The 12 Days of Christmas

One of the beloved Christmas songs that gets a lot of airtime every year is the song known as the 12 Days of Christmas. It is often rumored that this song was originally a coded reference to the Catholic catechism in order to veil their persecution by the Church of England. Another version of this story is that the song was again, used as a hidden message, but this time between believers in societies where the Gospel was frowned upon or outlawed. According to Snopes.com, however, these are popular rumors that have little to no substance.

There are however, surface truths that we can gather from this song: It DOES concern the 12 days between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi (or wise men.) Additionally, it probably grew into a song as a game where competitors would add various verses while repeating all previous stanzas until one player “messed up” a previous line. We DO have record of it as a song as far back as 1780 although it surely is much older than that. It is also believed that the song is of French origin, not English.

What else can we derive from this song?

There is a certain “un-ending-ness” that occurs in love.

There is a material way to show and observe love.

There is a “value” in and from love.

Surely, each of these truths are voiced throughout the song. Of course, and I know that I am very prone to spiritualize things … even to over-spiritualize them … but I think there is perhaps even more that we can derive from this song.

On the initial glance, I want to observe the rumored meanings because I do think the song can help us to understand various aspects of our relationships with God and with fellow believers.

Perhaps each of the gifts could mentally correlate with teachings of the faith. Immediately, the One known as the "True Love" could refer to God Himself and the one receiving the various gifts would represent the believer.

Other imagery could be represented as follows: 
One (a) partridge in a pear tree could represent the one and only Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves could perhaps represent the two divisions of the Bible, the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Three French hens could represent the three extremely important virtues of 1 Corinthians 13: faith, hope, and love.

Four calling birds could represent the message of Jesus Christ as revealed in the four Gospels.

Five golden rings could perhaps, represent the Pentateuch or Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Six geese a-laying could be thought of as a reference to the six days of creation.

I had a difficult time imagining this next one but as I began to look through the lens of Catholic theology, I understood the Seven swans a-swimming as the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church:  Water Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Ordination, and Marriage.

Eight maids a-milking has been thought by some to note the eight beatitudes found in Matthew 5 as a part of the Sermon on the Mount.

Nine ladies dancing could represent the nine fruit of the Holy Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV.)

Ten lords a-leaping may be used to represent the Ten Commandments, the Foundation that points us toward our need for God and His perfection.

Eleven pipers piping can be thought to represent the 11 apostles who remained faithful to Christ.

And the 12 Drummers Drumming could simply point to the 12 statements of the Apostle's Creed: _{(http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp accessed 12/04/2014.)}

I know that various other methods have been devised for the aide of the remembrance of certain doctrines and other elements of the Christian faith. Many have used songs, poems, even decks of cards … so why not use the song, the 12 Days of Christmas as a device to remind ourselves of various aspects of our faith. And this Christmas, while we focus our attention on Christ as the infant, let’s also remember that He is the Risen Lord and the Conquering King and that He has surrounded us with a whole multitude of examples, witnesses, and relationships..

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.^[a] Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)

What We Do …

What we do in order to draw people to us is what we end up doing in order to keep people coming to us.

I once had a friend tell me this. It made sense when he told me that and it makes sense now. There are many parallels to this statement but the recurring truth is simple, profound, and applicable: the means, shows, glamour, glitz, flash, money … whatever … that we use to draw people to us, to our churches, to our homes, to our stores, etc. are the recurring ‘cards’ that will have to be played in order to keep those people coming again and again.

I’m pretty sure that each of us can relate to this statement.

Maybe we drew friends close to us by the way that we spent money on them. Maybe we attracted hundreds and thousands to our shows by the features we continually blitzed past them. Maybe we attracted masses to our restaurants by the service and consistent quality of food we presented to them. (And by the way, that’s NOT a bad thing at all.) Maybe as musicians, we continually presented the listeners with punch and ‘tight’ music in a way that habitually explored new horizons. Or maybe we built our churches by being on the edge, trying new things, and bringing in big name speakers,

What I’m saying to these and other approaches, is that this things you used in order to draw people to you ARE THE SAME THINGS you are going to have to use in order to keep them coming.

Please note, this IS NOT necessarily a judgment call (but by the same token, if you feel judged or convicted … then maybe it IS such a call … to you.) One of my favorite music bands is a group known simply as ‘The Rippingtons.’ They began 28 years ago as a guitarist assembled around him a group of hot, experienced, and talented musicians who were very tight in their sound and who were explorers of new traditions of music. After all these years, they continue in this same vein. They are often criticized, mind you, because they never stay the same but continue to explore and branch out in their various arts. The truth, however, is that the way they started is the way they have maintained and sustained.

And churches who begin as centers of the loud, the glowing, and the famous have sometimes failed because they could not effectively continue to keep up the hype that surrounded their initial, gathering stages.

Certainly, you and I can both find exceptions to this concept but, overall, this is the rule: the way you bring them in is the way you’ll have to maintain them.

What we do in the sowing is rewarded in the reaping.

 

A Biblical mandate is found in Galatians 6:7-10

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (NLT)

It is a known and proven fact that we cannot plant a seed of corn and expect from that kernel a plant of green beans to grow. This is called the law or principle of sowing and reaping.

We must respect and acknowledge that, in the natural realm,  whatever we put into something is indicative of what we will attain from that effort/deed. Granted, there have been moments when we may have mistakenly put great efforts into something that we deemed as worthy … only to see that particular something founder and fail. But generally, the things we pay attention to, the things we put efforts into, the things that we spend time and perhaps, money, on … these are the things that will grow and prosper.

If we as parents will spend more time with our children (and make THAT time both quantity and quality time), the better those children’s future will be.

If we as husbands/wives will pay the needed attention to our mates … through listening, adoring, and just BEING with them, the greater and more beautiful benefits we will receive from that attention spent. Our marriages will be better. And our appreciation for one another will soar.

If we as Christians will take the time to pray, to read God’s Word, to spend time in community with His saints, the more seemingly efforts our attempts at service/ministry will seem This will happen because our service then becomes an outgrowth or over-flowing of the relationship we have with Him and He with us.

What we sow we will reap

What we do in life echoes in eternity

And finally, as a culmination of all these previously mentioned things, eternity will be positioned, altered, and perhaps, enhanced because of the life that we have each lived.

It is been suggested that the tiniest of drops of water in the deep, blue sea affect the remainder of that sea in a ripple effect.

The falling of one leaf in the forest affects the entirety of the forest because of  its presence … whether that presence covers something needing shelter, presents itself as food to the various creatures of the forest, or simply becomes fuel to the garden compost of the earth.

So each life affects eternity.

You and I are making a heritage … whether good, bad, or seemingly non-influential. Someone is watching us. Someone will read about us or hear about us through a story.

Our families are greatly influenced by us.

We are important.

The musical group Kansas once sang a song, ‘Dust in the Wind.’ While some have interpreted this song to mean that our lives are short and meaningless, others have (correctly … I think) understood the song to mean that although life may be short, and that each of us will return to the dust from which we have come, our future lies outside of ourselves and more importantly, in the hands of a Savior.

It IS important that we acknowledge that we are a part of something greater than us … and that something greater is a future.

That future is dictated by the responses we make to the ‘cards’ we have been dealt.

That future is positioned by the investments we make (or not).

That future is granted based upon the decisions we make in this brief life.

And that future is sealed by the ultimate decision we make concerning Jesus Christ.

Let’s all consider our present … with an eye for the future … not for the purpose of worrying about that future, but for the purpose of intentionally assuring a good future.

Stress Savers

Have you ever had a moment when the eventualities of life cause you more stress than they should?

Of course, there is a certain amount of stress that we face that is good for us, but it is often that stresses build up, situations get out of hand, and the body is taxed beyond its normal limits.

What do you do when the stresses of life go beyond your physical and emotional capacities?

Do you let it get you down?

Do you let it cause you physical damage?

Do you let it build up until it emerges as an emotional outburst?

As I said earlier, there are normal amounts of stress that each of us faces on a daily basis and which are actually good for us. These may include deadlines to be met, presentations to be prepared and delivered, and meetings to be attended and managed.

But there are other stresses that can be harmful if improperly dealt with. These may include emergencies, accidents, and forgotten preparations.

And many of these are avoidable. Proper planning certainly can inhibit undue stress. Extra care can often eliminate accidents and emergencies. Better communication can prevent misunderstandings.

But even with these precautions, stresses still can build up.

So I believe that God has given us one (and only one) sure-fire way to combat stresses in our lives.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT).

Worries, cares, anxieties, and concerns: these are what the Bible most often calls the stresses of our lives. These are the things we need to leave in God’s care. And when we leave them in His care, that doesn’t mean that we simply neglect them and stay hands off; it does mean, however, that we leave the “worries” about them in God’s hands. It means that He is the One Who is working things out. We still pay the bills. We still participate in the meetings. We still work through the preparations. BUT … we don’t stress. We don’t fret. We don’t lose sleep over the issues of life; instead, we let Him do the “worrying.”

And that’s somewhat funny, because we know that God doesn’t fret over things. Instead, “^… we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT).

God has His own agenda for our cares and concerns … and as we follow Him, we will see that the stresses are resolved, that situations are taken care of in a godly and timely manner, and that God receives all the glory.

Here is what Jesus had to say about all of this in Matthew 6:24-34

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today (Matthew 6:24-34 NLT).

And so, I encourage you … and me … for today.

Let’s reduce the stress.

Let’s reduce the worry.

Let’s cast our cares upon the One who cares for us.

And let’s give Him all the glory!

Bumps in the Night

Well, it finally happened: I was out exercising my new found lifestyle and hobby, running. It was a hot day so I waited until night-time to begin my run … after 11 PM to be semi-exact. Now mind you, running on the sidewalk is tough, especially for someone who, in his 53 years of life, has NEVER run a complete mile until now. And this part of the sidewalk is dark. There are street lights but they are shielded by the overgrowth of trees.
So you stay alert … because it’s dark, and because it’s late, and because … well, it’s just a smart practice.
I have a long row of tall, evergreen hedges to my left and Willow Avenue to my right … and I’m running … well, sort of …it’s still plodding along at this point, but I am making forward progression in a slow, 235 lbs., almost-54-year-old male sort of way.
And I hear sounds rustling in the hedges. They’re right beside me, and behind me, and in front of me. I am about to get attacked by an angst-filled mob of teens … or a pack of vicious dogs or coyotes … or maybe even something worse.
My ears perk up. My eyes are searching. My body goes into high alert as the blood pressure rises and the breath rate increases. Even the fine hairs on my legs, arms, and back are standing at attention.
Then suddenly …wham … I am hit from the left side … again and again and again. It starts about knee level but the sensations quickly arise to my thighs, my hips, and my mid-section. I am startled and frightened, but I am alive … for the moment.
Then it hits me … all of this commotion is simply the water sprinkler system coming on. The sounds are initially air flowing through the pipes and then … water: cold, wet water.
Did I mention wet?
Did I mention cold?
Then realization of the hilarity of all of this strikes me. This is the kind of scene that my three grown children would hold over my head for many years to come if they found out … and thank God, no one saw it or was around to take pictures … or even worse, to videotape this whole episode and post it on YouTube and FaceBook.
I felt foolishness, relief, and humor all at the same time.
I was safe. I was delivered. I was free.
And as I later surveyed the situation, I realized that a spiritual parallel had just been reenacted in my life. In fact, all of this reminds me of a reality that is presented in the Scriptures.

Isaiah 14:16-19 (HCSB)
¹⁶ Those who see you will stare at you; they will look closely at you: “Is this the man who caused the earth to tremble, who shook the kingdoms,
¹⁷ who turned the world into a wilderness, who destroyed its cities and would not release the prisoners to return home?”
¹⁸ All the kings of the nations lie in splendor, each in his own tomb.
¹⁹ But you are thrown out without a grave, like a worthless branch, covered by those slain with the sword and dumped into a rocky pit like a trampled corpse.

These verses immediately follow the famous passage that describes the scenario when Lucifer was cast out of the heavenlies, so this, too, is in reference to Lucifer, the fallen one, the enemy, the deceiver, satan, the devil.
Today, many have cowered in fear because of the accusations and attacks of the enemy. And many others have dreamed up in their minds a concept that he is capable of and responsible for so many things that he, in fact, is not. Isaiah is reminding us that we will look upon him, and sneeringly say, “Is this the man who caused the earth to tremble, who shook the kingdoms, who turned the world into a wilderness, who destroyed its cities and would not release the prisoners to return home?” (Note the tone of sarcasm in Isaiah’s statement.)
Isn’t it amazing how much fear we waste on those things that are unknown … and how much stress is wasted on those things that we hear, those people that we suspect, and those events that we wrongly anticipate?
Just as I “survived” the attack of the murderous water sprinkler system, so too we will overcome our seemingly deepest situations, if only we will keep our focus on Him and allow Him to bring us through these situations. And if we can keep these things in mind, He can even cause us to overcome our fears and our anxieties.
Think about it … and get up and run through your situations and fears.