In Israel there is an archeological site on the ancient village of Korazin.  When you walk among its stones you get a glimpse of daily life in the Galilee region.  In its heyday Korazin was a busy little village whose principal industries were pressing olive oil and producing millstones.  The people there probably led a pleasant life surrounded by extended family and familiar faces.  In the center of ancient Korazin there remains a beautiful illustration of the words Jesus spoke in John 14:2, “In My Father’s house there are many rooms”.  The word we often translate as “rooms” is actually the word “monai” (moe-nay) which is the plural form of “dwelling place” or “abode”.  In Hebrew this structure is called an insula.  An insula is a large home which has had many additions attached to it; each being its own “abode” or home.  The largest insula excavated in Israel had 38 additions!  It was the custom in early spring in villages such as Korazin for the young maidens to dance through the streets so that prospective young grooms could catch a glimpse of a possible mate.  This method certainly would raise some objections in our day, but it was the custom then, and no one seemed to mind!  Once a groom spied a young lady he was interested in, he would approach her family with an offer and a dowry.  If the dowry was accepted, the couple was betrothed and the bridegroom would then return to his home and begin to build the addition which he and his bride would live in.  Jesus is alluding to this practice when He tells the disciples that His Father’s House has many “monai” (abodes).

            This style of extended family living is also alluded to by Jesus in John 14:2 when He says, “I go to prepare a place for you”.  In fact, many scriptures in the New Testament draw their imagery from Biblical Jewish wedding traditions because Jesus often illustrated what He was teaching about from the everyday culture around Him.  For example, while the groom was off building their future home, the bride waited for his return in her father’s house.  While she waited the bride wore a label, in essence a symbol of the accepted dowry, which said, “Bought with a price”.  She had to be patient, and so did the groom, for no one but the father of the groom knew the exact point in time when the groom would return. There was an element of surprise when his father gave the signal and the groom set off to collect his bride.  He would approach the bride’s house and call out, “If anyone is here, open up!”  The bride would then respond with the question, “What has this cost you?”  To which the groom answered with a list of the dowry.  It was a rather humorous way of keeping things honest as the exact contents of the dowry were only known by the bride, her family and the groom.  If the list wasn’t exact, then it wasn’t the groom!

            Oftentimes the surprise appearance of the groom occurred at night, which meant the bride and her attendants had to be ready to go at any time.  This often meant having an oil lamp trimmed and ready to be lit at a moment’s notice.   Jesus taught in The Parable of the Virgins (Matthew 25: 1-13) that His return would be a surprise and only His Father in heaven knew when that would be, just as the groom’s father was the only one who knew when the groom would be ready to bring his bride home (Matthew 24:36).  Some people have interpreted the oil in this parable to represent the Holy Spirit.  But they have missed the point of the parable in light of its cultural connection.  The wedding tradition teaches us clearly that Jesus will return at the most unexpected moment in time, but as His bride, we must be ready to go when He comes for us.

          The Book of Revelation also tells us that when our Bridegroom returns He will stand at the door and knock (Revelation 3:20).  In the same way that the bride asked her bridegroom what the dowry was, the same question will be asked of Jesus, “What has this cost You?”  To which Christ will reply, “I gave My life for you”.  The imagery of the Jewish wedding and the insula at Korazin demonstrate to us how great God’s love truly is.  Like the days of Moses when God dwelt in the Tabernacle, His desire to be with us has never ceased (Exodus 25:8).  This time He will bring us to dwell with Him forever (Jn. 14:1-3).  What an incredible thought!  We are that precious to God.
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

             I never met William Hamilton or Gerret Wolfertsen Couwenhoven but they are a part of my family tree.  William was born in Glasgow, Scotland and after the birth of his son John in 1819, he packed up his family of six and sailed across the Atlantic. The Hamilton family grew and eventually ended up in New Jersey.  Gerret is my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather!  He left Holland in the 1630’s and settled in New Amsterdam, New York for awhile and then moved to Freehold, New Jersey.  Several generations later, two of their descendants, my grandmother and grandfather met, married and had a son who later became my Dad.  I have always enjoyed the history of my family tree.  It’s just another unique piece of who I am.

            Genealogy was important to the people of Jesus’ day.  If a man wanted to serve as a priest in the Temple he had to prove that he was a descendent of Aaron.  If he could only trace his lineage back to Levi, then he became a Levite.  The line of Judah was important too.  In 2 Samuel 7: 8-16, the Lord promises David (a descendant of Judah) that he would always have an heir on the throne of Israel.  In Jesus’ day King Herod was a feeble attempt by the Romans to placate the Jewish people with a ruler of their own stock.  But Herod was only half Jewish and he was despised by the people because of it.  They understood the covenant and wanted the real thing!

