Healing Rays of Righteousness

Now What?

The Christmas carols have been sung, the Christmas drama presented, the Christmas dinner consumed, and the gifts all opened. The exciting Christmas spirit of anticipation, hopes, and celebrations now deflated.   Now what?

When we were young, we would ask, “Why can’t it be Christmas every day?”  Of course, we were thinking mostly about the presents we would get.  Today, I still ask why does celebrating the angel’s good news of joy and peace for all people end so quickly?  Why are we so quick to hush and file away for another year the joyous music and message of God’s gift to the world.     

The biblical scriptures clearly indicate that God desires for us to continue enjoying his salvation gifts of joy, peace, and goodwill every day and for always.  This is his one grand and glorious purpose for coming into our world.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

During the Advent-Christmas season we joyously and thankfully remember and celebrate what God has done in sending us the Messiah, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Living in a shadowy world of evil, violence, and diminishing hope, a “Savior” is the greatest of all gifts we could ever receive.  A “Savior” brings us rescue, redemption, renewed life, hope, and a future.

Accompanying God’s salvation gifts of joy and peace is the gift of his loving presence with us.  In Jesus, God comes into our world and participates in the sufferings of his people, whom we are.  As “Emmanuel” God brings to us mercy, compassion, unfailing love, redemption and rescue.  What a gift!  What amazing love and grace is wrapped in his gift of presence with us.  

“Emmanuel” – God with us.  But I hear Paul saying there is even greater and more amazing “good news.”  The Almighty, all-knowing, ever-loving God, through Jesus, comes to live in us.  Yes, we human beings are the intended recipients of his coming. 

In the first chapter of his letter to the Colossian church, Paul writes in verses 26-27, that “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations” has now been revealed.  The New Living Translation reads  “This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people.  For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too.  And this is the secret: Christ lives in you.  This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” 

There is no greater gift than this.  Christ dwells in us.  This is confirmed in John’s record of Jesus’ proclamation to the church in Laodicea, “Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20).

The essence of the whole Christian experience and the crown jewel of the gospel, is that Jesus Christ, by whom and through whom all things were created, who is before all things and in all things, in whom God was pleased for all His fullness to dwell, – this Christ who has primacy over all things, in whom all things hold together, who is the head of the church, – this Christ, who will stand at the end of time and be the final judge and triumphal Lord, lives in us by the Holy Spirit.

In one of the boldest prayers ever prayed, Paul interceded for us, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  …that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16,17,19).

What feelings does this thought of “Christ dwelling in you” arouse?  Hopefully, this glorious truth leads you toward an answer to my “Now what” question.  The answer I hear is messaged in this Christmas carol.

“Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!  Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born, and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.”

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – December 29, 2021

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley

God’s Christmas Gifts

“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!  As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!” (Isaiah 64:1-2).

Things were not going well for God’s people in Isaiah’s day, and many had become despondent and hopeless.  In these verses we hear Isaiah crying out for God to intervene, to come down and break into the sufferings and injustices they were experiencing and set things right.

 “For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.  Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 64:3-4).

Today we are living in terribly similar times of darkness and despair, and many are filled with a longing to see God coming to act on our behalf.  Isaiah gives voice to our longings for God to show up in our world as He did in the past. 

Do we hunger for the transforming presence of God in our world, church, and families?  Do we feel threatened by the evils of wars, violence, and  injustices?  Do we feel powerless against corrupted authorities and selfish leadership, politically touting their lies and conspiracies theories? 

Sadly, many of us are weeping in anguish, thinking the Christian church is also being swept away with disputes, divisions, and disregard for God and neighbors.  We secretly and publicly cry out for God to come down to save and heal us?

To all of you and myself, I retell the story of the grandpa who found his grandson jumping up and down in his playpen, crying at the top of his voice.  When Johnny saw Grandpa, he reached out his chubby little hands and said, “Out, Grandpa, out.”

Filled with love, Grandpa reached down to lift his grandson out of his predicament, but as he did, Johnny’s mom came into the room and said, “No, Johnny, you are being punished; you have to stay in your playpen.”

