Twelve Days of Christmas--Day Three

JOHN THE BAPTIST: COURIER OF JOY

READ: Luke 1:13-16, 39-43, 57, 80, John 3:25-30 (Click here to read selections from the NIV)

In 1623 a woman in France gave birth to one of the greatest mathematical minds in history.  From early on, he demonstrated amazing genius, discovering at the age of twelve that the sum of the angles of a triangle is equal to two right angles--a fact now taught in every basic geometry class.  As an adult, Blaise Paschal devoted himself to mathematical experiments and traveled about, lecturing on his findings.  Then one night something happened that changed everything.

He was driving a coach home when the lead horses took fright and fled wildly across a bridge, railing into the dark waters below.  Had the reins not snapped, Paschal would have plunged to his death, a reality that deeply affected him.  Later that night, as he pondered his near-death experience, the presence of God descended in a dramatic way.  He wrote of it on a piece of parchment and secured it in an amulet that  he kept next to his heart. Giving up mathematical pursuits, he went on  to devote himself completely to Christ.  Upon his death they found the amulet around his neck, with the paper he'd written that night.  It contained these words:...O righteous Father, the world hath not know Thee, but I have known Thee.  Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.

Joy  ought to be the life song of every Christ-follower, for it flows from the heart of God and resonates on page after page of Scripture.  The Christmas story is replete with expressions of gladness and calls to rejoice, and nowhere is this seen more keenly than in Christ's forerunner and cousin, John the Baptist. 

John's  joy as a young man was wrapped up in the wonder of being chosen to announce something as incredible as the coming of the Messiah. Though he  preached a radical message of repentance, there is never the sense that he  viewed his calling as anything but the delight of his soul.  He made this clear to his disciples one day, when they were concerned that he was  losing his standing to the  newcomer named Jesus of Nazareth.  Though he'd told them many times that he was only there to prepare the way, they lost sight of that when the crowds thinned around them, flocking instead to the One whom John declared was the Lamb of god who takes away the sins of the world. 

As  they shared their concerns, John explained that he was like a best man in a wedding, waiting with everyone else for the bridegroom to arrive.  Once he heard the bridegroom's voice, he knew the wedding was imminent, and joy completely consumed him.  Nothing brought John greater happiness  than to know that he was fading into the background, even as Jesus gained in popularity.  In reality, Jesus' appearance was the beginning of the end for John; a horrifying one that he may very well have suspected was on the horizon even as he spoke of his joy being made full.

So with every Christmas carol we sing in the coming days, let us cling to the truth that we are made for joy, that no matter what our life might hold on any given day, our very birthright as believers is to know gladness of heart.  Think of it.  We too have the privilege of preparing  the way, of listening for the Bridegroom's voice as He comes to us.  And as we live to see Him increase and ourselves decrease, we will, like  John the Baptist, have our joy made full to overflowing.

REFLECT

Though  joy is our birthright as children of God, we often have to enter into a  fight of faith in order to experience it.  Consider your own life today.  Is it permeated with joy in Christ?  Are you motivated by pleasure to do His will?  Do you live to enjoy Jesus more?  In what ways might you need to enter into battle to reclaim your right to joy?

RESPOND 

John the Baptist rejoiced to hear the Bridegroom's voice.  Ask Jesus to  speak to your heart today by giving you a revelation of who he is and His presence with you, as you read the following verses.  Spend some time worshiping by rejoicing in Him. 

1 Chronicles 16:32-34

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall the trees of hte forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; 
for His steadfast love endures forever!  

A CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY

Make the Christmas carol, Joy to the World your song of the day.  Click here to sing the song and worship with Chris Tomlin.  As you sing it to yourself, think of joy as the greatest gift of all in Christ.   Celebrate!

For a printable version of this devotional, click here. 

Twelve Days of Christmas--Day Two

ELISABETH: A GENTLE STRENGTH*

Read: Luke 1:1-22, 57-66 (Click here to read selections from the NIV)

There are people like Elisabeth in each of our lives--those unsung heroes who walk quietly and faithfully before God. They are the ones we want to run to when we struggle as well as when we soar. Knowing that they are there and will give us just what we need when we come to call, is like an old, familiar song that plays somewhere comfortably in the back of our minds.

