually perceived, inwardly apprehended, and entirely relational.  Perhaps we will never know our gifts, or what impact on a relationship, neighborhood, church, or community we can have until we start to serve, to give, to lead, to show mercy, to teach, to encourage, to declare what is burning in our hearts.  Why not start today?

Journaling/prayer possibilities

Have you observed or explored spiritual gifts?  If so or if not, reflect on the seven gifts listed today.  To what extent do you have opportunity to express, explore, or develop these or others?  Thinking of the upcoming New Year, build one or more gifts that you believe you have been given into your priorities and plans.  Be intentional about expressing gifts or they will be useless to you and others.  Offer thanks for whatever gifts you have or that you see in others.

Song

Because I Have Been Given Much by Grace Noll Crowell

Because I have been given much,

I too must give.

Because of Thy great bounty, Lord,

Each day I live.

I shall divide my gifts from Thee

With every brother that I see

Who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed,

By Thy good care,

I cannot see another’s lack

And I not share

My glowing fire, my loaf of bread,

My roof’ safe shelter overhead,

That he too may be comforted.

Because love has been lavished so

Upon me, Lord,

A wealth I know that was not meant

For me to hoard,

I shall give love to those in need,

Shall show that love by word and deed:

Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

Benediction

And now may the Spirit which was in Jesus Christ be in me, enabling me to know God’s gifts and empowering me to share them freely.  Amen.

Sixth Day of Christmas

“On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… six geese a laying.”

Scripture

Psalm 139

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Colossians 1:15-23

1 John 1:1-4

For Reflection

We have arrived near the end of the earth’s 2009th cycle around the sun since the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.  These are the shortest, darkest days of the year in the northern hemisphere.  Plant life is latent in frozen land and water.  Many animals hibernate or have migrated to warmer climes.  In Indiana, we are living the carol:

“In the bleak midwinter

Frosty wind made moan

Earth stood cold as iron

Water like a stone.”

What a time to receive our True Love’s sixth round of Christmas gifts: six days of creation.

Today’s gifts are as mysterious and wonderful as a goose laying an egg and a live gosling hatching from it.  Who can fathom the miracle of life?  Four times I have assisted and watched our children be delivered and draw their first breaths.  Four times all that is rational and scientific and explainable has been tearfully eclipsed by wonder and mystery and sacredness.  I sing with Michael Card: “Give up on your pondering and fall down on your knees.”

If you want to argue for or against evolution or scientific creationism, you’ve lost my interest.  If you need to try to reduce the incomprehensible and grand process of the formation of life into an argument for six literal days, you’ve missed the point.  If you need to try to prove that what we know as life just happened by chance, my heart goes out to you.  The invitation today is not about proving or arguing or convincing or taking sides.  The invitation today is to receive all life as sacred, to dare to perceive the world as a God's gracious gift, to look unto Jesus as the Apostle John looked unto him: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim.”

Light.  Sky and atmosphere.  Land and seas, plants and trees.  Sun by day and moon by night.  Living creatures in the seas and sky.  Living creatures on the land and humans in the image of God.  The summation of each day or epoch of creation is this: “And God saw that it was good.”  Whether Genesis 1 is poetry or pattern of life’s progress, above these it is rooting us all in an infinitely creative, life-giving, beauty-loving, relation-building, grace-bearing God.  Creation speaks both of God’s infinite greatness and God’s intimate interest in the smallest detail.  And like God, in God’s image, we are created to be.

The Gospel writers and Apostles did not miss the connection between creation and Christ.  Paul describes Jesus as the “firstborn over all creation” and that “by him all things were created.”  John writes: “That which was from the beginning…our hands have touched.”  Michael Card captures something of this mystery: “A mother made by her own child!”  In receiving the six days of creation as Christmas gifts, and embracing creation as a mysterious grace, we join with Jesus Christ in bearing life and grace in our world in our generation.

Journaling & Prayer Possibilities

Let your mind wander over the events of the past year.  What personal, family, or relationship changes made an impact on your life?  What took place in the neighborhood or community or nation that made you thoughtful and responsive?  What world events triggered more than a casual response in you?  What happened in your community of faith that created challenge and change?

The Holy Spirit often acts as “agitator,” challenging our responses, moving us toward creative stewardship of the resources and relationships we’ve been given.  How has that happened this year?  For each point of growth or challenge or change, offer thanks.  Take this time to listen and still learn from these challenge points.

Song

To The Mystery by Michael Card

When the Father longed to show

A love He wanted us to know,

He sent His only Son and so

Became a holy embryo.

Refrain

That is the Mystery!

More than you can see.

