As I promised myself, I am TUCKED IN for the New Year’s Eve night by 9pm. YAY. I had dinner at a friend’s, her cat sitting on my lap, had my eggnog, saw the other new years celebrations online, and I saw 5pm fireworks from the ease of my livingroom. So I’m set. Blessed.
One of the BEST things I did this New Year’s Eve’s day? Not just wash the car and vacuum it, I PUT AIR IN MY TIRES! Mine and the car’s… (Red subaru has been around the block, and so have I, LOL… I’ve got air in my spare too)
ANYWAY… Air in the tires…
We need air and a good BOUNCE over rough spots and to keep running. There is no doubt that we all are gonna need to hit the ground running next year. Not only because 2025 starts in the middle of the work week, but because WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES AHEAD, those that we can see and those we can’t. FAITH DOES NOT MAKE THINGS EASY, IT MAKES THEM POSSIBLE!
Remember that the Lord has already gone ahead AND forgiven the past, so we shouldn’t look in the rear mirror, the challenges of 2024, they are NO MORE… gone with the wash!!!
Sounds like a poem…
Pass passed the challenges of 2024,
Don’t dwell, they are no more.
New challenges are yet ahead,
But relax, do not dread.
2025 will be surely fine,
If we take it one day at a time.
And what about the work galore?
What about this and that chore?
What will 2025 have in store?
You or I don’t know much more.
God does, to be sure, ALL that is in store.
So in truth, we must begin 2025 fresh, with GUSTO GALORE.
And I must to you and myself implore:
Let the Lord put air into our tires, some then some MORE.
It’s that early morning CAT wake up, drives me nuts, but I’m certain it’s not the cat’s fault, it’s ANGEL ARMIES surely, up correcting the situation I’m dreaming about and the cat is the pawn to actually jump on my bed and get ready to bite me awake. Then sits peacefully. Really. Not lying, it HAS to be angel armies. And it’s OK, because it was truly a non-productive dream, I had written stuff in the dream but dreaming that I was frustrated that I didn’t write down awake and it was gone (but I was dreaming about dreaming) and then I was dreaming gardening and food leftovers and being shamed for the waste. I still see the lady’s face, the mushrooms were still good enough but I composted them, ahhh but I know that was NOT a productive dream. And that’s when the cat came out loudly waking me up… 430am, new years eve. And no I don’t have any plans to stay up later, but it’s best that I consult both the cat and the angel armies for that too.
What is good to reflect upon at the end of the year? Not my woes, not my no-go’s. Reflection upon God’s blessings and the releasing of those fruitless frustrations – yes, that’s to be reflected and appreciated. Since I am 55, I have seen 56 new years, and to have a whole next year, Lord willing, that is a blessing in itself. One day at a time.
How about a year to wait on this cat?
Lord willing.
How about a year to spend more time with family? And friends?
Lord willing.
How about a year to spend more time with the Lord?
Lord requested!
How about a year to stress less and smile more?
Lord commanded.
How about a year to get healthier?
Lord please help.
How about a year to roll things off the back more?
Lord-enabled!
What would you do with another year? I know what we should do, we should TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME!
A quick google to find the right scripture, shows AI algorithms that find top picks: Jesus says it in Matthew, and the Psalms say it, and recently I was telling a Jewish friend to not over worry, remember that manna that God provided and DON’T be hankering for any quail. What God provides is both good and sufficient. Even Jesus at the manger was surely provided for, look at the crowded scene of my mom’s nativity.
Jesus? All he needed was provided too. I’m sure He did not worry at that moment. Took Himself as a babe to be in the most vulnerable position, and yet knew the plan going in, speaking of relief of “it is finished” for His numbered days.
So, in Psalm 90, Moses prayed a prayer for us, asking the Lord to direct us, appreciating our God is SOVEREIGN, ALMIGHTY and PURPOSEFUL. Jesus also gave us a prayer for daily doses of HIM, and to not worry…
Really, I will appreciate (even these early morning wakeups), to know Lord that You are in charge and You want us to be productive for You! And appreciative. May we number our days and make the most of them!
Amen (and can someone get this cat some manna?)
Amen and Happy New Year early!
2025 will be fine, one day at a time.
—
Psalm 90
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death – they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.
We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.
—
Jesus said in Matthew 6:5-34
Prayer
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Fasting
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
It’s both a privilege and a need for vacation downtime. It’s not just a change of scenery that helps, but a change of one’s frame of mind in the same scenery, because a staycation even for one day can be so productive mentally for yourself. I’m planning half-days vacation to finish off the year. I’ll probably start my Christmas cards and various projects and just BE.
I enjoyed Christmas here and time up home too, and enjoyed that which was focused on family (work family too) and merriment – and church family and being in a spirit of giving. (Still giving leftovers too)… With new year upon us, and resolutions, it’s an important time to give up the most convoluted stress we hold: OUR EXPECTATIONS. God does remind us to take and live one day at a time, so expectations are our sinful stealing the future away to our own desires. Let us let the Lord lead and fulfill the time instead. God’s got this.
Nicely Christmas becomes (hopefully) a refocus on time with God, because God took the time to be with us, coming to earth. God didn’t just wait for the fulfilment of time to be with us, He made it, meaning He fulfilled it.
So let us take time with God, don’t just wait for it, but make it. Make time you take to be His.
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
Clearly God-dedication times are more mentally productive than anything else. Moments or months are best made by consulting the Lord.
When I take morning time to read and infuse scripture pertaining to my life and/or expounding upon how it pertains to all of us, or a few, it’s a mission of the moment. And absorbing scripture is a personal journey because in sticky situations, when prayed about, one will often be given direction by the scriptures.
God can move mountains, yet it doesn’t mean the instant resolution of problems. So often, like the serenity prayer, one will TRY to discern the things that you can change and those you can’t and the wisdom to know the difference. Best of course to PUT IT ALL in God’s Hands and see what He Hands back and what He doesn’t. We can’t do anything without God. REMEMBER, HE WORKS IN A WAY WELL ABOVE OUR WAYS.
So, in moments before this year’s closes, do not fret over the lost time or over-engineer the future, just BE. Just be in His Time for you. He MADE time and set aside time, we can too.
Walk with the Lord, decompress and all the rest. The Lord always has TIME for us.
Amen
—
Isaiah 55:8-12
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
It’s a great day for a walk. The weather is warm for this time of year. I made a trek to the cemeteries near home. Instead of greenery decorations, I decided to leave some gingerbread cookies… It was a great trip up home and now I’m driving back. Saw fabulous family. Christmas is all about making spirits bright!!! Christmas is Jesus being most humble.
And a walk in the cemetery was nice to remember my grandparents, my aunts uncles cousins… And there it is remembering spirits bright!
Imagine walking with Jesus in His day and now. Jesus walked A LOT, sometimes rode in a boat, and occasionally for purpose He rode an animal. Certainly we know He walked in religious duty to Jerusalem and back, and He walked into the wilderness occasionally for prayer and purpose. Even Jesus, fully God, checked in with God the Father Almighty.
The scriptures tell us: Proverbs 21:3
“To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice” and the infamous important Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
How can we walk closer with Jesus, closing out 2024 into 2025? Trying to not judge others, not judge our past too harshly either, and determine our best approach to the future. Make Spirits BRIGHT! . How about walking consulting the Lord? When we share love we are sharing the Lord. Let us ask Him the best Way in His Way. Walk in His Hand, not stopping either when He is pulling us, not feeling embarrassed when He is carrying us. Just be at HIS pace. Blessed.
And learn from history as we know many did not walk with Jesus. (Like some of Micah’s time.) Let us be His.
Today, tomorrow, 2024, 2025, forever.
Amen
—
Micah 6:1-8
The Lord’s Case Against Israel
Listen to what the Lord says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say.
“Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel.
“My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God
It’s still Christmas for people, for those still celebrating and for those who wait for loved ones delayed in visiting, or are in the hospital. The tree will hold, the fridge will preserve, the date on the calendar means little compared to the celebration stage. Just like every holiday, it is the celebrating that is a state of mind over everything. It’s the REALNESS of the SAVIOR over the symbolism, the CONNECTION over the commercialism of convenience. (And why would precious gifts go 50% off based on a date anyway if they were THAT important in life.) Let us choose Christmas cheer over gifts this time of year.
What’s real Christmas? Jesus arriving! Jesus arriving to fulfill prophesy (as written in Micah 5), be the babe of humble means from Bethlehem in lowly Judah, AND to be wonderful counselor, Jesus to be Mighty King of the ultimate Kingdom, AND to rule as KING upon His return on earth, AND to be acknowledged as KING of our hearts all the days in between… Real Christmas becomes Real Easter… Real Easter becomes a wait to see Jesus return from the heavens… “and He will be our peace…”
What about the Israelites and all the scattered Jewish people? Jesus Messiah will come back for Gentiles and Jews. Micah 5 states about a Savior: He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
Micah educates all that Jewish people will be scattered, but remain loyal to Israel: The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples – AND – lifted up in triumph over your enemies. This is not just ancient history but future prophesy. And with God’s “anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me”,God will surely demonstrate His Almighty Power.