            As rulers, the line of Judah often failed.  Therefore in Jeremiah 22:28-30 we read that the Lord cursed Jeconiah (a.k.a Coniah) that due to his wicked deeds he and his descendants would never again rule on the throne of David.  But how could this be?  Jeconiah was a descendant of David and the Lord told David that his line would rule forever.  And why with this curse hanging over the line of David, would Matthew and Luke go to such lengths to prove that Jesus was of David’s lineage?

            Careful reading of these two family trees reveals that only Matthew’s account includes the name of Jeconiah.  Matthew, by tracing Joseph’s line, is building an argument for Jesus’ legal claim to the throne of David.  He was entitled to the throne since his father was a descendant of David.  Mary was also a descendant of David.  But her family tree does not include Jeconiah.  Mary’s lineage is traced through Nathan, a branch of David’s line that was not associated with Jeconiah’s curse.  This allowed God to fulfill the Davidic Covenant, that the Messiah would be a descendant of David and rule on the throne forever (Luke 1:31-33).  Luke goes one step further than Matthew.  He traces Christ’s lineage all the way back to Adam.  He wants us to realize that Jesus did not fulfill the Covenant merely for one nation’s sake, but for the sake of all mankind.

            Did you ever suspect you were part of a royal family?  Romans 8: 16-17 says, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.  Royals walk around with a sense of dignity and purpose.  They know who they are, the importance of their position and their standing.  The royals we admire most are those who do not use their position as an excuse for self-indulgence or pride, but rather as a means to help the less fortunate in their homeland as well as abroad.  It seems we are quite fascinated with them too- especially when they break protocol and “do their own thing” as Prince Harry and his wife Meghan did recently when they announced they would step down from the British monarchy.  Marrying into a family is challenge enough but imagine marrying into a family with thousands of years of tradition, royal protocol and a pecking order that hasn’t changed for decades and you can imagine the drama that’s about to unfold if your “style” doesn’t match theirs.  But the family of God is different.  Our royalty does not come from marrying into it, it is something God confers to us out of His love when we place our faith in Christ (1 Pet. 2:9-10).

            In light of these thoughts, what should the children, the heirs, of the Heavenly King look like?  What type of attitudes and behaviors should they display?  How should they treat the people they come in contact with each day?  You may not be able to trace your earthly lineage as thoroughly as mine.  But your spiritual legacy is laid out for you in the Word of God.  So live your life as the royal you are!   

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            The Gospel of Luke is actually "Part One" of a two-part saga which traces the proclamation of salvation, first through the Messiah, in Luke's Gospel, and then through the Church in the Acts of the Apostles.  Luke's Gospel is addressed to "Theophilus" which literally means "God-lover".  We don't know much about this person other than he is addressed as "Most Excellent" a term that indicates he may have been a person of some rank.  The purpose of Luke's Gospel is to inform Theophilus of the life and testimony of Jesus.  But in essence it does not matter whom the Gospel was written to, rather, Who it was written about.  Luke's central theme is a question:  Who is Jesus?  The reader- Theophilus and you- must come to a conclusion about Him and respond.

            In his prologue, Luke articulates his desire to give his readers a clear and coherent presentation of the words and deeds of Christ (1:1-4).  By A. D. 62 there were undoubtedly many oral and some written accounts of Jesus' miracles and teachings.  Luke uses several words and phrases in his opening verses which show us he approached this task with the highest of integrity.  Luke's investigation included reading "accounts about the events" (1:1) and analyzing "reports...from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses" (1:2).    Luke did not criticize the other works; instead, he appealed to their importance as precedents for his own work.  He wanted to put these facts in an order that would make sense to the reader in order to help that person to understand Jesus' story.

            There are several things to note in Luke 1:1-4.  First, Luke has a reason for writing by using the word "since".  Secondly, Luke recognized the contribution of others who had also recorded the things Jesus did and taught (...many have undertaken).  Thirdly, Luke's Greek is among the best in the New Testament.  His introduction is done in the literary style of historians such as Herodotus of Halicarnassus, who also spoke of collecting information by interviewing witnesses and compiling the writings of learned men.  Luke contacted eyewitnesses such as the Apostles themselves.  He listened and learned from "servants of the Word"; the most notable of course was his traveling companion Paul.  These teachings and accounts were "handed down to us" from the first generation of believers which included the disciples and others who had been taught by them.  Luke testifies that he has compiled "an orderly account".  This means he has arranged the material (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) in a way in which we can understand the narrative and what it teaches about Jesus.  This does not mean that Luke manipulated facts in order to promote his own opinion or agenda.  Rather Luke has organized the facts to present Jesus in such a way that we will know the truth about Him.