With undeterred love Grandpa’s heart and mind searched for a way to satisfy the child’s cry.  His grandson’s tears reached deep into his heart.  But mom’s firmness could not be taken lightly.  It was then that love found a way.  Grandpa could not take his grandson out of the playpen, so instead, he climbed into the playpen with the little boy.

For me, that story vividly illustrates the true essence of the Christmas story.  From His eternal glorious heavens God looked down upon us and heard our crying for help and hope.  And because God so greatly loved us, He left the glories of heaven and came down to earth, climbing into our world with us. Taking on human flesh, becoming fully one with us, God in Jesus, was born into our world to live in our midst.

The eternal significance of this love-event was so amazing that God rolled back the heavens to make space for the angelic choir to burst forth in song announcing the birth of Jesus, our Savior, Messiah, Lord.  The good gifts he brought to earth with himself were love, joy, peace, and hope.  The grand good news was that these gifts were for all the people of the world.  Yes, God came down in Jesus, and now lives and walks among us. 

When we, in our sin, could not come to God, He came to us in the flesh. He came in the person of Jesus. And what Isaiah and the other prophets could only hope for based on God’s word, we look back on as the hope that has already come!  The world still trembles in awe and wonder at the miracle of that birth.  God came down and, through the infant Jesus said to each one of us, “I dearly love you.”  

Yes, the world is full of hardship and suffering and brokenness, but Jesus has come and walks besides us to share our pain and encourage our healing.  Yes, there is much sorrow, grief and fear, but Jesus has come and weeps with us.

Yes, there are horrors, devastations, and tragedies playing out all over the world, but Jesus has come and moves among us to comfort and restore hope.  Yes, there is much painful struggle and despair, but Jesus has come and walks besides us to strengthen and encourage!  

Yes, there are wars, and rumors of wars, earthquakes and tsunamis, but Jesus has come and moves among us to heal and establish peace.  Yes, there is loss, death, and overwhelming grief, but Jesus has come and embraces us with His amazing love and eternal reassurance that He will never leave nor forsake us!  Amen!

May God’s Christmas gifts be forever enjoyed in your life and mine!

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – December 22, 2021

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley

We the People of Hope

A person would need to be both blind and deaf to believe that all is well in our world today.  Every day brings more tragic news that makes our world an even darker and more dangerous place to live.  Sadly, many are trapped in despair and declare that there is no hope for our nation and world.  To speak of the hope, peace, and joy of Christmas, seems to these people to be just a lot of whistling in the dark and wishful thinking.  And so, it was also in the ancient days of Israel’s prophets.

Living during a time when God’s people were experiencing much deep darkness and despair, the prophet Isaiah is filled with revealed hope from God and prophetically described the time when this hope would become a reality.  It seemed an impossible dream for many people then and remains so for many today.

            The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.  …  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  (Isa. 9:2,6-7).

And so, it was many years later, in our own nation’s time of darkness and despair during the Civil War that Henry Longfellow penned a song of hope that remains as relevant today as it was then. 

              I heard the bells on Christmas day  Their old familiar carols play,  And wild and sweet the            words repeat  Of peace on earth, good-will to man.   

                And in despair I bowed my head. “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong, and    mocks the song  Of peace on earth, good-will to men.”  

                Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;  The wrong        shall fail, the right prevail,  With peace on earth, good-will to men.” 

This is the Christmas message we need to joyously sing loudly and often, for our God is a God of hope, and being Christian we are to be messengers of that hope, singing “To us a Child of hope is born, to us a Son is giv’n.  Him shall the tribes of earth obey, him all the hosts of heav’n.”

You and I are very blessed to be living in that hoped for “God with us” reality that the ancient prophets foresaw and proclaimed to their people as encouragement.  Being Christian, our Christmas season activities and worship should be all about proclaiming the hope that Jesus gifted to us; proclaiming that God is in our midst now, giving us hope for every tomorrow and a hope that sees a future beyond the grave.

Christ’s gift of hope is a vision of possibility that encourages and moves us out of where we are.  In times of trouble and despair, this hope provides a sense of a “way out” and sees a destiny that goes somewhere.  This hope is like a magnet that draws and empowers us to a new way, to see things differently, and to see a future.  This hope is the basic energy that gets us out of bed in the morning and shapes our activity for the day.  It also helps us to sleep well at night.

