Release

     2013 is coming to an end. When I was growing up, the year 2000 sounded eons away, like the end of the world. We pictured a world like the world of the Jetson's and I guess we weren’t too far off. As technology races ahead, as the earthquakes increase and terror rages around the world, there is one thing that does not change and that is our God, our Creator. The hands that created the universe are alive and well and those hands will bring all things to their final conclusion and, ultimately, to their new beginning.

     Are you ready for a new beginning? Is it time to release everything to the God who loves you? Give Him everything deep in your heart. Release any guilt, release any hurt, release any worries to Him. Coming to Him in humility, with our broken spirits is a great place to begin anew.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit, a broken and contritie heart you, God, will not despise. Psalm 51:17

     Jesus was there at the beginning. He is the Word of God and He came to live in the flesh. (See John 1) God had a plan. When the time was right He sent His Son into the world. The perfect man, the perfect Lamb of God. He placed your guilt and mine, your sins and mine, all of the world’s disease, evil and hurt on His shoulders and suffered it all. He died and rose again. He is seated on the right hand of the Father. And He will come again. He loves you. Please believe it. He is real and He changes everything. All you need to do is believe.

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.  1 Corinthians 15:2-4

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

     This is the good news of the Gospel of Christ. For God so loved you. New beginnings. If you don’t know Him yet, get ready! He died for you. You are His and tomorrow we will confirm our faith in Him.

     Enjoy this New Year’s Eve with a spirit of anticipation. God’s love is ready to be poured out upon you.

Dear Father in Heaven,

Hear our prayers today. Take all of our hurt, all of our sin and wash us clean. Let this New Year be a new beginning for all of us to know You in deeper ways, to be challenged to live for You,  to truly accept Jesus as Savior.

Amen 

Rest

     It is 5:00 a.m. and I have been awake for two hours. My bedtime seems to move ever earlier and I wake up long before the dawn. It may have to do with the fact of increasing age, or the fact that once my mind turns on, there is no turning my thoughts back off. How about you? In the coming year, I want to sleep more, yes. But even more imperative is to find true rest for our souls.

     David went through so much in his life. He opens up his emotions to us in the book of Psalms, in sharing his own sleepless nights crying out to God, in finding forgiveness for his guilt and in looking ahead to heaven. Read through these next verses with me and maybe we can find rest for ourselves today.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me, even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, my body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will You let Your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in Your presence with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.  Psalm 16:7-11

     Peter makes reference to these very same verses after the resurrection of Jesus, in the 2^nd chapter of Acts. David saw eternity and the One who was to come. Knowing that Jesus is with us during our sleepless nights and through our stressful days, even unto death and beyond to eternity, will give us true rest.

     In those sleepless moments, He will instruct our hearts. When we look to Him, we can praise Him when we don’t understand. We are secure and safe. He is our refuge at all times, in our wakeful moments or our dream-filled nights. Let Him give you rest in the year to come; rest for your soul, forevermore.

Dear Jesus,

With our focus on You, we find rest. Teach us and guide us into true rest in the year to come. We turn our eyes to You during our darkest nights and our brightest days. Instruct our hearts with Your counsel.

Amen

The Resurrected Lord

     Did you know Jesus had other brothers and sisters? It must have been tough growing up with the perfect child. Can you relate? Was one of your brothers or sisters a little better at math, a natural athlete, the one you strived to imitate?

     Jesus never sinned. He was the perfect child. He never would have tattled to Mary or Joseph. I am sure he offered the last piece of dessert to someone else. He would know when they were lying. He knew when they were sleeping. He knew when they were good or bad. And Jesus was real. Really man. Really God. Perfection is tough on a little brother or sister.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet He did not sin.  Hebrews 4;15

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  3 Corinthians 5:21

He committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth. 1 Peter 2:22

But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.  1 John 3:5

     No sin; a tough act to follow for His brothers and sisters. Is it any wonder they mocked Jesus, along with many others? Can’t be my brother. Mr. perfect? The Lord? I don’t think so.

     At the cross, we find no immediate family there, other than Mary, His mother. We find no disciples, other than John. Everyone else deserted Him in His hour of need. They did not understand.

     It would take the resurrection. He appeared to all of them. Jesus appeared to them all, including his brother, James.  James saw the resurrected Christ. James would lead the church in Jerusalem, and he wrote a book in the New Testament. Read the first sentence with me.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…James 1:1

     It is the same for us. Many mock Jesus today. Many turn away from Him. It takes an encounter with the resurrected Jesus for us all. And when He calls our name we say, “My Lord and my God.”

