Out Of Silence: The Word

When the first cry of the newborn Messiah trumpeted from that cattle stall in Bethlehem, four centuries of silence from heaven ended. And when it ended, it did so with a flourish! Angels sang, a king railed, a city was troubled, shepherds testified, cattle lowed, a prophet preached, saints rejoiced, astronomers inquired, and so on.

John’s gospel doesn’t give any information about the birth narrative of Messiah – and yet, in a telling way, he does. The disciple whom Jesus loved opens his record with the statement:

In the beginning was the WORD…

The Greek has it:

λογος.

The exhaustive testimony of God. The reference library of the Almighty.

This is how the writer of Hebrews opens his account, following the formula of John:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. Hebrews 1:1,2

On that Silent Night, Holy Night, while all the world in stillness lay and all of heaven held its collective breath, a mother spasmed and contracted and a baby’s cry split the night sky announcing to all of creation that God was with us. The Word had broken the silence.

God was ready to talk.

• • • •

Once upon a time…there was a Silent Kingdom.
The people of this kingdom had been cursed to live their lives in muted silence.
Little girls grew up to never hear their daddies or husbands say the words, “I love you.”
Babies came into the world without crying.
Try as they might, they just could not laugh or hear the sound of laughter.
Soon they forgot how.
There was no such thing as singing and choirs and storytelling.
The silence was awful.
Over time, because sound was not heard, their hearing had become dull. Because no one remembered how to speak, even writing became a thing of the past since no one could converse about what was written.
There was no revelation, no news, no stories, nothing at all to report.
In time, they grew apart, everyone going their own separate way, living isolated from each other.
To be reminded of their deafness by being around others was too much to bear.
The kingdom was full of sadness, despair and loneliness.
The very oldest among them, however, a very, very old man, was the last one who could even remember what sound sounded like.
One evening, he was out gathering sticks for a fire that could not crackle and spit and hiss, when he spied a bird in a nearby tree, and the most amazing thing happened!
The bird…chirped!
The very old man heard the sound and was so very stunned, he dropped the wood – and actually heard the clattering of the sticks as they spilled at his feet!
The old man ran to the nearest neighbor’s house – a very far run indeed – as fast as his very old legs could manage.
With each step he could hear as his feet pounded against the earth.
He so desperately wanted to tell everyone, not only WHAT he heard, but THAT he heard!
But the first neighbor could not hear his voice, he only saw his mouth move. This only frustrated the old man, so he continued on to the next house, then the next, but, sadly, it was the same wherever he went.
He didn’t know what to do.
He heard, and he wanted everyone to hear too.
The old man decided he would go back into the woods where he first saw the songbird.
He thought he might catch the bird and bring it into the village and the countryside.
What the old man did not know at the time, was a little girl followed him as he ventured back into the woods, quite intrigued by the old man’s actions.
When the old man got to the tree, he saw, to his great dismay, that the songbird had left.
He cried, “Little bird, come back!”
And when he said the words, the little girl heard!
The spell had been broken for her as well.
Then the old man understood.
It was not the songbird that broke the spell, but the tree itself!
You see, each and every generation had grown up in proximity to the tree, and could have discovered the secret, but only a few ever did.
The tree the old man and the little girl had found was an enchanted tree whose power could break the spell of silence every hundred years.
A bird would announce the day the spell was lifted and if someone was nearby to hear it, they could enjoy the sound either by themselves, or share its blessing with the rest of the village.
The old man and the little girl wanted everyone to hear!
Together they finally convinced all who would to come to the tree, and all who did could finally hear.
Those that would not be persuaded, however, lived in muted silence the rest of their days.

• • • •

This Advent, give thanks that our Lord drew near and spoke the word of comfort and joy and life to our heavy-laden hearts – and that you’ve heard the glad tidings. Like the shepherds, go and tell everyone what you’ve seen and heard. Tell of the Tree of Life and His desire to set everyone free.

If you have ears to hear, hear what the Lord says, and do it.

Amen.

A Son To Pierce Her Heart

I lovingly dedicate this entry to Graham’s ‘mama’ – my Sandy – and her epic love for our sweet boy who left earth one year ago this day; though he pierced her soul and died too soon, he always knew he had a home in her heart.

And the Child will pierce your heart also, Mary.
- Simeon, Luke 1:35

• • • •

The keen-eyed prophet looked up from his petitions when the young couple gingerly entered the temple grounds. Their eyes darted to and fro, nervously surveying the lay of the property. His own expression, however, told the full story of his mirth as a smile stretched and lit up his face like the gleam of a midday sun.

Their bundle which cooed and giggled and scuffled against its tight wrappings was the hope of his people but the pair appeared not to be aware. But the prophet was! He had lived to see this Day of Visitation after all! And here he was, within feet of Messiah in the guise of an eight-day old baby.

