Beaten Dragons

I am reading works written by G.K.Chesterton right now.  I like the way he thinks.  Like this quote, “Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”*smile* That's like David and Goliath. There are many stories in scripture of people being victorious against all odds.  Gideon, Jehoshaphat, Elijah.  These stories tell me that dragons can be defeated... more than that they tell me I am not fighting my battles alone. I do need to know that Dragons can be beaten. It's also good to know that someone BIG has my back.

I have had to face some pretty big dragons in my life.  Many were just plain beyond me but somehow, by divine intervention, I made it.

I think about raising kids.  How can a parent keep their children safe?  How can you perfectly protect them from harm and at the same time help them to become self assured and independent?  The answer is... you can't.  Just giving birth brings with it the risk of harming both mother and child.  After raising my children I have concluded that it is humanly impossible for children to reach adulthood alive.  They must be supernaturally protected, it's the only way they would ever make it. After raising children I don't know how NOT to believe in guardian angels.  It's beyond coincidence that my children survived without so much as a broken bone in a myriad of near misses. More than once I watched powerless as their life dangled by a thread of possible outcomes. It's mind boggling.

Hmm then I think,  what else are we protected from?  I once visited the observatory on Kit Peak in Arizona.  They have a small telescope there (well smaller anyway) dedicated to finding meteors that have the potential of hitting earth someday.  I don't know what they expected to find but they found hundreds of possibles and continue to find more every day.  Perhaps we are protected more than we know.  Perhaps the only reason there is life on this planet is because that life is being cultivated, nurtured and protected every day.

We are headed toward what they call a solar maximum.  In 2011 there were only 2 spotless days on the sun.  In 2009 there were 260.  Sunspots are one source of solar flares which often create auroras (the northern lights) at the poles. Most are harmless but some have the potential of effecting our power grid (among other things) here on earth.  In the last year, I have watched as over and over sunspots that were very active while facing away from earth quiet as they turn towards us.  Is that a coincidence or is it evidence of our protector?  I wonder

Christmas

Holidays used to be "Holy Days" but I'm having a hard time finding the "holy" in Christmas this year. The "Salvation Army" used to be ringing their bells, opening doors and offering a hardy, "Merry Christmas!" To passers by. Now they are snubbed by many stores because of their religious bent. There used to be a Nativity Scene at the park. That has been ended for fear of reprisal. We as a nation have been "purifying" ourselves but from what? I remember a song by Paul Stookey called
"Hymn" One verse reads,

"I visited Your house again on Christmas or Thanksgiving
And a balded man said You were dead,
But the house would go on living.
He recited poetry and as he saw me stand to leave
He shook his head and said I'd never find You."

That's how this Christmas feels.  It is no longer a religious, holy-day in this country.  It is a tradition and a sad one at that.  Billions of dollars are spent giving gifts, they once were in honor of the wise men who came to worship Jesus... now they are just... well gifts.  I don't get the draw.

My question is, is there anything I can do to reclaim it?  Really, Christmas started as a pagan holy-day perhaps it has already been reclaimed.  God what is your take? (listening) It feels like a distraction.  I'm thinking of Psalms 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God".  That's really what I want to do this Christmas.  I don't want to go shopping.  I don't want hit the parties.  I just want to turn my focus on Jesus.

Abide in Him

I have been reading the first few chapters of 1 John.  I love 1 John.  It is a small book but so full and rich.  It's a great book to marinate on. Right now I am pondering 1 John 2:27 where it says, "And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him." That passage reminds me of John 15:5 where Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." I'm trying to imagine what it means to both have the anointing abide in me and for me to abide in Jesus.  Interesting that it says the anointing teaches us to abide in Him.  Wow, Holy Spirit, please do teach me to dwell in Jesus.  I want to live there!

I crave that kind of "dwelling there relationship with Jesus."  I want to simply be with Him.  Chaos has become the norm around here and just "being" is very hard to accomplish.  But imagine what it means if we are too busy, too swallowed up in the clamor to hear.  If the anointing teaches us all things... especially the true art of abiding in Jesus... is the clamor and chaos keeping us from gaining the most important lesson of all?

What a thing to say, "the anointing which you received from Him abides in you." What does that mean? Who is he talking to? He says in chapter 2:1 "My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin." I'm thinking "My little Children" is referring to those that he had influence on in the Church. This is a letter that was passed around and cherished by the Church of his day and continues to be read and cherished now.  It is written to the Christians who would read it.  It is written to me, and it is written to you.  So listen to it again... "The anointing which you received from Him abides in you." Wow, what does that mean? (listening) I'm looking at verse 20 of chapter 2 "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things" Those are bold statements.  I don't feel like I know all things.  I often feel very uninformed, and bewildered.  What about that God? (listening() Hmmm I'm thinking of Psalms 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God." It feels like a correction, "Peace Child be still"  but also a call, be still and find Me.  Be still and I can be found.  Be still and abide in he stillness that is me.  The bottom line? "Be Still!" God help me!