So Jesus keeps Christmas Spirit alive and we worship God for His Greatness, celebrating Jesus for His Mission, and stay tuned to the HolySpirit for directions on giving credit where credit is due: God from ancient old is still current and will reign again on earth. Jesus wants to reign in our hearts forever.
We know it as prophesy AND now TRUTH.
CHRISTMAS continues for those still learning about Jesus. Easter comes for saving all. And Jesus comes again to put all evil down forever.
Amen
—
Micah 5 NIV
A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem
Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.
“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.”
Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.
He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders, who will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrians when they invade our land and march across our borders.
The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.
“In that day,” declares the Lord, “I will destroy your horses from among you and demolish your chariots. I will destroy the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds. I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells. I will destroy your idols and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands. I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles when I demolish your cities. I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me.”
The coming of the Lord at Christmas is such a big deal, in history and in everything, that the story of His people, and the prophesies of WHY He was coming (and will come again), is written down to be retold over and over… Micah in chapter 5 verse 2 gives the location of Bethlehem as Jesus’s birth, and the stories of Isaiah (a contemporary prophet) and of others persisted over the years to tell of the Messiah. Even when there were no new prophets, in a quiet period of new reminders, the cared for writings read and reread kept the Word alive and there are SO MANY prophets like writer Micah. Micah spoke FOR the Lord, to the common people.
Despite the abuses of power (much of these old testament chapters have spoken of broken people, fallible rulers), Jesus, a true Lord and King, was prophesied to be coming for His people Israel AND to be a LIGHT to the Gentiles too.
Micah covered the history of the wandering and the trials of broken people in broken split kingdom times (see chapters 1-3). Micah spoke against the nations who attacked Israel, and spoke concerning Jacob’s people getting delivered by God Himself. It was a continuous hope in the future. Micah 2 states: “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people. TheOne who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.”
And Micah 4:4-5 speaks about the people from Jacob, the Israelites, being chosen: But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God Forever and ever.
Amen
LET US ALL REMEMBER THAT WE WILL WALK IN THE NAME OF THE LORD FOREVER!!!!
Amen and Merry Christmas – continue walking!!!
—
Micah 4 NIV
The Mountain of the Lord
In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.
Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.
Zion’s Future Triumph
“In that day,” says the Lord, “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted; I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a strong nation; So the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on, even forever. And you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor. Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the Lord will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, “Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion.” But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
“Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the Lord, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.”
I was just about to be at the “Dancing through Life” part of the movie, and yet I had an exit plan, meeting the roadside assistance tire repair person outside the theater, and plans to come back in, as I had already chatted with the ticket taker. Plus we took out the spare tire from the trunk in preparation, before going into the movie, and I had already told the tow people that I was in the movie. Seamless plan. Worked out great, had a plan, they knew the drill, so even on Christmas Day in the cold, it was like “Dancing through Life”… all OK… On the donut spare tire now, taking to the shop later today (it was a nasty pothole just before the theater and thankfully we have tire insurance, that plus roadside AAA is so convenient, pays off in emotional calmness for situations). Blessed.
And later now, I was thinking how I (we) escaped into movie land, knowing both the whole storyline in advance AND I certainly will see this movie version again to fill in the missed scenes. It was fine, escaping life for a moment in the movie and also capping off a great day of Christmas home-body joy. Dinner was prepped, eaten and stowed away in the fridge… Good food good people good day, a satisfaction of a finished Christmas prep too. Check Christmas pressure off my list, DONE. So, FLAT TIRE? A mere minor blip in the day. A slow decompression of a leaking tire like my breathing relaxing…. But a tire? Convenient chaos? It’s like knowing the movie in advance that you can anticipate the scary bits and be OK. So, an adventure of teaching today (my youngest’s car, his education), convenient as we both have the day off and an oil change scheduled, hmmm pre-convenient, hmmmm…).
Life has flat tires, but our emotional comfortable confidence to keep moving forward is OK. Insurance pays it forward. Life experiences prepare us. We will be OK. Keep moving.
Let me SWITCH to a separate thought and situation, an unexpected jolt I got 2 days before Christmas, I had learned of an unfortunate passing of a church friend in October, just heard of it now, so strange not to be in the loop then, so thetefore I can not process it now, but will. I was not in the mix of it, oblivious, and another friend, whom I also had not seen in months at my old church, was shocked that I didn’t know. But most there didn’t know until later either. We are curious how she passed, what happened with her cat, of which she sent me a cute fall photo where the cat adopted the table centerpiece. Cute. Our “aged” friend was in “decent enough” health just a week and couple days before she passed, when I had seen her last. So on that day we had gone to a renovated nature trail space, and I mentioned I was going to another friend’s church festival just after, a friend who had suddenly died earlier that year. Hmmm… it was a text message conversation after the nature walk, so I knew the last time I saw her, and it was not unusual for us to not chat for stretches of time. I don’t know her family well either, no connection there. Hmmmm…. (God bless her family, surely in shock.)
In processing hindsight, I’m glad that my friend was in a GOOD PLACE WITH THE LORD and she had an EXIT STRATEGY of TRUSTING THE LORD for all the next steps of LIFE, no matter our ages. A month away from a milestone birthday, she surely had thought about it, even if surely the quickness of it was not in her foresight. What about her stuff? Well, she won’t worry about it now, new life “with her Jesus”. (Prayers for her family for sure, and yet my friend is set in Jesus’s arms).
We know that the Lord is not just “LIFE INSURANCE” – saving us forever – He is also “ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE” – comforting us along the way – paving and paying ahead too. We can stay calm.
It’s like that backlit EXIT sign at the theater, there’s a plan to get out, there’s a world out there to ignore for a moment, an hour, a day – And there’s JOY on earth knowing Jesus came to make the Way AND show the Way.
In the movie I was watching, the wizard was no wizard, he had NO exit strategy nor ability to get the characters through the movie chaos. But OUR LORD??? Not only does He know the EXIT STRATEGY, He IS the EXIT STRATEGY, and Jesus IS the road to travel on too, every step.
Not “follow the yellow-brick road” but “FOLLOW THE JESUS-LAID ROAD” – that should be our life song.
EXIT STRATEGY? Check that off the Christmas list!
DONE
Thank you Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.
Amen
(Praying for you all to have had a peaceful Christmas appreciating Christ.)
A blessing of Christmas is to realize we made it to Christmas, actually it was coming whether we were ready or not. Now, let us be praying for Christmas realization in everyone’s hearts, with Christmas commotion and commodity now to be calmed, if just for a moment. There is no power that could separate us from the love of Christ and the calming He gives us, if we tap into this peace and see His Work within our hearts. Therefore soak in the Savior over every situation.
Recently I saw the glow of the Spirit in the glow of the face of a sweet young lady portraying Mary at a Living Nativity, she BEAMED! The cautious Joseph watched on… The scene a JOY in the middle of chaos as there was a swirl of family chitchatting, kids exuberant in running around, and animals all around. It was a sight to see, but mostly a moment of peace in chaos to know Christmas is Christ coming for you and me, for all.
When Jesus came, it WAS chaos and confusing scenes in the land, times of upheaval and strife. But the few paying attention to the prophets were to know there would be a Messiah, the Lord above all, to be born in Bethlehem. Micah tells of the judgment of the people, but the Savior too, stating Jesus is to be known: AND THIS ONE SHALL BE PEACE.
Peace is a personal journey – let us all know a peace that comes from Jesus and shine this knowledge and contentment of our forever, if just for a moment, if just in a smile.
Merry Christmas!
For now He shall be GREAT To the ends of the earth; AND THIS ONE SHALL BE PEACE.
AMEN
—
Micah 5:1-5, old testament, prophet states: The Messiah Will Be Born at Bethlehem
Now gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
The Coming Messiah
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me THE ONE TO BE RULER in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
Therefore He shall give them up,Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. And HE SHALL STAND AND FEED HIS FLOCK In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And THEY SHALL ABIDE, For now He shall be GREAT To the ends of the earth; AND THIS ONE SHALL BE PEACE.
Recently I was helping a friend get her tree out of the garage, heavy but we were simply rolling it then carrying it by grabbing the white wrapped sheet. Two people easier than one and we got it done. I held the front and she held the back. Then as we stood it up (the weighted tree stand already attracted), we immediately started sliding the white sheet and lifted it up off the top. We had motions of knowing what to do and just then I had a Flashback – I had a Flashback – but not to my history but to ancient history that my soul connected to – I realized we were doing the reverse wrap of what Nicodemus and Joseph of Aramathia we’re doing. They wrapped up the body of Jesus after death, and we were unwrapping this tree of Christmas, breathing life into the Christmas season and situation of the moment, and sighing of accomplishment. We both could be weary of the Christmas prep OR we could be strengthened by the mission of Christ. The completion of burial was but a pause before the JOY of Jesus Forever – the unwrapping of Christmas in our own special way was a forever moment in advance. This surely rang true in my soul as we were friends not just of this earth, but faith friends forever by the power of the Lord. We were in the midst of the Lord in His work of preparation.