Not wanting to startle the couple, he could barely contain his adulation, but still carefully approached the young parents and when they simultaneously spied his approach, he smiled kindly.

The husband was more on edge but offered a respectful nod as the elderly man drew near. The new mother, quite young, looked shyly down upon her newborn and fiddled playfully with the child’s stubby fingers. The prophet paused, in awe of the scene before him: God Himself, accessible and interactive, gazing up at His mother, eyes alert and sparkling like the stars He had laid out in the night skies eons hence…

It was all too much – but joyfully so!

As Simeon drew up to the cautious pair, he kept bobbing his head in quick, successive and reverential bows and mimicked the quiet clapping and rubbing together of his bony hands. He had no idea, when he awakened this morning, that this day would provide the coda for his entire lifetime. He could fairly burst into song!

The new mother stole another quick glance at their visitor and smiled in return, ever so sweetly. He was struck by how young and innocent she was, little more than a child herself. Her attachment to this newborn was clearly evident, as if her baby boy was her universe.

Dare he ask to hold the Child?

Did she know Whom she was cradling against her breast?

Did he himself know for certain?

Indeed. So much so, in very fact, his hands, veined with thin ropes, began shaking and his breaths became shallow in this high and holy moment. This time his bow came from the waist and he lingered in abeyance for a beat or two. The couple seemed uncomfortable with the gesture and eyed him warily.

“You needn’t fear me, children,” Simeon offered in whispered tones.

He looked at the bundle in Mary’s arms with a look of reverential awe. “I know Whom you bring today.”

They were suddenly alarmed. Mary pressed into her husband’s side for assurance of his handling the matter.

“Your Child,” he indicated by tilting his head ever so slightly at the Baby, and continued, ” is our long-awaited One.”

Simeon’s smile broadened and glee spread out across his face, but Joseph quickly looked around, unsure, to see if anyone was listening. Mary looked instinctively at her fidgeting bundle.

The Child, only eight days, was now fixated on the old man who was now at Mary’s side. His round-as-marbles eyes seemed fascinated, taking in the moment, watching the kind man with interest. What could have been a smile – but surely wasn’t! – began to play at the corner of his tiny mouth.

Simeon held out his hands. Mary somehow felt the necessity that called instead of cautioned in the moment and gently released her Baby into the waiting arms of this righteous man. A startled gasp erupted from Simeon as he took Messiah into his palms. He looked down into the face of Deity and appeared to be listening, then looked up and then straight into the wide-eyed wonderment of the young girl before him.

“This Child is given for the salvation of many. But many will also reject Him and perish. He is God’s appointed One and will expose all that is in men’s hearts,” he declared aloud.

But then his eyes dampened as pity softened the edges of his prophecy. Simeon’s voice broke a bit as he added one more word for the sweet young mother of Messiah:

“And you, too, will have your heart pierced by Him…”

And the strangest thing…

Mary already seemed to know…

• • • •

In the fairy-est of tales, fraught with wonder and legend, my wife’s prayers for a child were answered in the fullest of ways. Our Graham came to us like a dream you never want to wake up from.

A year ago today we were looking at air fares for Graham, happily anticipating our son’s visit for Christmas. In mere hours, however, we were scrambling for a flight for Sandy – to be where he was. Well, his body. He wouldn’t make it after all. Death had intervened.

Rather than a festival we made plans for a funeral, and my wife, the mother of our only child, now deceased, was a sight to behold. Through it all – and since – her handling of it has been the stuff of fantasy. I’ve never known someone so deeply and consistently wounded and pierced through, and yet so marvelously forgiving and accepting … and so mythically and stunningly … content.

Mary – grander scale, we know; cosmic, to be sure – kept having more and more drama added to her narrative and yet kept quietly processing, finding sense in, and looking for God’s riches in it all (Luke 2:19,51). I’m watching my bride do this also and I’m fascinated to see Christ being formed in her in these tender days (Galatians 4:19).

Graham?

He’s missed –oh! – you’ve no idea!

Christmas is quiet. Joyeaux Noel is downplayed, though not in Minor key. We cry, but we don’t mourn (as much). We still talk about the could have beens, but without regrets tinged with bitterness. The motion of the world carries forward, but we still want to stay a few steps behind. Our choice. We’ll catch up, but not today. Today, my wife holds her hand over her pierced heart, hurting. And remembering. And treasuring.

And I? I hold my hand over hers.

One of the last mother-son pics – it says everything

One Lion’s Roar

If you’ve followed my journey through the blog or in personal relationship, you are aware of the young men I’ve been blessed to mentor since 2011. God has not asked of me to shed my pastoral vestments – nor do I believe He ever will – and this fathering ministry has blessed me to no end!