Give up on your pondering

And fall down on your knees.

No fiction as fantastic and wild

A mother made by her own child.

The hopeless babe who cried

Was God Incarnate and man deified.

Refrain

Because the fall did devastate

Creator must now recreate.

And so to take our sin

Was made like us so we could be like Him.

Refrain

Benediction

O Divine Word, we are the offspring of Your purpose.  And that purpose reaches down into our flesh.  It was fashioned by You and for You.  I feel that destiny pulsating within me, and when I respond I respond to the pull of your Creation’s fulfillment.  I thank  you.  Amen.  (E. Stanley Jones in The Word Became Flesh)

Fifth Day of Christmas

“On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…five golden rings.”

Scripture

Psalm 98; Deuteronomy 6:10-25; 31:24-26; Romans 10:1-13

For reflection

The reality around our house is that, without this extended focus on the twelve days, Christmas would be receding into distant memory by now. But here it is the fifth day of Christmas and we are anticipating yet another gift on the journey to Epiphany. Granted, this way of observing Christmas does not have hyped anticipation. Instead, there is a gentle, persistent remembrance and insight into the Word become flesh that is inviting and instructive.

Open the gifts given to you today by your True Love: Five gold rings: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They are known in Judaism as the Torah, or Pentateuch. Together they are what is referred to in both the Old and New Testaments as the Law. This is the backbone and skeletal structure of the Biblical community of faith. It is the plumb line in an idolatrous and crooked world. It is the narrative and standard for much of what has held Western civilization together for millennia.

The Law is not so much “law” as it is a woven story of faith in which a covenant between the Hebrew people and Yahweh is developed, solidified, interpreted, and applied. This people without identity or land, this people who were slaves in Egypt, find identity (Israel), deliverance (the Exodus), and a home (Canaan, roughly contemporary Palestine). The common denominator in the formation of Israel is faith in and obedience to one unseen God, who is revealed as Yahweh, or I Am.

Genesis traces the roots of a chosen and faith-formed people. Exodus walks us through slavery in Egypt, miraculous deliverance, and the formation of the Sinai covenant. Leviticus outlines the terms of the covenant, establishing everything from the calendar to minutia regarding food preparation. Numbers takes great pains to name every tribe and family; it creates a sense of community, belonging, and relationship. Deuteronomy renews the Sinai covenant as the nation prepares to enter Canaan after forty years of wandering in the desert.

How the people of Israel live in light of Torah is the subject of much of the rest of Bible. The historical narratives (Joshua through Esther) tell of the rising and falling of Israel based on adherence to or apostasy from the Law. The prophets (Isaiah through Malachi) are essentially passionate pleas for Israel to voluntarily return to live within the terms of the covenant, within which there would be joy and shalom. The New Testament is about rescuing the Law from legalism and vain traditions and of the fulfillment of Torah in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul declares, “Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).

So much of what it means to live by faith is learned from the Pentateuch. Abraham took God at God’s word and it was credited to him as righteousness. Joseph first survived then thrived by faith. Moses led people out of slavery in Egypt singularly by faith in the promises of God. The invitation made to these ancient people was extended to Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph. It’s extended to us, too.

Journaling/prayer possibilities

Reflect or read again of one of the “faith heroes” in the Pentateuch: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, etc. Note how simple and daily responses of faith to God’s counsel have become larger than life, formative for generations. What simple invitations to “walk by faith and not by sight” are presented to you daily? What “mini idols compete” with God for reliance for need satisfaction or security? What simple but profound decisions can you make to set these aside, to challenge your fears, and to live by faith? What would it mean to accept the gift of the Pentateuch today?

Song

O God, Who Called the Hebrews by Melvin Farrell, S.S.

O God, who called the Hebrews once of old

To follow Moses to the Promised Land,

This day you gather us, your chosen fold,

To lead us heavenward in Christ’s command:

As then you saved your race from slavery,

So now from Evil’s bondage make us free.

On Sinai Moses held a sacred feast

To offer homage when your voice was heard,

So we assemble here with Christ, our Priest,

That we may worship and embrace your Word:

O God who taught your chosen flock to pray,

Look kindly on our sacrifice today.

Benediction

O merciful heart of God, grant me yet again Your forgiveness. Hear my sorrowful tale and in Your great mercy blot it out from the book of Your remembrance. Give me faith so to lay hold of Your own holiness and so to rejoice in the righteousness of Christ my Savior that, resting on His merits rather than on my own, I may more and more become conformed to His likeness, my will becoming one with His in obedience to Yours. All this I ask for His holy name’s sake. Amen. (from A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie)

Graphic by Raette (www.artbyraette.com)