Dear Lord,

You did live the perfect life, the only one without sin. You rose from the dead for us. We pray for an encounter with the resurrected Lord. Help us to see You as Lord and savior of our lives, Jesus.

Amen

He Became Us and We Became His

     After the wise men returned home and after the shepherds returned to tend their flocks, Mary and Joseph returned to their town of Nazareth to raise their son.

And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was on Him. Luke 2:40

And

Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.  Luke 2:52

     Not much is written about Jesus as a boy. We do know Jesus is fully God. I believe He was growing in the wisdom and grace of understanding us as humans in a way that is impossible for us to understand.

God did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage, rather, He made Himself nothing by raking the very nature of servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:6-7

     God humbled Himself to be one of us, to be tempted in every way. He grew in grace and wisdom as a human. He became like us. And He offers us an opportunity to be like Him. He became our sin and offers us His perfection.

     He offers us Himself. When we accept Him as Savior, our humanness takes in His Holy Spirit and we can grow in the grace and wisdom of God. Wow! That Christmas miracle of the virgin birth, grew up to die for us.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

      Jesus offers us a way to grow in the wisdom of God. His Word teaches us. His Holy Spirit lives in us. Sinful man has a way back to our Creator. The Way is through the blood and suffering of Jesus, Himself. He became man and dwelled among us. The gift is miraculous. It continues today and it is offered to everyone. He offers it to you.

Dear Father,

Jesus became one of us. We are offered the chance to receive Your Spirit within us. Jesus is the Way to You. Let that good news travel to the ends of the earth. He wants us all.

Amen 

     

God of all Comfort

     Merry Christmas! It was the night of all nights and today is the day of all days. We have a few new inches of snow on the ground. There are presents under the tree. We will be with extended family later this morning. Today can be a wonderful day. It can also be the toughest day of the year. The loneliness is punctuated. The memories are too near and too clear to be comforting. The family is not speaking. There is fear in sickness. There is too much to do. Wherever you are this morning, Jesus is near. He will fill in the gaps. He can be your blessing.

     My daughters are 25 and 23. Our youngest daughter is recently engaged and our older daughter has a serious boyfriend. We love both of their guys, but the time is bittersweet. It is time to let go, but on some days I am not quite ready. Right now our two amazing blessings are sleeping downstairs, maybe for the last time together, in our home on Christmas Eve.

     My mind swirls with memories this morning of chubby hands gripping a melty piece of chocolate on Christmas morning, mumbling with mouth full, that Santa ate his cookies and drank ALL of the milk. The time when, after a nap, our two year old witnessed the tree in the corner that we had just put up and said, “I don’t yike that tree!” and proceeded to sit down with her arms folded in anger.

     The excitement of the early morning stockings with wrapping paper flung around the room leading to exhaustion. They would toddle across the room with their feet tucked into Minnie Mouse or Tweety Bird slippers, and hop on our laps for a cuddle and a doze.

     There is still excitement. They loved giving us our gifts this year. The four of us sat for hours and talked last night. How lucky we are to have them and all of our Christmas memories. Best of all they believe in and love Jesus. The best traditions will continue over the years. I can picture them in their angel robes and halos in the Christmas program. They still love to sing the Christmas songs.

     Wherever you are on this day of all days, take it to Him, the God of comfort and might. He is more than able. Jesus came to earth to be one of us. Now He sits in heaven ready to be your Father, your Shepherd, your King, your Lord, your comfort.

     Right now, I am going to savor the silence before my family arises on Christmas morning. Yes, the stockings are filled. My girls are home. I will savor it. All of it. Right now I need to shed just a few tears with my Savior. He understands.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for memories to fill our hearts. Would you comfort each heart today and fill in the parts that are missing with your glorious love? God of all comfort. We love you.

Amen

What Will You Do On This Night of All Nights?

     This is the night to remember. It is the night of all nights. The salvation of the world was born. The shepherds saw the heavenly host and heard the good news of the Great Shepherd. The three wise kings from the East followed the bright and shining star. They witnessed the One who would, one day, be King of Kings. He was and He is the light of the world and of heaven.

     The angel, Gabriel, visited Mary and Joseph to tell them the news. God was giving them a Son. Mary was a virgin. She did not understand. Gabriel told her of the power of the Holy Spirit. This boy would be the One and Only, God and man. Today I want to focus on one line written about Mary.

