It's the Tuesday before Christmas and here in the office, we've planned like professionals, while merely a novice. This week will find gifts all waiting for wrapping when the truth of the tale is I'd rather be napping. But wrap yes I will, while only just 3. My neighbor so good has done mine for me! Some gifts nicely snuggled all under the tree, the others too bulky just wait you will see. They're stashed in our rooms and others elsewhere, to make sure they're found but not in our hair.
Precious is time spent opening gifts though the moments with family they go by too swift. So we'll start with the blog as to use time with thrift today's featured song is Jim Brickman's "The Gift".
Jim Brickman has collaborated with many of music's well-known artists. Those musicians span the musical genre and provide the partnerships by which Brickman continues to receive great reviews and have a career that has spanned almost 30 years and 53 albums, 20 of which have gone to #1 on the New Age chart. The Gift album was one of those that went to #1 on the New Age chart and stayed there for 3 weeks. It was Brickman's 4th studio release and solidified his instrumentals as a fan favorite. (As an aside, don't get too caught up in the label "New Age" with its connotations of fantasy and mythology. It became a genre in the 90's that many instrumental albums got lumped into, even though they had nothing to do with the practices of New Age adherents. A better label would have possibly been "modern instrumentals" for Brickman and others like him.)
This seasonal favorite was written by Grammy nominee (Best Instrumental Album, Peace, Best New Age Album, Faith) Brickman and Tom Douglas. Even with its country bend, it features Collin Raye after all, it pops up around Christmas time because of its appearance as the title track from the album. That being said, "The Gift" had decent chart performance in the way of a #3 peak on the Adult Contemporary Chart which seems to matter more around the holidays as so many songs don't fit into a specific category other than "Christmas" whose chart doesn't stay around very long. But for a time, this chart and the songs that are included are indeed a very special gift to music lovers around the world.
We are fast approaching some of the most familiar stories about the life of Jesus whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. We elaborated more on the Nativity story back in July of this year. Check it out in the archives in the upper left. But now we have come to the series of events in the life of Jesus that we typically celebrate in the springtime of the year. You see friend, Jesus coming to earth in the form of a baby had a very specific purpose. We hope we have told some of those narratives effectively enough for that purpose to be apparent. We reach the part of Jesus' journey now that shows a time that isn't a "Precious Moments" figurine that we see in Christmas Nativity scenes. Today, we embark on the last week or so of His earthly life.
In John, we see Jesus hanging out with His friend Lazarus whom He had raised to life previously. Many folks were gathering around to see the risen Lazarus and see what perhaps Jesus might do next. In reality, Jesus came to Bethany to share a meal with His friends there. Remember, hospitality and the sharing of a meal at this time were very different as the participants didn't pull up a chair to the table as much as they reclined on a small couch. For perspective here are a couple of links that explain Jesus' meals as well as how those meals were carried out. "Meals of Jesus" by Mark E. Moore, December 22, 2018, markmoore.org, "Jesus Reclined To Dine" - earlychurchhistory.org As you can see, there would have been times when one's feet might have been right in the face or plate of one of the other guests. Hence the necessity for good hosts to wash the feet of those invited to their homes. This was a lesson that one pharisee learned the hard way after inviting Jesus to his home: The Gospel of Jesus according to Luke, a physician, chapter 7, verses 36-50 - NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
In today's passage, Mary as one of the hosts of the meal began anointing Jesus' feet not only with water in a basin but as in the Luke 7 passage (these were not the same occurrence, 2 different meals, two different ladies), Mary began anointing Jesus with a very special gift. Mary applied nard (from the spikenard plant), a very expensive perfume to Jesus' feet. The unmistakable fragrance filled the room and became a topic of conversation as to Jesus' allowing such a luxury. Judas Iscariot, who held the disciple's money, was one of the first to complain of the extravagant use of such perfume. In what would seem to be a statement of thrift and generosity, he proclaimed that the aromatic oil could have been sold and the proceeds provided means for the poor. Remember that John penned this Gospel after Jesus' ascension (stayed tuned!!!) and knew by this time full well the treachery and embezzlement with which Judas had been perpetrating on the disciples' moneybox. Judas' motives were not as altruistic as they seemed as already the beginning stages of his betrayal of Jesus were forming. Judas was less concerned about Mary's gift than he was about the fact that he couldn't get his hands on part of it.
Jesus reprimanded Judas and as He had previously eluded Mary's anointing was an act of preparation for His coming death and burial, the ultimate gift of all time, and the fulfillment of Jesus' mission established that first Christmas in Bethlehem. Mary, as she had done before Luke 10:38-42 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV, chooses an act of worship and serves as an example of how we too should revere and give our best for Jesus.
Not too much time later, Jesus' body would need preparation for burial as He had just given the most precious gift one could ever give, His life. He did this so our opportunity to be restored to God would be secure if we believe in Him.
You see friend, all of the gifts that we may give and receive this Christmas pale in comparison to what God gave us through Jesus. We are right to celebrate Jesus' birth at this time of the year. But we must also be careful to understand that His birth begins a mission that includes His death, burial, and resurrection, and will one day be completely fulfilled in His return.
The Bible says that God wanted a pathway for our restoration to Him so badly that He gave His only Son, that whoever would believe in Him (Jesus) would not perish but have everlasting life (with Him (God) emphasis added and paraphrased by me) I don't know about you, at this time of year and reflecting on where it points, I only have one response, "...I can't find the words to say That I'm thankful everyday For the gift."
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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