Keeping Christmas.

   

Just a few days ago, we were looking forward to Christmas Day. And now Christmas Day has come and gone for another year. Some people will be sad about that, while others are ready to move on to the next thing. Which brings us to that time again. Time to pack away Christmas for another year.

For some, the process begins immediately after Christmas Day is done. For others, like me, it's a very gradual process. I'm not quite ready to give it up completely yet. We'll be enjoying the tree a little longer, at least into the new year, through the 12 days of Christmas. Probably longer. But this week I’ll be gathering up things, one room at a time, to be packed away again until next year. It's time to put Christmas away. 

I heard someone say this week that the fa la la la la is gone. That sounds a little sad, doesn't it?

Have you ever noticed how generous people become with their time and money during the Christmas season? They drop money in the Salvation Army kettles. They donate more generously to their church and to charities. They tip more generously in the restaurant. They give more freely of their time at homeless shelters and food ministries. Then December 25 is past, and life gets back to normal. The generous Christmas spirit is put away until next year. That's so sad. There are still homeless people and hungry people and people with all kinds of needs who could use our help, not only in December but throughout the year. How sad that we seem only to think of them at Christmas. Even more, the spirit of Christmas, the reason for doing all this in the first place - the coming of the Savior - is still a very present reality.

We often hear about random acts of kindness, particularly during the holiday season. Then we don't seem to hear about quite so many of those kindnesses.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were generous all year long?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we did our random acts of kindness throughout the year?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we kept Christmas all year long?

Not just in December.


“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” (Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol)

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me."  
(Jesus, in Matthew 25:40 KJV)

The 12 Days of Christmas…..

 

For many, the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” may be their least favorite of all Christmas songs! The song is an English Christmas song, although it may have actually originated in France.

The 12 days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day and end on January 6, a day celebrated in many traditions as Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, referring to the coming of the Wise Men. One theory about this song is that it was used, particularly in Catholic traditions, to teach parts of the Catechism.

Following that tradition, the First Day of Christmas is a reference to Christ. The Second Day of Christmas is a reference to the two Testaments, the Old Testament and the New Testament. And it is there that I want to center our thoughts today.

On this Second Day of Christmas, let’s turn our thoughts to the Scripture.

How important is the Scripture to you? Or to ask the question another way, how intentional are you about spending time in God’s Word?

Is it a daily habit? Or is it only occasional? Or just for Sunday? 

Is the Bible meant only to be ready and studied by pastors and Bible teachers and so-called religious zealots? Or does God mean for each of His followers to spend time reading His Word on a regular basis? 

For those who have committed their lives to Christ, is it not important that the Scipture have a prominent place in our lives? Not just occasionally. Not just on a hit-and-miss basis. Not just a verse from some devotional book. Not just with a verse of the day grabbed hurriedly from social media.

But intentionally. Consistently. Deliberately.

I believe the answer is a resounding “Yes”! And with that in mind, as we near the end of another year and begin making our plans and setting our goals for the new year, I want to challenge you to make God’s Word a priority in your life. To make it a daily commitment. To make it a habit. And my hope for you is that it becomes more than a habit, but that it becomes your joy and delight!

May 2024 be the year you begin to dig deep into God’s Word!

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB)

I Heard The Bells…..

 

 "There is no peace on earth."

This line, from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Christmas Bells", may be a line ringing through many hearts and minds these days. We live in a world filled with war and terrorism, with strive and discord, with racial tension and political unrest. As I am typing, terrorists continue to lob bombs into Israel. Our world is anything but peaceful.

When Longfellow penned these words in the mid-1860s, the United States was in the midst of civil war.  Longfellow's wife had died, and one of his sons had been seriously injured in the war.  Originally the poem had seven stanzas, with two of them referring specifically to the war.  Eventually those two stanzas were removed, giving us the five stanzas that comprise the Christmas carol "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day".

Longfellow's dilemma mirrors our own in these difficult days. We sing Christmas carols about peace on earth. We read the Christmas story with the angelic proclamation of "Peace on earth, good will to men."  Yet we look around us and see no peace. That was Longfellow's world, just as it is ours.

"Hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men."

But Longfellow's bells proclaimed another truth we would do well to remember in these troublesome times. The bells pealed "loud and deep" that "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep."  The Psalmist proclaimed the same truth when he told us in Psalm 121 that God neither slumbers nor sleeps.

Longfellow affirmed another powerful truth of Scripture when he wrote, "The wrong shall fail, the right prevail."  These words echo Daniel 9:24:  "to finish the transgression, to make and end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness."

Just as Longfellow did, we live in a world where there is no peace. A world where violence is increasing.  We live in challenging times, both politically and personally.  

Even so, we can be at peace, in spite of the turmoil around us. In spite of financial stress and difficult relationships. In spite of loss. In spite of wars and terrorism. In spite of violence and unrest.

That's why Jesus came.

To bring us peace..

Because He is the Prince of Peace.

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."  (Isaiah 9:7 NASB, emphasis mine)

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts."  (Colossians 3:13a NASB)


Do you know this kind of peace? Do you know the Prince of Peace?  If not, why not turn to Him today?

       

 

          

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along the unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:

"There is no peace on earth," I said,

"For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

(-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

 

 



Listen to the Gaither Vocal Band sing this carol here:

https://youtu.be/T-bH5u5hEDI 

 

Peace Will Come

 

 

This instruction comes from the Psalms.

 

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers."  (Psalm 122:6-7 ESV)

 

When I think about those verses, and when I see this visual reminder, my mind takes me back to Colorado and to an anthem I first remember singing when we lived there. (Thanks, Rg!) The anthem title was "Peace Will Come", which I think may have been written by David Danner, although I can't be certain of that.  

 

It isn't the composer or the music that stirs my memory so much, but the lyrics that I still remember more than thirty years later:  "Peace will come to those who let the Son of God be born to them......born in their hearts, their homes, their lives......Peace will come when we hear the still, small voice of God."

