Another Hmmm Moment
As we gathered at Church one Christmas, the air was filled with loving cries of greeting, lots of hugs and kisses, and for me, an awareness of the closeness of Jesus.
All as it should be in fact. Or was it, I wonder?
As the meeting progressed, we sang many of the traditional carols and read many of the traditional readings associated with the traditional Christmas celebration.
The moment of “Hmmm” came in the singing of the words which included “meek” and “mild” and other gushingly sentimental epithets attempting to describe our Lord Jesus Christ.
I’m not wishing to pour a wet blanket over our Christmases, but . . . . . Jesus — at least the one I know and love — wasn’t meek nor mild.
A meek man wouldn’t have made up a whip and furiously driven the traders out of the temple.
Nor was He mild — same example plus many others of winding up and infuriating the Pharisees and Sadducees who eventually plotted His death on a Cross.
A meek and mild man would not have called out so many from their sin.
John the Baptist was a fierce and fiery old time prophet who called the sinners to repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, yet it was he who said that he was not worthy to baptise Jesus nor even to “unlatch His sandals”.
That’s no description of a meek and mild Saviour.
So whilst we still love and enjoy the old songs, let’s not get too caught up in the Victorian goo of the words — favourites though they be.
Rather let us sing the songs, still with Joy in our hearts, but remember the man of steel this baby was to become.
More than that, He became our LORD and Saviour who died that we might have eternal life.
That was no ‘meek and mild’ man who did that.
That was the Son of God!
~ Chris G. Bennett
Chris Bennett came to salvation in 1962 but didn’t begin ministry until 2007 — a late-comer! Now mandated by The LORD to prophesy and open old wells of revival in the U.K., but especially in Wales. He has also operated Healing Rooms, and worked with deliverance teams, all with his wife, Linda. Happily now doing whatever The LORD asks of them! Founder, with wife Linda, of their ministry The Upper Room Encounter.
“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8
The Jesus that will return will shock many, maybe all. He won’t come looking like a 60’s hippy but will be a warrior of the grandest imaginable style. Personally I can’t wait to see it.
Indeed sir. Sometimes we make Jesus like our own imaginary experiences. Jesus was NO weak, limp wrist, light weight ‘dude’, sorta speak, if I may use a 21 Century term for a Man – and my Lord. The Lamb meek as in concise Control – The Lion .. Strength of His eStablished KINGdom! HE IS … The LION of the tribe of JUDAH! Hallelujah to the Son of God!