What made Elisabeth the kind of person her teenage niece would want to stay with during her first months of pregnancy? Scripture tells us Elizabeth was six months along herself, but would that have been the only thing drawing Mary to make the journey alone to see her? What else do we know of this woman who played such a significant role in preparing for the coming of the Messiah?
 
First, Elizabeth was a righteous woman who walked honorably before God. She had tried to keep His commandments as carefully as possible all the days of her long life. This would have been no small feat under the best of circumstances, but in her case, it meant trusting Him even as the one thing every Hebrew woman desperately craved-- a child of her own-- eluded her year after year after year, into old age.

What I love about Elizabeth is that there is simply no trace of bitterness in her story. Though others would have looked with disdain upon her unfortunate circumstances, viewing her as deficient in some way, there's no evidence that she’d taken offense at all, nor does she seem to waste time with self-recrimination, or second guessing God about how this could have happened in light of her faithfulness before Him. This, I believe, is more than anything, what made Mary want to be in her presence during the most trying time of her life. The young girl needed someone who would do exactly what Elizabeth did-- rejoice with her and give God glory over an outrageous situation that would cause countless others to question or condemn her outright.

Those three months must have been a wondrous time for the

two women, with Elizabeth encouraging and instructing Mary in everything from a proper diet to handling those famous false contractions. I suspect they had many conversations about what it would mean to raise children that belonged wholly to God and His purposes. I can just see them pondering, praying together and preparing their hearts for the days to come. In the end, there is no doubt that Elizabeth’s gentle strength was a gift Mary would treasure her whole life as the mother of the incarnate Christ.

On these days before Christmas, let us consider what it means to trust God in every circumstance, to walk before Him with honor, even when we cannot see His hand. Above all, let us remember the spiritual strength of this amazing woman, and choose daily as she did, to refuse to be offended at how God orders the course of our lives. This is the greatest preparation we can make for the miracles that have yet to unfold and the call to God's purposes that await us in the days to come. 

Reflect
 
Many of us find ourselves struggling in these troubling times to see how God is working or what His plan is for the difficult situations we face. Pause and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you, asking Him questions such as: Lord, how do you want to encourage me with Elizabeth's life? What do You want to show me of Yourself through this? Jot the things you sense Him saying down in your journal.

What would you like other people to conclude about the God you serve from the way you approach hard times or seasons when prayer seems to go unanswered? What changes might you need to make in light of this desire?

Respond
 
Read the following passage prayerfully, asking God to impart its truths to your heart and life. Then re-write it in your own words, as it relates to your personal situation. Make it a psalm of praise and worship to the Lord.
    Habakkuk 3:17-18
    Though the fig tree should not blossom
    And there be no fruit on the vines,
    Though the yield of the olive should fail
    And the fields produce no food,
    Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
    And there be no cattle in the stalls,
    Yet I will exult in the LORD,
    I will rejoice in the God of my salvation

A Christmas Activity
 
Call someone who has been there for you spiritually in the past and thank them for their faithfulness and witness in your life.

For a printable version of this devotional, click here. 

Twelve Days of Christmas: Day One

God's Extraordinary Surprises
READ: Luke 1:1-22, 56-66 (Click here to read selections from the NIV)

I love surprises.  To my poor husband's chagrin, I refuse to participate in the shabby tradition of telling him what to get me for Christmas.  I know it's a practical way to exchange gifts, and one that lots of people prefer, but to me, Christmas without surprises is like a cupcake without the frosting.  I still eat it, but feel like I've somehow missed out on the best part.



I know I'm in good company here, because when you read the stories of Christ's birth, it is easy to see that God loves surprises too.  Take the first narrative Luke unfolds for us, where an unknown priest shows up for his annual ministry at the Temple and gets waylaid by an angel as he burns incense on the altar.  When Gabriel announces Zachariah's role in the grand Gospel story, Scripture says he became paralyzed with fear.  Terror soon gave way to cynicism, however, as the angel promised him the surprise of his life--a chance to father a son in his very old age. 

