Take a look at this video from Advent Conspiracy. Wow.

Ten billion dollars is a lot of money. So much, in fact, that we may be tempted to imagine that a problem like safe drinking water is hopelessly unsolvable. But did you catch how it compares to what we're spending for Christmas gifts?

Think about that for a minute. Imagine what could happen if we all re-directed just a small percentage of our gift-giving budgets to deal with a life-threatening issue together. It wouldn't take much to cut out $2 from each $100 in the gift-giving budget, and the results could change the world.

Perhaps we need to adjust our priorities a bit.

Preparing for Advent

As a child, I was a bit perplexed by the song "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Its melody was lonely, and its words spoke of captivity, mourning, tyranny. In a season filled with bells and smiles and upbeat tunes, this one didn't quite fit. Just as there is a distinct difference between Christmas music (e.g., Joy to the World, Silent Night) and holiday music (e.g., Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Winter Wonderland), there is also a distinct difference between Christmas music and Advent music. Christmas lyrics speak of a Savior who has already come; Advent lyrics anticipate his arrival.

Advent starts tomorrow. This is a Christian season of anticipation and preparation, stopping awhile to remember the many years before Jesus' birth -- years of waiting for the promise of a Messiah to be fulfilled. It is also a time to ponder more deeply that he'll come back.

Advent is a precious time. I don't want to skip mindlessly past and replace it with an early Christmas. With this in mind, I've been reading more about this season at CRIVoice, Advent Conspiracy, and even the West Texas District, and I look forward to this season. The best part will be to read through Advent passages throughout the upcoming weeks, realizing more deeply and more often the stunning reality of God's work throughout all of history, and especially in the promised Messiah.

Join me and let's walk thoughtfully -- mindfully -- through this season together. Here are Advent readings for the upcoming week:

• November 30: Psalms 146-147 (morning); Psalms 111-113 (evening); Isaiah 1:1-9; 2 Peter 3:1-10; Matthew 25:1-13
  
• December 1: Psalms 1-3 (morning); Psalms 4, 7 (evening); Isaiah 1:10-20; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Luke 20:1-8
• December 2: Psalms 5-6 (morning); Psalms 10-11 (evening); Isaiah 1:21-31; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Luke 20:9-18
• December 3: Psalm 119:1-24 (morning); Psalms 12-14 (evening); Isaiah 2:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20; Luke 20:19-26
• December 4: Psalm 18:1-20 (morning); Psalm 18:21-50 (evening); Isaiah 2:12-22; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13; Luke 20:27-40
• December 5: Psalms 16-17 (morning); Psalm 22 (evening); Isaiah 3:8-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; Luke 20:41-21:4
• December 6: Psalms 20-21 (morning); Psalms 110, 116-117 (evening); Isaiah 4:2-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Luke 21:5-19
  

"See"

"Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men..." (Joshua 6:1-2)

"I have delivered" suggests a past event, even though the Bible does not indicate any physical signs that Jericho was weak or defeated. The wall surrounding it was strong and, though the people were stuck inside, the city itself apparently continued to function, at least on some level. What was Joshua to do with the declaration from God of deliverance?

Joshua was to walk forward by faith, following God-given instructions and laying claim to what had already been promised, planned, proclaimed.

Have you seen God's deliverance in your own life? Lay claim to what He has already promised!

You Can't Make Me

Personal sovereignty is a big issue for toddlers, and I took it on with enthusiasm. "I do it myself" was my mantra. I don't know that "you can't make me!" ever became a common phrase in my day-to-day language, but it certainly described my attitude. And it wasn't just in the toddler years. I discovered at a very young age that, while my parents and other authority figures could add pleasant things to my life when I did as they preferred, and could make things more difficult when I did not, they could not make me do as they wished.

There is actually quite a lot of meat in that simple lesson I learned as a toddler.

