Sunday, December 25, 2011

Remember the Words

Deuteronomy 27

Write the words down so that you remember them.  When my children were young, one of the consequences I gave them when they got out of control was to have them write sentences.  Sometimes, it was one of the commandments and it's meaning according to Luther's Small Catechism, particularly if it was the spirit of one of the 10 that they had been rebelling against.  My strategy was to help them remember what is an appropriate way to be and what is not appropriate.  Sometimes, it was a successful strategy.  Sometimes it was not. 

Moses tells the Israelites to write every word of the law that has been given them in stone.  If they forget them, they will be written there for them all to see.  Now we know (if we look forward in history) that the Israelites either forgot some of them or just rejected them as they lived blessed by God in the promised land.  God gave to them abundantly and they turned their backs on Him over and over again.  It appears that they just didn't care if they were cursed as long as they got to do what they wanted, when they wanted.  After all, what does it mean to be cursed, anyway?  Being cursed generally comes to us and is perceived by us just as bad things happening to us.  We generally neglect to take a look at our actions that may have caused our "bad luck."  It is easier to blame others, to blame "bad luck" than to take responsibility for the direction our lives go.  Curses in a sense are consequences for our inability to follow God's will.  I think though, that it is more than our inability, but that sometimes we simply desire to do those things that we ought not to do.  To push our luck...  Hope for the best... Hope that we will not get caught... Hope that we will not suffer consequences...  This hoping is usually futile...

It is Christmas morning.  There will be an abundance of gifts under many trees this morning.  Children will be blessed with things.  Will they remember what this gift giving is all about?  Will they remember and will they even be reminded that Santa Claus, formerly St. Nicholas, gave gifts to children because of his love and service to God, to Christ our Savior, and to God's children?   Will children and their parents be remembering that the three wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus to honor him?  Probably not, connecting gift giving to Jesus just might put a damper on the mystery of the whole Santa Claus thing.  And... today Santa Claus is more mysterious than God incarnate, more mysterious than Jesus resurrected from the dead. The words of God to His children are no longer written on stones for us to read.  They are written in scripture, on the pages of a paper book.  Will those words be read to them?  The Word of God is also written on our hearts.  It is a living Word.  Will we listen to Him?  Will our children? 

If we are to celebrate the holy day, then let us make sure it is indeed a holy day to the Lord.  May God help us to teach our children, so that they remember, that today and every day is the Lord's day.  May your Christmas celebration be blessed in Jesus name...

No comments: