The Sky Is Red

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Matthew 16:1-3 – And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ²He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ ³And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Sunset over Caesar Creek Lake from the Fifty Springs Picnic Area, Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio.

“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, sailor take warning.” Perhaps you have heard this saying, or some variation thereof? Obviously this little weather forecasting adage was well known even in Jesus’ day. By the way, there actually is a scientific explanation behind this saying; and, it is a reasonably useful indicator of the weather coming your way.

What was not quite so obvious to the Pharisees and Sadducees, though, was that the long expected Messiah had already come and that he was, in fact, the very one they were presently challenging. Certainly a part of their problem was that they expected a Messiah who was an earthly king, not the humble son of a carpenter, the babe born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger. Even though, by this time in his earthly ministry, Jesus had already performed numerous signs and miracles, the Pharisees and Sadducees were seeking something more spectacular, or at least something that was more suited to their own expectations.

When we take things to God in prayer we need to make sure our hearts are in the right place. God does answer prayers, just not always in the way we desire, nor with the timing that we expect. Rather than approaching him with selfish motives, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, we would do well to recall these words from Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

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A Mist that Appears

Posted on December 26, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

James 4:13-17 – Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”–¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

The morning mist hangs over a field along Hopkins Road. Maineville, Ohio.

When I read this passage from James, I have a sense that there are a couple of things that could be misunderstood if we are not careful. First, I do not see this as a condemnation of commercial ventures that make a profit. Christ himself in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) uses an illustration of profitable investing to make a point. I will grant you that the intent of this parable was not to teach wise business strategies, rather that we should use the time, talent, and treasure God has blessed us with to the best of our ability in serving him. That said, I doubt Christ would use something as a positive example for us to follow in our Christian walk if God considered that something inherently evil or sinful.

And, second, I do not believe James is telling us it is wrong to plan for the future, nor that we should just sit idly by and assume God will provide everything without any effort on our part. Certainly God will provide; but as we read in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. ¹¹ For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”

So what should we take away from this passage? For one thing, it reminds us that our time is short and the future in this life, even for Christians, is uncertain, “you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” We should plan for the future and work to earn a living, but we need to realize that the outcome is in God’s hands, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” It also reminds us that our successes are gifts from God. He is the source of all blessings. We need to give him the credit, and not “boast in” [our own] “arrogance,” which is a sin.

And finally, I would leave you with this thought, though this passage does not speak explicitly about prayer, it does serve to remind me that we need to bring all things to God in prayer, thanking him for the blessings in our life, as well as seeking to understand and accept his will for us as we plan our future endeavors.

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Glory to God in the Highest!

Posted on December 25, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Christmas Day

Luke 2:6-20 – And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ⁸ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” ¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Nativity scene at the “Fantasy in Lights” Christmas display. Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia.

May the peace of Christ, our Lord and Savior, be with you today and always.

Merry Christmas!
Todd the Hiker

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Through the Heavens

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Christmas Eve

Hebrews 4:14-16 – Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The International Space Station passes through the skies over Glacier National Park, Montana on August 13^th, 2012.

Though this passage from Hebrews is not one typically associated with Christmas, I find it rather fitting on December 24^th to reflect on the two natures of Christ that these verses illustrate. First, there is his divine nature. He is the “great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.” And yet, despite his divinity he took on a second, human nature. He became a man, born into the humblest of circumstances. Because of his humanity, we have a “high priest” who is able “to sympathize with our weaknesses” and “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

We have in Christ a Savior who is both fully God and fully man, Creator of the universe, yet also the babe in a manger. By his divinity he was able to be a perfect sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, and yet, because of his humanity, he was able to be a substitute qualified to die in our place. He humbled himself to come down and dwell with us so that we could be reconciled to God through his life, death, and resurrection.

On this Christmas Eve we do well to remember Christ’s dual nature, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). – Matthew 1:23

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