The Lord Jesus gave us all a great opportunity this past week to reflect on his power and majesty and mysterious ways.

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? (Job 38:22—23).

Of course, Job couldn’t answer the Lord’s questions positively, and neither can we. We haven’t been there. But we can be amazed and awed by the poetry of God’s word. Storehouses for the snow? What colossal images that creates in our minds! Storehouses of the hail? That sounds dark and ominous and foreboding as well. We all know the power of hail.

So we got to experience the beauty of God’s creation this past week, with the snow and ice and freezing temperatures. For this we ought to be grateful, thanking the Lord for his wintry world and all the inventions he has created through us to take some of the rougher edges off that wintry world. Losing power, which means losing heat and light and refrigeration and movies and phones, should lead to a gain of appreciation for all of God’s good gifts to us: snow, sleet, cold, ice on trees, fireplaces, refrigerators, heating systems, snowplows, chainsaws, utility workers, family ties and hospitality by friends and loved ones.

Beautiful snow and sleet and loss of power should also make us remember that through this storm, through this weather, through this seasonal change, Jesus is advancing his kingdom and the Great Commission. Chew on that for a little bit by the fireplace, snuggled up with family and enjoying some hot apple cider!

When Pastors engage in counseling they usually receive a lot of “flack” from counselees, like “I have a mental illness,” “I’m a victim,” or “I apologized kind of,” etc. Worse is “I’m letting go and letting God,” or “The Spirit/Jesus hasn’t changed me yet, I’m waiting on him.” That’s not only false, it is a sinful notion: the Bible is clear about Christians and the faithful putting off sin and putting on Christ. Scripture never says “wait till you feel the Spirit.”

“…as you have always obeyed…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” — Philippians 2:12–13. Yes, because God is in you, YOU must move and obey!

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry…But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another…” — Colossians 3:5, 8–9.

“…that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,…” — 1 Timothy 1:18–19. Notice Paul is holding Timothy responsible to act!

“I promise to keep your words” — Psalm 119:57.

“When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies” — Psalm 119:59.

“I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments” — Psalm 119:60

“I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end” — Psalm 119:112.

Even a few from David, an old testament saint! He takes full responsibility (notice the “I’s”)! And so should you!

The gospel reading for today (Luke 2:41-52) is a classic text among people of non-paedocommuion persuasion. They find from the story that Jesus never went up to the Passover celebration until he was twelve. Never mind the text doesn’t say that. And since Jesus didn’t eat the Passover Meal till he was twelve, then covenant children should not sit at the table till they are twelve, likewise. Covenant children don’t get to go into the “real Father’s house” until they are twelve and admitted to the Lord’s Supper. That’s the Bar Mitzvah practice; but when did that become normative for Christian practice and doctrine?

Funny how his parents thought he was with the entourage, as if running around with cousins was a normal thing to do on this trip! It’s also “funny” that at the institution of the Passover in Exodus 12, there was a lamb “for each household,” (3), and if the household was too small for a whole lamb, then two households could share a lamb, “according to the number of souls, according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb” (4). One guesses children under twelve years of age aren’t a “soul/person,” and they can’t eat yet! Funny, too, that when your children ask during the killing of the lamb and preparation for the service, “What do you mean by this service” (26-27), the answer “for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt,” even though all the children in the houses were spared, nobody but those twelve and older got to eat. And, of course, only twelve-year-olders would think to ask such a question!

Funny, too, how Paul teaches that “all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink… from the rock, and the Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians. 10:1-4) Apparently, only children twelve and older escaped from Egypt!