From where and when Jesus was laid to rest, we know He rose. And from where He went into Heaven, we know He will comeagain. Our hearts do prepare Him room now by the HolySpirit, our hearts now open up a vintage soul of knowledge as the Lord has set all of eternity in us, and our hearts can find His peace. Now known, our eyes must be those that SHINE that TRUTH. Our hands to motion in His mission. Our vintage eyes hold a mystery of the Lord unveiled in our souls. What a wonderful Christmas gift He gives us, knowing Him. Immanuel, God with us.
So let us prepare Him room by unwrapping the trees, the gifts, but especially our souls for us and for others to know His Love. Let that Love shine…
Merry Christmas eve…
May we be prepared in our hearts, above all else.
Amen
—
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecc3:11
John 1:4-5
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 19:38-42
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
Luke 1:49-55
And Mary said:
“…For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
1Peter 3:15-22
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits – to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
Oh we’re getting down to the wire, and I started placing the ornaments on the tree, it seemed the right timing to start. I put Christmas movies on as well, to help my energy, I need Jesus to Jumpstart my battery. However I was starting to grumble to myself, I was complaining at Christmas, I’m sure it’s common, and there is a natural frustration in the preparation, this time of year. Terrible to say but true. And it IS WORK to pull Christmas decorations presents cards food, etc, all together, isn’t it?! and is it appreciated? etc etc? Hmmm…
Grumble Grumpy Grrrr…
And then…. I saw the reminder word: “JOY”, a JOY ornament engraved on a wood piece…
That’s the ornament sensation that snapped me back to remembering the JOY of Christmas, and it’s not about grumbling. Where’s my JOY? Jesus, help, geeze. I DID have a good day already, so why am/was I grumbling?!!! I did get time for this right now, but the “why didn’t I get help?” creeped in… well, I just then got help: HolySpirit conviction against complaining and a Jesus Jumpstart of JOY. JOY is the focus and the benefit of the season, so JOY has got to be a RETRAINING word, giving us (me) and a better focus on the deep meaning of Chrisrmas being Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.
J.O.Y. can remind us of our priorities:
Jesus
Others
Yourself, in that order. You are last, Jesus is first.
And for Jesus? JOY is a fruit of the spirit given to those who open their hearts to heaven, their focus to growing, their branches to bringing forth God’s fruit.
And yes, my mental shift started, acceptance wise, not just because I like ornaments on my tree too, but that others in my house DO really appreciate it all coming together, any potential visitors would love to see the tree and ornaments. So, in this early decorating, when I found the star that was buried in the ornaments and placed it on the top of the tree I finally got the attention and agreement with the placements position. (And then people in the house started helping, whew…)
Yes, I got the star straight, and I got my priorities re-straight – to think of Jesus is to know He sacrificed and went the extra mile. To think of others is to especially know you can go the extra mile. And yourself? To think of yourself is to remember that you’re going to have forever to sit down and relax, so keep moving now.
And when you think of yourself and forever? Who brings that to you now? Jesus.
We are in the home stretch, so rest well, and rehydrate and rejoice, and re-JOY again and again.
Thank you Holy Spirit for the Jesus JOY reminder!
Amen
PS, later I found the magnet I thought I lost in a pocket, but there it was on my fridge and I misses it – it says: “PRAY HARDEST WHEN IT IS HARDEST TO PRAY” – YES!!!
And like a Christmas tree with hundreds of decorations and plenty of branches to decorate, let us remember that in ourselves there are many places to bear fruit. Jesus, the Vine, said we are the branches, so let’s keep keeping them open for the Lord to hang fruit! The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. Galatians 5:22-23
Jesus will find many nooks and crannies to fill. Don’t expect these from the world, but in yourself as Jesus builds your faith in Him and life to live in God’s love. Especially Lord, please give us of Your JOY!!! Jesus could say J.O.Y. stands for “Jumpstarts, Oh Yeah…”
The laboring of Love, sweeter than anything, tolerant of hot situations, and surely God is in the mix all the time. Love Wins.
Perhaps we are not done with our Christmas prep, I’m surely not. I’m certainly not done with work stuff before setting that aside for a few days vacation. I’m reminding myself that I need to stop prep for Christmas to simply BE in Christmas, for example that the party I attended is actually mentally attended by me IN a Christmas Spirit, IN a jolly mood, IN JOY. And not just needing to collapse on their couch.
Then again, Mary and Joseph were laboring in their day just about now, Mary for sure about to give birth, the innkeepers were laboring busy, the Maji at some point started prep, and as for the gifts – someone labored hard to get them ready to prepare or purchase, and perhaps we all should tip our postal workers and delivery drivers just a little more for their back-breaking work.
Cookies – I attended a very unique if not the best cookie party concept ever – with friends just bringing dough and baking there, and sharing and eating… so just a little prep led then to a chatty fun bake-off… and what amazement to me were there were no duplicates.
The laboring of love, sweeter than cookies, tolerant of hot oven touches, and surely in the mix all the time.
The laboring (for anything) one could have is different when done together, it’s truly “many hands make light work”. And this is true of everything, work work included, and including decorating the tree, which my friend I visited gave me the privilege of placing the angel on. Beautiful. Not laboring there even if I was stretching to reach.
So what’s the labor of getting through day to day that plagues us with stress when we go it alone? What’s the deal with hard to get our selves organized or motivated? We are stuck in the go it alone mentality. BUT are we? NOPE! We HAVE THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY WITH US ALWAYS. Maybe we have stretching to do, like my reaching up to put the angel on the tree, but if we tap into real angel realms of warriors, they can help us!
Jesus may have waited for being born on earth, BUT Him as God already was laboring in LOVE, already fully God. Mary waited for Him too, laboring in love. So it’s OK for us to wait AND labor right now, (just rest your legs more), and appreciate Christmas IN the labor too.
And Rest in LOVE too, because the laboring of God IS in love and for us to know to rely upon Him.
Jesus the Son, God the Father, Holy Spirit the advocate, Three in One, never change like shifting shadows of time. ALL OF GOD IS WITH US ALWAYS, not away or elusive, but surely right here to help. So close, God is allowing and helping every breath.
Ok, making cookies are checked off the list, eating is ongoing, but the sweetness of Christmas? FOREVER…
I didn’t know the snow would stick, it’s BEAUTIFUL!!! Just enough to be pretty, will probably melt later, won’t stick around for a white Christmas, but technically I can say we have snow! It’s even on the winter solstice!
It was sort of predicted, without the hype this time around! I had just gotten my “SNOWBARU” car decorations on, a new wreath this year with big flakes when the real stuff came, unexpectedly, and I appreciated it melting on a busy Christmas-time preparation day. Still much to do…
Expectation and appreciation for a White as Snow situation was unfolding in a manger in Bethlehem, in the Christmas gift of Christ. Isaiah forecasted this, he predicted in prophesy, and became a scribe of the Lord’s special message, for a Savior would come, Who would cleanse the sins of all “WHITE AS SNOW”…
Reading Isaiah, it is clear the earth’s people would take a while to respond, as the prophets told of Jesus coming, but only a few saw the light through the hundreds of years passing… Only a few knew to look. It’s so clear now IN the LIGHT, but for those who walk in darkness still, we pray they see. It’s still a long winter, so much to do before spring. If only we can see the preparation time as purposeful.
Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow”
So, in an AMAZING Way, the Lord brings as CHRISTMAS SNOW – His mercy and grace to last forever – to forgive us – to bring us into His fold. Jesus was prophesied to come to earth and shepherd us, although His physical body melted as snow, pain and sorrow in a short 33years before crucifixion, HE ROSE and rehydrated our lives with His Living Water, and separated our sin far away from us. WASHED CLEAN. Christmas, Easter and Forever.
A gift of a Savior is SALVATION FOREVER. Thank you Isaiah for your forecast. Thank You Lord for the snow, and You as our GIFT.
Now that is perfect Christmas preparation…
Amen
—
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”
Isaiah 51:1-6 NKJV
The Lord Comforts Zion
“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.”
For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
“Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples. My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished.
I had the privilege of joining the girl scouts for some Christmas caroling and cookies and cocoa… Yes Rudolph is a favorite, and so cute was the suggestion to sing rocking around the christmas tree. My friends are amazing with all that they do as moms and teachers and ALSO leaders to scouts, like hundreds of scouts over the years…
I was very pleased to sing: “Joy to the World”!!! AND… Well I didn’t know this (and thank God for Wikipedia), but Joy to the World is NOT a Christmas song, but a highly published poem, mentioning in its lyrics NOT the first coming of Christ, but the SECOND! Oh!!!
OH!!!! Not even ho ho ho, not Christmas. But oh oh oh!!!
So please do give it a listen. And feel the JOY in ANTICIPATION that will be coming, anytime now, when Jesus returns! What a WONDERFUL and FOREVER Christ GIFT that will be!!! That’s truly Joy to the World, to have Jesus start our forever.
He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity. OH OH OH, That’s the full circle with Jesus, the Word from the beginning, then upon Christmas, He Came, and Easter, He Rose, and His Second Coming, He “Proves” the Nations – judging them, seeing them bow down, AND He gives believers forgiveness and that is the equity given to all.
Now that’s a Wonder of HIS LOVE!!!
AMEN
AMEN
AMEN
—
This is from wikipedia:
Lyrics of
“Joy to the World” has four verses, although the third verse is occasionally omitted. [FYI – That third verse connects to the curse of Adam having to toil the ground, Genesis 3]
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
—
This is what Wikipedia says:
“Joy to the World” was written by English minister and hymnist Isaac Watts, based on a Christian interpretation of Psalm 98 and Genesis 3. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts’ collection The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian State and Worship. The paraphrase is Watts’ Christological interpretation. Consequently, he does not emphasize with equal weight the various themes of Psalm 98. In first and second stanzas, Watts writes of heaven and earth rejoicing at the coming of the King. Watts did not write this hymn as a Christmas carol, as the lyrics do not reflect the Virgin birth of Jesus, but rather Christ’s Second Coming. Stanza three, an interlude that alludes to Genesis 3:17–19 rather than to the psalm text, speaks of Christ’s blessings extending victoriously over the realm of sin. The cheerful repetition of the phrase “far as the curse is found” has caused this stanza to be omitted from some hymnals. But the line makes joyful sense when understood from the New Testament eyes through which Watts interprets the psalm. Stanza four celebrates Christ’s rule over the nations.” The nations are called to celebrate because God’s faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world.
—
Psalm 98
Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with 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 peoples with equity.
—
Genesis 3:17-18 KJV
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
I felt the gumption to do some necessary cleaning before work. Wow, it needed it, all that cluttering stuff which blocks me from a clear floor and easy movement. Dangerous!
Importantly I picked up a loose scripture card. It must have fell out for me along the way – Oh, on The Way… Funny pun, Lord. In cleaning, I noticed that my hip didn’t hurt so much, my many sessions of physical therapy are paying off (yes, $ per session equates for more lifetime of strength – it is worth it), plus the people are wonderful, REALLY WONDERFUL. I’ve been feeling the strength and strengthening of my legs and hips AND faith. THANK GOD!! If I say that an injury could be turned into a blessing, it’s like saying (not jokingly): “Lord, Are You Pulling My Leg!?!” – like I can’t believe You have me going through this, yet, Lord, You say: “Find the silver lining, find the blessings of perseverance in the storm.”(yeah see scripture of James, counting blessings from trials). Well, the Lord IS NOT pulling my leg in joking but I CAN say that actually the physical therapists ARE PULLING my left leg, yes pun intended here, they found with my “minor” tear in the hamstring during a twisting motion injury, that one leg slips up SHORTER with a hip rotation (posterior I think), and they rotate and PULL me back to alignment. Mind you, this is not major pain but of that slightly annoying nature. So no joking, pulling the leg is a good thing!
And what was that scripture card? That I picked up with minimal effort and less pain just now? Well, of course the Word is here to STRENGTHEN us. We need to pick up the clues. Well amazingly, the card REALLY read: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” Paul encourages the Philippians and encourages us.
If we have a tough time in anything, let us hold onto the hope of not seeing but knowing internal faith that we will make it through, even STRONGER on the flip side. And let us remember this advice from Paul: “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.“
Yes…
Yes… Jesus Overcame Sin and Death and Will Overcome the rest of our situations too… Let the Lord pull your leg or prod you or push you. Most of all, Let the Lord STRENGTHEN you.
Once in motion, always in motion… The science museum’s cool display of experiments included this one side panel showing a bowling ball and bowling pins FLYING EVERYWHERE by energy transfers… MOMENTUM written in visual cool panel segments that appeared when we moved.
Ah, yes!!! I know the NOT SO HIDDEN message here. The bowling pins shown flying from a STRIKE, are personally reminding me of the Lord knocking down my disbelief system, 10 years ago. “Strike” is a favorite writing. And for all of us, I see the momentum of God’s grace transforming us to be able to live more like Jesus.
And the science museum’s staircase Pendulum also reminded that with momentum, the knock down of little pins time to time is like the faith momentum in us… Objects in motion can be slowed down by friction, but FAITH in motion will continue to move (and be pushed) by the Holy Spirit.
Faith moments from the Lord’s momentum. That’s what happened in Ninevah after Jonah warned them, see chapter 3. Faith was taking on its own momentum and they repented.
Faith opens insight. Sometimes we are rusty and friction laden to get moving. That’s Jonah as a great example. Jonah hesitant to listen to the Lord, was transported by a whale over to Ninevah after he sat in the belly to sulk then sing praise. The warning he DID then deliver to Ninevah became Holy Spirit momentum in saving the people. God relented and forgave. Well, Jonah was used for a big push of moments in their lives, momentum to save could not be stopped. The Lord’s ways are above ours, yes.
Then the pendulum swung back to knock out some pins of Jonah’s self-righteousness and false priorities and anger (see chapter 4). Jonah had anger thinking the Lord really would destroy Ninevah, anger when he saw they were saved. And Jonah had anger when his little piece of sun relief (a shade leaf of a plant) was taken away – that’s us too when we seem to get angry when things don’t go our way… God used the plant as an example (read the cool story below about the worm used to wither it too) to show Jonah that if Jonah could be upset about his little situation, God could too, a bigger situation that God WANTED saved, His people and creations. God DOES long for His people to be saved, to turn their attention to Him, and to put down their worldliness in exchange for God’s forever. So when God saw Ninevah repent, God shared compassion, grace, mercy.
God relented from the disaster. God sent KINDNESS, which Jonah wanted previously himself, wanting God’s forgiveness for running away. So was it right for Jonah to be angry? Jonah was angry that God forgave the people of Nineveh. That’s us too, we become sticks in the mud, however our Living Water Jesus says we are supposed to forgive 70 time 7, to anyone who sins against us. We need to make clear boundaries, yes, but we should take the high road when we walk away from a scene. Can we do it?
Can we take some of God’s momentum energy transfer to also make our moments to forgive? We need to. I bet the angels in heaven are like sitting in the big bowling alley and listening to the sound of pins smashing and flying, coming with each forgiveness transformatin moment on earth. Our moments from God’s Momentum.
Lord, thank you for the reminder on Jonah and in us.
Amen
—-
Jonah 4 NKJV
But it [God giving Ninevah forgiveness, sparing destruction] displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!”
But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”
What a difference a year makes! Just a recheck at the doctor right now, for my youngest, and no worries here, got a GREAT result! I am camped out, our 630am appointment. Last year was nerve wracking a bit, our regular eye doctor, a professor himself, identified a non-issue tiny cyst, surely just that, but wanted it checked anyway. So a year ago we cautiously awaited the tests and eventual great news of yes, just a benign little natural cyst. Now, a year later, a recheck and like camping in the waiting room, it’s a PROCESS, tons of people here, a four hour staged set of exams and consultation. It is know a known, what a difference a year makes, no worries and grateful for good medical insurance and doctors and health care, yeah!
What a difference a quick year makes, continued marching into the future… and WHAT A DIFFERENCE 10 YEARS MAKES!!! 10 YEARS now of my Spiritual Awakening season in life, when the Lord appointed the time to knock my socks off in a Christmas Flood, rolled STRIKES knocking down my disbelief system, and flooded my dry soil, causing me to think my head was exploding and causing me to write out my whole awakening. Wow, 10 years. 10 years, over 2000 writings now…
It’s not just a time to stop and marvel, even though I do sometimes, it’s a KEEP MOVING and PRAISING season for me, for a reminder of all our faith lives…
I do praise God’s grace and mercy and love in our lives, peace in pur purpose
I did not know then, for why I wrote this piece – but obviously now, the Lord was telling me to prepare my soul and brain for rain… the new reign of Jesus in me… this was a crucial start of my flood of awakening!
I wrote this and a diatribe before and a Lego Christianity piece after, and I then hid them in my car, hid all my first couple dozen writings in my car. I thought I was going crazy…
I don’t hide them anymore… and I cherish the years of being able to know to reach for the Lord.
Thanks Lord for my Christmas Flood Dec2014 – Feb2015, 10 years ago now! I posted into a blog one year later… I’m now over 2000 blogs with over 100 followers online.
