Expect The Unexpected

Everyone has their particular way of spending New Year's Eve. Some people like to pass the night partying away the final hours of the old year. Others treat it just like any other day and go to bed before midnight. And still others may share in a movie or Netflix marathon of their favorite show. I have always enjoyed watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and seeing the ball drop in New York City's Times Square. Years ago my husband and I would spend the evening with our good friends who live in R.I. We would alternate going to each other's home, order Chinese food, watch a movie and then watch the ball drop. Unfortunately my friends and my husband can no longer tolerate staying up until midnight. So, now we get together for dinner on New Year's evening. However, I still carry on the tradition silently at home staying up by myself to watch New Year's Rockin' Eve. One of the things that motivates me to continue to watch is this fantasy that one New Year's Eve, Jesus is going to unexpectedly show up at the stroke of midnight. I've often wondered what Times Square would look like if Jesus suddenly came breaking through the dark night sky. Realistically I don't think Jesus would be that obvious as to come on New Year's Eve. Jesus told His own disciples, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father....Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." (Matthew 24:36,42) In other words, Jesus is telling us to expect the unexpected! Throughout Scripture the theme of expecting the unexpected resonates. I have been pondering some of the stories in the Old and New Testament and wondering about the feelings of those involved in these "unexpected" events. Israel had been in bondage for over 400 years in Egypt before Moses came along to free them at God's command. Who were they expecting to release them from bondage? When Moses showed up what were they thinking? Moreover, Moses himself was shocked that God told him to be the "hero" for his people. (Exodus 3) And who knew that Rahab an alleged prostitute who helped Joshua and his band of spies would end up as part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ! (Joshua 2; Matthew 1:5) The Old Testament prophets foretold of Christ's coming, yet many remained surprised when Jesus came and fulfilled those prophecies. And what did the Magi expect when they came to the house where Jesus was staying some months after His birth? (Matthew 2:1-12)  As I look back on 2013, I never expected God to move in the way He has in my life. It has not been an easy year. I had my expectations about how my husband and I would move forward with planting a church but God has added some different possibilities to the mix. It has brought me to a place of truly standing back and watching God unfold things according to His plan as we go along. Similarly, I never expected how my life would change with the birth of our first grandchild during the time of Advent. Her birth definitely pulled together all that God had been doing in my life during the year in a unique and symbolic way. People often enter a New Year with great expectations only to see them fade away after the silence of the bells and whistles on New Year's Day. However, believers in Christ live in a constant state of expectation. It began with His first coming and will end with His second coming. In between time we get to see God work in our lives in unexpected ways. We have an "everlasting resolution" that doesn't end when the ball drops. "Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen." (Revelation 1:7) "Behold , I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 22:12) So what kind of resolution will you make in 2014? How long will it last? Jesus invites us to come to Him and resolve to expect the unexpected. What an exciting year it could be!
Happy New Year!
Pastor Sheree

A Child Is Born

On December 10, 2013, Barbara Kaye Harrington came into the world. She is the daughter of my husband's son and daughter-in-law. Family and friends were quick to respond with congratulations "grandma!" I must confess that I have struggled with feelings of disconnection. I have felt it to be somewhat dishonest to receive Mother's Day cards and wear the moniker "grandma" when there is no biological connection. Ironically, I often counsel clients struggling with the same issue telling them, "Biology doesn't necessarily define a relationship." I can honestly say that part of the struggle was a need to emotionally protect myself from rejection. I convinced myself that I was only loved as long as I was married to my husband. Once he passed away, I reasoned, his relatives would have no further use for me. Moreover as a black woman marrying into a white family, I couldn't pretend be a blood relative. I figured that little Barbara Kaye would just love me for who I am until that fateful day when she was old enough to recognize that my skin tone was a little bit different. Or perhaps she might show a family picture to a peer as they ask the question,"Why is your grandmother black?" or worse, "She's not your real grandmother!" The biological mother of my husband's son passed away 5 years ago from cancer. I'm sure on some emotional level my husband's son wishes his mother was alive to see the birth of her third grandchild. (She had already had two grandchildren from her daughter who was fathered from a previous relationship.) For whatever reason, God chose to leave me as the "grandmother" on the paternal side. In the meantime God had been doing a work in my heart over the 9 months prior to Barbara's birth. An excitement had been growing in my spirit as the day of the birth grew closer. Friends would tell me that my feelings would change once that little girl was born. I still had a hard time believing them so I began to pray and ask God to show me how to let go of the feelings of insecurity. The Lord led me to the familiar Christmas story from the gospel of Matthew chapters 1 and 2. My attention was directed to the plight of Joseph and his struggle upon learning that Mary was pregnant outside of wedlock. Even though the angel reassured Joseph that God through the power of the Holy Spirit was responsible for Mary's pregnancy, I wondered how Joseph felt having no biological connection to Jesus? It was already difficult enough listening to the gossip and seeing the questionable stares as Joseph decided to go ahead and take Mary as his wife. However in his quiet moments did he grieve the fact that he would never be Jesus' real father? As I read the Scriptures in Matthew and meditated on Joseph's response and actions, I came to realize that Joseph was humbled and blessed. Although he was not Jesus' biological father, God had chosen him to participate in raising the Messiah. His name is alongside Mary's as set apart to a special calling in God's redemptive plan. Rather than feeling sorry for himself I suspect Joseph was awestruck and perhaps wondered if he was up to the task. And although Joseph and Mary went on to have other children, the birth of Jesus dramatically changed Joseph's life. In a similar manner, the birth of Barbara Kaye has dramatically changed my life. God has come to me and reassured me not to be afraid to draw near as a grandmother to this little girl. I have been chosen to be like a "Joseph" in her life. I am to share with her about that little baby who came into our world at Christmas and changed everything! Moreover, although as human beings we are not biologically related to Christ, believers in Him are called His children and God has adopted us into His family making us co-heirs with Christ. (John 1:12-13; Romans 8:17; Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 3:6; Galatians 3:26-4:7) My prayer is, like Joseph, I will be faithful to the special calling God has given me. My prayer for you this Christmas is that you will draw near once again to the manger and see how the birth of this child not only can change your heart but can change your world!
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Sheree

