Seems to me that many (not us of course) are hoping and praying to pursue relationship with Jesus and be citizens of his kingdom on earth while maintaining a caterpillar persona. It ain’t gonna happen. Caterpillars believe in God and love Jesus, they worship him in massive throngs and songs gathered in holy huddles on branches across the universe. In fact First Caterpillar Chapel Choir is world renowned for it’s harmony, melody, and musical expertise. They gaze wistfully toward heaven and dream of the day they will fly in the sweet bye and bye…. but right now they’d rather not die. Instead they sing songs, dream of heaven, never get to fly, or heal, or live with extraordinary power.

I share deep empathy with the caterpillar angst and mentality regarding transformation and change, particularly when I’m not sure of what life in a cocoon will feel like; will it even work? Butterflies tend not to talk to caterpillars; I’ve no comprehension or insight into what it’s like to rise from the cocoon. With such a degree of uncertainty I prefer to push such mystifying thoughts away from my mind and continue to plod faithfully along the branch I know with worship music pulsating faith from my iPod.

Jesus had this infuriating habit of ruining great opportunities. Some Greeks wanted to meet him and asked Philip who spoke to Andrew who suggested they both go and tell Jesus. He chose that moment to announce his impending departure when he’d be glorified through death. You can almost hear their jaws drop, “Pssst.. can we change the subject, we have guests?” Then he hammers the point home by proclaiming that anyone who’s prepared to lose their life (into the cocoon or die like a seed) will come alive – surprise! Sounds like resurrection or butterflies to my ears. Jesus used the metaphor of a seed falling into the ground and ‘dying’. It disappears from view; as it abides in the ground it bursts into a life that would be impossible if the seed insisted on maintaining control, independence, and identity. “If God wanted me to be anything else he’d have made me different.”

Then I think about Jesus arriving as a baby on earth through Mary his mother. Nine months after conception he was born with God as his supernatural Father. Quite a unique event, a one-of-a-kind child who by the time he was twelve had the capacity to dialogue in the temple with the religious leaders of his day. Imagine being that gifted, hearing the stories of his birth from his mother, feeling the stirring within and becoming increasingly familiar with the tone and resonance of his heavenly Father’s voice? I ponder what it must have been like for the young Jesus as I read Luke’s words: ‘He went down to Nazareth, was obedient to his earthly parents, and grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.’ (Luke 2:51-2) Was Young Jesus too enthusiastic at twelve and ‘jumped the gun’ not realizing ‘his time had not yet come’? Was he ticked off when told to return to the backwater of Nazareth, listen to his mother, and wait?

If I didn’t know better I’d translate Luke’s words ‘he went down to Nazareth’ to mean a handful of years – four or five maybe. But we know different; Luke is describingt the next 18 years! I wonder what that period of time is all about? If God’s in control surely he could arrange for Jesus to be born in the midst of any circumstance and orchestrate events to accomplish his purpose whenever he wanted, couldn’t he? Even beyond that question is the mystery of contemplating what was happening inside Jesus’ heart and mind throughout those years? Is it possible that while it took a normal nine months for Jesus to be born as a human ‘son of man’, to fulfil the calling of Son of God required thirty years of character building? Imagine being gifted beyond your years, with an identity and mission so profound, and having to wait in anonymity and ‘hiddenness’ for that long. Perhaps he simply had to work in the carpentry shop until his brothers and sisters were old enough to take over and support the family (Joseph probably died while some of them were still young). It would be consistent for an incarnational loving God to care and provide for his human family – a servant king.

Would that experience of trust, patience, submission, and faithfulness be similar to a seed falling into the ground, “Father, not my will but yours be done… on earth as in heaven ?” I consider such humility and obedience and it leaves me in utter awe. I want to be recognized and affirmed, I desire my life to have value; meaning measured by what people think of me and financial earnings – I certainly don’t want to wait. Yet I’m attracted to the person of Jesus, the quietly profound integrity of his character and the selfless love manifest in his ‘being in Nazareth’ those many years. Thirty years on earth for three years of supernatural ministry and the willingness to die on the Cross alone caked in blood and vibrating in excruciating pain. The only cry left on my lips emanating from my selfish and rebellious heart is, ‘Lord please help me die more quickly so that I may arise to live more powerfully for you.”

