The Christmas Child

Do you remember when anticipation would creep under your skin as December drew near?  The atmosphere of your home may have been full of secrets and giggles as family members wrote their gift lists and parents tried hard to find new hiding places.

Perhaps you were a child that longed for that sense of anticipation but instead wore the cloak of sadness because neatly wrapped gifts under a large Christmas tree happened in other neighborhoods but not yours.

The Christmas season highlights the contrasts that exist within the human experience.  Christ’s birth was a star-lit invasion into darkness. God’s entry was a detonation to rescue a war-torn world. It set off the most commendable and notable shift in human history.

Jesus’ entry as an infant reveals God’s goal to identify with every aspect of the human experience-the array of emotions, the highs, the lows, the suffering and the victories.

My husband lost his father the same day that our oldest daughter turned eight.  Four days before Christmas was a concurrence of fatherly smiles and a son’s broken heart.  For my husband, the Christmas season is forever bittersweet.

The Christmas Child reveals life’s incongruities. 

Every December, preachers around the world begin to sermonize about the significance of the Christ-child born from a virgin, God cloaked in the experience of humanity, becoming one of “the least of these.”

Was it bittersweet for God the Father to watch his only begotten Seed penetrate the veil that separated the Creator from the created, knowing that suffering and death would be his end, despite the victory that this death would bring? As Jesus was pushed from his mother’s loins in a smelly, dark cave, what thoughts came to the eternal mind of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, knowing that the Son, the third Person of the trinity was no longer in total communion with them? Did they miss him?

Some may say that I’m humanizing the Creator too much, but the New Testament teaches that Jesus was a perfect reflection of the Father and if Son cried for Lazarus then wouldn’t Father grieve for Son?

Yet the birth of the Christmas Child was grand! Angels sang and the Magi wondered.

What a myriad of emotions we experience when we celebrate the birth of this Christmas Child.

Jesus Christ is the junction where the differences of human beings meet and end. We all begin life totally vulnerable, wrapped in life’s blood at the expense of another person, whose selflessness ensured our first breath. Emotion permeates our daily lives as naturally as air fills our lungs. At least until we learn the art of suppression. 

The season of the Christmas Child brings the awful occasion of two classmates, one knowing ease, the other knowing only struggle, sitting side by side on the last day before what many still call Christmas break.  Both believe in Santa Claus more than the God of the holiday, but one anticipates while the other mourns.

The gift of Jesus Christ is for both. His good news will dry the tears of the mourning and teach humble gratitude to the prosperous. His birth and life’s journey shows that strength comes from vulnerability and victory comes from death. God knew that his earthly entrance would bring both great celebration and great hostility.  His chosen people were expecting a conquering King welding a sword not a bloody baby offering life. 

This year as my family celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, I want us to pause, reflect and thank God for his constant care. I want us to ask the Holy Spirit to release child-like wonder and anticipation for what God will do our future. I want us to pray for those who suffer and still yearn to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Will you join us?

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely^[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Luke 2: 15-20 (NKJV)

Free eBook on Amazon!

My novel is FREE Friday, Oct 11 through Tuesday Oct 15!

Before The Beginning ebook by T. Webb

This fantasy fiction novelette has receive only 5 star reviews!   Reviews have said: "A spiritual thriller!", "wonderful and fast paced novella", "skillful execution of pacing and story telling."

Does God pursue to punish or to protect? This fantasy fiction novelette illustrates the original intentions of God towards the instigator of the heavenly rebellion: Helel Ben Shachar.  God is Love. Helel refuses Love and damns himself.  Abba (God) laments. “Can the sadness of rejected affection ever leave the memory of the One rejected?”Relentless to protect the innocent ones, Abba births justice and banishes Helel from His presence for eternity.

http://smarturl.it/BeforeTheBeginning

Brother vs. Brother.

The story of Cain and Abel was not the first of its kind in the chronicles of eternity.  The angelic realm experienced a familial breach before Adam was created.  When Lucifer turned against God and convinced one-third of all angels to turn against God, the crisis of “brother against brother” was introduced.