            Lastly, the events that Luke has compiled are "pragmata", that is they are historical facts that any historian would be interested in, but in Luke's Gospel they become more than mere facts, they are for Luke, events of salvation-history and their significance depends on the way one interprets what they have fulfilled.  These events refer not only to the deeds of the ministry of Jesus, His passion, death, burial and resurrection, but also to the sequel to all this, the spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem to the end of the known world.  Luke is pleased and excited to be sharing his findings for he believes that they "have come to fulfillment" and were "accomplished among us".  These events took place in Luke's recent past and have continued their effect into the present.  

            More importantly, Luke's precision and purpose in writing this book, demonstrates to us, that our Scriptures are to be trusted as an accurate and truthful account of Christ's life, and God's redemptive work among men.  Although Luke is not one of the original disciples, he employed a thorough and trustworthy method of fact-finding in order to compile this Gospel.  Perhaps William Barclay said it best, "There is no passage of the Bible which sheds such a floodlight on the doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture.   No one would deny that the Gospel of Luke is an inspired document; and yet Luke begins by affirming that it is the product of the most careful historical research.  God's inspiration does not come to those who sit with folded hands and lazy minds and only wait, but to those who think and seek and search.  True inspiration comes when the searching mind joins with the revealing Spirit of God.   The word of God is given, but it is given to those who search for it.  "Seek and you will find," (Matthew 7:7)."

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            The stadium is filled with thousands of fans.  The noise surrounds you as you take your seat.  On either side, avid spectators clad in team colors, converse with one another and munch on snacks while drinking soda and other beverages.  Music blasts over the loud speakers and cheerleaders do their routines on the sidelines while the team mascots run around on the field performing crazy antics.  There is an air of excitement as athletes enter the stadium and start warming up.  Each and every fan places their hopes of victory on the shoulders of these highly trained professionals.  Week after week, day after day, these competitors follow a regime in order to prepare for the BIG GAME.  No matter what sport, no matter what team, they all commit themselves to being the best in their field.  And today their hard work and dedication will hopefully pay off.  

            The crown jewel of football will be up for grabs this Sunday.  Two teams will place the best they have to offer on the field and battle for the right to be called the NFL Champions.  In the days of the New Testament the top sport was not football.  Back then running, wrestling and boxing were popular and the top athletic competition was the Isthmian Games (which later became the Olympics).  The Isthmian Games were held every two years in the city of Corinth.  And like their modern day counterparts, athletae (the Greek word we get athlete from) were devoted to a course of training which would enable them to excel in their chosen contest with agility and strength.  These professional training programs often required the athlete to endure extreme amounts of pain and took a tremendous amount of self-discipline.  But for those who remained committed, there were also great rewards. 

            Have you ever considered that your Christian walk is similar to the course an athlete takes in preparing for a competition?  In 1951 a sportscaster by the name of Jarrell McCracken did.  He read an article by a well-known athlete and was inspired to write and record an allegory which he entitled The Game of Life.  In it two teams, the Forces of Good and the Forces of Evil, square off on the grid-iron with God Himself as the Fair and Just Referee.  Jesus Christ coaches the Forces of Good and Satan is the coach for the Forces of Evil.  The quarterback of the Forces of Good, Average Christian, faces a variety of obstacles and challenges that you and I also face in our Christian walk as he makes his way to the end zone.  In the end, success lies in how well-prepared one is for the game.

            As McCracken introduces his allegory he states that "the rules of the game and how it should be played are found in God's Word, the Bible".  2 Timothy 2:5 says, "And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules."  Our success then in our Christian walk depends on how well we follow God's Word.  And like the athletes of Paul's day, we would do well to be diligent for the "purpose of godliness" (1 Tim. 4:7-8).  The athletes who competed at the Isthmian games and their modern Super Bowl counterparts all compete for a temporal crown and prizes that eventually run out, but godliness leads to an eternal reward (heaven).  This is the idea Paul conveys in his last letter to Timothy.  "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course; I have kept the faith.  In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will save for me on that day" (2 Tim. 4:7-8a).  The image of God as the One who rewards the faithful believer after he/she has run the course of their life is seen throughout the New Testament (1  Cor. 9:25; Phil. 4:1; 1 Th. 2:19; Rev. 2:10).

            What are you doing to prepare yourself for the game?  Are you reading God's Word?  Are you in fellowship with other believers, your teammates?  Are you communicating with the Coach so that you understand His game plan (prayer)?  It is my hope that you will approach the Game of Life with the same amount of enthusiasm and spirit that you show while watching the Super Bowl (or the BIG GAME of your favorite sport whatever that may be).  In writing to the church at Corinth (the Super Bowl city of the Roman Empire), Paul encouraged the Christians by saying, "Do you not know those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win.  And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things.  They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."  (1 Cor. 9:25-27)  Our imperishable prize is Eternity.  Are you and I prepared to win the game?

Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre
 

            Anyone can tell you that a good relationship is built on consistent communication.  Maybe you've experienced this yourself.  Communication does not always involve words, but words can certainly determine the emotional outcome of a conversation.  Proverbs 25:11 says that "words spoken in the right circumstance are like apples of gold in settings of silver".  Even the description of well-spoken words sounds appealing!

            Good communication also involves listening.  In fact, listening is perhaps the more important part of a conversation.  I've often encouraged people through the years to develop the art of listening when they've sought to improve a relationship with someone.  It's tempting to begin formulating a response to someone before they've finished speaking.  But a good listener will wait and then respond.

            Prayer is one of the most intimate ways we can communicate with our Heavenly Father.  A pitfall for many of us is that we tend to make it a laundry list of requests rather than the dialogue it is meant to be.  In Matthew 6, Jesus contrasted some of the more ritualistic forms of prayer practiced in His day with the type of heartfelt prayer that Lord desires from His children.  The culmination of Jesus' teaching is the prayer we call "The Lord's Prayer", but it has been rightly suggested that this simple and beautiful prayer is "The Disciple's Prayer".

            I’ve been in several churches now where the “need for prayer” is often emphasized but corporate prayer is never put into practice.  Oh, there may be one or two cursory prayers said to start off the morning or just before the preacher gives the sermon, but the prayers we said in the kind of church services I grew up in are gone.  I’m not sure why this is so.  If we believe prayer is necessary why aren’t we doing more of it?  I understand that sometimes corporate prayer can be viewed as a ritual, but quite frankly I find the ritual of singing for 40 or so minutes before the sermon just as rigid.  I miss praying as a congregation for persecuted Christians, the needs of the congregation and the world at large.  I don’t believe any of those reasons to pray have ceased, so why aren’t we communicating our concern over them to the One who can truly answer them?  If we believe that God still speaks to us through prayer today, why aren’t we giving Him a platform to do it?  Many a great revival has taken place when the Church Universal (that is believers around the globe) has recognized the importance of both personal and corporate prayer.  Is it time for your church to give prayer a larger role in your time of worship?  The Lord told Solomon that the Temple would be a place where He and His people would converse in prayer (2 Chron. 7:11-18, specifically vv. 14-15).  I believe the same is true of our churches.

            Think about your prayer life this week.  How often to you converse with God?  How deeply?  Do you listen for His response?  Is your prayer life composed of a list of requests or do you include other aspects, such as praise and confession, into your prayers?  One of the beautiful things about prayer is that it is profoundly individual on the personal level.  There is no "one size fits all" formula that everyone must do in order for it to be done right.  I know people who have a quiet time every morning and pray for an hour straight.  I also know others who pray while they commute, clean the house, or take a walk.  It does not have to be flowery or eloquent.  It just has to be heartfelt.  But it must always include listening.  After you pray, don’t just get up and go.  Sit and take some time to listen.  However, or wherever, you pray, take time this week to listen to God's response.  He hears and He answers.
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            Photography as an artistic genre has a history replete with great photographers.  Henri Cartier-Bresson was one of them. Cartier-Bresson’s contribution to photographic history became apparent in 1952 when he published his book The Decisive Moment.  The book contained 126 of his photos and in the preface he took note of its inspiration; a quote from Cardinal de Retz, “There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment”.  "Photography is not like painting," Cartier-Bresson told the Washington Post in 1957. "There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative," he said, "That is The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever."  Although my candids are not the caliber of Cartier-Bresson, I do have some of those “decisive moments” among my collection of photographs.  One of my favorites comes from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.  It pictures a statue of a dancer by Degas in a relaxed pose, waiting her next turn on the dance floor.  Beyond her and across the hall a man stands in the same way viewing one of the paintings on the wall.  I saw it and took the picture quickly.  Like Cartier-Bresson predicted a moment later he moved on and the scene would have disappeared forever if I had not taken the shot.