Joshua is one of the Lord’s young “lions” for whom I’m taking responsibility and I’ve been his pastor since he was a young kid. Ask him and he’ll tell you he loves me but that I bored him to tears and death with my hour-long homilies on Sundays all those years ago. Thankfully, all that has changed. I’ve learned how to say more in less time and he’s learned not to fall asleep.

🙂

Truly, Joshua is one of the most servant-hearted, respectful, and abandoned young men it’s been my pleasure to know. I’m having to accept the tough assignment of letting him go, however, but God has called and this lion is listening.

I’m glad to share my brother with you in this post. Pray for him as he moves now into a more costly and defined season of his life. I could not be prouder of this young man if he were my own son.

• • • •

When did you first know that you were meant for the foreign mission field?

JV:As kids we dream about “what were going to be when we grow up”. Most kids say policeman or soldiers, but not me. When I was about four, I started telling everybody that I wanted to be an opera singing missionary. As time went on I dropped the opera singer part (Thank Goodness), and I eventually dropped the idea of being a missionary altogether. I became consumed by the “American Dream”. I wanted money, and an average life like everybody else instead of doing missions. I graduated high school and went to college with the goal to get a degree that will make me a lot of money.

After going to college I began smoking weed daily and became very complacent. I started skipping classes and eventually dropped out after a year. After dropping out, I realized that I was not where I needed to be with God and because of it my life was a mess. So I got a job doing septic work, and started to work on my relationship with God.

After working for the septic business I was presented with the opportunity to eventually take over the business. I thought my life was all planned, but God had other plans for me. After working for the septic company for a few months, I came in one morning as usual and just felt like I was doing something wrong. I couldn’t figure out what though. I prayed for about a week and finally I heard God. He told me I need to quit my job and go do mission work. It seemed so crazy at the time, but I felt like if I didn’t do it I was going to die. So I told God “ If my boss asks me how long I plan to work for him I’ll quit, right then and there”. And what do you think happened the very next morning? He asked that exact question.

So without even talking to a mission organization, I told him that in two months at the end of the year I was going to do mission work. Again, I quickly realized how crazy I was being. So I emailed the only mission group I knew: Frontline Missions. I got no reply for about a month; I started getting a little worried. Then about a week before Christmas I got a phone call saying they wanted to meet with me to talk. The interview went well and I started a one year internship.

Where have your mission exploits taken you?

JV: I spent one month in January/ February in Honduras; I spent a week in Honduras in April; I spent all of June and July in Honduras; and I spent two weeks in Guyana in November

You have been interning at Frontline for the past year. Tell us a little about Frontline and what this past year has meant to you personally.

JV: Oh goodness, this past year has been a learning experience! I have learned so much about different cultures, leadership, Spanish, people, and myself this year. I have learned what it means to be a servant. I learned what it looks like to live a life worthy of the calling. And most importantly, I learned a lot about God and who He is.

If you had your choice would you be a missionary permanently or as a part-time proposition? Could you picture yourself living full-time on a foreign field?

JV: If money was no problem I would do missions fulltime. I would go on trips all year round with Frontline Missions. I could even see myself living and serving in another culture, absolutely.

What has been the most difficult part of laboring on the foreign field?

JV: Learning how to help people without “American-izing” them. Often times when missions teams go into third world countries we try to do everything our own way, because we think it’s better. This past year has taught me how to respect the people we are working with. Instead of doing it our way we ask the people we’re working with how they do it. Often times it is more difficult but it helps us show the people respect, which helps build relationships.

How have you personally been challenged as you have taken the gospel to indigenous peoples?

JV: The most challenging part for me was learning to listen to God and his instruction. Usually my flesh argued with what God had to say. It was a real battle. There were times that God would tell me to do things that I didn’t want to do and it was tough to do them. But after I did what he said I felt such peace and joy.

In what ways have you personally witnessed the power of God as you have carried the gospel cross-culturally?

JV: Oh man, I have seen God show up this past year!!! I have seen a baby that had pneumonia so bad you could feel vibrations – like someone was scraping a wash board whenever she would breathe. We prayed and prayed and as soon as we were finished you couldn’t feel the vibrations anymore. I’ve seen the ‘shy and beaten down’ tribe of the Tolupan Indians rise up to the point where they were singing solos and preaching in their native language. There have been incredible things that couldn’t happen without God. I tend to be very skeptical about things, but I couldn’t argue with the things that happened.

What’s next for Joshua Vineyard? Going forward, where do you see yourself in the coming years?

JV:In the coming years I plan to do missions fulltime with Frontline Missions. I’m stepping out in faith and seeing what God does. If the Lord provides everything I need to keep doing mission work, then, that’s what I’m going to do. If he doesn’t provide, then I’ll brush the dust off my feet and seek where God wants me to be.