     She has a newborn Son. Can you imagine the magnitude of it all? The angel’s words have come true. She and Joseph are to raise this Son of God. Right now, sitting in this simple stable, underneath this bright star from heaven, she holds Him. He looks like any ordinary baby. This is her earthly son, too, and she loves Him. On this night of all nights, and always, He is her son. As the shepherds leave to spread the good news and as the three kings take a different route away from Herod’s schemes, Mary and Joseph are left with their son.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

     It comes down to that for each one of us. It doesn’t matter what others think, what your parents believe, what this devotion tells you, what the pastor shares at the Christmas Eve service today. It comes down to you and Jesus. What will you ponder in your heart about Him? What will your decision be about accepting the gift He offers you on this night of all nights? Will you believe He is the One? The One who loves you so much He gives you a way to heaven?

     Treasure this news on this Christmas Eve. Look up for yourself. Read the glorious Words of Scripture.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

     This great joy is for all people. A Savior has been born for you! Treasure the news. Accept it for yourself. On this night of all nights.

Dear Father,

How can we ever thank You for this gift? This beautiful baby would one day give us eternal life. I pray this news will continue to break into our souls. A child is born in the city of David. He is the Messiah. He is the Lord. We ponder this news and treasure it in our hearts on this night of all nights.

He is Jesus. And in His name we pray.

Amen

A Rhyme for the Time

     Lights are strung. Stockings hung. Bells are rung. Carols are sung. Glitter is flung. Christmas has begun.

Remember the Son.

We are all on the run during the season of fun. Is your shopping done?

He is the One.

The story was told. It is still to unfold about a child from of old. Kings offer gold. He would grow to be bold.

For our sins He was sold.

Forgiveness came on that night. There was a star shining bright. Jesus is the light. He will come back full of might. He will remove your plight.

Let Him be your delight.

He was humble, meek and mild. He still has us beguiled. For us, He was defiled.

It’s all about the child.

Jesus,

You took our sin away. For all of our guilt You did pay. Let this rhyme fill every heart, reminding us of Your part. You are the Christmas story, and now you sit in glory. Your love is ours for the asking and one day we will be basking, In the light of the Son. Yes, You are the One. On the cross it was done. 

Jesus, please shine on us from above and shower us with Your love. On You we depend, we are Yours till the end.

We thank You.

Amen   

The Image of Christ

     I pray for the image of Christ to be stamped on your heart. He brings us the opportunity to be united in spirit with our Creator. Moses received the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. God writes His Word on our hearts through Jesus.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.  2 Corinthians 3:3

     Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh. Let your heart be ruled by Him. Reflect during this busy season on His willingness to live a fully human life. He understands your pain. He sees your hopes and dreams. He will give you purpose. He understands heartache. He will turn your life inside out and upside down. And best of all, He removes death.

     Let these images of Christ from the last two weeks wash over you today. From the baby in the manger, to the loving man walking the streets of Israel, to the Lamb suffering on the cross to take your sin and mine, to His resurrection and, finally, to His heavenly glory.

     Never forget He is coming to get us. There is a new heaven and a new earth just around the corner. A miraculous birth. A miraculous death. A miraculous resurrection. He loves us that much. He did it for you. He saw the joy beyond the cross. See the joy beyond your suffering. Fix your eyes on Him.

…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2

Dear Jesus,

You walked the earth as one of us. You saw our sin and counted the suffering as joy. You pictured us in heaven with You. Help us to walk out our short lives in the joy of Your resurrection, as You remove our hearts of stone and replace them with Your loving Spirit.

Amen

      

He is Coming!

     Music triggers our emotions. A song can catapult  us back to a certain place, a particular person, a season of life. Composers write the words and synthesize the music in a way that can bring us together, to make us think, to pull at our heart-strings, to imagine true love, to help us through a tough time or maybe we love a catchy tune because it make us want to dance.

     My friend, Shelly, and I listened to the Beatles back in the 60’s. I was married to Paul and she to John. We would pack up our baby dolls and go on the road with them, and, of course, we sang back up. Carole King brings me back to high school when my best friends and I would sing every song from her “Tapestry” album over and over. My husband and I danced our first dance to, “You and I” by Crystal Gayle and Eddie Rabbitt. Which songs are included in your memory bank?