The thing about God's surprises is that so often they come when hope is gone and dreams have died.  Not only had Zechariah given up on having a son, but he was one of millions of Israelites who had heard nothing from God for over 400 years.  Think of it.  For ten generations there had been no angel visitations, no angry prophets, no clouds by day or fires by night, no temples filling with smoke or Mount Sinai's quaking with the glory of the Lord.  It would be safe to say that most of God's children were living with little anticipation of the promised Messiah showing up to free them from the tyranny of Rome.

Another thing about God's surprises is that although they seem to come when time has run out, we discover in retrospect that His plan was perfect to accomplish His goals.  In His sovereign wisdom, the Almighty carefully lines things up, preparing the way for break-through, even though we may be oblivious to His working, and perhaps have even given up.  Yet, we can look back and see the ways in which every detail of how, and when God chose to act, played a critical role.

 In this story, for example, Zachariah had left the hills of Judea to come to the busy metropolis of Jerusalem.  He was not ministering at the temple alone in the early morning or late at night, but at mid-day when the crowds came to offer prayers and hundreds would see him come out and know that something supernatural had occurred.  And though Zachariah came as a priest to perform his temple duties once a year, this was the only time in his life when the lot fell for him to enter into the holy of holies.  What better place to be ambushed by God?

All in all, when you consider what would soon unfold, God had a pretty novel idea to kick the whole thing off.  Not only did an old man get a wish that he'd long ago given up on, but his miracle baby would prepare the way for the fulfillment of the greatest promise ever given, the coming of the Messiah.

So as we enter the final stretch before Christmas, let us ponder deeply the story of a faithful priest and the people of God who endured 400 years of Sovereign silence.  And may we take delight that we have a heavenly Father who, when least expected, loves to come crashing into our world with glorious surprises.  

REFLECT

Although Zachariah was struck mute because of his cynicism and unbelief, God used his failure to draw attention to His own power (see verses 57-66).  Are there areas in your life where you have given up hope of God breaking in?  Does unbelief keep you from an abiding trust in God's Word and His ways?  If so, offer these things to the Lord, asking Him to give you a fresh start.  Affirm that He will use even your unbelief to accomplish His purposes in His time. Write your thoughts to the Lord in a journal.

RESPOND

Zachariah burst out in praise as soon as God loosened his lips.   Read his words below aloud, personalizing them as your own prayer of praise to God.

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace."

A CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY

Plan a way to surprise someone who might least expect it today.  As you experience the joy of doing so, reflect on how God takes pleasure in bestowing surprises upon His children.

For a printable version of this devotional, click here.

GRATITUDE--IT DOES A BRAIN GOOD!

In a culture that makes it easier to be a critic than a celebrator, where it takes growing commitment to do the opposite, how heartening to be reminded of the ennobling gift of gratitude...

Maria Popova, brainpickings.org

There is  much to be said about what gratitude does for us, how it releases dopamine, lighting up the pleasure center in our brains and programming us to look for positive instead of negative stimuli.  In essence, our brains appreciate gratitude, so the more we give thanks, the more they prod us to do so again, creating something neuroscientists call a "virtuous cycle."

Dallas Willard suggested that we pause every morning before the very first good thing we encounter--feet that move, a heart that beats, hot shower, coffee, the shining sun etc.--and briefly "bless God for it," setting the trajectory for our day.  I like that.  Not only will this energize our spirits, but it will improve our overall sense of well-being.  It is also a good start toward living out the simple, yet profound call from Scripture to:

Thanksgiving is certainly a timely reminder of a spiritual practice that both God and science tell us should be a central part of our lives all year round!  So in the spirit of the season, here are some links that can help you and your family do just that.