Most importantly, in the same way that God is love, so is He hope.  For God is the only provider of any authentic, endurable hope, because God is the single author of a lively hope.  And Christmas is the annual proclamation that this God of hope is now in our midst.  It is an annual “good news” proclamation to all people, and particularly to those living in darkness and despair.

The “good news” is that this hope for a Savior as expressed by the ancient and more recent prophets has become a reality.  God has come to save us and give us hope.  God became human and came down from heaven as Jesus into our world.  At Christmas we thankfully celebrate His coming and joyously worship his Kingship in our midst.

Yes, we still live in a very dark and dangerous “Satan-controlled” world of evil, but thankfully the light and truth of Christ shines into the darkness as we let Him be born in us and his light shine through us in both words and deeds. 

So go, singing and showing to all that Jesus is here, that hope is alive and real.  “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.  Let earth receive her King;  let every heart prepare him  room, and heav’n and nature sing.”

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – December 15, 2021

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley

The “Good News” Angel

In his Gospel account of Jesus’ birth, Luke will have an angel suddenly appear on three separate occasions bringing a special message from God.  To  Zechariah, a priest “gripped with fear,” the angel says, “Do not be afraid; Zechariah, your prayer has been heard.” (1:13). 

To Mary, a young virgin “greatly troubled,” the angel says, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you. … “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.” (1:28-30).

And to “terrified” shepherds keeping watch over their flocks at night in fields near Bethlehem, an angel appears in glorious light and says, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (2:10-11). 

In all three occasions, the angel’s sudden and unexpected appearance caused great anxiety and fear.  And in all three occasions, the angel reassured the recipients of God’s special message with the words, “Do not be afraid.” 

I believe that same “angelic” message is being spoken to all of us who are greatly troubled, confused, and fearful today.  I urge you to listen again and listen carefully to the Christmas carols, hymns, and messages being sung and spoken during these weeks of Advent.  They speak of God’s love, joy, and peace, coming to you and me in Jesus’ birth as a human baby. 

Listen to the angel say to you personally, “Your prayer has been heard.”  Be reassured that God hears and is listening to the deep groanings and cries of your heart and soul.  He hears and answers your prayers

Listen to the angel say to you personally, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you.”  Yes, you are highly favored and loved.  That is why God, in Jesus, came into our world and experienced life with us as a human being.

Christmas is about God coming to us in the person of Jesus to be “Emmanuel,” God with us, taking away all our fears.  “The Lord is with you.  Do not be afraid.”  And Christmas is about God coming to us in the person of Jesus to be our “Saviour,” giving us peace, joy, love, and eternal life. 

Listen to the angel say to you personally, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  The message is for you.  Accept his gift of forgiveness and amazing grace, cling to the freedom, joy, and peace of the gift; and then with glorious praise, join the shepherds in telling others the angel’s good news.

Yes, this wonderful story about Jesus’ birth into our world, is in danger of being simply a beautiful, non-threatening story about what God did many centuries ago.  Yes, it is that, but it is so much more about what God is presently doing today in our world for our good, because of His amazing, sacrificial, unending love for us.

I also know that you may be finding it difficult to feel any Christmas happiness or reason to celebrate right now.  The love, joy, peace, and hope of Christmas seems far removed from what you are presently experiencing. 

Life has been difficult for many of us during the past year.  There were bumps in the road, twists and turns that we did not expect.  There were disappointments and detours in our journeys that we did not plan, leaving us feeling much pain and confusion as a result. 

Nevertheless, I encourage you to hear the invitation of the Christmas carol, “And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way  With painful step and slow, Look up! For glad and golden hours  Come swiftly on the wing.  O rest beside the weary road  And hear the angels sing.” 

Personally feel the heartbeat of God’s love for you in “Joy to the world!  the Lord is come;  Let earth receive her King.  Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,  And heaven and nature sing. 

Christmas is God’s answer to our brokenness and sin.  Christmas is the good news that God wants to do something about our failures and fears.  Christmas is about God coming to us, to forgive, heal, and restore us to a wholeness of love, peace, and joy; a wholeness of body, mind, and spirit; all because He so dearly loves us and desires a relationship with us.