     The familiar Christmas carol, “Joy to the World,” was written in 1719 by Isaac Watts. Over 100 years later it was adapted and arranged by Lowell Mason and many believe the melody was written by Handel. Here is the interesting fact about this particular Christmas carol. You may have noticed; the words have nothing to do with a manger or shepherds or a baby or the three kings from the Orient.

     This song was written to herald the second coming of Jesus. Just as other music is a trigger for us, let this song be a reminder of the reason Jesus came to earth. He came in human form to redeem us! He allowed His very own creation to put Him on a cross to suffer and die. But, on the third day He rose again. Death was conquered. And now we wait. He is coming back. He is coming soon.

     Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. One day we will celebrate a new heaven and a new earth at His second coming. Let this Christmas season, this time of advent, of preparing our hearts to accept the Messiah, bring your heart to be filled with expectation, a time to anticipate; not only the celebration of His birth, but the fact that He will return.

     The words to “Joy to the World,” are based on the words of Psalm 98. Here is a part of that Psalm:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song and music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn-shout for joy before the Lord, the King. Let the sea resound and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing together for joy. Let them sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the people with equity.  Psalm 98 4-9

     Not ony will we be singing for joy, but the whole earth will rejoice! He has come! He will come again! Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

Jesus tells us to be ready:

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.  Matthew 24:44

Dear Lord,

We thank You for Your first coming and we await Your second. We wait and watch with expectation for Your return. Joy to the Word. Our King will come.

Amen

The Image of Christ

     As we are stretching our minds to incorporate the human image of Christ with His deity, I had to read John’s description of Him in the book of Revelation. John is the sole surviving disciple. Almost every other one of them has been martyred because of their unwillingness to deny Jesus.

     John is in his nineties, banished to the island of Patmos, (because of Jesus) and Jesus reveals to Him what is past, what is present and what is to come at the end of the age. John is told to write down what he sees. Ready to picture the Christ John is allowed to witness in his vision of heaven?

…and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. The hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars and coming out of His mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. Revelation 1:13-16

     There will be no night in heaven and Jesus will be the light. (See Revelation 22) It is no wonder John sees Him as if the sun was shining. What will we do when we see Him? Here is John’s response.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the living One. I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.  Revelation 1:17-18

     I imagine John trying to capture in words what He sees. I imagine there are no words. This description is the best he can do with his earthly words. And Jesus responds to John with familiar words, “Do not be afraid.”

     He and John walked, talked, dined and ministered together. John was taught by Him. He loved Him, But seeing the One he knew so well in all of His glory is too much. It is the One, the First and the Last, the One John is willing to die for, the One his friends did die for, His Lord. Yes, it is Jesus in glory.

     One day every person past and present will stand before Him. One day every knee will bow.

It is written, “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me, every tongue will acknowledge God.”  Romans 14:11

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.  Philippians 2:9-10

     One day every knee will bow before Him. Why not now? What will we do? One day, as believers, we will see Him as He is. And as the song says, “I Can Only Imagine.”

Dear Jesus,

You are beyond description, beyond our earthly minds to imagine and our earthly eyes to see. Let our spirits join with Yours now until one day soon, we will be with You forever. You are the First and the Last. You are alive!

Amen

The Image of Christ

So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them.  Genesis 1:27   

      God created us in His image. We were created to walk in unity with Him. That God-like image was tarnished, long ago, in the beginning. Man wanted to be like God. Pride played a big part in those decisions to turn from Him and pride stills plays a huge part in our humanity, doesn’t it? We think we can do it on our own. We pass off the little white lies, gossip without blinking an eye, cheat a bit here and there, look at the things we should not, disrespect our parents. The list goes on. Sin. It’s all around us. It is in us.

     And the God of creation, the perfect God, the Holy One, righteous and true, instead of disregarding us and leaving us to our own evil desires, humbles Himself and makes Himself one of us. There is no tarnish on Him. He is without sin. The perfect Lamb.

     Astounding. Amazing. Awe-inspring. When we believe and that is all He asks, He begins to polish up our tarnished hearts. He painstakingly changes us. Our hearts become three sizes bigger! He actually uses our tarnished image to show His glory. He works in our weaknesses to show His strength. He brings out that shine in us little by little through the tough, but necessary, buffing process.

     And the image of Christ begins to show through us. We change the subject. We turn from the dark images. We forgive. We respect. His image becomes like a mirror. His reflection makes us brighter. His was a miraculous birth. And your new birth is a miraculous one, too. Born again, through His Spirit. The tarnished ones become filled with a golden polish that glows.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

     His truth and grace are there for the asking. Accept the gift of the Christ. The gift of Christmas. The light of the world. Those rough edges are ready for the Master’s hand.