            Great leaders have the ability to see and seize the moment like great photographers.  They sense anticipation or need among the people they lead and are able to translate it into action.  That would certainly be the case for Nehemiah.  Nehemiah had three decisive moments recorded in the Biblical book that bears his name.  The first was in response to the report that the walls of Jerusalem were still in ruins (Neh. 1:1-2:8).  The second decisive moment comes after he inspects the wall.  Nehemiah rallies the people and enlists their help by assigning them sections which relate to their specific welfare (Neh. 2:11-4:23).  Even though the people face opposition the wall is finished in a record amount of time (Neh. 6:15).   Nehemiah’s third decisive moment involves rebuilding the people.   It is one thing to make your home secure but a relationship with the Lord has to be the most important part of daily living (8-13).  But Nehemiah is not the first person in Scripture to recognize a decisive moment.  Paul was a man who never missed a decisive moment.  Whether he was speaking before the elite of Athens or a lowly slave girl in Philippi, he took those moments to declare Truth as those people had never heard it before (Acts 16:16-18; 17:16-34).

            I must confess that I am much better at capturing a decisive moment with my camera than I am at capturing moments for the Lord.  But I do have them!  One of those moments occurred while I was on a trip to Greece with my Greek class following the footsteps of Paul.  There is definitely something special about standing in a spot where you know Paul has been.  The Aeropagus (or Mars Hill) is one of those places.  Although it is now only a mound which gives you a spectacular view of the Parthenon, my creative mind was able to picture a gathering of prestigious Greco-Roman leaders debating and discussing the latest philosophies in that beautiful setting.  Enter Paul, the outspoken itinerant preacher to tickle their ears with his take on the beauty of Athens with its shrines and temples to every god in the heavenly realm.  Only to their surprise he focused on a small snippet of history tied into an even smaller altar dedicated to an unknown god!  But even more surprisingly his opinion was that this Unknown God was the ONLY God (Acts 17:23).  Most of them rejected this preposterous idea, but some embraced it and the Gospel moved forward.  After we descended Mars Hill a fellow student and I remained at the foot of the hill for a moment talking about Roman roads and other aspects of the Roman Empire which actually helped the Gospel spread even further.  We were engrossed in our discussion when a young woman approached us.  “Excuse me,” she said with a European accent, “I was listening to some of your conversation and it is really interesting to me. Could you say that again?” 

            Cartier-Bresson promoted the thought that when the camera is raised to your eye and your finger pushes the shutter you have captured a decisive moment- one fleeting second of life that now is frozen permanently in picture form.  Scripture teaches us that decisive moments are presented by God Himself.  It offers us examples in people like Nehemiah and Paul who recognized what God was presenting to them.  When they were offered that decisive moment these men rose to the occasion.  I firmly believe that we too are offered decisive moments throughout our lifetime, both as photographers and as believers.  Am I on the lookout for them?  Are you?  Will I grasp that moment when it comes or let it slip away?  How about you?  Thankfully for me on that sunny day in Athens I followed in the footsteps of Paul.

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

             Suzi and I sat across from one another in the cozy living room.  While we talked she kept her latest crocheting project in her lap and deftly wove the yarn into the beginnings of a baby blanket.  My grandson Isaac was there too, assembling his latest Lego toy; a two-tiered storage station that converted to some sort of robot called a Mek.  Suzi and I just happened to be discussing the creativity of children and how much they have to teach us if we take the time to listen to their insights.  The conversation moved on to how from the moment we’re born each one of us has something inside, a piece of who we are, that is there to be shared with others.  I could tell Isaac was listening even though he seemed focused on his Lego construction.  Then all of a sudden he stood up, Legos partially assembled in his hands, and said, “Hey!  That’s like when you crochet.  God takes the strings and puts them together and the needles are the Holy Spirit and He makes us into a blanket!”  Yes, I know what you’re thinking; my grandson is brilliant! 

            The human body is an amazing “blanket”.  It is made up of 12 “systems” that work together in order for us to live from day to day.  There are also 5 essential organs which we need for survival: the brain, heart, kidneys, liver and lungs.  Our bodily systems and organs are interesting enough but scientists have also determined several amazing facts about the human body as well: there are nearly 100 TRILLION cells in our body, we have almost 10 times the amount of bacteria in our body as we do cells, and the human brain contains about 100 BILLION nerve cells to name a few.  When all this amazing information is taken into account it’s no wonder the psalmist exclaimed to the “Blanket Maker”, “I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14).