 

Then, and only then, peace will come.

 

Peace is not about politicians or political parties.

 

Peace is not a process.

 

Peace is a Person.

 

And His name is Jesus Christ.

 

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)



Wonderful Name

I’ve lost count of how many Christmas musicals I have participated in over the years, whether as a singer, a pianist or organist, or as director. Everything from Handel's Messiah to a children's musical called Three Wise Men and a Baby!  So I guess it comes as no surprise that music is a big part of my celebration during the Christmas season. There's Christmas music playing pretty much non-stop throughout the day.  

Today I woke up with a favorite song playing over and over in my head. I first heard this song many years ago as part of a Christmas musical we were doing in our church. I loved it then and I have loved it ever since.........Wonderful Name, Jesus! That just sums it all up, doesn't it?

In the chaos of the world we live in. With trillion dollar debt and budget deficits and fiscal cliffs. In the middle of sickness and heartache and turmoil in daily life. No matter what is going on in your world or mine, what a comfort to know that Jesus came. That His is the Name above every name. That we can call on that Name no matter what is going on in our lives!  

The challenge for all of us today is focus. To turn our focus away from all the hustle and bustle, all the chaos and busyness of life in the modern world, and to turn our focus toward that baby in a manger in Bethlehem. That baby who is no longer in a manger. That baby who grew up. Who died that we might live. Who didn't stay dead! Who was resurrected, and who has ascended to the Father. Who will one day return for His own! 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."  (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

We are only a few days away from Christmas Day. Perhaps this is a good time to reexamine our Christmas traditions and exactly how we celebrate the birth of Christ. Are we really celebrating Christ, or only giving lip service to that while we get caught up in elves or Santa or other "stuff"?  My prayer is that we might all focus our celebration on that Wonderful Name.....Jesus!  That we might truly celebrate the Christ of Christmas......and not only in December!

Wonderful Name

Mary was the first to hear it, name that came from heaven above;
Name that raises souls from darkness, this the only name worth singing of.

Wonderful name, Jesus! Wonderful name, Jesus!
Name angels sang the night all heaven rang; wonderful name, Jesus!

Heaven touched His name with glory, precious name of Jesus, our King;
In God’s Word is told the story, of this wondrous name the angels sing!

 

Wonderful name, Jesus!  Wonderful name, Jesus!

Name angels sang the night all heaven rang; wonderful name, Jesus!

 

-Roger Strader

 

Lisren to Wonderful Name here: https://youtu.be/GqZfpg1j6CM?si=-YVLZ6hXAIa9dyVh

Is There Any Room?

We know that the Baby Jesus was born in a stable because "there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7)

We know that Baby Jesus grew up. That He died on a cross for the sin of all mankind, that He was buried, and that He was resurrected on the third day. We know that He ascended back to the Father, and that He will come again. The Scriptures teach us this.

We know, according to the Scriptures, that "to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."  (John 1:12 ESV)

We know that this is still true.

We also know that not all people received Him in the time He was here on earth. Nor do all people receive Him today.

We know that there was "no room" for Him when He was born. And for many, there is "no room" for Him even now.

The question today is this: is there any room for Jesus in your Christmas celebrations?

In the middle of your Christmas traditions. In the middle of mistletoe and holly. Of Christmas trees and presents. Of Santa and elves. Of hustle and bustle. Of parades and lights. Of cookies and cake.

In the midst of all the things you are doing to celebrate, have you left any room for Jesus?


"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, tho those who believe in His name."  (John 1:12 NKJV)

Christmas Miracles

I am a Christmas miracle! If you are new to this blog, you may not know my story. In November, 2016 I had a hemorrhagic stroke. At Christmastime that year, I had been discharged from rehab and was beginning outpatient therapy. While I was in the hospital, the doctors had told my husband that I might not wake up. That if I did wake up, I would have severe limitations as a result of the stroke. I might not be able to talk normally. I probably would, at the very least, need to use a cane. More likely, I would need a walker or a wheelchair. The prognosis for my full recovery was very bleak.

When I was taken from the hospital to Spartanburg Rehabilitation Institute, I was taken in an ambulance. Three weeks later, I walked out the door, with help from my walker. Today, I need no assistance to walk. 

While I still have some limitations, the doctors got it completely wrong! I sometimes mix words up and I have trouble remembering things, but my recovery is nothing short of miraculous! 

Yesterday was another miracle day. In August of this year my husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer. After lots of tests and doctor visits, along with chemo and radiation, he had a repeat PET scan yesterday, and the scan showed the tumor was gone! Not only had the cancer not spread, it was not there any more! This is truly a gift from God! A Christmas miracle!

Al will still undergo surgery in January to insure that all the microscopic bits that don’t show up on a scan will be removed. Even so, we are completely in awe of God’s goodness to us. Of this miracle!

Why us and not others? I don't know. I have no answer for that, except to say that God has a plan and a purpose for all things. Just as He had a plan and a purpose for the miracle in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago.

The greatest Christmas miracle took place in a stable in Bethlehem. The miracle had been set in place in eternity past, when God had a plan for the redemption of all mankind. Thousands of years before Christ came to earth, the prophets foretold His coming. And in the little town of Bethlehem, Christ was born, just as the prophets had said He would be. 

That baby in a manger grew to be a man. Having lived a sinless life, He died on a cruel Roman cross to pay the sin debt for all mankind, just as the prophets had foretold. Just as God had planned. He was resurrected from the grave, and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, until the time comes when He shall return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Just as the prophets have foretold. Just as God planned in eternity past.

That is the greatest of all Christmas miracles! God Himself has sent Jesus to make a way for us to be in right relationship with Himself. God and sinners reconciled.

This is the greatest Christmas miracle!

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."

Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;

With th'angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the Newborn King!"

words: Charles Wesley; music: Felix Mendelsson

Listen to "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" here: https://youtu.be/SFjMPaOBzXc



Adore

If you ever watched the television show "The A-Team", then you're familiar with that phrase I love it when a plan comes together.  