Dear Lord,

You became our servant, the Lamb to be sacrificed. Teach us how to serve You. Mold us. Shape us into Your image.

In Jesus name,

Amen

     

The Image of Christ

     The baby Jesus in the manger scene is the most familiar image in the Christmas story. There He is; a baby in human form. We watch a live nativity scene at our churches on Christmas Day. We say, “Isn’t he cute?” We can picture Jesus growing up with His family, walking the streets of Galilee with His disciples, stopping to show compassion, to perform a quick miracle. He is our friend. He loves us. We see the man in a flowing robe, teaching, serving, His sandals filled with the dust of the desert.

     Over the last two weeks, we have focused on the baby. This baby is something special. He is recognized by the shepherds, by the Magi, by John the Baptist and his mother even before the birth, and by Anna and Simeon at the temple dedication. This child of God. This Son of God. Yes, this baby would grow into a man. Fully human.

And fully God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:1-4

     Jesus was there in the beginning. The Bible? Jesus is the Word. It’s all about Him from beginning to end. He IS the beginning and the end. All things were made through Him.

For in Him all things were created. Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.  Colossians 1:16

     We will stretch our thinking beyond the manger this week, to see beyond the human image of Christ, the most familiar to us. We have not seen the heavenly Jesus face-to-face. We have seen the humble servant, the washing-of-the-feet Jesus, the suffering Lamb Jesus, the walking-talking resurrected Jesus. He will come back as the King, the ruler of heaven and earth, the judge, the Lion of Judah. He is the Christ.

Dear Father in heaven,

We thank You for sending Your One and Only Son to dwell among us. The Word of God came in the flesh as a baby and grew to be a man. He served us, suffered for us, died for us. He was and is and is still to come to rule the heavens and the earth.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Worshiping Witnesses

     Elizabeth and Zechariah are given the gift of a child in their old age. Anna and Simeon are given the gift of witnessing the Messiah in theirs. They are devout. They have been waiting. In fact, Simeon knows in his heart he will not die before seeing the king of Israel.

     Unstoppable praise came from the lips of Mary and from Zechariah as they witnessed the wonders of God. Today we walk with Mary and Joseph with the new baby, Jesus, to the temple. There is more praise to come.

(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord.) Luke 2:23

          Simeon sees the child. This child. THE child.

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying, “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared in the sight of all nations, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”  Luke 2:28-32

     Joseph and Mary marveled at his words. Simeon witnessed the baby and worshiped. And there is another at the temple. A woman named Anna. She prays at the temple night and day. She became a widow at a very young age, after being married for only seven years. She is now eighty-four.

Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38

     Anna and Simeon, aged and devout, written about in the Holy Scriptures. They recognized the Lord. Will you? When you see Him, will you praise Him from your heart and will you, like Anna, tell others about Him? If you believe in Jesus, your name is written in the Book of Life and, like Simeon, one day we will be dismissed in peace.

     Beautiful words of praise. I hear them every Tuesday morning. I facilitate a Bible study with some amazing women. I love these women. Some of them are in their seventies and eighties. Every week we begin with Scripture (many times a Psalm) and we praise God together. And almost every single week, a phrase or Word brings to mind a song. These beautiful women, many of them, have been praising Jesus for five or six decades. Spontaneous worship. It stirs my heart and Paul reminds us that this is what we are to do:

…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20

Dear Jesus,

The longer we know You, the more we want to praise You. Thank you for the witnesses surrounding us. Thank you for Your children, willing to share the news and to worship you with boldness. Let that be me.

Amen

Papa's Praise

     The praises continue today. These tales of history inspire us with angels, with prophesies from long ago fulfilled, and with recognition of the Son of God even from the womb. John the Baptist’s birth brings us more to talk about today.

     Because Zechariah did not immediately believe the angel’s words to him, his ability to speak was taken away. His baby is born and, as was the custom, the neighbors come to the 8^th day circumcision of the child. They shared in the joy of this miraculous birth in their neighbors’ old age.

     They assume, which was also the custom, that the baby would be named Zechariah, after his father. Elizabeth told them, no. His name would be John. They looked to Zechariah.