Personal sovereignty is still an issue for all of us. Who is really in charge of my life? For years, the most important answer to me was "not you." Nobody else could determine what I would do or not do. Just me. Others could make suggestions, offer rewards, and even punish me for doing certain things, and it was reasonable to consider those factors, but in the end, it would always be my decision. Once I had decided to follow Christ, I needed to consider it more deeply. Who is really in charge of my life? I love that God gives us personal sovereignty. Each decision is still mine. But I love even more that God guides us in His good way, and I want my decisions to be aligned with His desires.

The other thing on my mind today is that you can't make me mad, just like my mom couldn't make me eat my vegetables or clean my room. You can frustrate my plans, lie to me, lie about me, neglect a commitment, or fail to keep a promise. You shouldn't, but you can -- those are decisions you can make. But you cannot make me mad -- that is my decision. Thankfully, that is not the only option. Just as I have the option to nurture anger, I also have the option to choose whom to trust, how much to risk, whether to forgive, to love, to give grace.

I imagine I'll always wrestle some with this notion of personal sovereignty, but I am thankful for that opportunity.

See?

"Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men..." (Joshua 6:1-2)

Imagine Jericho. It looked nothing like the cities we tend to think of, in part because its outer border was a thick stone wall rather than a small signpost marking the edge of a political territory. An army could not simply march in; the city wall was a barrier of significant size and strength. It was there, just outside the "tightly shut up" Jericho, that Joshua encountered God. And what message did God bring? "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands..."

I wonder if Joshua thought this strange.

Practicing

"We are always practicing something. The question is: What are we practicing? At some point, what we've been practicing becomes habitual, the way we show up in the world" (Susan Scott).

"Spiritual disciplines" is a term for any kind of "practicing" in which we intentionally engage with the purpose of becoming more like what God calls us to be. Reading the Bible can be a spiritual discipline, to the extent that we allow it to permeate our souls and not just our brains. Fasting can be a spiritual discipline, to the extent that we allow it to direct our attention often to God. Prayer is another of the "biggies" important to those who claim religious faith. When we engage in genuine, communicative relationship with God, it changes our world both internally and beyond.

Prayer, scripture and fasting are three particularly well-known disciplines, but are certainly not the only ones. When we choose to celebrate good things and give thanks for blessings, it moves us toward joyfulness. When we choose to honor a day of rest each week, caring for the health of our souls, our bodies, and our relationships, it brings restoration. When we laugh and cry together as we tell wonderful stories about loved ones, we remember to cherish others as God intends. When we forgive those who have offended us, we are released from chains of bitterness and are able to more fully experience God's grace, and to extend grace to others. When we savor both the physical nourishment and the tasty pleasure of an excellent meal, we learn to more fully appreciate God's grace-filled provision.

What are you practicing today: Pessimism or joy? Resentment or appreciation? Anxiety or peace? Hate or love? Irritability or patience? Laziness or diligence?

And how are you choosing to practicing it?

Thanksgiving

I don't want to be surprised by Thanksgiving Day. It is unsettling to make plans and then go about routines until a special day comes, then walk into it unprepared. Not that I wouldn't know Thanksgiving happens on a Thursday in late November, but it could still sneak up on me. Such things have been known to happen.

This holiday is not celebrated because we are so naturally grateful, but because we are not. Thanksgiving is about the intent to cultivate an attitude which is appreciative of each blessing. It is time set aside to recognize so much of what we tend to take for granted, and to rest in gratitude for such goodness.

Entrusted

"We had previously suffered and been insulted at Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel..." (1 Thessalonians 2:2-4a)

Entrusted. That is such an incredible word. It speaks of giving something over to the care of another. It's like saying "It is my responsibility to take care of this, and I am confident you will care for it like I do." Parents entrust their children to relatives, babysitters and teachers. Entrusting something or someone truly precious to another can sometimes be an obvious decision to make, but never one to take lightly. God does not take the gospel lightly. He chose Paul and entrusted this precious world-changing message to him, confident that Paul would commit his whole self to it.

Paul's letter to the Thessalonians speak of his heart. Not only was his message true, but his motives were pure. He was open, honest, genuine. When he faced opposition, he did not compromise the message.

Grace cannot be earned; genuine, deep trust must be.