CHRISTMAS FLOOD, 17DEC2014
This is my pivotal first piece to process what I didn’t know what was coming to me – a monumental earth-shattering life change – but it came… like a FLOOD
Christmas Flood, 17DEC
Christmas is like a flood of spiritual emotion, not a light or sustained soaking rain that allows the parched ground to slowly open up and absorb the much needed rain. Christmas is like that short downpour deluge of flooding rain, where only some water gets to the plants and the rest runs off into the gutters or low points. Like in modern construction, we (our spiritual souls) need to set aside flood plains, safe drainage areas so that the spiritual seeds that we have planted all year long aren’t washed away … that the parched spiritual soul is not choked by flood waters. So we can nurture, patiently, our delicate growing belief that God works in our lives every day.
We need sustaining rainfall. We pray for rain, yet do we prepare for it? In the movie “Facing the Giants”, the coach of a “bad news bears”-like football team is finding the need for an emotional awakening (as well as improved football skills) both for his team and himself. A colleague relates to him the story of the two farmers in a drought…two farmers looked to God for rain, but only one prepared for it, so which fields receive the much needed rain? The gist of the quote from the movie is:
“I heard a story about two farmers who desperately needed rain. And both of them prayed for rain, but only one of them went out and prepared his fields to receive it. Which one do you think trusted God to send the rain?” Well, the one prepared his fields for it. Which one are you? Mr. Bridges (the older advisor) continued. “God will send the rain when He’s ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it.”
“Which one are you? God will send the rain when He is ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it.”
Christmas finds us year after year flooded with buckets of wasted non-nourishing rain, excessive tinsel-covered giant hailstones and mud mud mud clogging and blocking our spiritual path…. If only we set up rain collection barrels to collect the deluge of Christmas excess rain to save some for watering our souls after the new year, to use all winter until we get to the next soaking rains of Easter, the greens of spring, the rebirth thru resurrection.
How can we prepare for rain? How can we dig trenches for excess while welcoming the much needed spiritual lift that comes with a baby in a manger. How can we? Pray. Pray for guidance. Pray for peace and clarity in your heart. Pray for the calming presence of God. And prepare. Prepare for the arrival for both spiritual and non-spiritual abundance. While you need to appreciate and delineate between the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and that of the showy, wing-flapping commotion caused by angels dragging your soul to the cradle…while you need to appreciate and delineate between your heart bursting with Christmas joy (think Dr Seuss’ Grinch’s heart growing “three sizes that day”) and your head saying ‘slowdown, wait, don’t get swept away with emotion’ ….
Either way, you need to prepare your fields for rain.
I love the little reminder that pops up on Facebook with an image of the Nativity and the statement that “The first Christmas was pretty simple. It’s okay if yours is too.” This significant statement both allows us to not be overwhelmed with elaborate, but also to remember what makes Christmas Christmas, and that is the Christmas Christ Child. Keep Christmas simple but don’t minimize the importance.
Christmas is spiritually complex as well as simple easy, in that Jesus did all the work, Mary labored in birth and Joseph labored in traveling and shepherding and Jesus labored in making it all come to fruition – human pain in and out of this world and God-level pain in the lamb being slain.
My pre-christmas weekend was filled with decorating and decorations, mine (got my tree lights on plus swept the empty boxes out of the living room as my “village” is now set up), and seeing the decorations of others especially helping a friend sell lots of treasures, plus seeing neighbors’ lights and etc…. I loved seeing the creches, new and old, as reminder of the real reason of the season… And I decompressed one moment in the sunshine Saturday, untangling mixed strands of golden plastic garland that called to me while I rested my feet sitting in a porch rocking chair.
UNTANGLED!!!
Isn’t that our Christmas prep in a handful – TANGLED and then UNTANGLED or put back away still tangled for next year. Let us try to untangle it all. That’s our mental challenge for Christmas: a mixture simple beauty with the glitter of unsimple reality. It’s the hype that gets us – There is hype of the weather and you realize it’s only rain. There is hype of the news, yet if you shut off your viewing of the media blitz, you can live in the moment more clearly than living in fear. Then there is hype of the Christmas Season, ALL TANGLED WITH BUSY!!! Life TANGLING what JESUS ALREADY UNTANGLED.
Jesus untangled the evil puzzle well before time on this earth began. The real meaning of Christmas is to give Jesus the opening on earth to crush evil, “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel”, and to now await His return. Jesus won, Jesus wins. We could celebrate in awe of the power and sorrow of the need for Jesus. And yet let us live in spiritual soothing, live in joy and live in a victorious mentality. Not our victory but His, yet the spoils we enjoy are eternal life. Not that’s the present to unwrap! JOY in knowing our home is heaven! Imagine THAT tree of life!
Keep Christmas special and simple by remembering the JOY equating thinking of JESUS, then OTHERS, before Yourself. J.O.Y.
J Jesus
O thers
Y ourself
That’s keeping Christmas simply but NOT MinimizingLY.
It was an instance of God finding a way to get me off the couch and into the car and to a place I had wanted to go but just sat on the couch in busy day collapse… My friend neighbor lost her keys, I jumped in the car to help and she found them as I drove. Well, now on the road, I instead got to the historical mansion tour that I wanted to view, for which I am a member and help on occasion… This occasion the place was beautifully decorated for Christmas with demonstrations – and I had the most interesting conversations about sewing machines with one presenter and chocolate with another. So interesting about sewing machines and the people who invented them and also got them into common people’s houses – millions in the 1800’s – livelihood and necessity for sure – and they sold them by subscription, paying just a little at a time. Interesting how they caught on in America and Europe. The woman brought 10 with her – stated that she had 100 total mostly tredle machines – that actually they are not expensive nowadays as collectables because there are really lots of them – fewer people keep them. I liked how she was VERY knowledgeable about facts that are obscure and we both agreed that they were less collectible now because people really collect things that they themselves are nostalgic about – that Star Wars toys from the 70’s and LEGO sets that collect high prices for used items – whereas old toys fading from memories of people also fading are not as valuable. That’s a truth of fads, they fade. She then made the interesting comment that the next generation is starting to no longer knows who Elvis is – nor Betty Boop – and people’s memories, like those collectibles’ values, will depreciate … “Nostalgia – people pay for NOSTALGIA” – that’s what she said.. I am not sure that forgetting Elvis is close to happening yet – but I understand the concept of fading nostalgia- and surely last century’s “must haves” are turning to dust like us. So, yeah, if you never heard of someone like Elvis then you won’t know the craze that accompanied the paraphernalia etc… Like I like the old pushpin ornaments, reminding me of my grandma and of making them, but that won’t be a memory of my kids…
How wonderful is our God, Who keeps His stories alive and relevant. Yes. someone who has not faded away in memory is Jonah – and it is not just the whale of a tale that people know him for – it is both wonderful and spiritually not surprising that the bible story is captivating. For Jonah, our curiosity is cultivated and the text is preserved. AND we also learn and know a BIG Someone – Who is ALSO known – GOD HIMSELF! We learn about God in how He deals with Jonah and the people of the day. Jonah, in the travels to Ninevah where the whale spit him out, was directed to tell Ninevah what God wanted them to hear – TO REPENT – to put on sackcloth and fast. And guess what? Ninevah’s people had HEARD of God – and then THEY LISTENED! They also knew of HOPE – that God might relent and forgive – this also apparently was God’s reputation. Nineveh repented as demonstrated and ordered by the King. God saw this and He DID forgive.
GRACE – that never goes out of style – is forgiveness and fostering faith following.
This story of Jonah is related to Jesus and God’s Plan by Jesus Himself, recorded in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus said the people who yearned for forgiveness will rise up and condemn the generation that both did not realize Jesus was God, and especially did not repent. God’s grace can be given but it must be recognized. Jesus was and is to be known by His Grace and Love.
Who knew that both Elvis and God were invested in a place called GRACEland!!!
Amen
—
Jonah 3 NIV
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
—
Matthew 12:38-42 NIV
The Sign of Jonah
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Jonah is here.”
Isn’t it funny when you overhear a conversation? Whether you’re supposed to hear it or they wanted you to hear it or they didn’t care if you heard it… It’s like being on the train and any conversation you have you have to realize other people hear… maybe we should talk about forgiveness more than griping, just a thought…
Well, the phrase I heard was: “I don’t know them from Adam.” Hmmm…. Agreed. We don’t know most people, or how they got from Adam or much about them. True. But in overhearing that statement, whether the person wanted me to hear it or not, they obviously didn’t know me from Adam either and how I would interpret any conversation from them. And for me, I write, I process, I read a room, I interpret. (And often we need to forgive even before we hear.)
One can say “l don’t know you from Adam”, but I’d have to respond with saying: “But you do know Adam, RIGHT?” … YEAH, If you knew Adam, you would know attributes of each person. It’s humans being broken, people having confusion, sometimes having moments of preservation sometimes warranted, sometimes greed, and people who hide their insecurities and wrongs. Knowing Adam means that we should know that people can be influenced by evil influences and lose track of how much God loves them. And you would feel God’s pain at the lack of peace. Surely we know God is Peace and He wants to be known.
If you knew Adam, you would also know that he would know the brokenness in families and culture, especially with Adam being father to Cain and Abel, one family filled with jealousy and seemingly got to the breaking point. Adam would see one rule follower and one who didn’t obey or didn’t understand the sacrifices necessary. One would likely feel compassion for the complications Adam lived with, especially banished from the garden of provisions, now having to toil harder.
That’s how we can look at people. And know without knowing.
That’s how we can have compassion, sometimes tough love, and sometimes just walking away. Forgiveness is key.
And how about that second Adam? Do you know the second Adam? Not the replacement model but the Restoration Role? We know the second Adam as Jesus. Recovery, Restoration, Really Ready, Real, Righteous, Redeemer. REACHING TEACHING LOVING. Jesus came to do all these things and He also came SO we would know Him and His servanthood, and know the path TO the Father is through Him. Jesus came and God wanted Him to be known as the Savior, the Sacrifice, and gift of the Spirit of God into each of us from before the world was formed.
We do know Adam and THANK GOD, we DO know Jesus. It’s important to know people are people. We have to be careful and at the same time, WE HAVE TO LOVE. We have to often steer clear and we have to sacrifice and walk into situations. Serving the Lord means sticky situations with humans like Adam, but clean consciousness of working with them in Living Water washed hopes.
At any rate, make sure we introduce the Jesus we know to the Adam’s we know… INCLUDING OURSELVES. Because certainly we do know Adam and have met him endless times. AND Prayerfully we do know Jesus and how to apply Jesus to a situation. Remember, Jesus already saved, God already won, so we are finishing out our time on earth here, picking up His process to peace, until Jesus comes again.
Amen and Peace
—
Isaiah knew these folks of darkness, all from the separation doing of the devil: ch8:20-22
Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.”
Isaiah knew of the HOPE: ch9:6-7
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called:
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE.
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
It was just nice to have someone else plan the work party events, that’s how I adapted to an event choice that I thought at first was a bit iffy for the crew [and what a great crew we have]. Well, I was wrong about the iffy, we were grateful to have had a good time with great people. And we invited some of the former members of the department as well.
So yeah, I originally thought “well I didn’t NEED yet another trinket nor mug from a ceramics painting event”, and I don’t, but I was GRATEFUL to see on the top shelf of ONE I really COULD add to my Christmas collection, inside and out, and so I painted Mary and Joseph holding Jesus.
Ah, the Christmas scene is one envisioned much better than I could paint, and yet Isn’t that true where we put our own colors upon the opportunity of life. And therefore, and since the piece was just within our budgeted level, I embraced it and started painting 88 fleshtone, 13 basic brown, 35 bright blue, and prevailing purple to represent royalty in the Lord, even as a babe, in which scripture tells us Jesus was plain and unremarkable in appearance. I was grateful to have no embarrassment in expressing faith at work, especially with us having a multi-faith ERG employee resource group now at work, SO I gleefully painted and remarked how nice it was to simply sit and paint and relax. Ahhhh…
Embracing the Faith, gifted of the Lord, Who embraced us before we were even born.
Immanuel is “God With Us” and the scriptures remind us that God with us is also now: “GOD WITHIN US”. I enjoy the image portrayal of the ceramic showing the surround of Joseph around Mary around Jesus. It is the inside glow and greatness, for which I did attach earthly golden and deep purple colors to. It will show vividly after the ceramic has gone through the fire.
Isn’t that us too? Our spirit shines brighter after going through the fire. Faith is kindled and cools our furnace fiasco, our unquenchable burn through life. God gives direction from within, Holy Spirit flames and Living Water become steam to keep moving us like a locomotive, simmering like a cup of tea, and in awe of quiet peace in our souls like a sweet moment of a baby, a mom, a dad.
Now, we envision this scene from a little bit of clay, but really the simplest of portraits would not capture our hearts image. Isaiah said Jesus would be plain: “There is no beauty that we should desire Him” – so isn’t it most remarkable what our souls see over earthly eyes.
God With Us is Now God Within Us. Can not have a better view than that.
” A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Amen
—
Matthew 1:20-25 NKJV… behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
—
Isaiah 53 NKJV
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked – But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
—
Luke 2:25-35 NKJV
Simeon Sees God’s Salvation
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
The weather was so horrible yesterday for driving, and with all my errands plus commute, I clocked my time in the car in hours. When I got home, I was happy to be home. Living on a hill, I simply ignore everything going on outside. An occasional wind gust caught my attention otherwise I was not thinking about it, yes in a zoom call and then watching a TV show which is outside reaching me, otherwise IN is IN. Oblivious to the outside, until I laid down for bed and over my head out the window, I saw the moon beaming… The storm had passed and I was reminded of looking out. But quickly was asleep.
This is when I realized that my day, our experiences, are like being INSIDE the belly of the whale. Like Jonah do we have insight from being INSIDE the whale? Yes, I was protected inside the belly of the whale of my house, earlier surely protected in my subaru with great tires and traction, protected in my building looking out, and protected in my own mind with knowledge that God is in control. Even the zoom conversation of the crazy news did not deter me from knowing God certainly knows what is going on… (really we must be watchful but not frozen in fear)... When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord…
Oh – fear frozen? Jonah was not frozen but stuck, yeah. Was he fearful? Well yeah! Jonah must have been, but in his many days of adventure, I bet he thought about God being in control, I’m sure he remembered that terrible ship tossing and turning, and being in the water with no hope there. So, was Jonah grateful for the whale?
I don’t know about bellies of whales, but I wonder if Jonah had opportunity to listen for the whale coming up to the surface for breathing. Maybe that sound was like me seeing the moonbeam, a sign of hope in the darkness.
How often we are in the belly of the whale?!!! Rescued but still in danger, transportation in scary surroundings but not yet there. With hope but still seeing hellish times around us. Closing the door to ignore outside, only to see the outside invade our minds… Thinking we need a bigger whale, with breathing room. We have One = our lives realizing God is in control.
Yes, we are in a whale of a delivery from sin and death to salvation. This whale gives us the moment to say Lord, please rescue me.
When we feel like the walls of the whale and gastric juices are going to destroy us, remember it was the Lord who SAVED Jonah and brought him to his appointed duties THROUGH the awfulness of the mix. Remember, we too are still in this crazy life and times mix, listening for that breathing hope… And are we clinging now to the whale or wanting to be regurgitated into our days to get us to see the people God wants us to see, to do His work, which might be delivering a message of warning or of deliverance.
Was Jonah grateful for the whale or the whole rescue from his fear and from his disobedience? Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. Well, in hindsight YES! Was Jonah thankful for seeing the light after his time in darkness? In hindsight yes, and surely in the moment. In foresight perhaps too, because despite surviving the ship tossing and despite surviving the whale adventure, Jonah STILL had to do the original tough job up in dangerous Nineveh.
Don’t we have a ‘whale of a tale’ of how God pulled us out of the sea, but maybe we are still in this whale? Or maybe we have realized that regurgitation and now, we are IN our dangerous Ninevah, speaking of the SALVATION of God, of the KNOWING of Heavenly Hope.
If we have a whale of a tale, of warning or hope, it is certainly that we should have HOPE, AND THEN SHARE THAT HOPE.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Amen
—
Jonah’s Prayer and God’s Answer
Jonah 2 NKJV
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said:
“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me.
“Out of the belly of Sheol [Hell] l I cried, And You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.
“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.
“Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.”
So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Quite unusual to remember dreams, yet NOT unusual to have a vivid dream, one that woke me up. I dreamt for some reason that I was a new professor going to give a lecture, on PHYSICS, wow, like high-school level or college, yet the kids were little kids and the fellow professors came too, to evaluate me. Weird. The lecture hall was humongous and old and lots of noisy stuff was going on, like people were wandering in and out. And then I shut the doors and started the lesson energetically. The lesson was to be about potential energy. And?
Well, I started in a way to grab attention in the chaos, started with a light hearted comedic routine, a conversation about someone having potential… They could potentially do this or that… And I was just about to grab my transparencies and start the lecture officially, talking about potential energy, when I woke up.
HMMM…
Isn’t that the truth? When we wake up, we put our personal potential energy and potentially EVERYTHING we have to use.
What will we do today???!!! The potential is endless.
This interestingly, does relate to the next chapter as I’m reading and writing through the Old Testament – and what a blessing to stumble upon an old favorite – Jonah – and to get new INSIGHTS (and I don’t just mean looking from inside the whale).
INSIGHT IS FOUND LOOKING INSIDE YOUR LIFE, HEART, and HOPE in relation to these scriptures.
And the Lord, day to day, has insight into our own motivation, and fear, and that is where we start with Jonah, his fear. The Lord wanted him to go to a place he didn’t want to go and do the work of the Lord that he didn’t want to do, even so much to tell the people on the ship that he was running away from God. We do know that we can’t run away from the Lord. And He will remind us to count upon Him.