            I usually find myself concurring with the psalmist when I think about the components that make up humans.  Psalm 139 is perhaps the most quoted Scripture when it comes to the amazing human body with its immaterial center.  The psalmist proclaims the Lord has “formed” his “inward parts” in verse 13.    He declares that the Lord wove him together in his mother’s womb.  The image of Suzi’s crocheted blanket fits well here.  Like Suzi and her expert handling of those slender needles and yarn, the Lord has interlocked the very fibers of a person’s being in the safe and sacred place of a mother’s womb (Jb. 10:8, 11).  The Psalmist also declares that the Lord’s approach to the creation of the innermost part of a person is one of reverence (v.14) by proclaiming he is “fearfully” and “wonderfully” made.  The psalmist recognizes his unique journey into existence not from empirical observations but through his “soul”.  This means the psalmist is not acknowledging the Lord’s hand in his creation by what he has seen, it is what he knows in the deepest part of his being- the very part the Lord formed in his mother’s womb.  There is an intrinsic connection in the soul between the created and the Creator, that is, between the blanket and his/her Maker (Prov. 20:27).

            The ancients viewed the inner parts of people as being associated with the essence of who a person was but if you were to write out a word for word translation of several key passages which illustrate this you’d be either confused or amused.  For instance the neck which can be associated with the part of our skeleton which holds up our head and brings air into our lungs as well as food to our stomach thus connecting it to our very ability to live, can also be associated with bringing negative attributes into our character.  It can be deceitful (Ps. 5:9), display arrogance (Is. 3:16), and on the positive side praise God (Ps. 149:6).  Therefore it is important to keep those inner-workings in tip-top shape, i. e. connected to the One who wove them together in the first place.  Paul wrote to the beleaguered Corinthian church that although the outward man might be as slip-shod as an imitation Rolex, the inner man is “renewed by the Spirit”.  He prayed that the believers in Ephesus would be strengthened by the same Spirit in their inner man so that they would understand in the deepest way possible the Lord who loved them (Eph. 3:14-19).  And when Jesus was asked how one could attain eternal life by a man who had been a “Law-abiding citizen” all his life He answered by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5; a passage from that very Law which illustrated that a relationship with our “Blanket Maker” involves total commitment from every part of our being (Lk. 10:25-28).  Most of us have probably met someone who is as phony as a knock-off Rolex, but more importantly it is up to us to make sure we’re not living the same way.  Only the Spirit (the “needles” according to Isaac) can make sure we are woven properly.  The question is, “Are we willing to let Him do that?” (Eph. 4:17-24).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            I was about to attend my first photo club meeting and I was a bit nervous.  When I’d gone to the website to find out when and where they met, I learned that this meeting would involve a professional photographer who would look at members’ photos and then offer a critique on how to improve the shot.  I did not have much confidence in myself as a photograph so this was going to be a little rough on the ego. As per the instructions on the website, I sent an email with several images in ahead of time but I purposely sent in pictures I knew were not that good that way I wouldn’t be surprised when the pro pointed out all the things that were wrong with them!  The first photo of mine to appear was one I’d taken of my grandson Micah’s tiny little newborn head cradled in his parents’ hands.  I didn’t like the focus on it but was surprised by the reaction of both the photographer and the audience.  “Wow,” the man said, “That is a powerful picture”.  Murmurs around the room proved most agreed with him.  What should I do now?!  Finally someone in the front row said, “Who took that?!”  Heads started turning around to see who would claim authorship.  “Well, you sure know how to make an entrance!” I thought to myself as I raised my hand and said, “I did”.

            No one likes to have their work critiqued.  It is sometimes tough to hear somewhat negative things about your work.  But the difference between a critique and out-right criticism is that a critique is designed to improve you or your work.  The picture of Micah was not perfect and the pro did have some suggestions on how to improve the contrast which would build on the strength of the picture.  I learned a valuable lesson in that meeting.  The critique might be a little nerve-wracking, but the uneasy feeling of putting your work out on the table is worth it when you learn and grow from it.  I have one photographer friend who likes to enter some of the more competitive competitions in our general area for the same reason.  He never expects his work to receive any of the prizes, but he feels he learns so much from the critiques the judges give as they go through the entries.  I’m not as brave or bold as he is, but I admire his desire to grow and improve as a photographer.

            The process of a critique is not an easy one.  It involves both scrutiny and discernment.  It is not something that comes easily nor is it something that involves little time and effort.  It’s work.  Therefore, if we know our work might be critiqued it’s important we put the research behind it so that it stands up to the test.  As Christians move more and more into the “experiential” realm of their faith, this idea of examining what we see and what we read is less and less popular and because of that there is less and less scholarship in the material that is produced and digested by Christians at large.  The trouble with this trend is that it removes us from any form of critique.  And without critique we might be missing something very important.

