He's Here!

The Word becomes flesh; the only hope for humanity.

Entering this world oh-so-unmajestically.

God’s only offspring, now Mary’s delight.

The star above, its message blindingly bright.

The saga begins – the prophesies now reality.

The infant King here to set us free.

The shepherds arrive breathless, yearning to see –

The One commissioned to fight our fight.

The Word becomes flesh…

Drool and diapers – God swallows his majesty.

Wrapped in freckled flesh, for an ant like me.

The Maker’s solution to make things right.

Come, join the shepherds inhaling the sight.

My Jesus, my King, my Savior, my Victory.

The Word becomes flesh…

My First Christmas Letter

“Arise, shine, for your LIGHT has come.” Isaiah 60:1

“Then your light will break forth like the DAWN.” Isaiah 58:8

“The RISING SUN will come to us from heaven.” Luke 1:78

It never occurred to me that Christmas was like a sunrise. We are waiting in darkness, bumping into things and losing our balance – hopelessly lost in the blackness. Then the faintest tinge of pink splashes on the horizon. Things go from black to grey. Soon spears of orange and red chase away the lingering night. Then it peeks over the hill, that smiling Son – crying in a cave 2000 years ago. Heaven’s Prince sent from heaven to Bethlehem here to live, die, and rise for us.

Well, this is my first Christmas letter (maybe it’s a sign of manhood…), and it’s coming to you from Beijing, China. This is my first Christmas away from home. It’s kind of tough to swallow, but the good news is that I gained a family here – our FOC (Friends of China) family is incredible. Thirteen people with hearts for ministry and whose varying gifts and personalities blend beautifully. Also our Chinese friends are a web of smiles and love. Making friends in China is kind of like making friends when you’re five. “You have a bike. So do I. Let’s be friends.” Usually when I leave the basketball courts I have a few new contacts in my phone. Then to be able to tell these friends about the Son rising for maggots like us … that is the stuff of life. We just had a Christmas party on Saturday night; there were roughly 400 friends, kids, and parents there who heard the real meaning of Christmas. It was a pretty awesome thing to see the magnitude of meaning of our mission. Our God is an awesome God.

After living in China for four months I now use the word “maybe” more often, am a more accurate and liberal spitter, speak a bit slower, bike more than Lance Armstrong, eat more soy sauce than Ho Chi Minh, and am considering becoming a camel jockey. But I’m still the same ‘ol tall, horse-loving, picture-snapping, big-nosed Micah (actually here my name is Mi Jia – which drips with meaning: “excellent rice”). Even though my Chinese still sounds like a constipated walrus I’ve found that a smile needs no translation. From teaching my 440 students the fundamentals of oral English such as “See you later Alligator,” and “Holy cow” to weaving in and out of grannies on my bike to sweating in my communist-heated apartment I am reminded that we don’t know His menu, but we can trust the Cook, He’ll feed us what we need … always.

Although we may be an ocean away, His love knows no east or west. Merry Son-rise…

Your brother in our Baby King,

- m -

Llama Temple

Thursday Adventure #1: Llama Temple

Llama Temple is a famous Buddhist temple in the Big B. The scent of incense is like a hazy reminder. At the beginning it is a sweet and exotic smell, then after a few hours of wandering it gives you a headache. Kind of like putting your favorite song on replay for 47 minutes - fresh to annoying.

The air was cold, and the people were lost. I wanted to shout, "Stop trying to appease a piece of wood! You are loved. You are saved. You don't need to kneel and bow down anymore. Stop trying to earn God's love. J - E - S - U - S!" But I didn't. Even if I would have tried it would have sounded like a constipated camel, because that's where my Mandarin is at right now.

I saw a monk walk into a door quickly and shut the door discreetly, so I meandered by. He and his robed buddy were looking at a cell phone. It made me giggle - kind of like an Amish guy talking about his infatuation for ESPN. The reason the picture is blurry is because I got nervous so I scooted away as I was taking the picture. I just kept remembering that one Rafi song, "The Monk Who Knew Kung Fu."

- m -

P.S. - I was a little disappointed at the lack of llamas though...

He's Coming...

The God-man is coming; prepare the way.

The Savior will redeem a rebellious race.

I tremble at the thought of that long-awaited day.

The prophets offer hope to the flock that one day…

The Christ, on loan from above, will show his face.

The God-man is coming; prepare the way.

Why? Why? Why save those champions of sin? They…

Who in Eden spat in your righteous face.

The God-man is coming; prepare the way.

Oh illogical love, that your Son, my King will be napping in the hay.

How I long to meet his endless gaze and feel my Savior’s embrace.

I tremble at the thought of that long-awaited day.

The mountain man tells of One coming: “the Lamb of God who takes away…”

“The sin of the world.” The miracle made flesh to whitewash my disgrace.

The God-man is coming; prepare the way.

My fear morphs to hope – for the LORD’s love refuses to fray.

From eternity you pinpointed the arrival of your tangible grace.

The God-man is coming; prepare the way.

I tremble at the thought of that long-awaited day.