the best of times, the worst of times: bethlehem and ramah

[5 minutes]

Happy New Year!

It is customary for many in our faith community to approach the new year with — in football lingo — a spiritual ‘fresh set of downs.’ So what’s one of the first plays we run? Right. We advance with a new Bible reading plan, right? My goal in 2025 is to tackle the New Testament along with the Psalms. Okay, enough with the football jargon.

So [opening my Bible], Matthew it is.

Matthew’s opening scenes are familiar for obvious reasons. My Advent meditations covered these passages and I quickly find myself here once again. I also spoke at a local church’s Christmas banquet using the same birth narrative as found in the first gospel. You may have read a version of it recently (“Keeping Jesus Out In Front“). I know this passage pretty well.

But, as is often the case for students of the Book, something can jump off the page that you’ve never seen before. You know what I’m talking about. That is what happened to me this morning.

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Matthew 2:16

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:17-18

In the same carol as “glad tidings of comfort and joy” is this tragic verse of inconsolable grief and sorrow.

How do you reconcile “good news of great joy” with “weeping in Ramah” …in the same breath?

Not even ten verses earlier, Matthew goes out of his way to stack superlatives in describing the mood of the Magi when they found themselves on the right track to find Baby Jesus. The rejoiced exceedingly with great joy! The wise men were so deliriously happy they couldn’t contain themselves. High fives, back slaps, whoops and hollers commenced!

But things looked a whole lot different in Ramah and other surrounding towns.

Herod was furious. The Magi had agreed to bring him the baby king straightaway, but they changed the script on him and kept the child’s identity and location a state secret. Hotheaded Herod was beside himself.

Who is this baby???

He would show them. Herod ordered a genocide of all the baby boys in the region and suddenly Judea’s Silent Night, Holy Night turned into terror. Like Egypt during the plague of darkness and death, only wails and loud weeping were heard across the land.

Okay. I didn’t like where this was going, but the Holy Spirit made me look. Here’s what I wrote in my Bible journal:

God will permit the deaths of innocents as he carries the story of redemption forward. There is weeping in Ramah though there be good news elsewhere.

Guido Reni’s *Massacre of the Innocents*

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times indeed. You can’t visit Bethlehem without hearing the wails of Ramah. That’s just how it is in this sad, tragic, very broken world.

Yesterday, in New Orleans, thousands were gathered on Bourbon Street to ring in the new year and enjoy the atmosphere around college football playoff game. Then, frenzy. Moments before a white pickup truck tore through a crowd of people, the streets were teeming with festive joy and frivolity. Seconds later, the sound of screams and sirens filled the night. Fifteen dead, dozens injured.

So what do we do with that paragraph I wrote? God permits the deaths of innocents, etc. How do we frame those words to people who are in shock over such a senseless act of terror? People who are likely to cancel you straight up for trying to pull the God-is-still-sovereign card.

I confess I want to keep my mouth shut. Just bury my nose in a book and don’t address it. But can we? There is the matter of timing, of course. Maybe don’t bring up Jimmy Carter’s political blunders on the day he died? There’s also the matter of courtesy. Waiting to be invited into the discussion instead of barging in and pontificating.

For the purposes of this post, I am speaking of an event that happened 2000 years ago not something that happened yesterday. The truth still remains, however. God does permit evil to bare its fangs now and then, but only in keeping with two incontrovertible rules:

God must win in spite of how everything looks right now.
the devil and his kingdom must be destroyed because it has been declared so from the beginning, and God can’t lie.

This world is broken and mercilessly mean, yes, but remember: God is broken-hearted by it; and he is the ONLY one with the power to change things.

Ramah is real. Rachel weeping for her children is our lot in this life. Evil people will do evil things and, I believe, 2025 is going to be filled with more evil and more weeping than in years past. Ramah is hard. Ramah is real.

But so is Bethlehem. “Jesus Joy” is real also.

Herod was the devil in Ramah, to be sure. But let’s not miss the bigger Story: Jesus still got born, shepherds told the news, souls got saved, the Church was born, Christ is exalted, the devil and his demons will burn in the lake of fire forever, and our King from heaven will return to dwell with us. And so shall we forever be with the Lord…in the eternal best of times. Weeping may last through the night, but the Man of Joy gets the final say.

Selah, beloved.

keeping jesus out in front

[6 minutes]

Crazy times, huh?

We know all about mourning in lonely exile down here, don’t we? It’s pretty hard to feel at home in a place that feels so strange nowadays.

The Magi found themselves 1000 miles from home, guided by a shining phenomenon in the sky. Step by step, mile after mile, they kept Jesus out in front for the long haul, following yonder Star.

In time, they arrived at the crossroads of two kingdoms: one in Jerusalem, and the other in Bethlehem. Just so, we awaken each morning and look out on a virtual world that is unyielding and doesn’t keep its promises. Then, as quickly as flipping a switch, we breathe a prayer and find ourselves in the true world of God, a world that is full of Promise, where the Light shines.

A traveling evangelist, John Jacob Niles, happened upon a small North Carolina town years ago when he heard the haunting melody of a song from a “tousled, unwashed blonde, and very lovely” girl. Niles could only understand three lines of verse in her Appalachian dialect:

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on’ry people like you and like I…

He was struck with an idea to expand the lyrics with his own and create a hymn for Advent. The rest is history.

“It’s an unusual song, compelling in its simplicity and musicality. Unlike many carols that ring with joviality, it is set an a minor key, and its final note rings out, unresolved – a fitting tone for lyrics that speak of wandering and wondering, rather than firm answers and clear resolution. In its own unique way, this mournful song captures something beautiful about the Christian life.”
– Kelly B Trujillo

This is a hard, minor key world.

It’s shadowy dark.

Scary at times.

Unpredictable most times.

Walter Brueggemann, in his Devotions For Advent, describes this venue as —

…a world of advertising, of ideology, of euphemism offer[ing] us endless phoniness that coerces and manipulates and invites into a virtual world that has no staying power. You cannot count on such a world, as it will turn on you and cost you dearly.”

We “wonder as we wander” how to best navigate these evil times and avoid such a painful cost.

Here is where the Magi might be of some help.

1. they saw something bigger than themselves and sacrificed everything to pursue it. (v2)

These Magi hailed from the faraway kingdom of Persia. Centuries earlier, Daniel was called a “chief of the Magi” (Dan 5:11) Such men were the embodiment of wisdom, the intelligentsia of the kingdom. To think they would travel so long (likely months) and so far (1000 miles) to visit a newborn is telling.

No doubt these Magi had studied the prophecies of Daniel. It seems likely they were well-versed in those parts that told of a Great King in Israel who would arrive under the SIGN OF A STAR.

…a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel
— Numbers 24:17

The treasures they brought — gold, frankincense, and myrrh — spoke of the unique character and quality of the King. He was a King, but not just any King. Jesus was a divine King, sent from the world of God, whose mission was to rob and plunder satan’s counterfeit kingdom and lead its captives through the doorway into a heavenly realm.

Melchior, Balthasar, and Caspar (if we are to trust tradition) were chasing the BIG STORY of God, keeping the Messiah out in front of their mission. Not even the religious and political power center of Jerusalem could deter them.

So long as they kept Jesus out in front, their steps were ordered, and the glory of God pinpointed where they needed to be.

Which brings me to a second guiding principle to aid us in navigating this tumultuous sod:

2. they stayed their course, guided by the Star, ignoring other competing voices. (v7-12)

Herod was an intimidating character. Extremely paranoid and jealous, he killed anyone whom he deemed a threat to his sovereignty. His veiled interest in a new king raised red flags for these God-seekers.

There are Herods even today who feel their kingdoms are threatened by this other King. They govern us, they have influence over us, they make policy for us, they threaten, force-feed, deceive, pretend, divide, oppress, and “trouble” us a million different ways.

Like the Magi, we must keep King Jesus in front of us. When cultural players and pretenders try to fill the screen of our vision, we must avert our attention and focus on the Light. We have to keep after him. Jesus is our telos.

This is an important truth: if the Lord knows you are on his side, he will guide you, teach you, draw you close, and reveal himself to you intimately. If your heart is bent in his direction, the Lord won’t let you miss him… Even if you get off course now and then.

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
—John 14:21

The wise men traveled nearly 1000 miles, over the course of months, guided by a supernatural object in the sky. But the Star disappeared when they arrived Jerusalem. The Magi must have asked, “Where is the star? Where did it go? How do we finish the journey?”

Once they re-oriented their bearings to Jesus — the Star reappeared. Oh how they must have rejoiced!

Dear struggling saint, mourning in lowly exile here, trying so hard to follow yonder star, look up. Keep going. Stay the course.

If the supernatural has left your sky, know it’s not a fixed condition. Perhaps it wasn’t intentional, but nevertheless you have found yourself on a different path. The journey isn’t over. There’s a road out of where you are and Jesus is the Way.

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts
—2 Peter 1:19

This Advent season — and beyond — let’s keep our bearings on Jesus. May he always be our blessed destination.

Selah, beloved. A Happy Advent to You and yours!

wesley was right.

[6 minutes]

Do all the good you can,

by all the means you can,

in all the ways you can,

in all the places you can,

at all the times you can,

to all the people you can,

as long as ever you can.

John Wesley

Years ago the New York Times ran a feature asking for people to share their Thanksgiving (horror) stories. There were a number of funny anecdotes along with the disaster stories, but in the mix came one tragic comment from somebody who called themselves “Sad Person”:

My Holiday horror story is that every year I am reminded that my family doesn’t want me and I don’t have any friends. I wish the world wouldn’t stop for eight weeks every year and I could just be in peace.

There were a good many responses to “Sad Person” but I thought this one captured the gist of my post today:

A note to sad person. What you say about your family may be true, but I certainly hope not. However, remember, if you want a friend you have to also be a friend to someone, too. It’s not a one-way street. Be kind to someone who is lonely, do a good deed for someone in need, do volunteer work at a hospital/charity, and smile at everyone you meet. You will make people feel very special and you will feel wonderful for doing it.

I got the idea for today’s blog piece from a recent rereading of Galatians. In chapter 6, Paul appeals to a congregation of tired, irritated, even selfish believers who had lost the plot. He even said, “Y’all got me SMH” (Gal 4:20). This whole section, from verse one on, could fall under the title: “CHURCH IS HARD” or “SAINTHOOD IS EXHAUSTING.”

People sin and break your heart. They can drag you down with their drama and be a royal burden. You and I can be a piece of work also, let’s not forget. The flesh is loud and whiny and arrogant and is always trying to kill you when you’re not looking. It won’t ever shut up, or let up, or give up. The struggle is real. Saints don’t happen overnight (Gal 4:19).

good advice

So, given all that, just do all the good you can to anyone and everyone as you have opportunity. Don’t complicate things. Don’t overanalyze. Don’t overthink it. Just do good (v10). You’ve got shortcomings, I’ve got shortcomings; we’re not going to have everything figured out. Just. Do. Good. In the name of Jesus. Don’t withhold it because you don’t think they deserve it (newsflash: you don’t either!). Do good anyway.

There’s so much drama, yes. On the daily there’s a never-ending pile of (pardon the French) doo-doo we have to deal with all the time. “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble,” Jesus said. True to all of that, but that means there’s never-ending possibilities to do good, to make someone’s day, to punch holes in the darkness, to right wrongs, to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

Sainting is hard. Loving is hard. Bearing one another’s burdens is hard. Bearing our own loads is hard. Fighting the flesh is hard. Getting up and being motivated to face another day is hard. But we do it for Jesus. We are kind for Jesus. We are patient with others for Jesus. We fight what we’d like to say for Jesus. We fight airing our grievances for Jesus. We fight jerking a knot in somebody’s tail for Jesus. We overcome evil with good…for Jesus.

There are some I’ve had to halt praying imprecatory prayers for because God told me “I want you to pray good for them. Leave that other stuff to me.” So I pray good on their day. I ask God to bless them. I pray for opportunities to serve them in little ways. What I can’t do is be around them because that’s not good for my mental and spiritual health, but the good I can do is to pray good for them…and leave the other stuff to God to work out. Lord knows I fail, but I’m starting to fail a little bit less these days.

due season

Another motivation to “do all the good we can” is that, one day, there’s going to be a reaping (v9). And the reaping is going to be epic. It’s going to be so good. “Every ounce of Christian suffering will be compensated for with millions of years of rest, and still more besides. This suffering will be merely a blip on the radar of an eternity of peace, a grain of sand compared to the global beaches of God’s comfort in the world to come” (Jared C. Wilson).

So keep doing good even if the only good you can do right now is to smile at someone or finally finish that chore you promised or pay for the person’s coffee behind you in the drive-thru line. Or text someone you’re on the outs with and just say, “I’m sorry. I love you.”

Hey brother- (or sister-) -in-Christ:

“You were running well”…..now you’re just going through the motions

You were “standing”……now you’re bowing in defeat

You were “walking in the Spirit”……now you’re wasting away in inertia.

You were “doing good”…..now you’re questioning whether your good is doing any good at all.

Anne Lamott tells of a friend who told her “‘I’m not suicidal, but sometimes I wish I was dead.’ This is the point beyond exhaustion, when you can’t see how you’ll ever fill up again. And then she does, through what she calls lunch-money faith: nothing dramatic, and just enough.”

Perhaps you don’t have the emotional currency right now to invest in something that will cost you dearly, but you have just enough coin in your pocket to buy someone a cup of cold water in Jesus’s name. Lunch-money faith, right? Your level of faith right now has you in the shallow end of the pool when you can distinctly remember a time when you swam in the deep end. It’s okay. You can make a splash there too.

Wesley was right. Do all the good you can, etc. But if “all the good you can” is only enough to fill a thimble, offer that thimble up to God and ask him to bless it, then give it to somebody in Jesus name. Then ask for him to give you a cup for next time. I hear Jesus really enjoys a cup of cold water now and again.

Selah, beloved.