The Twelve Days of Christmas

Do you know what the CPI is? I am not referring to the Consumer Price Index, which is calculated by the Bureau of Labor & Statistics and measures the price paid by consumers for a market basket of goods and services. I am referring to the Christmas Price Index, which is calculated by PNC Bank and tracks the cost of the items in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. This CPI was first calculated in 1984, the year I graduated from college and started working at Wehran. Here we are in 2008. During the 24 years that have passed, Wehran became EMCON, EMCON became IT, IT became Shaw and the CPI rose from $12,372 to $21,080. The true love actually purchases 12 partridges in a pear tree (one on each of Days 1-12), 22 turtledoves (two on each of Days 2-12), and so on, 364 items in total. PNC refers to the cost of these items as the True Cost of Christmas, which this year is $86,609. Keep that phrase in mind. A legend developed that the Twelve Days of Christmas was a secret catechism to teach Catholic children in England, when they could not practice their religion openly. Although, this story does not appear to be true, I would like to use the catechism version for this years devotional. The true love is God. What is it that He has given to us?

8-I believe in the Holy Spirit. 9-I believe in one Christian and apostolic church, the communion of saints. 10-the forgiveness of sins 11-the resurrection of the body 12-life everlasting. We all live by faith. When we drive to work in the morning, we trust that bridges will support us and not collapse. When we get on an airplane, we trust it will carry us to our destination without crashing. When we eat at a restaurant, we trust the chef has prepared the food properly. Despite this trust, from time to time, bridges do collapse, airplanes do crash and food is contaminated. Faith is only as good as the object in which it placed! Is it possible to trust something or someone that will never fail us? The Apostles Creed is a statement of faith in such an object.

What does it mean to trust in God? John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. While translating the Gospel of John, he could not find a native word for believe/trust, a key word in this gospel. One day a native worker came into Patons office and sat on one chair with his feet up on another. Mr. Paton asked him what he was doing. He used a native word which meant Im resting my whole weight on these two chairs. The missionary now had his word. So he translated John 3:16 as, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever rests his entire weight upon Him, shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. Keep the highlighted phrase in mind.
What are you resting all your weight upon?

Eleven Pipers Piping

The 11 pipers represent the 11 faithful disciples. We can learn many lessons from them, but one of the greatest is forgiveness and restoration. It is true that Judas, the 12th and unfaithful disciple, betrayed Jesus. But it should also be remembered on that same evening, Peter denied knowing Jesus 3 times (even calling a curse down upon himself to prove it) and with the exception of John, the rest fled for their lives abandoning Him. And yet, after His death and resurrection, Jesus forgave, restored and empowered them to reach the world with the gospel. Have you experienced the forgiveness of sins?

Twelve Drummers Drumming

The 12 drummers represented the 12 points of belief expressed in the Apostles Creed: 1-I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. 2-I believe in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord. 3-He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 4-He suffered under Pontus Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. 5-He descended into sheol and the third day He rose again from the dead. 6-He ascended into heaven where He sits on the right hand of God. 7-He will come to judge the living and the dead.

Ten Lords Leaping

The 10 lords represent the 10 Commandments. C#1-You shall have no other gods before Me. C#2-You shall not make a carved image. C#3-You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain.

C#4-Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. C#5-Honor your father and your mother. C#6-You shall not murder. C#7-You shall not commit adultery. C#8-You shall not steal. C#9-You shall not bear false witness. C#10-You shall not covet anything that is your neighbors. There are two ways to misunderstand the 10 Commandments: (1) to believe that you have kept them and, having done so, that God is pleased with your life; or, (2) to believe that because you have broken them that you can never be right with God. Consider the one that is referred to as the rich young ruler (RYR, Mk 10:17-22). He had come to Jesus with the question, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? When the Lord told him he needed to keep C#5 thru C#9, the RYR indicated that he had always kept them and wanted to know what else he needed to do. Jesus, commanded him to sell whatever you have, give to the poor and come and follow Me. The RYR went away sorrowful, because he did not want to give up his money, it was his god he was breaking C#2. Many people think they have done a good job at keeping the commandments until they realize that God considers being angry with someone as breaking C#6 (Mt 5:2126) and lusting after a woman is breaking C#7 (Mt 5:27-30). Keeping C#4 is not spending an hour at church on Sunday, but rather living our entire life for Gods pleasure, honor and glory not our own (Is 58:13, 14). God looks at motives, not just actions. On that level, we have all broken all of the commandments. On the other hand, there are those who feel that they have out-sinned the grace of God. However, idolatry, murder and adultery are not unforgivable sins. Jesus died for all the sins of all people. The whole point of the 10 Commandments is to show us that we are sinners and to lead us to place our faith in the work of Jesus on the cross on our behalf. They were meant to shatter any hope we have in ourselves, so that we would place all our hope in Him. Are you convinced that you are a sinner or are you hoping in your ability to please God?

