PSALM 51; LUKE 2:19 | LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM

LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM

PSALM 51

LUKE 2:19

DECEMBER 3, 2017

IN THAT NEARLY FINAL SCENE OF THE WIZARD OF OZ, WHEN THE WIZARD IS GRANTING THE WISHES OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS, BY GIVING THE SCARECROW A DIPLOMA REPRESENTATIVE OF A BRAIN;

AND THE COWARDLY LION A MEDAL TO SYMBOLIZE HIS COURAGE;

THE WIZARD AWARDS A HEART-SHAPED WATCH TO THE TIN MAN, FOR ALL HIS GOOD-DEED DOING, BUT NOT BEFORE WARNING HIM OF WANTING A HEART.

“YOU WANT A HEART,” THE WIZARD SAYS, “YOU DON’T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE NOT TO HAVE ONE.  HEARTS WILL NEVER BE PRACTICAL UNTIL THEY ARE MADE UNBREAKABLE.”

“BUT I STILL WANT ONE,” THE TIN MAN ANSWERS, KNOWING WHAT IT’S LIKE NOT TO HAVE ONE.

THE WIZARD IS RIGHT, OF COURSE, HEARTS ARE BREAKABLE, MAKING THEM IMPRACTICAL; BUT THE TIN MAN WANTS ONE JUST THE SAME.

THE TRUTH IS, HEARTS GET BROKEN ALL THE TIME.  PEOPLE BREAK PEOPLE’S HEARTS.  SITUATIONS, EXPERIENCES, LOVE LOST, BREAK HEARTS.

DISAPPOINTMENT, TRAGEDY, LOSING LOVED ONES, UNREQUITED LOVE – ALL HEARTBREAKING.

BROKEN PROMISES, TRUSTS BETRAYED, DASHED DREAMS CAN BREAK OUR HEARTS;

WE CAN EVEN BREAK OUR OWN HEARTS BY MAKING BAD CHOICES, WRONG-HEADED AND WRONG-HEARTED CHOICES, AND THE CONSEQUENCES THEREOF, CAN BE TOUGH ON THE OLD TICKER.

BUT LIKE THE TIN MAN, GIVEN THE CHOICE, OF RISKING A BROKEN HEART, OR HAVING NO HEART AT ALL, MOST OF US WOULD RISK IT.

IN THE SONG, OWNER OF A LONELY HEART, BY THE ROCK GROUP, YES, WHICH HAS ABOUT A HUNDRED VERSES, AND SEEMS TO GO ON FOREVER, THE PREMISE OF THE SONG IS PRETTY SIMPLE:

BETTER TO RISK A BROKEN HEART BY LOVING AND LOSING THAN TO LIVE WITH A LONELY HEART THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

AND, WITH BROKEN HEARTS, THERE’S ALWAYS THE CHANCE, THE HOPE, THAT CHARLES DICKENS WAS RIGHT WHEN HE WROTE IN GREAT EXPECTATIONS:

“SUFFERING HAS BEEN STRONGER THAN ALL OTHER TEACHERS, AND HAS TAUGHT ME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR HEART USED TO BE.

I HAVE BEEN BENT AND BROKEN, BUT – I HOPE – INTO A BETTER SHAPE.”

THIS, OF COURSE, IS WHAT THE PSALMIST IS GETTING AT IN THE 51^ST PSALM, AS HE ENUMERATES ALL THE WAYS THAT SIN AND SADNESS, SUFFERING AND SELFISHNESS, SICKNESS AND SORROW, CAN BREAK OUR HEARTS.

BUT, THE PSALMIST IS NOT WITHOUT HOPE; FOR AS MUCH AS THIS PSALM IS ABOUT WHAT CAN BREAK OUR HEARTS, IT IS ALSO ABOUT WHO CAN MEND THEM; IT’S GOD WHO MENDS BROKEN HEARTS!

THE WRITER IS CONFIDENT THAT GOD ALONE CAN CLEANSE HEARTS; CREATE NEW ONES; BENDING AND BREAKING THEM, RESHAPING THEM, REFORMING THEM, AND SAVING THEM.

OR, IN THE WORDS OF THE HYMN SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD:

SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD, FALL AFRESH ON ME.
MELT ME, MOLD ME, FILL ME, USE ME,
SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD, FALL AFRESH ON ME.

THE PSALMIST BELIEVES, AND IS CORRECT, THAT IT IS ONLY AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS: ONLY AS WE ALLOW GOD TO MEND US, MOLD US, BEND US, AND EVEN BREAK US, THAT WE CAN BE FASHIONED INTO THE NEW CREATIONS GOD INTENDED US TO BE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

LISTEN AGAIN TO SOME OF THE WORDS OF THE 51^ST PSALM:

“YOU DESIRE TRUTH IN THE INWARD BEING; THEREFORE, TEACH ME WISDOM IN MY SECRET HEART.”

“CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD, AND PUT A NEW AND RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME.”

“RESTORE TO ME THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION, AND SUSTAIN IN ME A WILLING SPIRIT.”

AND WHY IS ALL THIS SO IMPORTANT?  BECAUSE IN OUR HYMN FOR THIS MORNING, JOY TO THE WORLD! THE AUTHOR IMPLORES US, AS IF GOD WERE IMPLORING US:

“LET EVERY HEART, PREPARE HIM ROOM…”

WE CAN’T BE INVITING CHRIST INTO HEARTS THAT ARE FILLED WITH SIN AND SADNESS, DARKNESS AND DESPAIR, DUSTY AND MUSTY WITH OLD GRUDGES LONG HELD, NEVER FORGOTTEN, NEVER FORGIVEN…

NO!  “CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD, AND PUT A NEW AND RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME.”  SO THAT THERE WILL BE ROOM FOR CHRIST.

THERE WAS ONCE A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT AT A SMALL CHURCH IN WHICH THE PART OF THE INNKEEPER AT BETHLEHEM WAS PLAYED BY A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.

HE WAS A QUIET AND POLITE BOY, BUT THE KIND OF BOY FOR WHOM THE WORD “AWKWARD” WAS AN APT DESCRIPTION – AWKWARD IN MANNER, AWKWARD IN SOCIAL SKILLS, EVEN AWKWARD IN SIZE, HIS GROWING FRAME ALWAYS PUSHING THE LIMITS OF HIS CLOTHING.

HIS PEERS LIKED HIM WELL ENOUGH, BUT HE WAS THE SORT OF PERSON WHO WAS EASY TO OVERLOOK, TO EXCLUDE FROM THE CENTER OF THINGS.

WHEN JOSEPH AND MARY APPEARED AT THE INN, HE STOOD… AWKWARDLY… IN THE DOORWAY, SLUMPING A BIT TOWARD THE COUPLE AS THEY MADE THEIR REQUEST FOR LODGING.

HE THEN DUTIFULLY RECITED HIS ONE LINE: “THERE IS NO ROOM IN THE INN.”

BUT AS MARY AND JOSEPH TURNED AND WALKED WEARILY AWAY TOWARD THE CATTLE STALL WHERE THEY WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT, THE BOY CONTINUED TO WATCH THEM WITH EYES FILLED WITH COMPASSION.

SUDDENLY, RESPONDING TO A GRACE WHICH, THOUGH NOT PART OF THE SCRIPT, FILLED THE MOMENT, HE STARTLED HIMSELF, THE HOLY COUPLE, AND THE AUDIENCE, BY CALLING, “WAIT A MINUTE.  DON’T GO.  YOU CAN HAVE MY ROOM.”

THAT’S WHAT THE PSALMIST IS SAYING.  WHAT ISAAC WATTS, THE AUTHOR OF JOY TO THE WORLD! IS SAYING.

“WAIT A MINUTE.  DON’T GO.  YOU CAN HAVE ROOM IN MY HEART.”

IT IS WHAT EVERY BELIEVER HAS BEEN LED TO SAY AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER; IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER; OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR LIFETIME;

WHETHER THEY WERE RAISED UP IN THE FAITH; OR EXPERIENCED THEIR OWN DAMASCUS ROAD CONVERSION; WHETHER THEY CAME TO IT AS A CHILD, OR LATE IN LIFE;

IN A FOX HOLE, OR AN AA MEETING, OR IN CHURCH;

OR AS HAPPENED TO MY FRIEND TOM, PRAYING, SITTING ON THE BUMPER OF HIS 18-WHEELER HE HAD PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, HAVING JUST PASSED A HAND SCRAWLED SIGN THAT READ: JESUS SAVES.

“LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM…”

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE IS MARY’S HEART.  A HEART FILLED FIRST WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING AT THE SIGHT OF THE ANGEL GABRIEL;

THEN WITH JOY AND GRATITUDE WHEN SHE IS TOLD THAT SHE WILL BE THE MOTHER OF THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD;

AND AGAIN, WHEN THIS IS CONFIRMED BY HER COUSIN ELIZABETH.

“BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN, AND BLESSED IS THE FRUIT OF YOUR WOMB.  AND WHY HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ME, THAT THE MOTHER OF MY LORD COMES TO ME?  FOR AS SOON AS I HEARD THE SOUND OF YOUR GREETING, THE CHILD IN MY WOMB LEAPED FOR JOY.”

THIS, IN TURN, YOU WILL REMEMBER, CAUSES MARY TO BREAK OUT IN SONG, THE MAGNIFICAT – “MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD, AND MY SPIRIT REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR…”

THE REST OF HER SONG IN LUKE 1 IS WORTH READING, AND I’LL LEAVE YOU TO IT, FOR WE ARE NOT FINISHED WITH MARY’S HEART.

WHEN THE CHILD IS BORN, AND THE SHEPHERDS VISIT, AND TELL OF ALL THAT GOD, AND THE ANGELS OF GOD, HAVE REVEALED TO THEM ABOUT HER CHILD, WE ARE TOLD THAT MARY “TREASURED ALL THESE WORDS AND PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART.”

AND AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE THE “HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER” ENDING TO THIS STORY, ONLY A WEEK LATER, WHEN MARY AND JOSEPH PRESENT JESUS AT THE TEMPLE, MARY IS WARNED BY SIMEON, AS TO WHAT THE BIRTH OF HER CHILD WILL MEAN TO THE WORLD;

AND TO HER SON;

AND HOW A “SWORD WILL PIERCE HER HEART AS WELL.”

BUT THAT IS THE STORY OF THE END OF JESUS’ LIFE, OF EASTER; A STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME; FOR ANOTHER SEASON.

BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, THAT HERE, AT OUR ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF JESUS’ BIRTH, THIS THING WE CALL CHRISTMAS;

FOR BETTER OR WORSE; FOR ALL THAT IT MEANS, AND HAS COME TO MEAN; AND ALL IT’S ABOUT – CONCERNING HIM;

AND ALL IT’S ABOUT; THAT HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH HIM;

OUR HEARTS ARE READY AGAIN (OR ARE THEY?) TO PREPARE HIM ROOM.

FORGET SPRING CLEANING – THERE’S CHRISTMAS CLEANING TO BE DONE!

AND AS MUCH AS WE PREPARE OUR HOMES FOR THE COMING OF CHRISTMAS – BY PULLING OUT ALL THOSE BOXES OF DECORATIONS, AND UNTANGLING THE LIGHTS…, AND SETTING UP THE MANGER SCENE…

BY MAKING FLIGHT RESERVATIONS HOME, AND TRIMMING TREES, AND BAKING COOKIES, AND WRITING CARDS, AND PLANNING MEALS, AND BUYING AHEAD, AND HIDING THE PRESENTS WE’VE BOUGHT…

THERE’S HEART-WORK TO BE DONE AS WELL: SINS THAT NEED UNPACKING, RELATIONSHIPS IN NEED OF UNTANGLING, DUSTY COBWEBS IN THE CORNERS OF OUR HEARTS THAT NEED TO BE SWEPT CLEAN, AND GRUDGES TO TURN LOSE OF…

“CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD, AND PUT A NEW AND RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME.”

IN THAT WONDERFUL ANIMATED CHRISTMAS CLASSIC, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, WE ARE TOLD THAT UPON HEARING THE WHOS DOWN IN WHOVILLE, THE BIG AND THE SMALL, SINGING ON CHRISTMAS MORNING…

WITHOUT ANY OF THE TRIMMINGS AND TRAPPINGS, PRESENTS OR FEASTS…

HOW THE GRINCH’S HEART GREW THREE SIZES THAT DAY, BUSTING OUT THE FRAME OF THAT LITTLE HEART MEASURING DEVICE THEY SHOW, AND HOW, WITH A CHANGE OF HEART, A CONTRITE HEART, A CLEAN AND RENEWED HEART…

THE GRINCH RETURNS ALL THE STUFF OF CHRISTMAS TO THE WHOS IN WHOVILLE, AND STICKS AROUND TO ENJOY THE WHO FEAST!

NOW JUST THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OUR HEARTS, AND THE HEARTS OF ALL BELIEVERS, WERE TO GROW THREE SIZES IN A DAY, BECAUSE OF AN OVER-FILLING OF CHRIST IN THEM?!

WOULD WE BE DIFFERENT? WOULD OUR LIVES BE DIFFERENT?  WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT?

BY GIVING UP OUR GRINCH-INESS, AND OTHERS’ THEIRS, WOULD LIFE AS WE KNOW IT, CHANGE?  IMPROVE?  GET BETTER?

WOULD HEAVEN AND NATURE SING?  WOULD JOY COME TO THE WORLD?!

IT’S WORTH A TRY, DON’T YOU THINK?

LENT AND EASTER ARE TRADITIONALLY THE CHRISTIAN SEASONS OF GIVING SOMETHING UP, BUT WHAT IF, THIS YEAR, THIS CHRISTMAS, WE MADE IT A PART OF OUR CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS…

A PART OF PREPARING OUR HEARTS FOR ROOM FOR CHRIST…

IF WE WERE TO GIVE UP SOME SORT OF “GRINCH-INESS” ON OUR PART, AND ENCOURAGED OTHERS TO DO SO AS WELL; WHAT SORT OF CHRISTMAS DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT WOULD BE?

ARE WE WILLING TO RISK BROKEN HEARTS TO SPARE OURSELVES AND OTHERS – LONELY HEARTS?

ARE WE WILLING TO CLEAN UP OUR HEARTS, AND OUR LIVES, OF SOME OF THE STUFF WE KNOW OUGHT NOT BE THERE, TO MAKE ROOM FOR MORE CHRISTLIKE BEHAVIOR?

CHRISTLIKE ATTITUDES?  OPINIONS?  ACTIONS?  SERVICE?

HEARTS WILL NEVER BE PRACTICAL BECAUSE THEY WILL ALWAYS BE BREAKABLE.

BUT LOVE, TRUE LOVE, LOVING GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES, HAS NEVER BEEN VERY PRACTICAL EITHER, BUT IT IS WHAT GOD DESIRES OF US.

THE LAST THING THE WIZARD SAYS TO THE TIN MAN UPON REWARDING HIM WITH HIS HEART-SHAPED WATCH IS THIS:

“AND REMEMBER MY SENTIMENTAL FRIEND, A HEART IS NOT JUDGED BY HOW MUCH YOU LOVE, BUT BY HOW MUCH YOU ARE LOVED BY OTHERS.”

HOW MUCH MORE, THIS CHRISTMAS, DO WE WANT TO BE TIN MEN (AND WOMEN) THAN GRINCHES?

“LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING…”

JOY TO THE WORLD!!