A NEW TWIST ON GIVING THANKS 

We are ever prone to focus on the gifts instead of the GIVER when we pause to give thanks. Learn some practical ways to turn giving thanks into true worship with these simple exercises and some attributes of God printables. Can be used all year round -- but will make a great addition to your Thanksgiving meal.

MEANINGFUL GRATITUDE QUOTES 
Here are some great quotes to enhance your Thanksgiving experience! From John Piper to The Book of Common Prayer, find out what gratitude means to other believers.

A FAMILY GRATITUDE CALENDAR

Choose one month this year to focus on God-glorifying gratitude! Find 30 or 31 things you and/or your family can give thanks for. Then fill in the calendar and post it on the refrigerator. Each evening at dinner or before bed, discuss together how that gift points out what God is like. Worship together! (This can also be a great individual exercise).

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND ...THE BEST TURKEY RECIPE EVER!
I have used this recipe for a number of years now and it is really delicious -- you cannot fail with it. It isn't terribly time-consuming, but you do have to plan a few days ahead so take a look now!

BEST BOOK ON GRATITUDE EVER

Not only is Ann Voscamp one of the most eloquent writers of our day, but her spiritual depth is profoundly moving.  If you haven't devoured this New York Times bestseller, you owe it to yourself to do so now--you can order it as well as my own books on developing your spiritual journey from my store by clicking here.  

Giving Thanks for each of you!

MAYBE IT'S TIME TO STOP PLAYING THE 'LEGALISM' CARD

A couple of years ago a young friend asked me the following question: When it comes to quiet times, or spending time with God daily, is that something we should make ourselves do? 

 What would you say?  I surprised myself with my answer.

After probing a bit, I realized that my younger friend was struggling with a common misconception about legalism, so I shared with her that while I'd had consistent quiet times for almost three decades, there were a lot of years in the beginning when I was driven by duty, focused on getting it right, and fearful of disappointing God. But in looking back, while I would never want to live with that kind of legalism again, I had absolutely no regrets about the hours I spent.  Why?  Because somewhere over the course of that time, meeting with God on a daily basis became as much a part of my life as eating or drinking or sleeping, until I couldn’t imagine life without it.  Now that I understand more about how our brains function, this makes perfect sense.  

More about that later, but first, let’s get a few myths about legalism out of the way.  Legalism is deadly and I am passionate about freedom from it, but for that to happen, we first need to see what legalism is not.  For example:

• Having to work at establishing disciplines in our Christian walk is not legalism.
• Practicing spiritual disciplines even when we really don’t feel like it is not legalism.
• Continuing to engage in a spiritual practice, even when if feels like we’re not getting anything out of it is not legalism. 

What then is legalism?  Legalism is an attitude of our heart that assumes we can earn God’s favor or approval by the things we do or the spiritual disciplines we engage in.   The truth is that nothing we do makes us worthy or commendable to God, and His love for us won’t change if we never show up for a quiet time.  But when you think about it, is there any reason why a follower of Christ wouldn’t want to connect with the Lover of our souls each day for some quality time? 

The good news is that making this a habit may be easier than you think...which leads me back to the brain.  As I noted in a previous post, our brains contain more neurons (cells) than stars in the Milky Way, but more incredible than that are the trillions of neuropathways that enable those cells to communicate.   

Neuropathways lighting up from use

What we now know is that life experiences create and maintain those connections, and as a result, our brains are quite malleable throughout our lives.  This means that if we want to hard-wire our brain in any area—to make any specific behavior an indispensable habit—we simply have to practice it long enough and often enough to establish a neuropathway.  

It's sort of like forging a path through some tundra--every time you walk that way, it gets a little easier until the path is well-worn and you don't have to work at it anymore.  The amazing thing is that when we go to sleep at night, our brains operate like roadwork, where, as one scientist explains, “the streets that are used the most get repaved and improved for easier travel.”  This is why, even though my motives were not always healthy, those years of quiet times served to lay down the tracks for a deeply entrenched way of life, something I could never regret. 

So how long does it take for this to happen?  Through the use of brain imaging technology, they’ve found that there are significant changes in the neurocircuitry of the brain, even after a couple of months of engaging in a practice.  However, as I noted in a previous post, the brain operates on a use it or lose it principle, so if you don’t maintain the practice, you will lose your momentum, something we’ve probably all experienced more times than we can count.  It’s kind of like going to the gym—when you work out regularly it is far easier, while a hit and miss approach means you have to go through the painful process of sore muscles etc. all over again.

There are a lot of reasons people struggle to spend time with God regularly, but I wonder if many simply haven't  kept at it long enough to hard-wire their brain for the practice.  

Perhaps you, like my young friend, have thought you should avoid pushing yourself to be consistent out of fear of being legalistic.   

But let me ask you, in the end, what do you have to lose? Why not get stop playing the legalism card and give it another try—for your own joy and the glory of the One who made you for himself!


Click here for some tips on how to avoid quiet time legalism.

For books to help you establish your devotional life, click here!

THE EASIEST CHANGE YOU'LL EVER MAKE

What if I told you there was one thing you could do that would:

• Improve your ability to focus
• Increase your memory
• Keep  you from losing mental abilities as you age
• Make you more compassionate
• Balance out your emotions and reduce anxiety

And what if I said that this would require almost no change to your current lifestyle?  Intrigued?  I am not kidding—and I’ll tell you why shortly, but first, here is a dialogue I have had with numerous people over the years:

Friend:  I wish I could spend time with God in the mornings, but I just can’t wake up that early, and then my day gets away from me and…
Me:  Have you thought about going to bed earlier?
Friend:  Sure—I’ve tried that too, but then I just lay there at night wide-eyed and I’m even more tired in the morning.
Me:  Okay, how about this.  Try setting your alarm for 5:30am and getting up at that time every single morning for one month, no matter how you feel, and before long you'll be ready for bed earlier.
Friend:  Ugh...I don't know.
Me: Okay, do you realize that you do this successfully once every year?
Friend: Huh?
Me:  When Spring comes and you have to set your clock forward for daylight savings time, you start getting up one hour earlier every single day, right?  And at first you have trouble going to sleep at the right time, but soon your body adjusts and you are on a new rhythm!
Friend: Hmmm… 

The point I am trying to make is that being able to get up earlier each day is a simple matter of  doing it long enough for your body to adjust.  The good news is that since this is Fall instead of Spring you can do absolutely nothing—just keep getting up at the same time as you have been, even after you set your clock back--and you will be able to embrace that wonderful quiet hour of stillness with God before you face the day.   There is no easier time than this week to establish this discipline.


I’ve been reading a fascinating book by a neuroscientist named Andrew Neuberg who studies prayer and meditation through brain imaging, called How God Changes Your Brain.  It details incredible scientific studies that confirm the power of prayerful meditation.   However, Dr. Newberg does offer the caveat that prayer that is conducted for only a few minutes at a time doesn’t have these powerful effects, because it is the “intense, ongoing focus on a specific object, goal, or idea that stimulates the cognitive circuits in the brain.”  

This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t offer brief prayers, but rather that we need far more than this—not only to deepen our relationship with God, but to have healthy minds and emotions.  Perhaps this is why we read this about Jesus: 

I've always sort of felt that if Jesus saw the need to get away with his father in the early morning hours, it's a good bet I need it too, right?   

So here is your chance!  If you’ve always wanted to get up early and never felt like you could, this is your week!! When you think about it, what have you got to lose?  Or perhaps more to the point, imagine all that you might gain!  

Need some help with how to engage in an intense ongoing focus on God that can change your brain through prayerful meditation?  Click here for a seven day journey through Psalm 145 to get you started.

For more exercises, consider my book Sacred Chaos: Spiritual Disciplines for the Life You Have --find it by  clicking here.

Blame it on the Brain Books

This morning I headed to the library to return a couple books on technology and the brain, and pick up four more that I’d had out sent from the Central Library.  I really couldn’t tell you what I was thinking about as I meandered up the walkway, but it clearly wasn’t those books, because I realized right after I dropped them into the slot that it wasn’t actually the slot, but the opening in a trash can by the front door. Mind you this was no ordinary trash can but a concrete and steel contraption requiring some kind of tool to open, which meant I had to go inside and sheepishly trouble a very kind maintenance man to help me retrieve them. 

Blame it on the brain books. In truth, my mental lapse may well have stemmed from digiphrenia, a term coined by media theorist Douglas Rushkoff to describe the kind of disordered mental activity that most of us experience daily as a result of living in a digital universe. 


We used to call these ‘senior moments’ but scientists now tell us that these have almost nothing to do with age, but instead, everything to do with how our brains process information in a world where media multitasking has become the holy grail of a virtual existence.



I was talking to a twelve-year-old yesterday who described her afternoon ritual of heading to her room after school and watching Once Upon a Time on Netflix while doing her homework, assuring me, “I actually get some done!”

How about you?  Are you a multitasker?  Do you check emails while talking on the phone?  Do paperwork while watching television? Read or answer texts while nursing your baby? Talk to your spouse while listening to the football game on the TV or radio? If so, you’re in good company, because 95% of the population says they engage in media multitasking.  In fact there is a phone app that lets you use your camera to see where you are going so you can email while walking!  Don’t worry—I’m not planning on downloading that one. 

There is some really intriguing research on multitasking, but before I share it—test your own knowledge with the quiz below.  Simply determine whether the statements are true or false and then read what science has discovered (for you multitaskers who need to move on quickly—the answers are also found at the end of the blog!). 

Here’s what we know:

Having more ways to exert our mental energy increases our ability to focus. False.  Research shows that because our brains can only pay so much attention, the more demands for mental energy, the less focused we will be.
 

Our brains are quite capable of carrying out more than one process at a time.  False.   We don’t actually ever carry out two cognitive processes at the same time—we actually just switch between them, and the delay between the two tasks means we perform poorer on both.

There is such a thing as a multitasking “high” that makes us want to take in even more stimuli.  True.  It seems that engaging in multiple activities releases neurochemicals into our system, making us feel that we are especially productive and creating an addiction to media multitasking. 

Multitasking may lead to inefficiency in the long run. True.  While we may feel more productive by multitasking, the truth is that the brain works less efficiently when it is interrupted during one task to complete another.  Studies on the American workforce suggest that not only do employees change tasks every 12 minutes, but during that time they are interrupted at least three times, creating an estimate of $650 billion a year in lost productivity.

Multitasking improves our memory.  False.  In fact, when we divide our attention through multitasking the part of the brain that is used for learning is put on a shelf, and in the end, this negatively affects our long-term memory and retention.

Digital natives (those who have grown up on video games, smart phones and e-readers) are better able to focus on several things at once than others. False.  A well-document Stanford study has actually shown that heavy media multitaskers are less able to make mental shifts between tasks and seem to be the worst at it.

Based on brain imaging, the amount of brain activity when someone is doing two things at once is greater than when they are only doing one thing. False.   Brain imaging studies show the brain firing less when someone tries to do two things at once than a single task.   The depletion of brain activity during simultaneous tasks is accompanied by decreases in short-term learning and task accuracy.

When it comes to the brain, there is no such thing as multitasking. True.   You’ve probably figured out by now that mental multitasking is a myth—we never really do two things at once if they depend on cognition, but instead jump from one to the other, which in the end, is harmful to our mental growth and well-being.

The thing about media multitasking is that, as I noted in last week’s post, it actually restructures our brain, and as a result, we just keep on doing it, even though we sense that it isn’t really good for us.  But, as I said, we can do something about it—we can rewire our brains through some diligence and discipline.  And nowhere is this more important than in our relationship with God.  This is perhaps the perfect place to start some new habits that will begin to move us in the right direction.  I offer a few here on a printable to put on your refrigerator or computer screen, and in the coming weeks will continue to share more. 

My suggestion is to choose one thing and stick with it for at least three weeks before trying to add something new—it will take this long for your brain to rewire itself!  You can also adjust any of these to make them family exercises.