OOBNA "2017"


Our tree remains up and decorated!  Yes, our Christmas tree!  What’s wrong with this picture?  Nothing!  WHY, however, is our Charlie Brown tree standing in our living room (bowing slightly towards the floor)?  The answer:  OOBNA!  A friend of mine coined that phrase.  It means “On Or Before, Never After.”  According to this acronym, birthday cards, Christmas cards, or anniversary cards need to be received ON OR BEFORE the exact date of the celebration…NEVER AFTER.  As a side note, I’m so thankful that my friends honor several of the Jewish feasts (Lev. 23) for multiple days.  I always breathe a sigh of relief when I open a package of Chanukah cards on the first night of the commemoration and there are seven nights remaining in this joyous memorial!

Consider with me, though…isn’t OOBNA a Biblical principle?  The Bible tells us (with an “exclamation mark” inflection), “NOW is the accepted time!  NOW is the day of salvation!”  Our eternal destiny is settled BEFORE we die – NEVER AFTER.  God relays a message of urgency in His word.  There’s an insistence in Scripture regarding time and a stewardship as to the moments.  OOBNA is a reminder. 

How is OOBNA connected to the Christmas tree?  The days since Christmas of 2016 have been quite full to overflowing.  All glory to God!  Because of the closeness of Chanukah and Christmas in 2016, God gave us the privilege of presenting a Chanukah/Christmas sing-along to a number of Jewish and Gentile folks on 12/26/16.  No time to dismantle the tree.  And, the beat goes on, and on, and on!!  God has given us more venues at which to share the timeliness of trusting in Jesus – NOW!  God has placed more Jewish people in my life who desire to know why I care about them, why I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, why I know about their Jewish feasts…more Jewish people who are expressing sincere interest in hearing more about Jesus. 

I’m thinking of a Jewish woman who attended our annual Chanukah/Christmas party at one of the senior centers we visit weekly.  I presented Chanukah…historically and Biblically (Dan. 8; Dan. 11; John 10:22-23)…which flowed into the account of Jesus’ Incarnation in Luke 2.  Immediately, upon hearing For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, my dear Jewish friend who is known to be rather transparent, loudly remarked, “You’re going where I don’t want to go!”  But, she remained in her chair until the end of the program.  Praise God!  This is indeed God’s work.  And, in the midst, I need to be cognizant of the “NOW”!  Thus, there’s been no time to pack up the Christmas ornaments and place the tree in the box!

OOBNA….  Look at it this way with me, I’m definitely in the BEFORE time for Christmas of 2017!  And, as we are in the month of February, “Happy Valentine’s Day – 2018!”  OOBNA!

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