but I am sure that like me there are things on that list of which you are guilty. These things naturally flow from sinners. However, love in the face of hatred, joy in the face of sorrow, peace in the face of upheaval, longsuffering in the face of irritation, kindness in the face of cruelty, goodness in the face of wickedness, faithfulness in the face of despair, gentleness in the face of pride, and self-control in the face of temptation are virtues that only the work of the Holy Spirit can cause to grow in the life of an individual. Whats growing in your garden: the weeds of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit?

Eight Maids Milking

The 8 maids represent the 8 beatitudes from the Jesus Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5: 1-Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 2-Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 3-Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 4-Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. 5-Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 6-Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 7-Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. 8-Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. An acceptable alternate translation of the Greek word makarios (blessed) is happy. Jesus formula for happiness goes against the worlds formula. Consider #4 the world hungers and thirsts after money, power, fame, illicit sex and many other things which can never satisfy. We see athletes and movie stars who have all the money a person could possibly dream of and yet their lives are a mess broken marriages, illegitimate children, drug and alcohol addiction and the list could go on and on. Why? Things do not satisfy. Man was made for a relationship with God. David writes of God, in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are perpetual pleasures (Psalm 16:11). If we hunger and thirst after Gods righteousness and seek to live a life that is pleasing to Him, we will be satisfied, guaranteed. What are you hungering and thirsting for? Are you satisfied?

Nine Ladies Dancing

The 9 ladies represent the 9 fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Before this catalog of virtues, Paul lists the works of the flesh: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, and revelries. We may not struggle with all of these,

Seven Swans Swimming

The 7 swans represent the sevenfold Spirit of Isaiah 11: the Spirit of Yahweh, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of counsel, the Spirit of might, the Spirit of knowledge and the Spirit of the fear of Yahweh. One of the titles of the Holy Spirit is Helper. When the Holy Spirit takes up residence in a persons heart, He helps them to know God and teaches them how to honor Him. We read in Proverbs 9:10, the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. We have not even begun on the path to wisdom if our knowledge of God (the Holy One) does not cause us to bow in awe (fear) Him. Many of mankinds problems may be traced to the fact that man has exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator (Rom 1:25). What do you find awesome?

origin of sin, the origin of the nations who turned their backs on their Creator, and the origin of the nation of Israel, through whom the Creator would restore the other nations. It is here that that we are given a foreshadow of Gods provision for sin through the death of Jesus on the cross, portrayed in the tabernacle, the priests and sacrifices. What foundation are you building your life upon?

Four Calling Birds

The 4 calling birds represent the 4 gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Many wonder what is the point of four gospels, why not just tell the story of Jesus earthly ministry in one book. No one has ever seen God the Father (John 1:18). However, Jesus is described as the brightness of His glory (Heb 1:3) and if we have seen Him, we have in essence seen the Father (John 14:9). In the description of the glory of God, the prophet describes beings that have four faces: man, lion, ox and eagle (Ezek 1:10). Interestingly, each of these corresponds to the emphasis of one of the gospels: MATTHEW King (Lion) MARK Servant (Ox) LUKE Son of Man (Man) JOHN Son of God (Eagle) One book could not emphasize Jesus as both King and servant. One book could not emphasize that Jesus was both the Son of Man and the Son of God. And so God has blessed us with four gospels in showing forth His glory the mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen God?

Six Geese Laying

The 6 geese represent the 6 days of creation in Genesis 1. I dont know how many of you believe in the Big Bang and evolution. But I ask you to think about the last RI/FS (CSA/RAP), RA, RIP, SPCC, SWPPP, NPDES, DPR/PAP/EMG, QAPP, CFA, design plans and specifications or whatever it is that you work on. Did the data collect itself? Was this self-collected data thrown into a box and a week or month later you found five copies of the report ready for submittal to a government agency? Or in fact did someone have to go out and install monitoring wells, vapor points, and test pits, did someone have to collect groundwater and soil samples, did someone have run laboratory tests on the samples, did someone have to summarize the lab results into tables, did someone have to analyze and interpret the results, did someone have to summarize the findings and conclusion in a report, did someone have to QA/QC the report, did someone need to make revisions to the report based on client and QA/QC comments, and did someone need to make copies of the report and submit them. Its amazing how many brainpower hours go into these efforts, including the brainpower to develop the tools used (e.g., computers), and yet many believe the human brain itself is just the result of chance. Do really believe that there is no God?

Three French Hens

The 3 French hens represent the faith, hope and love of 1 Corinthians 13:13, of which, Paul says the greatest is love. Paul ends his description of love with the words, love never fails. You may have been failed by people who loved you father or mother, husband or wife. But we can understand Pauls words when we remember what John said, God is love (1 John 4:8). It is God who never fails. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 115:3 our God is in heaven, He does whatever He pleases. God is never frustrated, never defeated. He will accomplish His perfect will. Have you experienced unfailing love?

Five Gold Rings

The 5 gold rings represent the 5 books of Moses, the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. A building is only as good as its foundation. The Pentateuch is the foundation of the remainder of Scripture. It is here that we learn about the origin of the universe, the origin of mankind, the

Two Turtledoves
The 2 turtledoves represent the Old Testament and the New Testament. In Scripture, two is the number of witness. In capital cases, someone could not be put to death apart from two supporting witnesses.

Many people think that the OT and NT contradict each other. But nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus Christ is the common theme of both witnesses. Jesus Christ is concealed in the Old Testament and Jesus Christ is revealed in the New Testament. For instance, in Zechariah 6:11-13 (OT), we read: Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Yahushua, the high priest, then speak to him, saying, Thus says Yahweh of hosts, saying: Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of Yahweh He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne. We clearly have a shadow of Jesus in this passage. No Israelite could be a king (descendent of David through Solomon) and a priest (descendent of Aaron). And yet here we see a crown being placed on the head of the priest a priest who shall reign on His throne. The name of this exceptional individual is Yahushua (Jesus real name). The name Yahushua is made up of Gods name (Yahweh) and the verb yasha. The parent root of yasha means sharp watching, like a shepherd watching intently over his flock. When a sheep is attacked or falls into trouble, because he has been watching, the shepherd is able to deliver and free it from the enemy or the difficulty. Yahushua means Yahweh delivers. From what does He deliver? The angel that told Joseph not to fear to take Mary as his wife, also told him: And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Yahushua for He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). He would save them by offering Himself on the cross, the ultimate priest. Mary was told that Jesus would be given the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end (Luke 1:32, 33). He is also the ultimate king. What Zechariah concealed, Matthew & Luke revealed. Have you read the whole counsel of God?

but that God loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9, 10). A holy God could not overlook sin someone had to pay the penalty associated with it which is death. In Hebrew, the same word is used for sin and sin offering. The reason is that God dealt with sin by another sin, namely, the death of an innocent substitute lamb, goat, bull. These animals had done nothing wrong, but died in the place of the sinner. The guilty party would lay their hand on the head of the animal (symbolically transferring the sin) and kill it. The priest would then take some of the blood and place it on the altar to atone or cover the sin. However, the shed blood of animals was only a temporary fix, until the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Paul writes, He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). All of our sin was placed on Jesus Christ and He died in our place on the cross. He took the punishment that was due to us. The prophet Isaiah was given insight into this great love more than 700 years before it happened: He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (53:5, 6) Despite this, most people continue to go their own way ignoring the sacrifice that was made for them. For many, Jesus is only a swear word, even though He bore Gods wrath on their behalf. The True Cost of Christmas is not $86,609, but rather the precious blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on your behalf. Have you trusted in Jesus sacrifice on your behalf?

Gods Amazing Gifts

Theres not much you can do with a partridge in a pear tree. But the next time you hear The Twelve Days of Christmas, maybe you will think of these 12 amazing gifts from God. And even more than thinking about them, I pray that you take advantage of Gods love for you this Christmas.

Partridge in a Pear Tree

The partridge represents Jesus Christ upon the cross. I asked you to keep in mind two things: (1) the true cost of Christmas; and, (2) God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Christmas is not so much about a birth as it is about a death and it is not so much about presents that we give to those we love as it is about the gift that God gave to those He loved. Remember John said, God is love. He continues: God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God,

In Jesus Love, Donald