And that's what we're celebrating! A plan. God's plan for the salvation of mankind. As we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate the fulfillment of that plan. A plan prophesied hundreds of years before coming to fruition with the birth of a tiny baby one night in Bethlehem.

We celebrate that birth in December. Did it actually happen in December? Probably not. But I don't think that matters. What matters is that Jesus was born. That He lived a sinless life, that He died to pay the penalty for your sins and mine, and that He was resurrected on the third day. That He ascended back to the Father where He now waits, seated at the right hand of the throne of God, until that time when He returns to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."  (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God....made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."  (Philippians 2:5,7 KJV)

"But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."  (Galatians 4:4-5 KJV)

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger."  (Luke 2:7 KJV)

"And the angel said unto [the shepherds], Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."  (Luke 2:10-11 KJV)

And that's why we are celebrating. That's what Christmas is all about.  

As you are enjoying family and cookies and eggnog and gifts, don't lose sight of that.

Never forget what Christmas is really all about!

O Come, Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mIh3JMqxuo&list=PLkW_qeRTF9XX2tJ4webh4rG9i_Vf6peF7&index=11

‘Tis The Season

 Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la la la la la. 

‘Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la la. 

 

So begins a familiar traditional Christmas carol, sung to a peppy Welsh tune. We often hear this carol in the malls and on the radio at this time of year, and perhaps sing it at our Christmas gatherings or when we go caroling.

 

We're in the season of Christmas songs.  

 

The season of holly and mistletoe.

 

The season of wreaths and red bows.

 

The season of candles and carols.

 

We're in the season of Advent.

 

Advent can be defined as a season of expectant waiting and preparation for celebrating the birth of Christ.  Many of the songs we sing at this time of year reflect that, particularly those we sing in our church services. We sing about a Silent Night in a Little Town of Bethlehem when Angels from the Realms of Glory came to announce the nativity to a group of shepherds who were Watching Their Flocks by Night.

 

In addition those songs about the birth of the Christ Child, we sing about Santa Claus Coming to Town and about Frosty the Snowman and about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. And we sing about Decking the Halls because "'tis the season to be jolly."

 

However, for many this season is anything but jolly. There are those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Many are in the midst of health challenges. Battling cancer. Enduring chemotherapy. Waiting for the biopsy to be scheduled and wondering what the results will be. Besides the grief and the health issues, there are many facing serious economic challenges. Downsizing at the work place. Wondering if there will be enough money to give any Christmas gifts this year. Facing the reality that there's more month than money. Top it off with political upheaval and terrorism around the world, and we're in a season that is anything but jolly.

 

The world in which we are living is not all that different from the world into which Jesus came. The Roman Empire, not particularly known for their kindness and compassion, was in control of most of the known world. Mary and Joseph, and the rest of their countrymen, found their lives disrupted by a government-required census, so that they had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to be counted.  Mary and Joseph had already seen their lives turned upside down by the angel's announcement to Mary, and by seeing what the angel foretold fulfilled in Mary's pregnancy. Life was not easy for Mary and Joseph, or for any one else, in those days. It was not a particularly jolly time.

 

Yet into that world, Jesus was born. Just as the angel Gabriel had told Mary it would happen. Just as the prophets had foretold hundreds of years before. Because "no word from God will ever fail." (Luke 1:37 NIV)

 

That's what we celebrate in this season of Advent. That "no word from God will ever fail."  That Jesus came just as God had promised. That all the prophecies concerning the birth of Jesus the Messiah have come true, just as God spoke them through the prophets.

 

We celebrate that "no word from God will ever fail" as we face our health crises and economic challenges and our bereavement and terrorism in the world and all the other difficulties that come our way.

 

And even as we celebrate this season of Advent, remembering Christ's coming to earth as a baby, to live a sinless life and then to die on a cruel Roman cross in order to pay the penalty for sin, for yours and mine and the sin of all the world, we also celebrate that there will be a second Advent.  Just as the prophets have foretold.  

 

Because "no word of God will ever fail."

 

'Tis the season for celebrating the first Advent.  'Tis also the season of anticipation and expectancy for the second Advent, as we await the return of our Lord to earth, as we are "looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."  (Titus 2:13 KJV)

 

"This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."  (Acts 1:11 NASB)

 

"In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives....."  (Zechariah 14:4 NASB)

 

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True....and on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, 'KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."  (Revelation 19:11, 16 NASB)

 

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."  (Revelation 22:20 KJV)

 





Perspective

Perspective. That's what's missing at this time of year. As we over-spend. And over-bake. And over-eat.  And over-schedule. And over-decorate. And over-stress. We're just over the top.  

It's really easy to get carried away with buying gifts and baking cookies and making candy and going to parties and hosting dinners and decorating every nook and cranny of our homes.  On and on and on we go.  

But when we slow down. When we sit and ponder. When we think about what Christmas is really all about. What does all our activity and busyness and stress really have to do with that night so long ago in that little town of Bethlehem?

Bethlehem these days is a lot different than it was when Jesus was born.

As you walk the streets of modern-day Bethlehem, it's sometimes hard to imagine the sleepy, quiet village we sing about in many of our carols. It can be a bit difficult to put it all into perspective.

Yet in spite of the hustle and bustle and noise, and the fumes from cars and buses in the streets, and the street vendors, and all the other facets of life in Bethlehem today, it was there that our Savior was born.  There in the little town of Bethlehem. While people slept, and shepherds watched their flocks in the fields nearby, and angels hovered overhead, Christ was born.

We celebrate that event with carols and candles. With trees and gifts. With parties and family gatherings.  And all of that is wonderful! But this season, may we keep a right perspective on our celebrations. And may we perhaps get away from our hustle-bustle-got-so-much-to-do, over-the-top way of doing things, and may we find a quiet place to reflect on why we are doing all this in the first place.

This Christmas season, may we find room in our celebrating to spend time with this One who was born of Mary, who came that we might have life everlasting.  

"O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend on us, we pray.

Cast out our sin and enter in; Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell.

O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Emmanuel.

 

("O Little Town of Bethlehem", verse 4; words: Phillips Brooks; Music: Lewis H. Redner)

 

"Bethlehem, out of you will come for Me One who will be ruler over Israel."         
  (Micah 5:2 NIV)

 

 



 

Listen to this carol here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj2fwME46GM

Winds Through the Olive Trees.

 

Winds through the olive trees

Softly did blow
'Round little Bethlehem,
Long, long ago.
Sheep on the hillside lay
Whiter than snow,
Shepherds were watching them,
Long, long ago.

Then from the happy skies,
Angels bent low,
Singing their songs of joy;
Long, long ago,
For in a manger bed,
Cradled we know,
Christ came to Bethlehem,
Long, long ago.

(traditional tune; author unknown)



I learned that song as a child at the First Baptist Church of Landrum, SC. Perhaps you learned it as well, in your church. It's been playing on a continuous loop in my mind for the past few days.  Perhaps it's because I have our olive wood nativity set, purchased in Bethlehem some years ago, on display for Christmas. Or maybe it's because the wind has been blowing.  

It has called to mind the first time we traveled to Israel. By the time we got to Jerusalem, a snow storm was making its way across Europe, causing gusty winds to blow all across Israel.  On the last day we were there, an awning blew off our hotel, and the revolving door at the front of the hotel had to be locked to keep it from constantly spinning!  

It is entirely possible, although we can't know with any certainty, that the sound of gentle breeezes blowing through the olive trees was heard on that night so long ago when our Lord was born in Bethlehem.

At His first advent, He came to us as a tiny baby. Perhaps with gentle breezes blowing. Surrounded by animals in a stable.

His second advent will be quite different. No longer a baby. No longer in a stable. And likely not accompanied by gentle breezes. More likely by the sound of a mighty wind!

Two thousand years have passed since that first advent in Bethlehem. We don't know how much time is left on the prophetic calendar before the second advent.

But we do know that there will be a second advent. Are you ready?

"Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!  The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True and in righteousness he judges and makes war.....and the name by which he is called is The Word of God....On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords." (Revelation 19:11, 13, 16 ESV)

Listen here: https://youtu.be/hKf-kudcvfE?feature=shared

 









Silence

Silence. It's a hard thing to come by at this time of year.  

Everywhere we go, there's noise. Everywhere we go, people are in a hurry.  

 

Have you noticed how many more car horns you are hearing these days?  

 

Have you noticed how people always seem to be rushing about?  

 

Have you noticed the noise in the malls and the shops?  

 

Have you noticed the stress on people's faces?

 

All that may well be similar to what the world was like when Christ was born. Without the malls and automobile horns, of course. People were likely busy with their lives, hustling and bustling about with the activities of daily living. Their world was not unlike ours in that regard.  

 

And into that world, with its busyness and its noise and its daily routines, Jesus came.

No one even noticed.

 

It's still the same, isn't it? We're busy and our world is full of noise. Even though we hear and sing carols about Christ the Savior being born, not many are really paying that much attention. We put out our nativity sets and we sing our carols and we send our Christmas cards, but far too often all that is only done out of a sense of habit. It's how we get ready for Christmas. It’s time for Christmas, and this is what we do.

 

We buy candy hearts for Valentine's Day. And we wave our flags in July. We buy pumpkins in October.  And we talk about Jesus in December. It's what we do.

How sad it is that in all our busyness and routines and noise, we too often lose sight of the reason we are doing all these things.

One of the carols we seldom sing, with words dating back to the 3rd century, says "Let all mortal flesh keep silence."

Silence. It's what's often missing at Christmas time. Because noise is what we do. We aren’t very good at silence.

How much better might we understand the magnitude of the Gift we have been given and the reason for our celebrating, if we would take some time for silence. Some time to be still. Some time to ponder. Some time to worship.

Pondering is often even harder than silence. To ponder is to think, to consider, to reflect. To think deeply. But in our noise and our busyness, we don’t often think take time to think. Certainly not to think deeply, yet thinking deeply, pondering, is another challenge from this Carol.

The third line is an even greater challenge than the first. The third line reads, ponder nothing earthly minded. We think that was all well and good for the 3rd century. But this is the 21sr century with its busyness and stress and noise. Yet because of that very busyness and noise, because of the stresses of modern living, is it not just as important now, as it was in the past, to ponder nothing earthly minded? Isn’t that the very essence of living the Christian life? To keep our thoughts and our minds “fixed on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2).

Especially in this Christmas season.

It may be challenging to find time for silence.

It may be challenging to keep the focus on Jesus.

But it will be worth the effort.

 

 

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,  

and with fear and trembling stand; 

ponder nothing earthly-minded, 

for with blessing in his hand, 

Christ our God to earth descendeth, 

our full homage to demand. 

 

Text: Liturgy of St. James; trans. by Gerard Moultrie 
Music: French carol melody; harm. from The English Hymnal 
Tune: PICARDY

Listen to this carol here: https://youtu.be/Q8ByNT1m8V4?si=PR4ihUCE_EoZ1YG_

An Important Question

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” - John 1:14 KJV

We beheld His glory. So wrote the John the Apostle in the King James Version. Other more recent translations say we saw His glory, or we have seen His glory.

Behold is not a word we use all that much in modern English. We don’t often say things like “Wow! Did you behold that?” Instead, we say things like “Wow! Did you see that?” or “Did you see what I just saw?”

In effect, that’s what John is saying in this passage. He’s saying “Look what we saw!”  But he’s saying so much more than that.

Behold is a word that carries with it an intensity of experience. It’s not just that John and the other disciples actually saw Jesus, but that they beheld Him. They got to know Him. They experienced life with Him. They knew Him in a personal way.

Think about that for a minute. Try to wrap your head around something - Someone - existing before existence. In eternity past, and forever before that, Jesus was already there. 

This One who came to earth as a baby born in the tiny town of Bethlehem was with God, and was God, even before time began.

That’s why Christmas is so much more.

Christmas is not just about a baby in a manger, as important and special as that is. Christmas is about God Himself taking on human flesh and coming to live on earth.

Christmas is about Who Jesus is. Christmas is about why Jesus came to earth. Christmas is about celebrating His coming.

We don’t have the same opportunity John and the other disciples had to see Jesus in the flesh, but we do have something they didn’t have. We have the written Word of God. And it is through this written Word that we, too, can behold our Savior. That we can get to know Him, His character, and His way.

If you want to be ready to celebrate Jesus this Christmas, why not set aside some time during this busy month of December, and behold Him. Choose one of the Gospels and spend a little time reading it, perhaps a chapter each day. Pay attention to what Jesus says and does. Beholding Him in this way, getting to know Him better, is one way to be ready for Christmas.

But the real question is not just are you ready for Christmas? The more important question is have you beheld Him? Do you know Him? That is a question which must be answered not only for Christmas, but for eternity.

Will you place your faith in Him today?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believe to in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

Adapted from Are You Ready for Christmas? by Susan Feaster, copyright 2016, all rights reserved 

Are You Ready For Christmas?

Are you ready? We hear that question a lot at this time of year. Are you ready for Christmas? And that usually means "have you finished your Christmas shopping?" Or "are all your decorations up?" Or "have you finished the cookie baking?" Or.......you can fill in the blank.

The question reminds me of a sermon I heard a few years ago on this topic. In fact, I think the pastor may have titled his sermon "Are You Ready for Christmas?" But what he was talking about had nothing to do with decorations or shopping or cookie baking!

His point, and one I think we would all do well to remember, is that being "ready" for Christmas has very little to do with shopping or cookies or trees. It has everything to do with Jesus. And with a right relationship with Him. Being ready for Christmas is about focus......about remembering why we are doing this in the first place.....about celebrating Jesus!

Stop for a moment and think about how you celebrate Christmas. What are your Christmas traditions? What events or activities or foods or traditions are part of your celebration? What are the “always” parts of your Christmas? In other words, if you were asked about your Christmas traditions, what would you say is always part of your celebration?

What would you say is the most important thing about Christmas for you?

We spend a lot of time and energy and money each year on decorating and gift giving and baking. We spend a lot of time thinking about those are special to us, and about what gift we can give to show just how much we love them.

Should we not also do the same thing for Jesus? It’s His Birthday we are celebrating! We hear so often that Jesus is the reason for the season. If that’s true, and it is, then what are we doing intentionally to focus our attention on Jesus during the Christmas season?

When we redirect our energies away from the hustle and bustle, and focus on Jesus, on who He is and why He came, then we will be ready for Christmas!

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” 

(John 1:14 KJV)

Transition

 

Transition. I hesitate to use that word, since it has such a different cultural connotation than what I mean. But here in the Feaster household, it’s a week of transition. Of change. It's time for the shift from fall décor and pumpkins to Christmas trees and holly. Many people began November by putting up a Christmas tree. For us, the tree goes up after Thanksgiving. It has been our tradition since our very first Christmas.

This is the week we transition from the season of Thanksgiving to the season of Christmas. Even though the malls and discount stores and TV commercials have been pushing Christmas on us earlier and earlier each year, now that Thanksgiving is past we are officially in the Christmas season.  

This week leads us to the first Sunday of Advent. Although I didn't grow up in a church that talked about Advent, at least not that I can recall, and we didn't light Advent candles in our church back in my growing up years, as I get older I find myself drawn to that tradition. To the way it focuses our attention on what we are really celebrating during this season of the year.

While we enjoy our snowmen and our Santas and our elves, that's really not what the holiday is all about.  This is a season to celebrate the birth of our Savior. To celebrate Jesus! Even though it is unlikely He was born on December 25, or even at this time of year, this is the time we celebrate that event.

Whether or not your particular church has an Advent wreath, and whether or not you have an Advent wreath in your home, you probably use candles in your Christmas decorating around the house. Even those candles are a reminder to us of what Christmas is all about. Jesus, the Light of the World, is the reason we are celebrating.

In many churches where an Advent wreath is part of the celebration of Christmas, the candle that is lit on the first Sunday of the Advent season is the Prophet's Candle. It's a time to focus attention on what the prophets had to say about the coming of the Messiah, and how these prophecies are fulfilled by the birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem.

This week, as you are transitioning from Thanksgiving to Christmas, why not take some time to find a quiet place and read some of these Scriptures yourself. Maybe you could even light a candle. Set aside the hustle and bustle of the holiday season for just a moment and reflect on the One whose birth was foretold so long ago by the prophets.  

Read the prophecies. Reflect on how they are fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. Let your spirit be renewed by focusing on what Christmas is really all about.

It's a good way to transition into the Christmas season.


"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel." 

(Isaiah 7:14 NASB)

 

 

"Come, thou long expected Jesus,

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art;

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart."

(-Charles Wesley)

Never Forget

 It’s Veteran's Day, a day when we remember and honor those men and women who have served in our nation's military. I'm glad there is a day set aside for this purpose, but I also think it's sad that we don't remember them more often. That we don't think about and honor those men and women, and their families, who sacrifice so much on our behalf. Who pay the price so we don't have to. We must never forget that freedom isn't free, and that many have sacrificed much on our behalf.

Freedom comes at a price. A great price. And not only the freedoms we enjoy as American citizens, but our freedom in Christ as well. May we never forget the great price that our Savior paid that we might be free from sin. May we never forget what it cost Him. May we never take it for granted.

We so often take our freedoms as Americans for granted. Shame on us! And shame on us when we treat our freedom in Christ that casually as well.

May we live this day, and every day, with gratitude for all that is ours in Christ Jesus. May we never forget what it cost.

