UNFATHOMABLE ODDS

Some math people enjoying calculating odds, like the
chances of "fours" on a dice coming up in successive tosses.
Such games can't compare with the unbelievable odds of
 fulfilled Bible prophecies about God's greatest gift, Jesus.
.

Last year, Americans spent an estimated $1.1 trillion on Christmas shopping. That works out to about $942 per family unit. While I find that mind-boggling, I've come across some statistics that top that.

Since childhood I've known the phase in the Apostle's Creed that declares that Jesus was “born of the virgin Mary.” That's the fulfillment of a prophecy by Isaiah 7:14, some seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus in a filthy barn a long ways from His mother's hometown. What are the odds of that? Recently, going through papers on my desk, I ran across these sermon notes about prophecies Jesus fulfilled. They predicted the Messiah would:

*Come from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) 

*Come from the line of David (2 Samuel 7:16)

*Be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) *Heal the blind, deaf and mute (Isaiah 35:1-6)

*Be rejected (Isaiah 53:3) *Be killed by piercing (Isaiah 53:5, Zachariah 21:10)

*Be executed with criminals (Isaiah 53:9) *Be buried with the wealthy (Isaiah 53:9)

*Die for our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6) *Rise from the dead (Isaiah 53:11, Mark 9:31)

Or how about Jesus' prediction that “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days, He will rise” (Mark 9:31).

My sermon notes said the odds of eight of these prophecies being fulfilled in one person were ONE IN A HUNDRED QUADRILLION (that's one followed by 17 zeroes).

The odds of all sixty major Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled in one person? One in ten to the 157^th power!

In 1957, J.B. Phillips, who prepared a Bible translation in modern language, wrote a little story titled “The Visited Planet.” In it, an imaginary seasoned angel is showing a new angel around the universe. He points out a dirty little tennis ball called “earth.” An intense light flashes at one point of “earth” and the seasoned angel explains that's God's Son visiting the tired, weary planet. When that one light ends, little lights begin to flicker across the surface of the globe. The newer angel asks about the Father's plan for this little globe floating in the universe, whether someday it will be all light, like Heaven. The seasoned angel replies: He has visited it; He is working out His Plan upon it." (1)

(1) The whole story is here: https://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/NoteVisitedPlanet.htm 

THE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH

The impoverished Snoopy tree is also
a reminder of 2 Corinthians 8:9--that for
our sakes "He became poor."

December's hymn feature, “The Birthday of a King,” celebrates the lowly birth of the King of Kings. Thus, I chose to illustrate it with Charlie Brown’s definitely “lowly” Christmas tree. As you read its brief story, recall the prophecy of Jeremiah 23:5: “I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely.”

The Christmas hymn featured in this blog last year celebrated Christ’s kingly role. But a secular mindset was behind the composition and first performance of “O Holy Night.” Its words were by a non-believing French poet, the music by a Jew, and the first performance by a trained soprano known to both men.  How different the story behind this year’s feature, “The Birthday of a King.” Its composer, William Harold Neidlinger, was an organist at the prominent St. Michael’s Church in New York City who is also remembered for his heart for children with disabilities.

Born in Brooklyn in the middle of the Civil War, in 1863, he studied under great composers of his day in New York and London. His career as a composer and singing teacher also took him to Paris. He taught music in a New York college and served as an organist and choral conductor for many groups. His output included comic operas, cantatas, church music, and secular songs. But his real passion was music for children. His book, “Small Songs for Small Singers,” was a standard text for kindergarten classes throughout America for decades.

The success of that book led Neidlinger to a new passion of helping children with disabilities, particularly those with speech and vocal challenges. He studied child psychology and established a school for such children in East Orange, N.J. He also wrote a book about human speech.

He died at age 62 after a long illness. His obituary in the New York Times mentioned his books, school, musical achievements and health, but not one word about the Christmas song that generations of children plus adults have sung: the joyful carol about the Birthday of a King. 

Sing along with this music video:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=%22the+Birthday+of+a+King%22&docid=608038825080062817&mid=92D48F7B8B8F3322DA0192D48F7B8B8F3322DA01&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

PEACE

There are a few peaceful pools as the Wenatchee River winds its way from the mountains to its confluence with the Columbia River. This pool is near a locally famous candy (and more) store called “The Alps.” What a great place in summer to pause during a trip, sip something hot or cool, and nibble just-bought candy! Of course, it's also a drinking fountain for local wildlife that prefer calm waters to the boisterous rapids.