Someone said that Jesus founded the Christian church on Disciples…. those who’d finally given up their personal and private agendas to serve him as Lord. The battle today is that the vast majority of us worship the god of consumerism. Consumers refuse to be committed; they do not die or serve, they stay as long as their needs are met or they move on.

How would you and I answer the question, “Are you a consumer or a disciple?” “Who are you living for and what are you prepared to die for?” My prayer for the New Year is that the consumer in me will die in order that the disciple will arise to ever greater prominence and life – with much laughter and joy amidst the dying-to-live transformation. How about you? Come die, I mean – fly with me!

I’ve just read a memoir by Brenna Manning… once a Catholic priest and one who lived a life of struggle with alcoholism and discovered ‘amazing grace’. In the foreword a friend of his writes: “I learned the truth of the gospel from Brennan, the same gospel you will find in this book: “That in the end, my sin will never outweigh God’s love. That the Prodigal can never outrun the Father. That I am not measured by the good I do but by the grace I accept. That being lost is a prerequisite to being found. That living a life of faith is not lived in the light, it is discovered in the dark. That not being a saint here on earth will not necessarily keep you from being in that number when the march begins.”

I yearn to share the truth of those words that describe the heart of God – a loving Father…. who never lets us go….

This song was written out of such revelations and places…. as an affirmation for myself as well as a means of encouragement, resolve and focus….. I mean every word and it’s proven to be so… thank God…. very much

To ignore the personal encounter with God is not that different to trespassing on a beautiful piece of property, using it for whatever I want, and totally ignoring the owner. In one of the ancient psalms the writer is inspired by the hills and mountains and celebrates the fact that they speak to him of God’s faithfulness. I drive through mountains every day and their solid presence is a great reminder to me of God the Father’s strength and never-changing love for me – one who is not self-created – but was also tenderly formed (and is held) by the same hands that formed the massive ‘outdoors’.

From my CD – Running Free – I lift my eyes…. The images here are from a hilltop in Northern Uganda – it’s a rugged retreat centre set aside to reflect, pray, be refreshed, and be loved into new life up close and personal.

This song started with a mischievous phrase that dropped into my mind like a branch blown in the wind – ‘the wind’s on the water’…… The wind is ofter referred to as ‘God’s Spirit’……

Most wars would be severely curtailed if those who declared them were first in line to fight and lead the charge they are so quick to have other people die for. Look at Gaddaffi in a water-pipe, a coward to the end; or Mugabe, or…. we could probably name hundreds….. Human beings are not to be trusted with too much power. We change, it infiltrates into our head and our heart and we metamorphose into the demons that leach into our souls with the addiction that power releases if unfettered and uncontrolled. We love the concept and possibility of being god-like but lack the character to carry the position with responsibility and selflessness.

Multitudes of men, women, and children have died in this deadly game of ‘who will be God today?’ It is good that we pause and remember the cost, the sacrifice, the loss, the pain, the destruction…. and the brutal reality that not much changes despite it all.

Remembrance Day is incomplete without remembering that God entered into the war zone to take out the main artillery that energizes war…. to overcome the ‘mother of all enemies’ and to set us free to live in peace, democracy, and harmony. The terms are simply to enter into the victory Jesus won through his remarkable resurrection and ask him to end the war within me, release peace into my heart, heal the anger and violence that arises in me, conquer the demons within that overpower me, and liberate my life and soul so that I can live free – now. If I cannot find freedom how can I liberate anyone else for God’s sake!