What happened in heaven?  We know that Lucifer pitted himself against God. Deluded, he thought he could be like God. He tried. He recruited one-third of his brothers to be a part of his kingdom.  What would have made these other angels agree to antagonize their brothers?

The problem of disunity is ancient; birthed before Eden. It occurs even among Christians, who, too often, listen to and agree with the accuser. Galatians 3:28 says "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free..." Historically, there has been too much division based on race and economics, among other things. We are all brothers of the same Heavenly Father. What can Christians do to rectify this crisis of brother against brother?

T. Webb, Author of Before The
Beginning

We can receive a greater understanding of Love. God is Love. Love forgives. Love chooses to forget. (Hebrews 8:12) Love extends grace and mercy to the offender. Love invests with no guarantee of a ROI (Return On Investment). The love of God is in our hearts, so we must guard our minds from thoughts that breed antagonism towards one another. Easy? Hmmm. It will take effort. But done corporately, prejudices will diminish, fighting will lessen, and broken relationships will decrease. John 13:35: By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Perseverance

Perseverance is a theme of my life lately. Although God gives me inspiration for a plot, sometimes the details of "the story" don't come easily. As a songwriter, I've learned not to force creativity and ideas. When I do, the results end up in the trash icon on my desktop. Sometimes, it is a struggle getting the creative juices to flow. Sometimes, I struggle in the pursuit of a God-given vision.

There is value in struggle. There is joy to be discovered in hardship. Natural childbirth taught me this lesson. When there was a lull and my body grew weary, I had to focus on the little joy that I would hold when the labor was over. The joy in my hardship was realizing that Jesus was always with me. That truth helped me to persevere.


For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the Cross. Jesus did it alone. Wow. I imagine that the joy set before Him helped Him persevere. We were the joy set before Him! (Heb 12:2)

In the Epilogue of my book, the plan of redemption is introduced. Due to the angelic rebellion, the Godhead discovered the pain of loss. One-third of angels were eternally damned. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew that the ramifications of giving up meant the eternal loss of more created beings. He persevered.

Perseverance means victory will ultimately occur. You will make it. Keep climbing. Keep pursuing. Keep waiting. He is with you.

Excerpt from Before The Beginning

Writing the action scenes in my book was somewhat daunting, but fun.  Here is one of my favorites:

“Atara!” He shouted as he landed in her office to find it vacant. Casually he levitated to the roof of the Kodesh to look around the city to see if he could spot her.  As he was doing his 360 degree turn, he saw another light speeding towards the Kodesh. He stood very still. He knew this light. It was Adi.

Frowning with resentment stewing within him, he decided to meet her before she even got to the Kodesh.

On the ground, what looked like a lightning strike was really Adi using her soft wings to brake too quickly, and the vibration propelled a current towards Helel that was so fast that he tumbled a bit in the air.

“What are you doing!?” He shouted angrily. “You mediocre love-slave! How dare you try to attack me? Must I handle you as I did your Madin?” By this time they were several feet away from each other and he reached his hand forward to grab her.

Adi was caught off guard by the attempted assault, but lithe and quick, she dodged Helel’s hand.

“Helel, that was an accident. I have no desire to confront you right now. I have come to see Atara. I did not expect to see your light and was only caught off guard. Temper yourself and let me by!”

Helel smiled as arrogance and the knowledge of his coup of her managers rose to the forefront of his mind.

“Are you coming to get a job here? Has Michael tossed you to the wind? Is your ineptitude as a governor now so visible, that you must come to your sister and beg for work?” He laughed.

Birds careened near them as they floated high above the city.

“What are you talking about?! In fact, I do not want to know. Let me by! I am going to see Atara!” Adi attempted to dodge left.

“Atara is not here. What do you want to see her about?” He faced her again.

“It’s no business of yours!”

Helel squinted his eyes which now flamed red at the abrupt disregard of his position. “Do you know who I am?”