Such scenes bring to mind the imagery of Psalm 42, which begins:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.(42:1)

I'd like to end the psalm right there, but it goes on about missing the sweet fellowship of worship at the temple. Apparently the writer was at some distance from Jerusalem, and because it's inscribed “a maskil of the Sons of Korah” he may have been part of the temple worship team. He is, in fact, smitten with sorrow. “My tears have been my food day and night,” he goes on, “while men say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'” (v. 3). He's not among people who share his spiritual outlook. Thus, the image of this graceful animal, so thirsty it is panting as it seeks out a source of water.

The restrictions placed on “worship gatherings” during our contemporary pandemic remind me of a deer seeking water. My husband and I are in the high risk, gettin'-old category. We've been “back to church” a few times, masked and seated apart from others. But we noticed many skipped the masks, thinking some “distancing” was enough. Not with singing! I'm grateful the services were videotaped for those whose health issues would make it better to stay home. But I still felt like that deer, panting for something to quench my unique spiritual thirst.

I'm probably not the first of “Covid Congregants” who have stopped at other shorelines for spiritual quenching via the internet. I am careful where I visit, but I know God sees into my heart and knows the messages I need for my particular circumstances and growth. At one “sermon-visiting” place, the pastor is going through Hebrews and the “heroes of the faith” list. How apropos, as Covid-19 stokes up the fear factor about disability and death from this phantom disease. These stalwarts of ancient times had their own “fear factors” of enemies and disasters. Many died without seeing wrongs made right. But, the writer of Hebrews says God commended their faith (Hebrews 11:39) even though they didn't receive on earth what they thought they should have.

That's the balance needed for the doleful tone of Psalm 42 and its companion, Psalm 43, which keeps lamenting,
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (42:5, 11; 43:5)

“Feeling downcast” has been a theme of most of 2020. Besides COVID, there's been racial unrest, a tumultuous campaign season, and unprecedented weather and fire disasters. At times I feel parched and wonder, “When can I go and meet with God?” If anything, it has reminded us that “church” isn't the only way God reaches out to us. He can do so through the encouragement of other mature Christians and carefully selected Christian programing. But best of all, He speaks through His Word, through those quiet times of opening scriptures, and being quenched at His river of hope and truth.

This past year I've found it hard to sleep through the night. No problem: I go to my recliner, open my Bible, and drink it in like a parched deer. We have a Savior! We have a God who cares! And we have eternity ahead....

HEARTBEAT WATERS

Many miles upstream from its confluence with the mighty Columbia River, our local Wenatchee River crashes through what's called the “Tumwater Canyon,” so named from a Chinook term for “heartbeat water” or rapids. Mammoth rocks smoothed by centuries of flows, plus logjams, make this formidable for those who'd dare to conquer them by kayak or raft. Some have lost their lives there.

From safe viewpoints just off the road I admire the view and listen to the roar. And often I think of Isaiah 43:2:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

This verse is not intended as a weather report or safety evaluation. Instead, it's an expression of God's tender love to His chosen people even through the wars and deportation they would suffer for straying from Him. He would be with them. He would bring them through.

The person who wrote study notes for one of my Bibles applied it this way: “Going through rivers of difficulty will either cause you to drown or force you to grow stronger. If you go in your own strength, you are more likely to drown. If you invite the Lord to go with you, he will protect you.” (1)

From another study-notes Bible came this observation: “Just as the Lord brought the Hebrew slaves safely through the waters of the sea [Ex. 14:1-31], so He would continue to bring His people “through” when they encountered troubled times.” (2)

The river in this photo runs west of my hometown, emptying into the mighty Columbia River, which runs south before turning west to the Pacific Ocean. Once swift and energetic, it's now like a series of gently-flowing lakes, divided by hydroelectric dams. But it retains its centuries-old role as a water source for wildlife. All along the highways running north are signs saying “High Kill Area” with a silhouette of a deer. Indeed, sometimes when traveling that highway we see a deer carcass right after skid marks, a sad statement of bad timing for quenching thirst.

It's not lost on me that right now the world is going through a “high kill area” with the coronavirus pandemic. It's lethal, it's scary. You take the advised precautions of masking, isolating, and cleaning and hope it's enough to keep you on earth a little longer.

But we can't live in constant fear. We need to live with wisdom and precaution. But we also need to remember that none of this is a surprise to God. As we pass through these turbulent global health waters, some will die. Some will suffer greatly physically. But that does not change the nature of God. His plan doesn't end on earth or at a cemetery. His plan included stops at a stable-turned-delivery room, included three years of earth-jolting ministry, and paused at a cross before returning to Heaven. The pandemic isn't just about quarantines, masks, and vaccines; it's ALSO about being ready for the eternal journey to Him.

1. Life Application Study Bible—NLT (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1996), p, 1094.

2. The Woman's Study Bible—New KJV (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), p. 1194.