Last week, I listened to a teaching that tremendously encouraged me. A reminder that our hope is real, a reminder that the real reason anyone celebrates (or should celebrate) Christmas is because of our great hope in the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus. It was an interesting jump, from the hope of Jacob and Joseph, as the pastor finished up the book of Genesis. But his point was this, why on earth was it important to Jacob and Joseph to be buried in the promised land, if they didn’t have hope in the promise of God to them? Likewise, why should we celebrate Christmas if Jesus is not coming back?

As I thought about this, I realized what an integral part of the gospel the return of Jesus is. He came, lived, died for our sins, was raised from the dead (proof of His worthy sacrifice), and is coming back again for us. Either all of it is true or none of it.

I realized how appropriate the title of my blog is: Hope-challenged. For surely in this world everything sets out to challenge our hope. We are attacked on all sides. From the insidious whispers of doubt that attacked Eve in Eden (“has God said?”) to questioning the inerrancy of the Bible, the reality of the Virgin Birth, we don’t question His death, bur a real resurrection? And we are warned in Scripture that in the Last Days people will mock the hope of His second coming.

“Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”" (2 Peter 3:3-4 NAS95)

But He is coming, and I am so thankful for the constant reminder during this secular season. Isn’t funny: Every time I see the secular celebration, my heart cries out, “No, there is more, He has come, and He is coming.”

This is especially real to me as I approach my first Christmas without Rich and apart from the family. I suppose some people would say, “aw come on, you were only there three years,” but they were the most precious three years of my life. I miss Rich and the family terribly, yet I know I will see Rich again because He is with Jesus, whole and healed. And while I may be separated by distance from my family, God is with each one, working in their lives, and I can trust HIS good work in them.

As I face the coming holiday celebrations and a New Year, grief seems to be an unwelcome guest haunting my every step. And yet, as I’ve considered the sorrow, the sadness, the tears, I would not trade them for anything – because I would not sorrow if I had not loved and do not still love.

I am so thankful for Rich and the three years I had with him. I learned more about love in those three years than I learned my whole life.

I am thankful for each one of Rich’s children. Each one has been a gift to me from God in ways they will never know, because I don’t know how to express it – they are a part of my heart forever.

I am thankful for how God has carried me through these past few months, and will continue to carry and guide me in the new direction He has for me.

And I am thankful for all my friends, and their prayers and encouragement over the years, especially now.

As I close, I am reminded of the words from an old song by Keith Green, “How can they live without Jesus?”. I am pasting the words in at the end of this post.

With these thoughts in mind, may you have a precious Christ Centered Christmas and New Year.

In HIS Grace

Dvora

How Can They Live Without Jesus
by Keith Green

How can they live without Jesus
How can live without God’s love
How can they feel so at home down here
When there’s so much more up above
Throwin’ away things that matter
They hold on to things that don’t
The world has gone crazy
But soon maybe
A lot more are gonna know.

For maybe they don’t understand it
Or maybe they just haven’t heard
Or maybe we’re not doin’ all we can
Living up to His Holy Word
‘Cause phonies have come
And wrongs been done
Even killing in Jesus’ name
And if you’ve been burned
Here’s what I’ve learned
The Lord’s not the one to blame.

For He’s not just a religion
With steeples and bells
Or a salesman who will sell you
The things you just want to hear
For His love was such
That he suffered so much
To cause some of us
Just to follow, follow.

So many laughing at Jesus
While the funniest thing that He’s done
Is love this whole stubborn rebellious world
While their hate for Him just goes on.

And love just like that
Will bring him back
For the few He can call His friends
The ones He’s found true
Who’ve made it through
Enduring until the end.

Some decisions are taken out of our hands, some are up to us. What I am finding is that no matter what, I need to keep my eyes on God, trusting Him to lead and guide. Sometimes it’s like Israel in the wilderness; when the cloud moved they moved. Sometimes it’s like David facing Goliath; he made a decision and trusted God for the results.

As most of you know, with the death of Rich, I have been faced with many decisions. Where will I live is one of them. Currently, I’m in Colorado with friends, working, seeking the Lord, and waiting for His guidance. As I search my heart, it would seem that I am being directed towards a decision which may seem obvious to many of you but was not so obvious to me: returning to Israel, at least for a time, possibly to stay.

A major factor in this decision is the fact that my apartment in Israel has not rented or sold since August, requiring me to pay the mortgage and related expenses from here. As some friends pointed out to me, “you are paying for the place – why not live in it?” I wish it was that simple, but there are many other decisions related to this, none of which I need to go into here.

I would appreciate your prayers that everything would fall in place, so that I can at least go for a visit. It would be nice if I could leave by the end of February and come back the beginning of May (if I need to come back then), or have a flexible ticket so I can come back in time for Rich’s disability hearing. Anyway, that is what I’m thinking about right now.

Odd thinking about travel at this time of year. I am sure Mary must have felt a bit overwhelmed as they headed for Bethlehem from Nazareth. Today this is a 2-3 hour drive (depending on route and traffic), but back then it was several days on donkey back. No matter how uncomfortable a train or bus is, somehow I think a donkey’s back was even more uncomfortable.

What did she think about as they made that journey? And less than two years later, she would make another long journey to Egypt, fleeing for her life and the life of her baby, guarded by Joseph, the man God gave to her to protect and guard her on this earth.

But she made the journey, and the little we know tells us she “pondered these things in her heart.” But her journey began with a decision made 9 months before when the angel of the Lord appeared and she responded, “Behold the slave of the Lord, may it be done according to His word.” And later her “soul rejoiced” when she went to visit Elisabeth.

For me, this year, Christmas is a journey from sorrow to joy. It doesn’t matter what has happened, nothing can remove the reminder that surely I have every reason to rejoice in my Savior.

In Israel there were many arguments back and forth between people – should we or shouldn’t we celebrate Christmas? I have to admit that I love the trimmings, the excuse to give gifts and decorate, and the chance to tell others what Christmas really means. It is nice to celebrate with family, decorate, and give gifts; but if we do not have these, then what is Christmas?

I thought I had answered that question in my heart many years back in Israel. But with Rich gone, and facing this holiday apart from family, I have had to reopen it.

I begin to realize that Christmas is a choice and we make of it what we choose. And so, as I am faced with decisions and where they will lead me, not only as to where I will live, but how I will approach this season. By the grace of God, I choose to walk through this season with a grateful heart to the Savior of my soul, thankful that the real meaning of Christmas is revealed in a cross, an empty tomb, and a returning Lord of Lords.

There is a saying, “No news is good news.”

I don’t know if that is always true…for me, I’d much rather be writing something positive and upbeat. So no news is, well, no news.

How does one right about the mundanity of every day life, or the pain that is a regular part of it, without sounding negative? Yet, the truth is, life is like that for many of us. It is hard to reconcile the mix of emotions and facts of every day with the walk of faith. But if our Savior could do it, surely that is a lesson for us.

I’m rambling, but maybe I’m also thinking as I ramble – that is a huge difference between happiness and joy. If I’m going to be totally truthful, I am not happy. In fact, most days I start out weeping before the Lord, mourning my losses and asking Him to bring comfort and strength for the day.  And in those moments, I find the underpinning of joy as He again reminds me of His utter trustworthiness and faithfulness in every circumstance.  He reminds me that my job is to be faithful to Him and to remember that HE is the one who is responsible for the results. Only He can touch others and change hearts. I can be HIS tool, but HE is the one that causes growth and change.

Strength for each new day comes with each new day. So for now, there is no real news. I get up, I pray, I start working on my contracts, help around the house, sleep, and then a new day begins. I am thankful for HIS goodness and HIS faithfulness, as it is written:

This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.”
(Lamentations 3:21-25 NAS95)

Tonight, Layla, Jon and I went to a Michael Card concert. I was excited about this for two main reasons:

1. I love his music. My friend Judy (now with the Lord) introduced me to his music and many CDs I have of his music were gifts from her.

2. The words of his songs speak to me so much in so many ways. Lately, I’ve been really enjoying his song about Job.

Well, I wasn’t disappointed. It was a great concert. It was a really nice concert with a lot of his new music. Encouraging, and ending with a song about our blessed hope, the return of our savior, and the new heaven and new earth.

During the concert he also sang the song El Shaddai. Ever since I lived in Israel I had trouble with that song, mainly because when I was in my youth group long ago, we had a long discussion about it, trying to figure out what was meant by the words “El kon cona” when none of the Israelis could figure out no matter how we tried.

At the end of the concert, Layla said, “I have to talk to him. Everyone asks me what those words are, and he can tell me.” Well, with the agreement of two witnesses on the same thing, we went in search of someone who could help us find Michael Card and ask, what did you really mean in that one verse.

El Shaddai, we knew is God all sufficient

El Elyon, we knew was God most high

But what was “El kon cona”?

Of course we also explained to him that we had lived in Israel and etc. etc. Michael was really nice and explained that the words were taken from Psalm 18:1 (or 2 in Hebrew): ארחמך –that is “Er chamcha” (gutteral ch with emphasis on last syllable”), translated in the American Standard Version as “I love you”.

He told us that a lot of people had asked about it and the problem in pronunciation went back to when Amy Grant first sang it. (He had written the song, but it was Amy Grant who made it famous.) Seems he gave her the words over the phone… hence the mispronounciation. So now you can all sing the song “El Shaddai” and remember it is ארחמך “Erchamcha” and not “El kon cona”.

It all made me smile as I also though of my friend Judy. If she was still here, I know she would have laughed at Layla’s and my “hutzpa”. Thinking that made me smile, I’m sure she is laughing and smiling at a lot more than Layla and I bugging Michael Card about the words of his song… but it was special. Hope you all smile as well.