            Jesus told a story illustrating one very important moment of critique.  It takes place before the throne of God where all humankind has been gathered to be assessed- the Final Critique.  The Son of Man is the judge and He separates those gathered into two groups.  Some are designated as sheep and others goats.  The detail which divides them is how they recognized and responded to the less fortunate in life.  Did they help those in need, feed those who were hungry, assist the downtrodden?  All of these actions were rooted in the commands of the Law and discussed by the prophets (Lev. 19:10; Dt. 15:11; Jer. 22:16; Mic. 6:6-8).  The sheep have done all of these things as second nature.  They never really analyzed why they did these good deeds, they just knew they needed to be done and did them.  Their response to the forthcoming eternal blessing is one of surprise.  The goats however feel compelled to argue their case.  They did not think that anything needed to be done for “those people” and are surprised that they will not enter the eternal kingdom with the others.  But it’s too late.  They should have known better (Mt. 25:31-46).

            The art of seeing how to improve your photography, whether it is on the technical or the artistic side, involves looking at your work with a discerning eye, understanding the nuances of composition or editing skills that will improve the overall look of your photo, and putting them into practice.  The art of seeing how to improve your walk of faith involves looking at the measuring stick of God's Word and seeing how we stand up to it- not how you’ve experienced it. I have come to understand that although I may not like the process of a critique or even the assessment, I do like the growth it causes in me.  Whether the critique is applied to my art or my heart, the process is a necessary one if I wish to be the best that I can be.

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            The Luxor Las Vegas Hotel is home to the most intense beam of light in the world.  Using computer designed, curved mirrors to collect the light from 39 xenon lamps and focus them into one intense, narrow beam, engineers say that a person could read a newspaper by Luxor’s Sky Beam from 10 miles up.  On a clear night the 42.3 billion candela beam is visible up to 275 miles away by airplanes at cruising altitude and is an FAA designated navigation landmark for pilots.

            The most intense light I have ever photographed was generated by a clump of burning steel wool.  I had been fascinated by images produced this way so one cold January evening I enlisted several friends from the photo club to join me at a nearby boat landing to attempt some of our own.  I wanted to be near water even though there was snow on the ground because I knew technically we’d be “playing with fire”!  I’d watched several tutorials on Youtube and felt competent enough in the “how to” process that I was sure we’d get some good photographs out of our adventure.  After a few practice runs we all felt confident enough to do the “real thing”.  Once the steel wool is lit in its holder it is swung around in the air like a giant “sparkler”.  The camera records the light at a slow shutter speed and when the image is viewed back all the flying sparks plus the central area of where the steel wool was swinging remain illuminated and clear while the area surrounding the light is pitch black.  The pictures are fascinating and beautiful!

            It’s not surprising to me that many passages of Scripture which describe angels refer to them as a form of intense light.  The first mention of them in this way is the angels which were assigned to guard Eden after Adam and Eve were banned from residing there (Gen. 3:24).  Not only are the cherubim clothed in brilliant light they bear “flaming” swords which literally means swords made of fire.  I have a picture in my mind of Adam and Eve attempting to enter Eden only to be blinded by this intense light like I get blinded by SUV’s with those extremely bright halogen lights set on high beam.  They instantly raise their hands to protect their eyes.  Several Scriptures where angels and humans meet record a similar effect upon humans who encounter angels in their heavenly state (Ex. 3:1-6; 1 Chr. 21:28-30; Lk. 1:8-13).

            Many years ago a young woman in the hillside village of Nazareth was waiting for her wedding day when suddenly an angel appeared to her with some rather unusual news.  However, unlike Adam and Eve, David and Zacharias, Mary is not fearful.  Instead she is curious as to why God has chosen her and asks the Heavenly Messenger, “How could this be?”  You can hear her humility as you read her admission, “Lord, I’m not that special, but I am glad to do Your will.” (Lk. 1:26-38)

            Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the angel Gabriel’s message is the revelation that God is going to come among His people to dwell with them.  God first dwelled with humankind in the Garden of Eden, but sin broke that communion/community.  God continued to desire to be with His people even after the Fall and there are countless stories in the Old Testament which demonstrate this.  However, none is more vivid than the time when Israel wandered through the desert led by the Glory of God.  The Shekinah (as it is called) was God’s version of the Luxor Sky Beam- a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21).  Talk about an intense light!  God also resided in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:8) and the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).  In each of these sacred spaces it is noted that “the Glory of the Lord” rested on the Mercy Seat.  God’s presence was (and still is) always associated with the most intense light humanly imaginable.  It is almost too bright to bear and just as exciting as a clump of steel wool being lit and swung about to produce an amazing picture.