Listen to the angel’s good news;  Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you.  Do not be afraid.  Your prayer is heard.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today … a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Let us pray.    

“O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend on us, we pray.  Cast our sin, and enter in; Be born in us today.  We hear the Christmas angels  The great glad tidings tell.  O come to us;  abide with us, Our Lord, Emmanuel.”

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – December 8, 2021

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley

Come, Lord Jesus

Advent 2021 opened its journey this past Sunday with the prophet Jeremiah declaring God’s promise of restoration of righteousness and justice after a time of barrenness and defeat.    “The days are coming … when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.  In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.” (Jeremiah 33:14-15).   

The apostle Paul encourages the confused, doubting, and discouraged believers of his day by reminding them of Isaiah’s prophecy.  “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.’  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:12-13).      

Advent gives voice to our deep longing for God to show up in our midst as He did in the past.  Our Advent journey begins as we light the candle of HOPE.  The lighting of HOPE rekindles our remembrance of God’s great and gracious promise to humankind of presence and salvation.  The lighting of HOPE also reassures us that God always keeps His promises. 

Like God’s people in Jeremiah day, we too are filled with longing; we too hunger for the transforming presence of God in our midst.  In our times of deepest darkness and despair, it is easy to allow negativity and despair to overwhelm us. 

In both church and non-church conversations I hear a lot of despair and hopelessness.  I agree that the daily news is more tragic than treasure, and the future looks increasingly violent and dangerous.  It is simply unrealistic to believe that all is well in our world today.  It is not! 

Unfortunately,  many people have given in to despair, and being trapped in negativity have little hope for any possibility of good changes happening.  To speak and sing of “hope” seems to these people to be just a lot of wishful thinking, of whistling in the dark.

And so, it was also in the prophet Jeremiah’s day.  And so, it was in Henry Longfellow’s day of the American Civil War when he wrote:

            I heard the bells on Christmas day  Their old familiar carols play, 

                        And wild and sweet the words repeat  Of peace on earth, good-will to man. 

            And in despair I bowed my head. “There is no peace on earth,” I said,

                        “For hate is strong, and mocks the song  Of peace on earth, good-will to men.”

            Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;                                     The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,  With peace on earth, good-will to men.” 

The message of Hope that Jeremiah offered was not based on his confidence in the strength or merit of the people of Judah.  Instead, his Hope-filled message was based on his faith in God. 

Jeremiah believed God and was confident that God was both sovereign and faithful in keeping his promise.  He also had learned that God works in and through every event, even those that seem catastrophic, to make things right and to restore a right relationship with his children.

It was almost six hundred years later when God’s gracious promise to his people was fulfilled.  The promise happened in the birth of Jesus Christ.  He came as God’s Messiah, Redeemer, Savior to all his people, both Jew and Gentile. 

The angels announced his birth as “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”  Jeremiah’s hope has become a reality.  The King of Glory has come.

Christmas is the proclamation that this God of Hope is in our midst now.  Christmas is the proclamation of Hope to a people in darkness and despair.  We are God’s messengers of Hope, proclaiming the good news that “To Us a Child of Hope is Born.”

            To us a child of hope is born, to us a Son is giv’n.

                        him shall the tribes of earth obey, him all the hosts of heav’n

                        him shall the tribes of earth obey, him all the hosts of heavens.

            His name shall be the Prince of peace, for-ev-er-more adored,

                        the Wonderful, the Counselor, the great and mighty Lord,

                        the Wonderful, the Counselor, the great and mighty Lord.

            His pow’r, increasing, still shall spread, his reign no end shall know.

                        Justice shall guard his throne above, and peace abound below,

                        justice shall guard his throne above, and peace abound below.

“Come, Lord Jesus” is a prayer that points both backwards and forward – backward to Jesus, the baby in the manger, but also forward to Jesus, the Lord, still entering into our world.

Let us prepare ourselves to be surprised, amazed, and unsettled by the unexpected ways our God appears and acts in our behalf, upending evil and bringing us His peace and joy.

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            “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – December 1, 2021

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley