I must confess… I am more than a little worried. 

I am worried about the survival and well-being of this country, for starters. And it is not just the fact that we are currently governed by a group of people who seem bent on tearing down this country brick by brick. I am also deeply troubled by the fact that more than half the voting public in the U.S. looked at the chaos and destruction this group planned, stepped into a voting booth, and pulled the lever labeled, “YES, PLEASE!”

Furthermore, I am also worried that people who are most actively involved in political matters can no longer seem to have a productive, civil conversation. Opponents are “enemies.” The other side’s motives are “evil.” Disagreement is tantamount to destruction. (See previous paragraph if you don’t believe me).

Looking further afield, I am worried about the wanton destruction of human life happening around the world. In Ukraine, Gaza, South Sudan, and throughout Central and South America, people die violently while doing nothing except going about the daily business of life. 

Troubling times like this seem to ramp up the human yearning for a Messiah. 

As a card-carrying Christian (who doesn’t actually carry a card, by the way), I can understand this yearning. It is a yearning I have experienced at different times in my life when things looked bleak for me. And somehow, by the unmerited grace of God, I found THAT Messiah. 

His name is Jesus. He was a particular man born in a particular time and a particular place. But – if you can imagine this – he is also ONE with the Creator of all things… beyond time and beyond space. Humiliated and executed in the most horrible way possible here on earth, Jesus was then supernaturally raised from the dead and lives today and forever, offering peace and wholeness to anyone who asks.

But sometimes when things look bleak and hopeless, you and I look for a different kind of Messiah than Jesus, don’t we?

We really don’t want the Messiah that tells us to “… love one another as I have loved you,” (John 13:34), or “… take up your cross and follow me…,” (Mark 8:34), or, “… turn the other cheek also…” (Matthew 5:39). 

No. We want the Magic Wand Messiah. The Cosmic Mr. Fix-It. The Knight on a White Steed. We want all GAIN with no PAIN. Like spoiled children, we sit in front of our plate of broccoli and scream for ICE CREAM! 

But see, here is the thing; when we frame our desire for a Messiah in these terms, we leave out exactly HALF of who Jesus is. 

The word MESSIAH comes from the Hebrew language (the transliterated word is actually mashiaẖ). It means the same thing as the Greek word Christos from which we get CHRIST. Both words mean “anointed.” Traditionally, anointing was an ancient ritual practice of applying oil to an object or a person as a sign of health and comfort, hospitality, an honorary gesture… to mark them as holy, sacred, or set apart in a special way. A central part of elevating a person to the status of king in ancient times was to ANOINT their head with scented, consecrated oil.

So yes. HALF the story of “the anointed one,” (or “the Messiah,” if you will) is being anointed to LEAD.

But WAIT! There’s MORE! You know what else scented, consecrated oil was used for back then? It was used to anoint someone after DEATH. Anointing of the body was an essential part of the burial ritual.

Which is – as the late, great Paul Harvey used to say – “… the rest of the story.” The full identity of Jesus Messiah is the One anointed to LEAD. But we can’t leave out the part that reminds us Jesus was also the one anointed to DIE. 

And therein is captured the story of the life-and-world-changing power of Jesus Messiah (a.k.a., Jesus Christ). You could even say Jesus was the one who led BY dying! He led by giving up his life for all humanity. He led by stooping down and washing the feet of his followers… including the one who would ultimately betray him. In every instance where there was a choice of exalting HIMSELF, or another person, he always chose the other person.

So yes. If we, in our anxiety and desperation, are calling out for THAT Messiah right now, we can take heart. THAT Messiah hears. THAT Messiah understands. THAT Messiah is, in fact, the only one capable of delivering us from everything that seems to threaten us.  

Accept no substitutes.

Abundant blessings;