I have a friend who’s always saying that she’s gonna go to H.E. double toothpicks and not to Heaven. And that does pertain to Jonah, because the Lord does want us to be with Him, shepherded so much that we don’t get there by our works, only by His pull, His whale of a plan. Christmas-time is also perfect for discussing HOW the Lord came into the world for His mission, a mission to SAVE. Jesus accepted and fulfilled the mission, because the Lord does NOT want us to go to H.E. double toothpicks. Jesus came to the world to free us from the whale of woe, and bring us to Heaven. And that is our potential EVERYTHING, Jesus leading the way.
There’s lots of exciting things in the story of Jonah and there are movies and books and whales of tales (and tails). Jonah, even though he was a prophet, did not want to go preach at Ninevah, the city that was corrupt and scary. He jumped on the boat in the other direction and the storm raised by the Lord made the whole ship fearful. Here’s the part that I somehow breezed over in all my many readings of these chapters, (thus the reason to reread and get new insights), the sailors cast lots to identify Jonah as the cause. Cast Lots! The Lord surely stacked the deck against Jonah hiding, the Lord has the potential EVERYTHING to make ANYTHING go His Way, from lots (chance tickets) to storms, to people, to evil itself all working towards the purposes of the Lord.
Potential Everything… for Jonah, God got him to fess up, jump overboard to save the ship, get swallowed up in a whale for protection and direction and contemplation, because God knew He wanted Jonah for this job.
Potential Everything… for us to!!! God wants us to participate in the basics to the extravagant to the everything, in life. First the basic: BELIEVE. Next the potential: LISTEN. And of course the EVERYTHING: FOLLOW God’s Lead.
Jonah teaches that God will give us the motivation-moving whale too! Jonah shows that our faith will IMPACT other’s faith. Our willingness to BELIEVE and LISTEN and FOLLOW IS the Bible teaching that our lives can demonstrate. Don’t need to let others cast lots to find you, be BOLD in your potential energy to SHINE the Light, and then keep moving.
And apologize too for missteps – we are all prone to them – hopefully they don’t rock the boat too much. Jonah apologized, and made the proper correction at that point. And if we are in a storm, we need to cling to the Lord for calming it.
Well, lots of potential EVERYTHING to learn from the story of Jonah.
May we all see the light for when the whale’s mouth opens and spits us out into today’s POTENTIAL EVERYTHING adventure.
Amen
—
Jonah 1
Jonah Flees From the Lord
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
Jonah’s Prayer
Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
It’s that busy time of year entering the holidays and actually being in them without having done practically anything. I have eaten so many Christmas cookies from others, but my preps are crumbles in comparison.
And as for myself? Taking care of myself? Seems both selfish and sanity-necessary. That was the conversation between me and my physical therapist (still stretching this partial hamstring tear) and the lady stretching on the table next to me. Physical therapy, 2 hours twice a week is “me time”… funny but true, and we pay for it too.
I mentally said that in this season, something has got to give. Probably we all think that level between giving up and going forward. Like transporting the decorations to my office, but they sit in the box. Like needing to work on stuff and take vacation. It’s like giving into anxiety versus redirecting energy. It’s a rut we keep digging deeper into and not building stairs instead.
We do need to mentally say: this will happen and this won’t. And it does take something like a hamstring tear (or fill-in your issue here) to stop and work on yourself. Physically and mentally.
Mentally, however, I think (know) what “has to give” IS my STUBBORN head trying to DO this whole life thing ON MY OWN. No, I don’t mean just getting Christmas prep done, I mean mentally I need to RELY ON THE LORD 100%. That’s the rift that’s worse than a minor hamstring pull or losing a whole leg, that’s a rift of our will from HIS WILL, and from His guidance and abilities. God DOES know best, why do we struggle in being blind to it. If I complain about my rift compared to His? Hmmmm….
That’s the something that has to give, my (our) lack of consulting the Lord in advance, in the moment, in the struggle, in the JOY, in the EVERYTHING. And our “give” has to be giving back in PRAISE first. And then everything will follow.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow, including the ones we have not yet realized were from Him.
I have experienced God placing me, pausing me, pushing me. Haven’t you? I have. I have received and been relieved, so why would I not expect Him to hear my call? I guess, I must know that in giving up my gripes, my mental mouth will quiet and I will hear His voice instead.
Something Has Got to Give? That would be kicking out my stubbornness, my will, my wants. Something Has Got to Give? Give in? My ears to listen. Give out? My praise for Him. Give? Myself.
10 years today I wrote a diatribe venting of my faith, and I realized then in part and realize now that it was me in unbelief with a higher distribution than me in faith. I needed to give 200% to God (that really 1100% as 100% of me with 1000% Jesus), remembering that God’s got this even if we don’t know or understand everything. WHY SHOULD WE? God’s ways are above ours. We need to listen to Him, and obey.
An abundant life is abundance from Him, and abundant listening and obeying from us.
Let us give God the DEVOTION over the “doing this all myself” attitude.
Thank you Lord.
Amen—
An Invitation to Abundant Life
ISAIAH 55
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you – The sure mercies of David. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the Lord your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
“For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
The video of the Bible Project is a good summary of the book of Obadiah and of understanding how God set up a complicated but consistent God’s Plan, His Sovereign Ways, His Judgment of all, and how Jesus did and will uncomplicate the worst of complications by defeating the evil that goes against God. God’s ways are MUCH higher than our ways.
Video of Obadiah explained here:
One complication we know is of within our families – and small scale complications feels big scale in small units. Nation against nation is big and complicated too, especially when we know people within them who are friends and even family. To God, all people are family, and it’s all been complicated from the start. Adam’s children Cain and Abel, then the history of the lineage of Israel’s Jacob from his brother Esau is life being complicated and sticky. This continued in Jacob and Esau’s descendants Israel and Edom folks, where Edom took advantage of Israel being captured by Babylon. God promised judgement on any nation against Israel, and that’s a huge conversation that can still be discussed to this day. God’s family dynamics are just as (much more) complicated than ours!
However what’s even bigger in God’s power and realm, is His Plan to get us past all the problems. And the end of Obadiah speaks to this
“The pride of your heart has deceived you” – this pertains to all of us and we could judge situations and others, and God could and will judge us. This is yet another reason for us to praise the gift of grace in Jesus. Not just what we get from Jesus, now, but what we already got – we got God’s plan planned out, our job is to follow through in faith. We also get the mercy for not being punished as we could be. And what we WILL get, is to watch all nations bow down to God one day, and all evil fall, knees down, to be humbled before the Lord who will destroy evil once and for all. (See the book of Revelation.)
Life will get worse before it will get better, so hold onto the hope which is holding on to you.
And family dynamics? Best to grin and bear it, in the holidays and always. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Love never fails.
Amen
Obadiah
New King James Version
The Coming Judgment on Edom
The vision of Obadiah.
Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying,“Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle”):
“Behold, I will make you small among the nations; You shall be greatly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the Lord.
“If thieves had come to you, If robbers by night— Oh, how you will be cut off!— Would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape-gatherers had come to you, Would they not have left some gleanings?
“Oh, how Esau shall be searched out! How his hidden treasures shall be sought after! All the men in your confederacy shall force you to the border; The men at peace with you
Shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it.
“Will I not in that day,” says the Lord, “Even destroy the wise men from Edom, And understanding from the mountains of Esau? Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau May be cut off by slaughter.
Edom Mistreated His Brother
“For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever. In the day that you stood on the other side— In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, when foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem— Even you were as one of them.
“But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; Nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction In the day of their calamity, Nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress.
“For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; as you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been.
Israel’s Final Triumph
“But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness; The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,” For the Lord has spoken.
The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. And the captives of this host of the children of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the South. Then saviors shall come to Mount Zion To judge the mountains of Esau, And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.
Contemplating Christmas is the shift of the season… my taking a half day off on Friday helped me move into Christmas mode… (plus wearing my Santa pants for comfort and warmth…)
The best inspiration? FRECKLES…
Seeing the FRECKLES of the sweet little girl’s face was seeing the CUTENESS of the season. I was at a Friday night girl scout party helping with the crafts, in charge of the hot glue gun, PERFECT for my skillet and my non-afraid finger burning. I am experienced in that by choice, hot glue guns over white glue are to crafts what the electric sewing machine is to a needle. Faster.
The FACES of the scouts, yeah 150 plus for a rocking dance, cookie, craft event, a service unit MEGA holiday event, were a reminder of the SWEETNESS of children. The beauty of seeing how God made us in His Image is seeing fresh faces. The faces of asking, trusting, and thoughtful crafting minds were the highlight of the evening, better than the Christmas cookies (which were SO GOOD), better than the event I just had left, a tree lighting out in the cold with Santa on his fire truck, BETTER than sitting on my couch contemplating Christmas containers in preparation… (Don’t worry, it will all get done somehow)…
Christmas is best prepared in the heart. Christmas is best shared in the hope. Christmas is KNOWING the LIGHT of the season and SHINING alongside… it’s not necessary to get in the flashy part of Christmas, just the spiritual part.
