Remember! When I refer to person in the Godhead in any blog, I am referring either to singular person (one-of-three) or to the collective person (three-in-one) of the Triune.
Before I leave the subject of Truth as an aspect of God’s will, I want to touch on the relevance of truth to the season of Advent and Christmas.
Consider this exchange between Jesus and Pontius Pilate immediately prior to Christ’s crucifixion (John 18:37 – 38a).
Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him. “What is truth?”
Poor, unfortunate, lost Pilate. He did not have a clue. And in the clamor of the confusing times in which we currently live, so many people are lost out there with Pilate. They have no clue what truth is or that truth is immutable, unchangeable. These modern lost souls are caught up in popular worldly notions that truth is relative, or that truth is whatever one feels is true (feelings lie, dear reader), or that truth is opinion, and so on. Like Pilate they have no comprehension of truth as the Word and Will of God. They are not built up in the understanding of truth or fact, whether in the sciences, or in behavior and attitudes, or in what they believe. They are lost and therefore they are in danger of being one who, like Pilate, betrays Christ.
But I have had a recent sensational encounter with truth still alive-and-well, dear tour companion, and I want to share it with you. A sweet, sweet thing happened to me because of a movie—Polar Express. And amazingly, this sweet thing is going to reveal over the next few blogs, how truth and the divine influence the matters of this world and how they both call for Right Recognition and Appreciation in return. Not everything is cause and effect, or human determination, thoughtful tour companion. Some things are what God wills, what He wants to happen. And these things of God are deserving of what? As we well know by now, they are deserving of credit where credit is due.
So, here we go (or as they say at NASA, we have a launch)!
As a seasonal tradition, I always have to dig out my copy of the film Polar Express and watch its color, drama, beauty and mystery unfold over a great cup of hot Russian Tea. And this year I had an aha moment while watching the show. Because of my aha moment, I can report that one of the best-ever descriptions of the Great Gift Giver is subtly portrayed in Warner Brothers’ Polar Express.
In one stunningly gorgeous scene, Santa gives Billy, the leading character little boy, the prize of the 1st gift of Christmas and asks the little boy what he wants. The little boy wants a reindeer bell that fell off Santa’s sleigh. Santa hands the bell to him and says, “this bell is a wonderful symbol of Christmas, as am I”, then he points to the little boy’s chest and says: “the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.”
Bless your little-ole-heart Santa (and the writers)! As I see it, Santa and the whole theme of “believe” were both crafted in this film to point past Santa and all his glory to God the Father, the Great Gift Giver, enthroned in more real and glorious glory than LED-HD TV, or Blue Ray, DVD, or animator artistic might (considerable and dazzling though it may be) can ever possibly portray.
Right there in Polar Express, Santa humbly and gladly admits that he is a mere symbol of Christmas and that there are many other symbols of Christmas (such as a round not square [!], my addition, wreath as a symbol of eternity). And by not claiming to be the point of Christmas (Christ-mas), Santa points to and encourages believing in the real Christmas.
Now, that's the truth and what's more, that's right appreciation!
To be continued . . . tomorrow!
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