Healing Rays of Righteousness

Gifts of Love, Joy, Peace, and Hope

Things were not going well for God’s people during prophet Isaiah’s lifetime, and many of his family and friends had become despondent and hopeless. This is why we hear Isaiah crying out to God for his help, to intervene, to come down and break into the sufferings and injustices they were experiencing and restore righteousness.

“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! 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 64:1-4).

Many of us feel that we are living in similar times of darkness and despair today and Isaiah’s crying out gives voice to our longings for God to show up in the world as he did in the past.

With heart and mind, we long for the transforming presence of God in our world, church, and families. We feel threatened by the evils of wars, violence, and injustices. We feel powerless against corrupted authorities and selfish leadership, politically touting their lies and conspiracies theories.

And many are weeping in anguish, thinking the Christian church is being swept away with disputes, divisions, and disregard for God and neighbors. With disappointments and fears, we cry out for God to come down to save and heal us as his “redeemed and empowered” church in the world.

The Christmas story is about God’s gift of a Savior, named Jesus, who brings the empowering gifts we need to save and heal us. The Christmas story tells us that from God’s eternal glorious heavens, he looked down upon us and heard our crying for help and hope. And because God so greatly loved us, God, in Jesus, left the glories of heaven and came down to earth and into our world to be with us. And by putting on human flesh and becoming fully one with us, God in Jesus, was born into our world to live and journey with us.

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 this Jesus, who wants to be our Savior, Messiah, Lord. And the grand good news is that the good gifts he brings to earth for all the peoples of the world are just what we need and desire, love, joy, peace, and hope.

Yes, God did come down in Jesus, and now lives and walks among us. What Isaiah and the other prophets could only hope for based on God’s prophetic word, we annually remember and joyously celebrate by retelling the story of his coming down to us and reopening his gifts of redeeming love. The world still trembles in awe and wonder at the miracle of that birth. God came down and through the infant Jesus said to the world and each one of us, “I dearly love you.”  

Yes, the world’s suffering and sobbing is loud and relentlessly fills our daily news. Even our personal world may be presently darkened with painful disappointments, griefs, and fears, making it difficult to join in singing “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” But we know and believe that Jesus has come and journeys with us to encourage our full healing of mind, body, spirit, and to restore his joy in us.

Yes, there are wars, rumors of wars, and all kinds of violence swirling around us, but Jesus has come and lovingly moves among us to heal our angry divides and establish peace. And there are tragic losses of personal property, income, physical health, and deaths of loved ones, but Jesus has come and embraces us with his amazing peace and reassurance that he will never leave nor forsake us!

Yes, there are horrors, devastations, and tragedies playing out all over the world, but Jesus has come to move among us powerfully and patiently, to comfort and restore hope. Even though there continues to be much painful struggle and despair, we know that Jesus has come and walks with us to strengthen and encourage our hope.

Listen again to the angel’s Christmas message, “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.” (Luke 2:10-11).

May God’s good gifts of love, joy, peace, and hope,

be forever enjoyed in your life and mine!

“MERRY CHRISTMAS”

<><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 12/18/24

God’s Christmas Gift to The World

I remember as a young teen-ager walking home from the neighbor’s house after darkness had settled across the field, railroad tracks, small stream, and meadow that separated our two houses. I remember how much less fearful I was when I could see the porch light of our house, and how relieved I was to have the darkness of the night give way to the bright lights of home.

I think of this experience whenever I read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and ponder the many difficulties that Mary experienced in giving birth to Jesus. It was difficult for Mary to walk anywhere in her hometown without hearing derogatory whispers and remarks about her pregnancy. Her joy of carrying the promised Christ child was many times tainted with the hurt of cynical neighbors. The pregnancy was not pleasant.

The trip to Bethlehem was imposed on them by the government authorities. And the timing of the mandated trip could not have been worse. Mary is heavy with child, making walking difficult and riding atop a donkey uncomfortable. For many hours and miles, she alternates between walking and riding, feeling every bump in the road, every misstep of the donkey as it was pulled along by Joseph. The journey to Bethlehem was not pleasant.

Mary and Joseph’s bodies ache with soreness and exhaustion when they enter Bethlehem. They must find a guest room to rest. But the only room available was with the innkeeper’s smelly animals. At least they could rest on the straw, and there was a manger that could be used as a protected place for the baby if it should be born that night. The night’s lodging place was neither comfortable nor pleasant.

Some weeks later the government authorities again interfered, causing Mary and Joseph the need to flee to Egypt with their baby until the nation’s ruler died. When Mary and Joseph left home in Nazareth they never planned for this trip into Egypt. Everything seemed to be happening contrary to the way Mary dreamed it would be. This intrusion into their family plans was neither easy nor pleasant.

From the moment of the angel’s announcement to Mary of Jesus’ birth and until the moment of his death at Calvary, life for Mary and Joseph took many unplanned, difficult, and painful turns. Nevertheless, they remained faithful in believing God’s promise to them and submitted to his plan for their lives as honored recipients and parents of God’s gift to the world.

During this past year, life has not been easy for many of us. There were unexpected bumps in the journey that have shaken us with confusion. There were twists and turns we did not expect. There were major detours that caused us much uncertainty, fear, and grievous losses. With so much confusion, pain, and darkness, we may find it difficult to find a reason or desire to celebrate Christmas.

However, I encourage you to hear the invitation of the Christmas carol, “And you, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow: Look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing.” 

God enters our world and pierces the darkness of doubt and fear with the joy and peace of his light and presence. This is God’s Christmas gift to the world, to all of us.It is his answer to our brokenness. It confirms the prophetic voices that God wants to do something about our failures and fears, our pain and confusion; that he wants to forgive, heal, and restore us to wholeness.

Even as darkness and doubts may be clouding your thoughts and spirit this Christmas Day, hear the message of the heavenly angel, “Do not be afraid. I bring you 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.” (Lk. 2:10-11). This is God’s gift to you and me. Let us receive, open, and gratefully treasure it now and throughout the coming new year.

Let us pray.     

“O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend on us, we pray, cast out 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, Immanuel.”

<><><><><> 

Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 12/4/24