He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free and he began to speak praising God.  Luke 1:63-64

     After months without speech, the first words out of his mouth are praise. In my own life, sitting still and quiet with God gives me an opportunity to listen for His voice and to worship Him. I can’t imagine not being able to speak for months! Sounds like it would be a miracle to my husband! Being quiet in our culture and getting away from technology, even for a few minutes, has become increasingly difficult.

     Zechariah’s praises, like Mary’s yesterday, are worth our listening ears. Take a few minutes to praise our God, along with Zechariah.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David. (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to rescue us from the hand of our enemies and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven, to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Luke 1:68-79

     I found myself holding my breath as I typed. All of these beautiful words are wrapped up in two sentences. I feel the Holy Spirit oozing out of Zechariah, words flowing like a fountain, gushing forth the history of his people and the hope for them, in part, through his very own child. The King is coming and this child of his is to prepare the way. And it would come to pass, just as all of God’s Words come to pass.

     And here we sit on the other side of the cross. We see the next 33 years. We see John out in the wilderness preparing the way, the first to recognize the Messiah. The one who would baptize His Lord and die because of Him. We see the cross and the resurrection. Our Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, as King of Kings, and we no longer fear death. Let’s sit still.  No more death. Forgiveness of our sins. A purpose for life. All reason to praise.

Jesus,

You tell us to “Be still and know that I am God” in Psalm 46. You know how difficult it is to sit still. This season of the year is an especially busy one.  Remind us to stop and worship You until it overflows. We gain much from the words of praise from Mary and Zechariah. You are worthy to be praised.

Amen

My Soul Magnifies the Lord

     The angel’s news is ringing in Mary’s ears. God has chosen her. The Holy Spirit has overshadowed her and the young, virgin girl is to give birth to the One, the Son of God. She travels to share the news with her cousin. Elizabeth’s baby boy leaps in her womb as He recognizes the Messiah!

     Mary can no longer hide her praise. Words come flowing from her. Words that are sung over and over again in churches worldwide. Maybe you have heard them. Here is Mary’s Magnificat:

And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-Holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.’  Luke 1:46-55

     Let this be your worship today. God is mindful of you. He blesses your soul. He will do great things for you and Holy is His name. He is merciful. He has performed mighty deeds in the past and His deeds will continue into the future. His promises never fail. Let Him stir your heart to praise Him, just as He stirred His mother’s soul thousands of years ago. We praise you, Jesus.

Shared Secrets

     Do a few special people come to mind when you need to share exceptionally good news? More than likely these are the same ones you run to with news that is not so good. Our loved ones increase our joy and cut our burdens in half. Life is meant to be shared.

     Yesterday, we shared some good news with Elizabeth and Zechariah. They were to have a baby boy in their old age. Today, Gabriel makes another visit, about six months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy. This time it is not only good news. It is THE GOOD NEWS of all time. I encourage you to read through the full exchange between Gabriel and Mary beginning at verse 26 in the 1st chapter of the book of Luke. The part I want to share today is this:

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth, your relative, is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” Luke 1:35-37

     Mary responds in obedience and immediately gets ready and travels to the home of her relative, Elizabeth. Wouldn’t you love to hear the entire conversation as they compare their encounters with Gabriel? The names of their sons are chosen; John and Jesus. One is to prepare the way. The other is The Way. There was so much to share. Mary would stay with Elizabeth for three months.

     This 1st chapter of Luke’s gospel is filled with the Holy Spirit. It is filled with rich and deep conversations and songs of praise to God. The angel told Zechariah that his baby boy would be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth and we see proof of that at Mary’s arrival to their home. Here is what happens:

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promise to her!” Luke 1:41-44

     This is profound. Don’t you love the exclamation points? Don’t you love the fact that John recognized the Messiah even before their births? Don’t you love the obedience in Mary? She is blessed to believe. And so are we! All we need is to believe in that same news! The One conceived in human form. The One who would one day take the suffering of our sins on His shoulders. The One who will overcome death.

For now, let’s sit and take in the joy of the women sharing this momentous news, pondering the future, making plans, looking ahead to their sons and all they would do for them and for the world.

     Human delight.  A God infused womb. Two of them, in fact. Cousins sharing secrets, secrets soon to be shared and change the world. A shared joy, shared history.

     And we share the same news in hushed wonder. He is born! Over two thousand years later, the news resonates in our souls. A Savior is born. Let’s share it with those we love over these next two weeks. It is the best news. It is meant to be shared.

