Finding Fault

One day a group of very religious men, who no doubt thought themselves righteous, brought a known adulteress to Jesus. To enhance her guilt, they waited and caught her in the act. These men had no interest whatsoever in this woman or her problems. Their goal was to find fault with the way this friend of publicans and sinners would handle the situation.

The law of God called for her to be stoned for her sin. However, in that day, only the Roman administration could pronounce such a penalty. Would Jesus obey the Law of God or violate the law of Rome? Either choice was convenient for this woman’s accusers.
Jesus upheld the law of God and invited those without sin to cast the first stone. A short time later, Jesus and the woman stood alone. Jesus pardoned her with the admonition to, “sin no more.”

The focus of this story is most often directed at the self-righteousness of the accusers; the universality of sin and the pardon of Christ. All are applicable. However, consider for a moment one more thought from the story.

Whatever faults and sins the accusers possessed, they all had one very important virtue. They were able, if only for a moment, to see clearly into their own hearts and see the darkness there. People have an amazing capacity for self-deception, especially when it comes to motivation. We shrug and say, “no one's perfect,” as if there are no consequences to that somber fact.

It is never enough to acknowledge that sin is everywhere and that people give themselves to it. We must be aware of sin’s presence in the one place that matters most--our own heart. That is the only sin any of us can do something about.

Facing Facts

“ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The Bible begins with the testimony of the only witness to events. There is no argument for the existence of a divine being or the intelligent fabrication of the universe. It is simply stated as fact.

The Bible is just that--a statement of fact. It is the testimony of God as to how things began and how they will end. Each man has a lifetime to evaluate the truth God presents. What we do with that truth is up to us, but the possibilities are endless.

We may choose “to ride upon the high places of the earth.” We may choose to wallow in the mire. The truth cannot be changed, and the truth is that “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God...”

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

Epiphanies

          Reality can take us by surprise; especially those moments when we discover that we are not who we thought ourselves to be. You know the moments I’m talking about. Like when Ms. Independence shows up with all her belongings---again. Or what about that bright, fleeting moment when you sit down to type only to find it’s the same moment the dog has to go outside; the kids are hungry; and the lid on the pickles is too tight.

          Stress, frustration or just being ticked off beyond measure; these are the moments of our life. Unfortunately, these are the same moments when a side of us which we thought dead is suddenly resurrected. That mean, nasty growl which springs up at that moment is the real us. We may tell ourselves otherwise, but self-deception is not a safe refuge.

          “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh…” And when it speaks, it speaks the truth.    

Christmas 4

God said, “Light be.”
Light was.

When God set the universe in motion, He spoke it from within His eternal, self-existent heart. Matter and energy appeared at His command. The word which He spoke continues to maintain and expand the universe in which we live.

Man was different. God did not speak Man into existence. He formed Man (by hand?) out of the earth and blew into this shell a piece of Himself. The breath of God transformed Man into a living soul.

Perhaps God could speak a creative word and mankind would be pardoned of its rebellion. He did not choose to do so. Once again, for the sake of Man, God took matters into His own hands.

“ For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

So to a Bethlehem manger salvation came. They called His name Jesus.

Christmas 3

“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

We’ve heard the words with every passing Christmas. They’ve become so woven into the fabric of celebration as to be no more than a whisper. Yet, it is quite possible that greater, more important words have never been spoken.

Jesus Christ was God in flesh and blood living as a man among men. We heard His voice; saw His tears and felt His touch. He healed blind eyes and crippled legs. He broke the bonds of sin and demonic possession then chased away the devil. Those that followed Him could reach out their hand and touch the Creator.

Unlike the gods of Rome, He didn’t come to satisfy some personal lust. He didn’t come to deliver great moral lessons like Buddha and Mohammad. He didn’t come to be served sacrifices to satisfy His appetite. He came to be the sacrifice. He came in the flesh to feel our pain. He came poor and lowly to toil with us. Through all the pain, toil and sacrifice, never a man spoke like this man. Even those who crucified Him confessed, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

He is Emmanuel--God with us. He is with us still. That is what will are celebrating this Sunday.

Christmas 2

I recently read a collection of essays on the subject of zombies in modern culture. I was shocked to find those old movies were actually a condemnation of Western society; an account of our ecological ignorance; and racist propaganda. I thought they were just fun entertainment. Which only goes to show how very little I know. Yet, even I can see that a great self-loathing has crept into the world around me. Those possessed of this notion say it as a natural result of higher intelligence and better education. Who am I to say they are wrong?  

Nevertheless, these otherwise intelligent, educated people can’t find a solution to their disappointment with themselves and their world. They will not believe that their want of an answer lies in the blind resolve that the answer cannot possibly already exist. Like Dorothy searching Oz, they are seeking some magical answer in human wizardry. There is no such answer, and yet, they have possessed the solution and the means all the while.

When light shines on our inner man so that we can clearly see our works, a bit of self-loathing is inevitable. It has been that way since Adam wrapped himself in fig leaves. But, the God we are hiding from is the solution. Two thousand years ago He came to Earth, born as one of us, that He might save those groaning under the burden of sin and self-loathing.

The great joy of Christmas is that God’s gift of light and life transforms men. As the light of a single star lit the dark over Bethlehem to herald the coming of salvation, so the light of Christ shines in today’s darkness. The darkness cannot extinguish it. Men may turn away. They may refuse to see. Still, the light shines and in beholding that light a new world and a new man appears.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Merry Christmas

As one of you has noticed the blog has been AWOL. The author has been under renovation. I have replaced the political rants and dysthymic discourses with a new brighter image which better displays by sparkling personality. Officially the new look doesn't happen until New Year's Day.

However, in hopes of letting in a little Christmas spirit, I have finally turned the page on the calendar to December. I couldn't let Christmas pass without a word or two on the subject. But before I do, let me wish others a Happy Hanukkah and a joyous Kwanzaa. I know I left out the Muslims. They seem are a rather sour bunch without a holiday to be merry about.

Here at Maison LaFountain we will be celebrating the birth of Christ and boldly calling it Christmas. Charlotte and Bryan have put up a Christmas tree; and oh, those are Christmas presents under it. Hey, wait a minute, I've been good! Where's my present?

       Maybe next year. Which has been the family motto this Christmas. One of the perks of careers in nursing and law enforcement is that you get to spend the holidays with your friends--at work. We are used to celebrating a week ahead of time, but even that was not to be this year. I'm sure the grandkids will survive the extra days until we appear bearing gifts. After all, they are LaFountains. Okay, some are Kellys, but that doesn't change their inborn cheerful disposition and gracious acceptance of misfortune.

     Merry Christmas Y'all!