Imagine the outcry if we distributed chocolates on Remembrance Day and half-naked girls clad in poppies paraded through the streets, and we gave each other gifts after a wild night of partying and very few turned up at the Cenotaph or walked in the real Veteran’s Parade? Imagine if we did to Remembrance Day what we have done to Christmas and Easter? Turn it into a crass commercial opportunity to feed our cravings and self indulgence and gut all the meaning from it so we can stuff the vacuum with feel-good candy and plastic toys? Imagine the outcry, the anger, the sense of betrayal…. and rightly so.

The fact that we prefer to sanctify Remembrance Day above Easter and Christmas is the clearest most eloquent expression we could give articulating who it is exactly we deify, worship, honor, and adore – ourselves.

It is totally appropriate to take the time to celebrate, remember and honor those who have given their lives in wars of our making….. but not at the price of ignoring the One who laid down His Life for the sin and rebellion in our hearts. He won the war of all wars – the big battle we can never win…. Remember, lest we forget….

Walk slowly to His Cross, kneel down and give thanks… Love so amazing….. my chains are gone, I’ve been set free! Give thanks for others who laid down their lives…..

Then stand up….  enlist as a follower of Jesus…. and be the difference you long to see in others….

Ever thought of a conversation in heaven between the Father and the Son? “J C, I’ve good news and bad news for you.” “Ok Abba, let’s have it, the look in your eye is making me nervous.” “The good news is you’re taking a trip, the bad news is it’s not all vacation time.”

Jesus’ Father elaborated, “To be honest there’s really no upside for you in this, other than knowing that you’re undertaking the most ambitious, audacious, and under-appreciated rescue mission the world will ever witness. Most of our creation are so numb they don’t even realize they need rescuing.” The three of them (the Holy Spirit wasn’t about to be ignored) discussed the options with various pros and cons. Why not descend from heaven with an army of angels or get attention with a few more plagues to show that God is alive and well, or a flood? “Can’t bring another flood, remember the rainbow and our promise?” the Holy Spirit interjected. God the Father continued with a nod, “This is about expressing love and mercy, not just power and authority,” they agreed. “We’re not fighting human beings but the spiritual forces that enslave them – our strategy has to be creative, unexpected, and culminate in a resounding victory.”

None of these events caught them by surprise, they’d anticipated this trip since the dawn of human creation. It was merely the recognition between them that ‘the time has come to implement’. After a lengthy conversation and many questions finally the conversation turned to, “What shall I take with me, what should I wear?” “Son, you’re taking nothing with you, and you’ll be arriving naked.” “What?”

And so it was the King of kings agreed to do his father’s bidding. His port of entry would be in a cave with mud, hay, and donkeys. His mode of transport involved a long journey in the womb of a teenage girl who would have little comprehension of his identity. There’d be no extra privileges other than a guarantee of safety and some protection, no emergency packs or bodyguards, only the word of his Father, “I’ll be with you always, trust me.”

The first breath Jesus inhaled amidst the splutters and gasps of any infant being born were met with joyful exclamations from his parents and the inquisitive gaze of a donkey that raised its head from the feeding trough to see what all the fuss was about.

On the surface of life everything looked normal; ‘just another birth in Bethlehem’. In the bigger picture the Kingdom had arrived in embryonic form to infiltrate enemy territory. Thirty years in the future Jesus would stand as a man ready to demonstrate the love, power, and humility of an extraordinary God with a heart of compassion and a will of steel. But for this week we remember the remarkable beginning when God became like one of us, born as baby who would grow through childhood into manhood so that we could get to know him and His Father. “Happy Christmas” doesn’t seem to do the moment justice at all….. “Thank you so much Lord for your indescribable gift and for including me in your list of recipients.” May you be blessed with revelations of Him this Christmas.

There’s a ‘friend request’ this Christmas inviting you and me to respond perhaps in a more intentional and interactive way then we have for a long time. When your name and mine came up on His screen He didn’t press ‘refuse’ or ‘delete’… hope you don’t either….. Have a meaning-filled Christmas….. and may God truly bless you…..