"For you were bought with a price."  (1 Corinthians 6:20 ESV)

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  For he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."  (Isaiah 53:4-5 ESV)

It’s November!

The calendar says it’s November which, for many, means it’s time to decorate for Christmas. I am not one of those people. I prefer to celebrate holidays one at a time. This is not meant as criticism on my part; it’s simply a matter of personal preference.

In any event, November is something of a mixed bag for me. For these last several years, every time the calendar turns to November, I start to get a little uncomfortable. A little stressed. November brings with it some bad memories. It was in November 2016 that I suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. While I have no memory of that event or of many of the days that followed, I’ve seen the pictures and heard the stories, and I know it is something I never want to repeat. Of course, it is completely unreasonable to think it could happen again simply because it’s November. Even so, November brings it all to the surface.

Despite that, my overwhelming thoughts this month are gratitude. Extreme gratitude. Because November is the month we celebrate a day devoted to giving thanks, and because I have so very much to be thankful for, I want to focus November on gratitude. On counting my blessings. On giving thanks. I don’t want to rush past that to the next holiday, as special as it is.

When I was in the Neuro ICU, my husband was told I might not wake up. He was told that if I did wake up, I would face severe challenges. But God had other plans for me. And today, my reality is very different from that gloomy prediction. I walk without assistance. I can read and write and talk better than anyone ever expected. I still deal with some aftereffects of the stroke, but most are not visible except perhaps to those who know me best.

This month I celebrate that I am a stroke survivor. And it’s all because of God’s amazing grace!

Thinking About Clutter

Typically on Monday mornings my thoughts often turn to clutter. Around here,  Monday mornings have generally been devoted to laundry and decluttering, but since cancer entered our world, all my normal routines are out the window. Here we are on Thursday, and the Monday tasks and the Monday clutter are still here. If you know me at all, you know that clutter drives me crazy! I’m just hoping this week’s clutter doesn’t spill into next week.

Even with all the challenges I’m currently facing in staying ahead of the clutter, it occurs to me that it's much easier to deal with physical clutter, as challenging as that often is, than it is to deal with the stuff that clutters our minds.

Last week I spent some time cleaning out some closets and dresser drawers. I got rid of a lot of stuff that was no longer useful or needed. Worn-out shoes. Clothes that no longer fit. A past-its-prime toothbrush. Stuff that is no longer useful and had become just more clutter.

Sometimes it's a challenge to determine what to hold on to and what to let go. I can't make decisions about what to let go of in your closet. But here are a few ideas about what to hold on to.

Hold on to your memories.

Memories are precious things. If you've been in the position of watching someone you love lose their memory to Alzheimer's, as I have, then you are aware what a treasure the memory is. And having my own stroke-related memory loss, I know that memories are a treasure. We can't hold on to every photograph or ticket stub or souvenir; for most of us, space doesn't permit that. Nor do we want to become so anchored to those memories that we miss life in the present. But we can treasure the memories! Revisit them from time to time. Share them with others. Enjoy them!

I often find myself wishing I knew more about my parents or my grandparents in their early years. Wishing I had asked them more questions. Wishing I had listened more closely to the stories they told. Some day our children may feel the same. Share your memories and the stories of your family history so it can be passed on from generation to generation.

Hold on to relationships.

In our culture, it's all about the stuff. All about how much we can accumulate. All about what kind of car we drive or what kind of house we live or what kind of electronic devices we have. It's all about our technology.

I sat in a doctor's office waiting room a few days ago, and as I looked around, I realized every single person in that waiting room was staring at their phone. There was no conversation. Not even any eye-contact. Just staring at the phone.

Look around at your next family gathering. Are people talking to each other, or are they glued to their electronic devices? We need to make an effort to reverse this trend in our culture! People are important! Let's never lose sight of that.

Relationships matter. And nothing is more important in developing and holding on to our relationships than personal interaction. Texting and tweeting can never take the place of the human voice. Of actual conversation. Of real sentences that are more than 40 characters in length. Of a smile or a hug. Don't let technology rob you of what's most important.

Hold on to Jesus.

Our culture would seek to marginalize or trivialize our Christian faith. Christians in our culture are often viewed as weak or out of touch or not terribly bright. Even so, our relationship with Jesus is the most important of all our relationships. It's a relationship that must be held on to, cherished, and nurtured.

How do we do that? The same way it has always been done. By spending time with Him in prayer (conversation). By spending time with Him in Bible study (getting to know Him). And by fellowship with other believers (church attendance). These are the building blocks of growing our relationship with Jesus and of holding on to that relationship.

A relationship where there is no communication doesn't last long, does it? It's hard to have a relationship with someone you don't know, isn't it? A "lone-ranger" relationship isn't really a relationship, is it?

Know your priorities.

When we're decluttering around the house, we get rid of things that no longer are useful or have value to us. We are able to do this because we understand what does have value.

The same principle holds true in our relationships, particularly as concerns our relationship with the Lord. When we know our values and our priorities, we are more easily able to clear our minds of things that don't line up with those values and priorities. We are able to declutter our minds based on these priorities.

And what is the priority for the Christian?

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness."  (Matthew 6:33a NASB)

Take action.

I cleaned out my closet. I got rid of the clothes that didn't fit, the purses I never use, the shoes that were worn out.

I cleaned out my bathroom cabinet. I decluttered it by disposing of the empty mascara tubes, the eye shadows I didn't even like, the empty lotion bottles, the worn-out toothbrush.

The same thing needs to happen for you and for me in our thinking. We need to get rid of the clutter.  We need to toss out anything that doesn't line up with our priorities. No matter what the voices of culture would tell us we need to be thinking about or what our opinions should be in order for us to be politically correct, we need to make certain that our thinking is lined up with the plumb line of the Word of God.

Today would be a good day to start doing some decluttering.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus......"  (Hebrews 12:1-2a, NASB, emphasis mine)

In the Waiting Room

 

I’ve spent a lot of time in waiting rooms lately. Hospital waiting rooms. Doctor’s office waiting rooms. It’s one of the realities when your husband has cancer. Sitting. Waiting.

Most of us are not very good at waiting, are we? I would go so far as to say that none of us likes to wait. For anything. We live in a culture of instant everything. We want what we want, and we want it right now. It’s the American way, after all. We have instant access to weather information, news, any question we might have about anything. Instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant anything. We live in a microwave society.

Even so, we are often called on to wait.

Some waiting is pleasant. A child waiting for Christmas or birthday is impatient, yet excited about what’s coming. We wait with anticipation for flowers to bloom, for the first robin who signals spring, for a baby to be born. We’re excited as we wait for family to arrive for a visit.

But some waiting is not so pleasant. Waiting for the phone call from your doctor about a diagnosis. The aging parents who wait in their loneliness for the phone call or visit from family members, but it never comes. Sitting in the medical office waiting for the procedure and wondering what the outcome will be. Waiting for answers. Waiting to learn next steps. Just waiting.

Waiting can affect us in many different ways.

But for those who belong to Christ Jesus, there is one waiting that leaves us with a sense of great anticipation. Because we know what is coming. We know something much better lies ahead. We know that one day - although we don’t know exactly when - we will be with the Lord Jesus Christ, in His presence, seeing Him face to face for all eternity. But right now we are waiting.

What are we to be doing while we are waiting? The Bible gives us some clear instructions. 

Consider these instructions:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14 NKJV)

“….Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NASB)

This is not an extensive list, of course, but you get the idea.

For now, we wait. But there is coming a day…….And what a day that will be!

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see;

When I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace.

When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the promised land

What a day, glorious day that will be.

- Jim Hill

Through

Perhaps one of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture is The Twenty-Third Psalm. We learn it as children. We hear it read at funerals. Even people who don't regularly attend church or who don't spend a lot of time in the Bible have heard of this Psalm.

One of my favorite verses in that Psalm is the fourth verse which says "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."  

This is a verse I often find myself thinking about. And as I have been thinking about that verse recently, a few words have stood out to me. Even though. Through. With me.

"Even though" is an expression of certainty. This tells me not to be surprised when tough times come. It tells me they will come. But in spite of the tough times.......no matter what happens.....even though.......there is no reason to fear. The certainty is that tough times will come. The certainty is also that I don't face them alone.

"With me". I'm not alone. No matter what happens. "Thou art with me." What a comfort! Even though tough times come, even though I may feel alone, I'm not! Over and over through the Scriptures this truth rings true!

Matthew 28:20....."I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

2 Chronicles 16:9....."The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the whole earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

Psalm 3:3......"But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory and the One who lifts my head."

But I think my favorite word in this verse is the word "through". "Through" tells me that no matter what valley I may be in or what the difficulty is, it isn't permanent! I won't be in this tough time forever, because this verse tells me that I walk through the valley. I don't walk into it to stay! And that, my friends, brings me great comfort!

The "into" comes later, in the last verse of the Psalm, when "I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6b).

Until then, whatever I'm walking through is part of the "all things" that are working together for my good and His glory (see Romans 8:28-29). So I walk through the valley with my eyes fixed on Jesus, not on my circumstances, because Jesus is with me. As He promised He would be. Even in the valley.


"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB, emphasis mine) 

In Everything

“In everything give thanks."  (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB)

In everything. In all things. However, you want to phrase it...

No exceptions. There are none of those phrases we want to add to the end of the verse.

It doesn't say in everything except.......

Except when my back hurts. Or my knee hurts. Or whichever part hurts today.

Except covid.

Except when I lose my job.

Except when I run out of money.

Except politicians. Or government-run health care. Or when I don't like election results.

Except when my friend or my spouse or my son or my daughter or my best friend hurts my feelings.

Except any of the other things you might be able to think of. There are no clarifying phrases at the end of that sentence.

And it doesn’t say except cancer.

I originally wrote this post in 2013. Today I should also add "except strokes". I originally wrote this post before having a stroke had ever entered my mind. Actually, today I would say "even when you have a stroke", because this verse is one of the verses that got me through stroke recover.

And this verse is getting me through my husband’s cancer.

In everything. 

Everything means everything.

It's pretty clear.

Note that the verse doesn't say anything about feeling thankful. This is not about an emotional response to circumstances. The verse says to give thanks. That involves the will. A deliberate choice to give thanks, not because I feel like it but in spite of the fact that sometimes I don't.

Give thanks. In everything.

Today might be a good day to start.

"It may not be well with my circumstances, but it is well with my soul.” (Jennifer Rothchild)

"In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."                           (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB) 

The Gift of October

 

 

I say this every year when October rolls around - October is a gift. And my first post every October seems to follow this theme, so here we go again!

A few years ago, I took this photo while standing in our driveway. We don't live in the mountains of Western North Carolina anymore, and there isn't this much color yet on leaves where we live now here in the Upstate of South Carolina. But colors like this are part of the reason I love October! Perhaps it's the same for you as well.

October is the month of red and gold and orange leaves.

Of pumpkins and apples.

Of fall festivals.

Of cool mornings and warm afternoons.

Of leaves falling.

For those who live here in the South, October is a welcome respite from the extreme heat we experienced all summer, and even through September.

For those who live further north, October extends the beauty of summer a little longer before the winter months of snow and ice and extreme cold.

October is a gift! Let's enjoy every moment of it, and give thanks to the Giver of all things for such a wonderful gift as October!

"O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."  (Psalm 106:1 ESV)

The Bucket List

 

Do you have a bucket list? Most people do, even if they may not refer to it in those terms. We all have a list of things we would like to accomplish or places we would like to go. 

About this time last year, my husband and I were just returning from a fabulous cruise around the Baltic Sea. While I had never had that on my bucket list, I’m so glad we decided on that region for our 50th wedding anniversary celebration. We saw stunning scenery and visited places that I not only had never dreamed of visiting, but we went to some places I had never even heard of! Eidfjord, Norway. The Aland Islands, Finland. Alborg, Denmark. 