Jesus,

The story of Your birth continues to amaze and astound us. We can only imagine the hearts of these two faith-filled women. Thank you for Your encounters with us today. Just like Mary, we are blessed to believe. As Gabriel reminds us. Your Word never fails.

Amen

Aging with Anticipation

     Let’s go back a few months before the manger scene. There would be one to go before Jesus into the world and he would also go before Jesus to prepare the way for His ministry. Who was it? Let’s visit Elizabeth and Zechariah. They share the spirit of anticipation. They join in the joy with Mary, as well as celebrating a miracle in their own lives.

But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.  Luke 1:7

    They were unable to conceive. They were both very old. But God chose them. God chose them and He sends an angel to tell Zechariah the good news that is about to unfold. Gabriel is one busy angel!

But the angel said to him; “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.  He will be a joy and delight to you and many will rejoice because of his birth. Luke 1:13-14

   Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, all found favor with God. All devout in their faith. In fact, Zechariah and Elizabeth both fall in the line of priests. Elizabeth’s line dated back to Moses’ brother, Aaron. Joseph is in the line of King David, the line leading us to Jesus, the Christ. I want to find favor with our God. How about you? 

     God continues to use us as long as we walk the earth. Feeling a little used up, feet shuffling a bit, tired with age? Not in God’s vision of you. He sees that light shining from within, the ability to share His love with others. He hears the prayers. He understands your willingness to trust Him through it all, right up to your very last day on earth. He sees the value and the worth. He sees the important things in life. He sees the heart.

     Ask Moses, or Abraham, or Caleb, or the disciple John. Ask Billy Graham. Old age is nothing in God’s eyes. Ask my friends, Helen and Ruth, Phyllis and Connie. Ask John the Baptist's parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah. Our faith becomes rooted a little deeper, our Godly wisdom sharpens with age. And one day an angel just may whisper in your ear, “it’s time now for a miracle. God has some good news for you.”

 Dear Jesus,

Help us to honor the aged, the wise, the wonderful elders in our midst. You have purpose for us each and every day for as long as we live. Give us a message of hope today. We are Your children. Find favor with us.

Amen

Shepherds Speak

     It was an uneventful, quiet night for the shepherds; leading their herds   through the mountain fields, tending their flocks, keeping them safe. There was nothing unusual at all, until the heavens opened up around them, that is. I will let the beautiful Words of Scripture remind you of the familiar story.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” Luke 2: 8-14

     I love this. God chose Mary and Joseph, an ordinary couple from humble homes. Now He opens up the heavens with a host of angels praising God to a group of shepherds! What did they do? Just like the wise men, they went to find the baby. And when they found Him, what did they do next?

When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  Luke 2:17-18

     Something about meeting Jesus makes us want to talk about Him. We cannot help but speak of all we have seen and heard. (See Acts 4:20) Have you amazed anyone lately with stories about Jesus? Filling up on His glory, recognizing the heavenly hosts surrounding us with protection and sustenance, finds us unable to keep it to ourselves. This kind of news needs to be shared.

     And for all of us who have encountered the Savior, one day the heavens will open up for us and we will witness the heavenly host of angels saying, “Glory to God in the highest.” And we will be singing and shouting right along with them.

Dear Father in heaven,

Thank you for showing Yourself to ordinary folks like us. Your glory is beyond anything we can imagine and one day we will be in the midst of it. One day that will last forever. Each day of our lives is precious on earth. Let us make the most of them, as we speak of the Good News. A child is born in the city of David. He is the Messiah! He is the Christ!

Amen

Star-Struck

     The wise men from the East see the star. Not many did. How did they know? What was it about the star that brought them in search of the Messiah? Were they familiar with Jewish Scripture?

“A star shall come out of Jacob, a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17

     It is ironic that King Herod, the king of the Jews, calls a secret meeting with the Magi. He does not understand and is fearful of this child, this so-called Messiah. He had consulted with his advisors and teachers of the law. He asks the three men to seek out this child and report to him, and they go on their way.

     God leads them to Bethlehem. That same star is just ahead of them.

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.  Matthew 2:10-12

     The virgin birth, the town of Bethlehem, the star rising, and now the gifts of the three Magi, all prophesied hundreds and even thousands of years earlier. Statistically impossible by human standards. But with God, nothing is impossible.

“Herds of camels will cover Your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.” Isaiah 60:6

    The wise men were watching the skies, waiting for the Messiah. Are you? Jesus could return at any moment. Wise men still seek Him. And maybe, like them, your route will change. Worshiping Him, seeing Him up close and personal, often moves us in a new direction. The three travelers were moved out of the way of a scheming King.

