“Some Things Bear Repeating!”
“Therefore, the LORD himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
This morning I turned on, “The Today” show. Hoda Kotb turned to Savannah Guthrie and said, “Can you believe today is 3 months since we celebrated Christmas?” Wow, March 25th, think of all that has taken place since December 25th. Life can turn on a dime. Life can also quickly turn from the effects of an invisible virus spreading around the globe. Keep in mind, that life can also be transformed in a moment, and for a lifetime when one turns toward the empty tomb. Jesus is risen! He is risen, Indeed!!. In eighteen days, we will be celebrating the greatest day in history. And whether we are together or not, Jesus conquered death and the disciples despair turned on a dime, for the rest of eternity!
But before we jump ahead to Easter, I’d like to jump back to the thought of Christmas. After watching “The Today” show, and after drinking my fourth cup of coffee, I starting cleaning up some papers in my bedroom – old bills, old Christmas cards (I’m not joking), and, if you can believe it, our old December church newsletter. I was gathering all the papers to burn n the fireplace. But I took one last glance at the title of my newsletter article. It was entitled, “The Glow Room”. I decided to read it one last time. Remember that story? A lot of people responded to “The Glow Room”. I’m not sure if they responded because it was so unexpected or because they related to the ultimate message. As I re-read that experience, I thought perhaps this message bears repeating. If you find yourself battling the darkness these days, feeling isolated and alone. God sees you! God is with you! Bear to hear this Good News – “Immanuel” – GOD IS WITH US!
“The Glow Room”
I ripped and tore the sheetrock from the main wall in my living room last weekend. This was a project that I had studied, pondered and procrastinated for the last five years but never actually pulled the trigger. Suddenly as I pulled off a large chunk of drywall, a darkened space opened up. In the middle of the 23 foot wall, up about 6 feet, I saw behind open studs, a black framed, finished space. The space was 6 feet long, 8 feet high, and 2 feet wide. It seemed like a secret space. What was it for? Why was this space buried behind drywall and paneling in the main room? A strange place to be sure. Was it originally built into the house back in the 1970’s or was it added later? There was no insulation between the studs that opened into the main room. A camouflaged door was created for access through the attic. Power was available and a large aluminum shade lamp with clamps rested on the floor. What could this be?
The following days, I discussed the space with friends. I took pictures and sent them to family. I even talked it over with the heat pump estimators who came to give bids on a new heating system for my house. Some people suggested that the open framing in the wall might have been intended for windows. After short discussions, everyone simply shrugged their shoulders and didn’t have any real ideas. Finally, the third “bid” man arrived. (it’s always the third one right?) We first talked about the business of heating, then I quickly turned his attention to “the space”. He looked, scratched his head and we climbed up into the attic. Suddenly he said, “I’ve seen this before. I’ve entered other people’s attic spaces where the owners are not even aware that there is a “space” finished in their attic with power and lights – fully enclosed.” Then he declared, “It’s a GROW ROOM!” “Are you kidding me?” I said. He replied, “I’d bet money that it’s a grow room.”
HUH!! A secret place, laid dormant for decades, a dark space ready with power, and light, all ready for growth.
Why am I writing about this at Christmas? Let’s just say I felt inspired!
Over the decades, one could argue that Christmas has become a crazy time, moving at a frantic pace, over indulging on stuff that we don’t really need, while running on empty and finishing the race exhausted. Have we forgotten about the “secret place”?
Maybe this year – we re-capture “the secret place”. Maybe this year we re-discover the secret place of Bethlehem, where Jesus entered the darkened world. The secret place that laid dormant for a thousand years; King David’s hometown. This secret place that has hidden in its name, a special meaning. ‘beth’, meaning ‘house’, and ‘lechem’, meaning ‘bread’. Bethlehem is God’s house of bread, the place that would provide the birthplace of the “bread of life” from which all the world might be nourished. Maybe we re-focus upon the dark, black space in which the shepherds lived – keeping watch over their flocks by night. And maybe we re-experience the power and light of the glorious angels declaring the great good news about a Savior’s birth.
Jesus was born in a dark, black, secret place, inhabited by animals and laid to rest on a bed of straw. God chose this humble, holy place for his Son, the light of glory to be born. And he chose this darkened world, in which he tore open the heavens and ripped open the skies that the King of glory would grow and generate power that would ultimately overcome sin, death and the Evil one.
Perhaps you find yourself in a darkened place this holiday season. Perhaps you feel hidden from the world and no one sees. Remember that God has chosen to do his greatest work in the midst of secret, hidden, darkened places. The Lord sees you. GOD IS WITH YOU! In fact, that’s what this secret season is all about. EMMANUEL – meaning, ‘GOD IS WITH US’! And God IS with us!! Not only that, there is power with us, (the Holy Spirit)! And there is a lamp with us, (God’s Word). And there is the light, Jesus Christ himself is with us!
We live in a grow room. It can be very dark. But may it become a “GLOW” room. May the light of Christ grow and glow in our hearts this Christmas Season. And we re-ceive God’s Great Good News,
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that is for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Merry Christmas! Pastor Mark
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