Christmas in July's Hurricane Season

I spent Thursday preparing our house and yard for Hurricane Dennis.

I’ve found that hurricane debris is easier to clean up if the yard is mowed before the ground gets too soggy, so I spent the day cutting grass and pruning branches while thinking about God & Christmas.

I often follow the blog of a young lady in England who apparently works among teenagers. Recently a 15-year-old boy asked her “Where in the Bible does it say that Jesus is God”? Her blog asked for readers’ thoughts on the subject.

That question got me to thinking about the deity of Christ. So naturally, as I sweat pushing the mower in 98 degree heat I got to thinking about Christmas.

You’ve heard the reading dozens of times:

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us”.

Jesus = God with us.

I had to dig a trench to channel anticipated rains away from a garden shed where I have some books stored. I shoveled still thinking about the deity of Christ and Christmas:

“Behold, there came wise men from the east… and, lo, the star, which they had seen in the east went before them…And when they were come into the house, they … fell down and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh”.

Would wise men worship something less that God?

The garbage men pick up yard trash about 6 a.m. on Fridays so I lugged the pruned branches and clippings to the curb – humming Christmas carols in the July heat.

As I hummed a beautiful rendition of Handle’s Messiah while carrying a garbage can, the thought occurred to me that the Prophet Isaiah knew that Jesus is God come in the flesh:

“Unto us a son is given…And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”. (Isaiah 9:6).

The Mighty God!

Is it time to take down the birdfeeders yet before they blow away? Not yet. There’s not a cloud in the sky here yet, although the radio noon news says that Dennis strengthened to a Category Three Hurricane.

I took a break still thinking about that Jesus/God thing and here’s some things I came up with to send my e-friend in England:

Jesus claimed to be God: John 8:23-24 -- “I am from above… I am not of this world… If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins”. Perhaps you could ask your teen friend what he thinks this passage means.

John 10:30 -- “I and my father are one”. Why did Jesus say that?

His enemies knew Jesus said he is God. John 10:33 – “The Jews answered him saying, ‘For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God”.

His friends heard Him claim to be God: When Philip asked to see God, Jesus said (John 14:8-9) “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father”.

St. Paul knew that Jesus is God: In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul said “Christ Jesus… being in the form of God…equal with God… made in the likeness of men…the death of the cross… At the name of Jesus every knee should bow… Jesus Christ is Lord”.

Angels worship Jesus as God: Hebrews 1:1-8 says, “God… His son… by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of His person… the firstborn… all the angels of God worship him… Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever”.

Hope these thoughts help her.

Saturday, Ginny & I stretched a new trap as an awning for the garden shed to help keep water out and I talked with my neighbor about plywood and such – typical hurricane season stuff.
Some of these storms are dangerous; all of them are a nuisance. O well, one further religious thought:

The Bible (almost) says: The wise man builds his house upon the rock; the foolish man lives in Florida!