     Whick way will He lead you? Away from our poor choices, away from weariness, away from all-encompassing anxiety? After meeting Him for the first time, we turn from despair and move to expectant joy and hope. Just as His mother clothed Him in swaddling clothes, He clothes us with His righteousness. He wraps us in His loving arms and we will never be the same. Keep your eyes fixed on the skies. We are heaven-bound!

Dear Lord,

The stories surrounding Your birth astound us. From the ordinary birth in a manger to the brightest star spoken of so long ago, leading us to You. Keep our minds and hearts focused on You during this busy season and every single day thereafter.

In Jesus name

Amen

Bethlehem Bound

     Joseph and Mary have heard from the heavenly host. They are carrying the Son of God, the future King, the Savior of the earth. What would you expect with this kind of news? The offer of a palace with satin sheets and lavish banquets? A parade filled with fan fare to herald the arrival? Birth announcements embossed in gold? No.

Rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  Philippians 2:7

     Around the time of Christ’s birth there came a decree from Caesar Augustus. Everyone was required to register in their hometown. Joseph happened to be from Bethlehem. Micah knew where the Messiah would be born. He wrote about it hundreds of years before the event.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”  Micah 5:2

    Yes, Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem and God knew exactly where Joseph and Mary would be on that glorious night. The trip would be long, about 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethleham. Dirt roads, birth pains, no end in sight. Where would Joseph and Mary stay at the end of this long and bumpy road? In the presidential suite of the town? Well, not exactly.

     The sounds they would hear on that particular night would not include the voice of the hotel manager bringing them fresh towels and warm food. In fact, there was no room for them. The silence would have been deafening beyond the cries of childbirth. There may have been heard a soft moo, a hushed whinny, a squeaky baa, as the animals, created by God, witnessed their Creator Himself appear in human form on that very special eve.

     How about you? Overwhelmed with a long and tiring journey? Is there a long recovery ahead, an unanswered prayer with no end in sight? Have you been squeezed out by divorce or a family feud? How about your stable mates? Or should I say, stall mates at work? Are they a little stinky, noisy or ill-mannered?

     Imagine a glorious end to the journey, a new birth in a relationship or a witnessing miracle at work. Anything can happen when the Savior is along for the ride. You may recognize a change in your outlook, a peace in the wait, a hope in your heart, a new way to cope. When He appears, anything becomes possible. And then there was light.

Dear Jesus,

The story is miraculous. The characters, regular folks, in regular surroundings. No hoopla, just humility. Your birth. The wonder of it all. We sit in awe of You.

Amen 

Joseph's Journey

     Joseph was engaged to the young and devout Jewish girl, Mary. Can you imagine his thoughts, his reaction to the news? She was expecting a child. The Bible tells us, “…before they came together, she was found to be pregnant…” (See Matthew1) and as was right according to Mosaic law, Joseph was going to petition for a divorce from the betrothal. God had other plans. God not only chose Mary to carry the Christ. He chose Joseph to raise the child.

     Joseph was a decent guy. He did not want to disgrace Mary. He had in mind to divorce her quietly. No facebook page announcing the single girl’s pregnancy. No, “How could she do this to me?” Just a quiet exit from a devastating shock. Instead, Joseph had a heavenly encounter. An angel came to Joseph and gave him the great and unimaginable news.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21

    The next verses in Matthew Chapter 1 remind us; this very news fulfills a prophecy written by the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before Christ’s birth. (See Isaiah 7:14)

     God chose Joseph and Mary. He chooses you. He saw you before the beginning of time and He sees your path. He steps in and uses us to fulfill His purposes on earth. Joseph obeyed. He took Mary as his wife and they named their newborn son, Jesus. Mary had been told her newborn son would be the Son of God and His kingdom would have no end. (See Luke 1)

     Tomorrow we will journey with Joseph and Mary as they, unknowingly, fulfill another prophecy written 500 years before their child’s birth, and we will sit with them in their unusual surroundings as they, and we, get ready to greet the Messiah.

Dear Lord,

Your humble beginnings speak to us. Your servant’s heart shows us. The people you chose give us hope. Speak now. Show us today. Choose us. Fill us with that same Holy Spirit that gave birth to the Christ, the same Holy Spirit that resurrects the dead. The Spirit that changes us.

Amen