Tata Madiba

Christmas is almost here and I confess I still have some shopping left to do. However, in the midst of the Christmas frenzy, my mind has been focused on the passing of Nelson Mandela. One never knows the impact of our legacy until we see the fruit it has produced. In Mandela's case, he was a very fruitful man! To fill a stadium with people who love you and see leaders from all over the world pay their respects certainly makes a statement about the life he lived and the legacy he left behind. As I thought about Nelson Mandela, I could see reflections of some Biblical heroes of the faith. I thought about Abraham as the "father of many" which is the meaning of his name. Prior to this name change, the patriarch was known as Abram meaning "exalted father." In the Ancient Near East, one's name carried a lot of significance. Obviously Abram earned the respect of many people. However when God changed his name to Abraham, he became marked in a special way as God's servant. (Genesis 17) When God sets someone apart to His service powerful things take place in the individual's life and the lives in which he/she comes into contact. Similarly, Nelson Mandela had a "name change." "Madiba" is the name of Mandela's clan. The name of one's clan was considered more important than a surname. It refers to the ancestor from which a person is descended. "Madiba" was the Thembu chief who ruled in Transkei in the 18th century. It is considered very polite to use someone's clan name. Like Abram, Mandela or "Madiba" commanded great respect given his connection to a tribal chief. However, like Abraham, Mandela became known by the people as "Tata." "Tata" is a term of endearment meaning "father." Many people regardless of age used the term to describe Mandela who became a father figure to the nation. Both Abraham and Tata Madiba became "fathers of many." I also see similarities between Nelson Mandela and Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. Paul was a hater of Christians and spent many years persecuting, arresting, and killing them. (Acts 8:1-3) As a young idealistic man filled with anger and impatience towards the Afrikaners and the system of Apartheid, Nelson Mandela began to use violence against his enemies. However both men had a heart change and were transformed by the power of love and forgiveness. Paul's transformation came on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19) and Madela's after spending 27 years in prison. There is only One who has the power to change bitterness and hatred into love and healing. His name is Jesus. As a result of the heart change these men experienced, many people's lives were also dramatically changed. During Paul's ministry, Jews and Gentiles alike came to know the Savior. In Nelson Mandela's case, the system of Apartheid was dismantled and black Africans and white Afrikaners began to share power equally, living and working together in peace. This is the power of what Christ can do if we are willing to open our hearts to receive Him. When we believe in Christ and accept the gracious gift that the Father has given us, we are set apart to serve God in the world. As His servants, God transforms us from the inside out. He equips us with gifts by the power of His Holy Spirit to touch lives with His love and bring honor and glory to His Name. Additionally, we will be given "new names" as revealed in the book of Revelation. John in speaking to the seven churches says this to the church in Pergamum, " He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." (Revelation 2:17) And to the church in Philadelphia he writes, "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name." (Revelation 3:11-12) You and I may never have "descendants as numerous as the stars" or people filling a stadium to celebrate our lives but as we share the gospel, we give an even greater gift that will result in eternal life for all that receive it. Well done Tata Madiba, rest in peace!
Blessings In Christ,
Pastor Sheree