            But the prophet Isaiah said that God would dwell with us in an even more intimate way (Isaiah 7:14).  The day when Gabriel showed up at Mary’s home put the fulfillment of that prophecy into motion.  Years later when the apostle John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14) he was using the image of all those Old Testament passages and remembering that the Lord made Isaiah’s prophecy truly come to pass.  It would be a fine ending if God’s dwelling with people stopped at Jesus’ birth.  But the story goes on in that now God’s Spirit dwells in us (1 Cor. 3:16)!  God no longer guides people on earth through sky beams or by living in the Temple in Jerusalem.  He now lives in you!  The intensity of God’s Light in us depends on how willing we are to do God’s will as Mary was.  A new year is about to begin.  Maybe this is the year to work on your intensity and aim to be as bright as the Luxor Sky Beam while living for Christ each and every day.

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            Every community has at least one- that over the top Christmas light display that has a light on every tree, every object and every possible inch of the house where lights can be hung.  Some displays are more sedate and elegant with a wreath on the door and a candle in every window.  Some are whimsical with their illuminated blow-up characters of snowmen, penguins and beloved Christmas characters.  In most neighborhoods you will find light displays from one end of the spectrum to the other making Christmas perhaps the most well-lit of all the holidays we celebrate.   The lights of Christmas are quite beautiful on a cold winter’s night, but have you ever looked at them in the daytime?  They don’t look like much then.

            Light does have a way of taking common everyday (and sometimes even ugly) things and making them beautiful.  Such was the case for the artists Valeria Bianco, Michelle Brick and Shaugun Singh who used gateways of light to beautify the pedestrian walkway underneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.  The Tribute of Light is the art installation at Ground Zero which sends up two beacons of light each year to commemorate the victims of 9-11.  Because we are attracted to light and find it beautiful in many ways, light has been used in art and architecture throughout the ages, beginning with the stained-glass windows of Gothic cathedrals all the way to lasers and neon lights in the modern era.  So it is not surprising that light has led us to the day we celebrate Christ’s birth.

            The lovely tradition of the Advent wreath is designed to guide believers through the dark days of waiting before the celebration of Christ’s birth.  The outer circle of the wreath contains four candles which are lit weekly; each featuring a part of the Christmas story.  One candle is placed in the center and it is called the Christ Candle.  The fact that this candle is in the center of the wreath reminds believers that the Incarnation (Christ’s birth) is the heart of the Christmas season giving light to the world.  Madison Avenue and marketing experts may try to convince you that the celebration of Christmas through holiday meals and excessive gifts is what Christmas is all about.  Hallmark movies and box office hits at the local movie theater may try to tell you that family, friends and brotherly love are what Christmas is all about.  But that one central candle is the True Light, the real meaning of Christmas (Jn. 1:9) and it is plainly visible to us on the Advent wreath.  We can’t overlook it because of where it is placed. 

            Christ is truly the center of Christmas.  Even as a baby, He was both human and unique.  He came into this world like all other babies (Lk. 2:7) yet angels surrounded by a glorious light announced His birth to shepherds (Lk. 2:8-13).  Not many babies get a birth announcement like that!  While Matthew and Luke give us some details about His birth, it is not nearly enough for our detail hungry 21st century minds.  Instead when it came time for His story to be told the Gospel writers focused their attention on His death and resurrection, including His promise to return (Acts 1:1-11).  While Advent is celebrated with the lighting of candles, the singing of Christmas carols and prayer Christmas itself brings Advent to a close.  Your neighbors will eventually take down their Christmas display.  If you do have an Advent wreath you will pack it up and put it away until next year.  But our waiting is not over.  Now we wait for Christ’s return and until He comes it is our privilege and duty to carry His beautiful light into the world just as He commanded us in Matthew 5:14-16.

            Will our light be like the central candle of the Advent wreath, the one that points to the Center of Christmas?  Or will it be like those crazy blow-up characters that look like a pile of dirty laundry in the daytime when they are lying lifeless on the ground?  Will our light be joyful like the house whose windows, shutters, doors and eaves are dotted with a colorful ribbon of cascading Christmas lights or will they be calm, peaceful and inviting like the stately homes which spotlight a wreath on the door and have a candle in every window?  Whatever form our light-shining might take, it is my prayer that no one will mistake it for an advertising campaign or a secular platitude.  May our lights shine forth with the True Light this Christmas season and throughout the coming year.
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre