December 30 - Christmas

Isaiah 58:1-59:3, 14-21 - A section like this will undoubtedly lead us to ask whether our activities are true or false. Jesus regularly speaks of the religious people as honoring God with rituals, but not in truth. This idea is already at work throughout Isaiah's writing. This is a good question if it causes us to ask critical questions about what we do and why. It can cause trouble for us, however, if we are always trying to throw away the tradition and assert that we have acquired that new heart.

Too often the question of more pure motives leads us to distort Jesus parable of the pharisee and the tax collector. In that parable Jesus talks about a pharisee who prays to God and thanks Him for not making him a wicked tax collector. The tax collector in contrast stands at a distance in fear and trembling, and begs God's forgiveness. Jesus' conclusion is that the tax collector went home justified. Our distortion of this comes in when we assert our position as the humble tax collector. This shows itself when we view our motives as better than another's. ("I go to church for the right reasons.") Isaiah and Jesus' purpose is not to help us figure out the trick, namely which attitude is better, but to force us to rely on God's grace alone. We are rarely able to humble ourselves, so we pray that God will humble us and give us the abundance of His grace.

Luke 1:26-38 - Of his kingdom there will be no end.