Scripture
But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” John 7:2-8

Observation
When my kids were little one of my favorite books to read to them were the stories of the Berenstain Bears. They were just an average furry family of four living in the hectic woods, and so they escaped to the wilderness for holidays. It was to be an idyllic week in the woods but there was a leaky roof, empty fishing lines and other inconveniences not in the travel brochure. The Berestains went home frankly like bears with sore heads, until the pictures arrived. What the remembered most from their vacation were not the pictures fit for a brochure, but the memories of all of the inconveniences.

This story of Jesus could also be called, “Too Much Vacation.” This account of Jesus’ tiff with his family was written into the Bible years after the very brother who had doubted Jesus became the head pastor of the biggest church. James, Jude (who himself went to write part of the Bible) and a few others had an agenda for Jesus, but Jesus had other plans.

It was holiday time, in fact it was THE holiday. The Feast of Tabernacles season was like our current Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years trifecta. Everyone looked forward to the autumn festivals. In fact the rabbis said it was a sin not to be happy at that time of year. But holidays accordion families into the tight confines of dinners, grandma’s house and road trips. Mary and Joseph’s kids were now grown with minds of their own. It was tug-o-war time in Nazareth as they tried as adults to live as if they were still children.

We have to read this story with a long term view. Years later I’m sure that James and Jude remembered this episode with a smirk. Jesus was obviously right and they were, well, just jealous brothers. What brought this family squabble to a happy ending was Jesus’ choice to listen to his heavenly Father rather than to the gossip of his siblings. That choice of Jesus to what God expected of him made all the difference. There was overwhelming pressure on Jesus to live up to their expectations.

But in the midst of all of the family murmurings Jesus could still hear his Father’s voice. He had to make this trip to Jerusalem alone that year. It would be like skipping Christmas dinner at mom’s house if that had been the rule for a thousand years. Jesus could hear the Father’s voice because he did not live with his adult brothers and sisters as if they were still children, but instead behaved like an adult and followed God’s direction for his life.

There must come a point in our maturity where God’s voice matters more than any other voice, even those that we love. Part of maturity is transferring from our earthly father’s house to our Heavenly Father’s house. It started for Jesus in the temple at age 12. It came into full focus while the family was packing for vacation. Listening to the Father first will not necessarily make the family happy…at first. But clarity comes when we play for an audience of one and live by his time schedule.

This story has a happy ending. James, Jude and even Mary herself had a 180 degree turn in their understanding of Jesus. It would never have happened if Jesus had toddled off to do what he had always done just to keep everyone quiet. Jesus had the courage to take an adult course of God’s direction for his life. That choice God could use in the future of his family.

Application
Christmas season is a little like the story of the Berestains and Joseph’s family. The joy of the season can short circuit with the reality of being together. When grown siblings attempt to direct life as if they were still living as children there is bound to be conflict. James and Jude later found the joy of releasing their brother to God’s plan, but first Jesus had to make that choice for himself. Our Christmases will be bright when we do what is right in God’s sight first. That has the greatest chance of long term happiness.

Prayer
Father, let my Christmas be blest this year. It’s the first in years and years that we will all be together. Help us to enjoy the uniqueness of the call you have for each and to bless that. And grant to each of us the courage to walk on as best we understand you. Amen.

Scripture

We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:18-19

This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles. 1 Peter 3:1-2

Observation
Yesterday I stood in front of an ancient Torah scroll at a Jewish Synagogue hidden in the basement of the US Air Force Academy Chapel. The scroll was several centuries old. Hand-lettered vellum showed the endless rows of Hebrew consonants without word spacings, punctuation or even chapter and verse numbers. I explained to the person with me that this was the Bible of the early Church. The Old Testament was the Bible that Peter preached from and his would have looked very much like the one my eyes were scanning.

After not only walking with Jesus but seeing for a few seconds on earth how Jesus appears now in heaven, Peter nevertheless pointed early Christians back to the Bible. In fact Peter knew as he wrote these words that he was soon to die. Second Peter is in essence his last will and testament. He will not be there to guide the fledgling churches. So what instruction does he give? Simple: read the Bible.

What should happen as we read the Bible? Our minds should first be stimulated to think better thoughts. Without the Bible we spiral downward into trivia, gossip, grumbling, or even worse the news. But with the Scriptures our minds will spark with wholesome thoughts that have a life of their own because they originate in God. We also read the Bible secondly to refresh our minds. The Bible is not a book we can simply say we’ve read before because reading it is not enough. Are we doing what it says? We read and re-read the Bible not always to learn new things but to remember what we’ve forgotten to do.

Application
Christians gathering together to talk about how their lives will be different because of what they have read is the most significant thing we can do this side of seeing Jesus with our own eyes. Everything flows out of that.

Prayer
Father, I am listening. Amen.

Scripture
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. James 1:12

Observation
There are certain times we should be brimming with anticipation. One of those is when we have endured well. It’s not just that we have lived through difficult days that God is moved. It is that we have had patience and endurance.

Back to my old thoughts of a few weeks ago. Patience is when I act like a patient who “patiently” waits for a doctor more skilled than he solve his problems. The “waiting room” did not get its name for nothing so we need plenty of patience while waiting for the skilled surgeon. This is not a finger-drumming, throat-clearing, magazine-shuffling impatience that we somehow call “patience”. No patience is a calm trust that someone more skilled than I is coming to solve my problem. Endurance is the choice not to avoid the trouble but to walk through it. There are easier ways, but they have no reward. Endurance takes time but the end is worth it.

When we have been patient and endured we should be on tip toe to see what God will do next. The promise is that “God blesses those who patiently endure….” That promise is good enough for me.

Prayer
Father, I am living in expectation of yet even more. You have done so much. Please bring your work in me to the completion you have had in mind.

His name was Derrick Redman. He was a runner for Great Britain in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He tried to make it in the 1988 summer Olympics but he was injured and he had to make a decision, “Do I go through all the work for four more years to get to the 92 Olympics?” But he made a decision to run again to honour his father who had supported him all of his life.

Derek qualified for the 1992 Olympics which was an amazing feat since he had undergone twenty-two surgeries on his Achilles’ tendon. He qualified to be in the semi finals of the men’s 440 meter race. He was in one of the center lanes, the gun fired and he shot out of the blocks leading the pack. The starter’s gun fired and Redmond set off. 140 metres down the track he was in a strong position when his hamstring gave way. He collapsed to the ground in a ball of pain and tears. Medics ran out to assist him but Redman waved them away. He was determined to finish the race, even if he couldn’t win it. And so he crawled and hobbled his way along the track.

There was a commotion in the crowd and a man ran down from the grandstands. He pushed his way through the security guards and ran on to the track towards his son. It was Jim Redman, Derrick’s father. He placed an arm around Derek.
“You don’t have to do this” Jim told his son.
“Yes I do” Derek replied.
“Well then” said Jim, “we’re going to finish this together”

Just before they reached the finish line, with the crowd screaming in support, Jim Redmond let his son go, so that he could cross the line on his own.

After the race Derrick Redman was interviewed and he said “My father was the only person who could have helped me, because he understood everything that I had been through.”