I recommend adding “Viking Homelands Adventure” to your bucket list! The beauty of that part of the world is breathtaking and had me often calling Psalm 19 to mind: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” 

Bucket lists are often focused on places we want to go. Things we want to accomplish. But have you ever considered having a spiritual bucket list? For some help making that list, turn to Psalm 37 and look at the verbs.

Fret not.

“Fret not because of evil doers….” Have you ever found yourself fretting over the evil in the world? Being distressed by what you see around you? It’s easy for us to be overwhelmed by the craziness in our world. To be discouraged and frustrated. That’s why this imperative - don’t fret - is a good item for the bucket list.

This is an imperative, which means we have a choice to obey or disobey/ignore this instruction. We are able to “fret not” as an act of the will. Not by our emotions, but by deliberate choice. It doesn’t come easily or naturally to us, so we must accompany this choice with prayer. Lord, Your word tells me not to fret, not to worry, but I’m finding myself overwhelmed. I need Your help. Help me to remember that you are my refuge and strength. (See Psalm 46.)

Trust in the Lord.

Trust in the Lord. Not in your feelings. Not in the news media or in social media or in any other person or thing. Trust in the Lord. It seems so simple, yet sometimes is so hard to do. But it’s a very basic discipline of the Christian life. Trust in the Lord. Period. 

Delight yourself in the Lord.

Again, this seems so obvious, doesn’t it. And we think to ourselves, well, of course I’m delighting in the Lord. 

But are you? Really? What brings you the most joy? How do you spend your time? Is the way you spend your time, your energy, your money, a reflection of your delight in the Lord? If not, then why not? This item on the list leads to some time in prayer and reflection, perhaps to some repentance and recommitment. It leads to the question, are my eyes “fixed on Jesus?” (See Hebrews 12:1-2)

And the list goes on…..

Commit your way to the Lord.

Be still before the Lord.

Refrain from anger.

Forsake anger.

Fret not. There it is again. At least two more times, depending on the translation you are using. Since it’s repeated, it must be important. Really important. So, as you’re working on your spiritual bucket list, this might be a good place to start. 

This is a repeated instruction throughout Scripture. It isn’t limited to this Psalm. It sometimes is phrased a little differently.

Fear not. Be strong. Don’t be afraid.

It all leads us to the same place. Don’t worry. Trust God.

Because God is in control. Of all things. And He can be trusted. So there’s no need to fret.

Thinking About Worship

Because today is Saturday, and it’s the day before I go to gather together for worship with my church family, worship is on my mind. It’s a topic dear to my heart, one I have written about often, and these are photos I have shared many times. I’m sharing them again because they help to tell the story of what is on my mind.

This picture was taken in one of my favorite cities on earth, Jerusalem, at one of my favorite places in that favorite city, the southern steps to the Temple Mount.

 



This photo below, taken from the Mount of Olives, can put that into context for you. The walled area in the center of the photo is the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock is just out of the photo, to the far right just beyond the trees. The Southern Steps are there in the center, just outside the wall of the Temple Mount, just above a small clump of trees.

On each of our trips to Jerusalem, we have had opportunity to sit on those steps and worship. What precious memories I have of those times. Being in that place, very near where Peter preached on Pentecost and 3000 souls were saved (Acts 2:14-41). Hearing the Word proclaimed to us by our pastor in that same place. Praying there on those steps. Worshiping. Those are favorite memories indeed.

I believe there is an important lesson to be learned from those Southern Steps up to the Temple Mount. You see, the interesting thing about these steps is that they are uneven. Some are wide, some are narrow, some are in-between. The result is that there would have been no casual skipping up the steps to worship at the Temple. The nature of the steps requires that the approach be slow and deliberate.

And therein lies the lesson. One we need to remind ourselves of often as we ask ourselves this question: In our increasingly casual world, have we become too casual in our approach to worship?  

Consider this quote from Oswald Chambers:  "If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet - getting rid of the excessive informality with which we approach God - it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence."

I find myself thinking about that this morning. Our world has become increasingly casual. My concern is not whether your wardrobe is trendy or traditional, or whether your preference is music is casual or classical or country or something in between. 

The issue is not our personal preferences. The issue is what we think about God. And about how we treat Him. My concern is that our casual approach to life has carried over to a very cavalier attitude toward the things of God. 

May we - may I - never be too casual in our approach to a holy God!



"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts."  (Isaiah 6:3 NASB)

Nothing Is Impossible

 "For nothing will be impossible with God."  (Luke 1:13 NASB)

Photographs are great reminders of things that are somewhere deep in your memory, but are brought to mind when the photo brings it back to life. This particular photo is a very special one. It was a banner day in my journey to stroke recovery. On that day in 2017,  I was so blessed and thankful to be able to once again lead our Life Group Bible study. A thing that had once seemed impossible following my stroke.

That memory is especially important to me now that we are dealing with my husband’s cancer diagnosis. And once again I am reminded that nothing is impossible with God.

On that day in 2017 we were studying in the Old Testament book of Ruth. We spent a lot of our time talking about Naomi. If you haven't read it lately, take some time to read Ruth chapter 1. Naomi's story is a sad story. There was a famine. They had no food so Naomi and her family had to relocate to a foreign country. While they were living in the foreign country, her husband died. Then both her sons died. It's a really sad story.

But God made a way for Naomi. God provided exactly what Naomi needed.

Just as God has provided everything I have needed to get through the challenges I have in my post-stroke life. And just as God will provide everything we need in this cancer journey.

Your story may not be exactly like Naomi's story. Or exactly like my story. Or like Al’s story. But you have a story. Each of us has challenges and trials and difficult circumstances to deal with. We all have a story. We all have "stuff" to deal with. 

God provided everything Naomi needed to deal with the challenges of her life. He has provided everything I have needed to face the challenges of my life.

And He is able to do the same for you.

Because nothing is impossible with God!


"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20)