A New Year's message that's contradictory and misunderstood
2017: New Years can be times of fear over uncertainty about the future. In these perilous times, as messy and dangerous as it could be, it's reassuring to know that our Creator has us in the palms of His hands.
2017 began like the last day of 2016. The sun rose and life seemed to go on pretty much as before.
While we're accustomed to dire predictions for the future at the end of each year, it seems that this year, people's fears over future uncertainties were heightened more than in previous years, with the possible exception of January 1, 2000.
Perhaps this year's tensions are due to the surprising results in the U.S. presidential election with many North Americans upset over who won. There is little doubt that many of these fears were fanned into flame by the media.
Between Christmas and New Year's, I spent some time reflecting on the events that transpired between the birth of Jesus and the arrival of the Wise Men. It is remarkable the lessons that can be learned that speak to us today as powerfully as they did back then.
Tradition and folklore tell us that the Wise Men came and presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus on the night He was born in the stable. However, reading the accounts in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John, we don't really get the order in which these events actually happened.
Many biblical scholars believe that the sages from the East didn't arrive until Jesus was about a year old. Whenever it was, we know that it was quite some time after Jesus' birth.
What we do know is that Jesus, having been born into a Jewish family, was ceremonially circumcised according to the Jewish customs eight days after His birth. Then Mary had to wait 33 days for her ceremonial purification (Luke 2). Following that, she and Joseph went to the Temple to offer a sacrifice of Atonement.
What's shocking to realize is that Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem when He was just about six weeks old. They were in Jerusalem right under King Herod's nose and neither he nor his palace guard had a clue that a king was in their midst. It wasn't until months later that they first heard of the king born in Bethlehem which caused a national emergency that led to the mass killing of babies and toddlers.
There were two individuals who the world would have considered insignificant, but they were the only ones who seemed to know of Jesus' first visit to the capital city. Not only that, they got a private audience with Him.
Prophets Simeon and Anna had a special place in Creator's plan for His Son and for the world. And they had waited most of their lives to see this day arrive.
When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple, Simeon took this newborn in his arms and blessed Him. Here's what he said:
God, You can now release Your servant; release me in peace as You promised. With my own eyes I've seen Your salvation; It's now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations, and of glory for your people Israel (Luke 2:21-22).
Mary and Joseph were speechless with surprise. They had heard the announcements about their son's birth, yet they still were learning more and more about the true significance of who He really was.
But then Simeon turned to bless Mary, Jesus' mother, and gave these astounding words:
This child marks both the failure and the recovery of many in Israel, A figure misunderstood and contradicted-the pain of a sword-thrust through you-But the rejection will force honesty,as God reveals who they really are (Luke 2:33-36).
Reading Simeon's words at the beginning of this New Year, they are as powerful as they were when spoken in the presence of the Christ child and Mary His mother. They give us a strong lesson about our own lives.
At one time or other, we all have had failure whether it be in families, social relationships or in battling mental illness or addiction to alcohol, drugs or porn. But we've also had times of recovery. And just as God brought recovery to the people of Israel, He can and will do the same for us.
Jesus was often misunderstood and His message is often contradicted and mocked. The Bible tells us that He was rejected and a Man of Sorrows.
All of us have faced rejection and it's been painful like "the pain of a sword-thrust through us" but there's one thing honesty will do, it forces us to be truthful-with God, with others, and most important, with ourselves.
In the end, we have the hope that God will reveal who He really is and who we really are.
We are told that at the very time Simeon was praying, Anna showed up, broke into an anthem of praise and talked about the Child Jesus to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem.
For almost 38 years, Indian Life's vision has been to present 'good news' about what's happening across Native North America. And while the world is filled with darkness and evil, we aim to continue presenting positive news and encouraging articles which bring hope, healing, and honor to our First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, presenting Jesus as Creator, Savior, and the Greatest Chief of all Chiefs.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017!