Adi was silent. She did not like the look in Helel’s eyes and she was not prepared for any debate about authority with him. Emmanuel’s words crept into her mind, but she concluded that this was not the time to be gentle with her unrepentant leader.

“Helel, please let me by. I will not be long and then you can tend to your business.”

“Your business is my business.”

“Helel…come on, I am sent here by Emmanuel Himself!”

Upon hearing that, Helel fell backwards in the air a few feet, stunned. “What does Emmanuel want with Atara?”

“Go and ask Emmanuel yourself!”

Feelings of betrayal heaved deep within. “Why is He sending you? Why have I not been sought?”

Adi blinked in disbelief. From what Emmanuel told them…she knew that Helel was leaning away from Abba, but she had no idea that his thoughts and reasoning did not even make sense.

She stuttered. ”Helel…you, you told Him that you forsook Him!”

Helel Ben Shachar blinked. It was as if his self-proclaimed verdict was heard by his ears for the first time. Something settled within him. But he could not let Adi get to Atara. She was his only friend now.

“Go. Go back to Luz. I am still Highest Governor of Earth, am I not? Did he tell you that he has taken away my position? No. Then Atara is still under my leadership. And therefore,” He clenched his fists, “so are you!”

For the first time in her existence, Adi felt fear. It hurdled itself upon her. Not knowing what to do, she turned and sped back to Luz…back to safety.

Satisfied, Helel knew he had to act quickly. He had no idea what Emmanuel had informed and instructed. But if he was going to maintain control of Earth, he had to get as many tenants on his side as possible.

http://www.amazon.com/Before-The-Beginning-ebook/dp/B00EBUKVF4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375660293&sr=1-1&keywords=before+the+beginning

The book's beginnings...

All was cozy and serene, one cool March night in 2012 as five of us sat on our L-shaped sofa in the great room.  My husband Doug had begun a family bible study to help our teens learn how to thoroughly unpack the treasure of the Holy Scriptures.  This night, however, we would delve into a tangent that would birth the idea for my first published book.

The scripture that started it was, 1 Peter 1:12.  It reads It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look. (NASV)

"....things into which angels long to look ."  Wow!  We had to take a "selah" moment.  What are these things? Enter the tangent.  The implication of this verse brought out our inner detective.  After we poured through other verses, we found ourselves at Ezekiel 28.  The teens were amazed that this verse recorded God's response to Lucifer's demise.  "When did this happen?" was the next question.  My husband and I told them about the Gap Theory and my mind began to wonder.  Gap Theory or not, clearly Ezekiel 28 referred to a time before the beginning as we knew it.

I love words.  I love the power of words and I try to respect that power and use it wisely.  Words form phrases and for me, phrases are like the primary colors.  You can take a phrase, mix up the word order, and get a new phrase that gives a new thought, one with hues of the first.  Couples learn early in their relationship that the same phrase can mean two different things.

The biggest challenge in writing, Before The Beginning, was to give definition to a word-less concept.  Let me explain.  Rebellion, fear, mischief, anger, insubordination were new concepts in heaven.  Even my character Helel Ben Shachar, which is Hebrew for Lucifer, had no words to name what he was feeling until God gave the feeling a name.  I wanted to stay true to the dilemma that Helel and the tenants (angels) must have dealt with.

The second biggest challenge was to stay true to the nature of God as revealed in the Bible and consider what the Father's initial response would have been.  I knew, as a human being trying to portray the God of the universe, that I was probably opening a can of worms that as an author, I would have to suck up and deal with.

Despite the challenges, writing fantasy fiction and trying to stay true to the Bible has been fun.  I love action movies and writing an action scene, although daunting, was exciting.  So I hope you'll get the opportunity to read the book and have some of your own "selah" moments.  C'mon back and share them with me.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Book Release!

http://www.amazon.com/Before-The-Beginning-ebook/dp/B00EBUKVF4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375723718&sr=1-1&keywords=before+the+beginning.

Here's the link to my newly released book, Before The Beginning!  Woo Hoo!  (Coming soon on BN Nook too!)