Les Miserables

We saw Les Mis today. It's long been one of my favorite musicals and just stories of redemption in general. For you die hard musical theater fans, you might agree with me that Russell Crowe was a weird choice for Javert. His singing (and acting of the role) left me wanting.

BUT--do NOT listen to critics who pan this movie. It is wonderful and there are nuances you'll catch in the movie that may have been missed in the stage production. It is a beautiful and heart wrenching film. We loved it...beyond loved it.The crown in our movie theater broke into applause at the end.

As I watched, it occurred to me that in life we all know Javerts...those who just cannot seem to grasp grace, even for themselves. And we all know Jean Valjeans...men and women who have been changed by grace received and grace given. The capturing of that truth is a powerful force in this movie. I thought Hugh Jackman was fantastic. Anne Hathaway was wonderful as Fantine, Aaron Tveit was a great Enjorlas and it was so cool to see the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, play the role of the priest. Very nice touch! One of my favorite movies in a long time.

Immanuel--God is With Us

Peace on earth, good will toward men…those words seem a little more difficult to swallow over the last few weeks, don’t they? We live in a dangerous world and in an unsettled time. It’s hard to imagine true peace anywhere on earth. But the same could be said 2000 years ago. Jesus was born into a dangerous world…a world where Harod was killing babies….lots and lots of them. A world where people were hungry and hurting and dying and broken. And he was then…and remains today... the Prince of Peace.

His very name--Emmanuel-- offers peace. The peace of presence. God with us. He’s here. Right here.

Often we think, if God were really here, these bad things would not happen. For example, I was reminded a few weeks ago by my buddy Jonathan about Joseph in the book of Genesis…kidnapped, sold into slavery, accused of sexual misconduct, sent to prison for trying to do the right thing…he spent most of his “good years” in prison before he was released to bigger and better things. But scripture tells us God was with him….through all of it. He was right there. When we think of God being WITH us…we usually don’t think that means we’ll be sitting in prison for 17 years or so.

We like to tidy up the Christmas story to fit into a nice ceramic nativity scene that we can display on our piano at home. But both the birth and life of Jesus were messy.

You know the song “Here I Am to Worship”? Think about those first few lines…”Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes let me see, beauty that made this heart adore you; hope of a life spent with you.”  The Light stepped down right into darkness and He made it beautiful. He wanted to experience life like a human…to be born like a human, love like a human, laugh, cry, walk, and talk like a human. He wanted to experience our pain. And He did. He took it all. He didn't erase hardship, He intersected it! He bore it. And He is with us today. No matter where you are. No matter what you’ve done. He is bigger. He is bigger than our best moment or our worst mistake. 

As John 1 reads in the New Contemporary Version:

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. He came to the world that was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God. 

The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory--the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father--and he was full of grace and truth.”

Joy to the world, the Lord has come.

He has come to give us life in a world where there is much death.

He has come to bring us peace in a place where there is turmoil.

He has come to create hope for those who have lost it.

Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord...our maker.

He asks those who believe to come and worship.

But even if you have lost something precious to you - He wants you to come.

Even if you doubt that there is any chance for peace – Come.

Even if you don’t believe there is any kind of hope left for you – Come.

Come, bow down, and worship Jesus! For He is the love of God.

Come just as you are.  He wants to know you.  He wants you to know Him.

Let His mysterious holiness be unveiled, and this Christmas, may we find life, peace and hope as we celebrate Jesus...Immanuel, God With Us.

Here With Us...This SUNDAY!

Never Once

Today is my 43rd birthday. This picture was taken at my birthday party when I turned 6 years old. Life was so simple. I had all my best friends there around that table. Kyle and Carl Dickson, Paul Phillips, Scott Rogers, Bo Sanford and Kim Lomax...who should get friend points for being the only girl at a boy's birthday party! My father made the cake...as he would do for several more birthdays. I literally remember the moment this picture was taken...like it was yesterday.

Those years were simple...full of love, full of mischief, full of laughter. I am an only child who always wanted siblings. The kids sitting at this table were like siblings to me...most still are. Kyle Dickson (in the ball cap) and I went through ACU together--pledging, Homecoming musicals, Sing Song, homemade movies, trips to Nashville and the Reynolds's house in Fort Worth. He was by my side as my dad laid dying from cancer. He was in my wedding and has been a brother to me for a long time. There are similar stories with other kids around this table.

I loved my childhood. I was blessed with great parents and great friends. But, I don't want to go back. How we all survive life is sometimes a mystery to me. The simple days fade. The laughter is sometimes exchanged for heart-wrenching tears. But, the older I get the more I see how God was with me every step of the way.

In the Old Testament, Joseph had it pretty rough...family deception, kidnapping, jealousy, slavery, prison...then things got better. But it is written through all of it that God was with him. Often, in our Americanized version of Christianity we think that God With Us means all is happy and well. It's the health-wealth gospel that wears me out. We don't often think about how "God With Us" could mean that we actually face trials and things DON'T work out. Cancer isn't healed...that relationship isn't restored...money runs out...a child dies...a job is lost...etc. Sometimes it can feel as if we judge God's presence based on how well things are working out for US.

It's a powerful thought to know that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. No height, depth, struggle, failure, angel, demon....nothing. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

I praise Him for 43 amazing years full of laughter, tears, victories, defeats, struggles, freedom, my wife Sheryl, friends, loss, hope, arguments, music, Sheryl's singing, the sound of my children's voices, the squeals of joy at Christmas, the tears of my son as he said goodbye to his Paw-Paw (Sheryl's dad), ZOE, Nashville, Abilene, Cruise ships, studios....so much more.

This has become one of my anthems...Matt Redman's "Never Once"

Standing on this mountain top
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You've done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say...

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

No Pit Too Deep

During World War II, Betsie Ten Boom, sister of (later) famous author Corrie Ten Boom, lay dying in a Nazi work camp. As she was dying she urged her sister Corrie to forgive...to forgive those who were causing torture, pain and death. She wanted to infuse a dose of God's reality into Corrie's world view. Maybe my all-time favorite quote was Betsie's in that moment to Corrie. "There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still." That, my friends, is the power of Jesus. Impossible love. Impossible grace. The Ten Boom story has shaped my life in Jesus for more than 30 years. Wherever you are today, however far you feel from God, remember: " There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still."