My Christmas prep includes visiting holiday houses, music programs, etc. And yet helping is better than watching. And those freckles? I was a freckled faced kid too, in sweetness we can help guide the next generation to know sweetness in the Christmas season.
Isn’t Christmas seeing the image of hope in the children? It was surely the hope of Jesus to see people believe in the desire of God, the King of Glory, to come directly to earth to be God with us, Immanuel.
So, here’s a reminder that you and your own face can help make Christmas bright, so get out there and SHINE… A SHINING face is the HEART of God beaming through the rest of life’s ups and downs… Don’t cloud Christmas, let it reign.
Keep Christmas special. Christmas is for children at heart, of all ages.
Amen
—
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.
They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – he is the King of glory.
Allow me some time to reminisce that it is ten years ago that the Lord was making me “aware of the need to share” – and Facebook was and is a great sharing tool, but it had to blossom into blogs that I could write to order my thoughts and move onto my day. Writing is Journaling. Blogging is exploding. Faith is For Faith’s sake, wherever the Lord’s pulling you.
I certainly did not know, 10 years ago, of our HolySpirit gearing up to EXPLODE in my mind, when the Lord would say “GO”! There’s lots of writing about His Wow, and of methodical teaching me scripture, and lots of processing in between. I knew 2000 writings ago that I was forced into faith sharing electronically to SAY 100% Jesus, I believe in You now… (I’ve even written about that Feb 1, 2015)…
WELL, 10 years ago, I was at my beloved Christmas family band dinner and concert. We had moved to the area 13 years prior (so 23 years now) moved away from family. It was tough and the church embraced us sweetly. The Christmas band concert was a jump start to my Christmas being the first Sunday of December. My first one, 2002, I sobbed crying in the back because my 1 yr old daughter was improving from a bout with RSV and my family was not going to drive home up north. Sobbed and sobbed but this Christmas dinner became my dinner of faith family.
Fast forward… a blessing in the pain…
And DINNER? YUM! Ham, pineapple stuffing, and those little round potatoes from a can in butter and parsley. My kids love them, still buy the cans. (And thanks to the rice pudding angel too, yum…)
At dinner that evening I heard “Come to the Cradle” – “come and find peace” – the Michael Card song for perhaps the first time – this song and singing became my awakening montage – recorded – surely listening 1000 times that season as our worship leader, my now friend, sang it so sweet and in a calling way to really “come and find peace“… In HolySpirit fashion, our sound manager handed me a cd copy of the concert afterwards so I could make recordings for shut ins. Who knew my own faith was shut in TRAPPED in my ego, pride, busyness and ignorance. That was about to change. OH YEAH…
Ten years ago, I can ALSO see and feel the moment of our discussion (probably one of the first, as our contemporary worship leader was fairly new and I didn’t go to those praise band services after traditional service, especially since I was busy in Sunday school), talking about something faith related in the doorway to the dinner and our pastor beckoning him to come eat, but him holding up a “one moment” gesture as he sensed a faith conversation that was immediately important. It was weeks later that it was crucial for me to seek his input to my head explosive in a faith awakening I never saw coming. Real. Really real… GOD. No one else but God.
There’s 10 years of stories and WRITING especially those that first 2 months Dec 2014 – Feb 2015 (with writings that I retroactively posted into blogs after I realized God wouldn’t let me NOT write). So 10 years later, my broken record to some, that I am STILL celebrating the Lord’s victory of awakeningly “putting my head on straight”. Gratefully, my heart was already ready to receive my King… “Every heart prepare Him room.” is what I wrote on that Facebook post on Christmas band concert/dinner day. Yes, the Lord was “in the room” that day and started rearranging the furniture to make MUCH MUCH MORE room in mine!
Thank You Lord!
(Thanks for reading my ramblings)
Here is my Facebook page post, 10 years ago today, and screenshots. The Nativity I placed on my lawn today is a welcome sight to my heart AND mind ready to behold – AMEN:
Dec 7, 2014
“When they say on airplanes: “put your oxygen mask on first before you help others with theirs” – well this also pertains to me and Christmas – i energize and prepare myself for Christmas so that i can spread the joy the rest of the month. An annual tradition at my church fills me with joy – the wonderful Christmas Band Dinner and Concert – this means dinner with a church family who have embraced me and our family in the last 13 years we have been here. It includes not only the moving brass and woodwind ensemble but my favorite sing-a-longs… it feels oh so good to sing the carols no matter how awful i sound!
i have given up that notion of waiting until the end of the month for christmas – and I am allowing myself the whole month of December for Christmas – four whole weeks to share the love of the Christmas season – from teaching sunday school to seeing the lights to being part of the living nativity – eating pineapple stuffing to laughing while doing dishes – i am so blessed to have my church family! Every heart prepare Him room.”
A blessing to remember childhood levels of joy in the Christmas season. Today is Saint Nicholas Day, a Czech European traditional feast day of a saint who shared money and gifts with children. Beautiful in tradition.
But where’s the sets of our Saint Nicholas stash now? My St Nick gifts were candy and such back then, but now I think from the American dream of purchasing power in the 50’s 60’s 70’s 80’s plus, our sacks have EXPLODED. And stuff now stashed in our tucked away buckets and bins. Me too. I’ve got my house, and mom’s and a farmhouse and more… not saying that we have to deal with it, but we probably should…
Such treasures are STUFFED and surely the tree and gifts under the tree won’t get there until the tree stand is uncovered – and not just tinsel but a total MOVEMENT of our maybes into motivated movements. Christmas FLASH from the STASH won’t be flailed up until we get the STUFF out. The stash is STASHED… maybe *yes MAYBE* today I plan a half day of work and then HOURS to decorate this weekend, or at least move the buckets downstairs. Saint Nicholas is now crushed in every corner embedded with other stashed stuff. Serious stuff.
Here is the flipside of us needing stuff: the geyser-levels of GETTING RID OF STUFF. You can’t take it with you and Santa can find you again with new stuff. Time to pare down or just walk away… So, my friend is moving cross country, and needs to STEP AWAY from what she STASHED and STOWED and SHEPHERDED from three families of SWEET memories. Seventy plus years of stuff (I don’t know how long, but SEVENTY starts with an “S” like Stuff)… Sure, well it’s a lot of time for stuff stashing… Vintage and velveteen and volumes and various. It’s now out of the bins and buckets and beautiful in view, set up like a Christmas house tour for an estate sale… First of a series. I make only the marvel here, NO JUDGEMENT no judgement, because my VOLUMES of many generations of St Nick stash is still in stowed away stage. At least hers is out for enjoyment.
I’m thinking of the joy of a giving house tour, but for her it’s perhaps a time to move forward and sort other stuff…
Volumes of St Nicholas gifts given and gotten in LOVE.
So let us pause, for in the corner is a special set of sculptures, the reminder of the REAL meaning of Christmas in a beautiful Nativity creche. Here is the reminder of a Savior who saved us from Sin and the worldly stuff that we stash and get stuck in. Me too. We are to know that Jesus SAVES.
My favorite items of the stuff? The push pin Styrofoam Christmas ball ornaments are among them, that is my vintage classic memory trigger.
My favorite event of the season? The little baby who saved us, not the stuff. And of the Gift of Jesus Who gave away His most precious self to the cause.
A beautiful prayer gathering I attended last night and our host brought true reminders to “Advent AGAIN” – yes – to pray for a new meaning or revelation or rekindling and certainly a new surrender of anything blocking our view of Jesus our Savior.
To ADVENT fresh and new is something the Holy Spirit always wants, and “Advent-ing” the NEWNESS is the Lord’s Way to approach each day, let alone each year. Advent-ing new as a gifted clue…
I saw this beautiful nested nestled wooden Nativity scene of Joseph surrounding Mary surrounding baby Jesus, precious and true. Advent-ing again, my insight saw Jesus being born within each of us. I have now known this born again as coming from within for almost 10 years now awakened. A marvel to me.
Yes, Jesus placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit God Himself. Jesus, the Word, created everything through God, as the Light that can never be overcome (as our host brought the book of John scriptures to surrender and surround our thoughts in).
I also felt in this wooden Nativity portrayal of Joseph and Mary and Jesus as an Advent-ing-again INSIGHT of the unique portrayal of Adam and Eve people (as if they came from the same origin being from one piece core of wood), having the blessings of beginning the Re-Beginning New Beginning of Jesus and the new Covanent of God with the people (us) beginning salvation inside from within.
Another insight was of Jesus being the vine and us the branches, as surely this wooden set was carved from a tree branch. We need only to just look within, during this Advent Christmas and always, to find new good reconnection to our Lord.
We may surround ourselves or we can be overtaken by the Christmas rush. We may notice a new ornament, too much glitter, but if we stop looking out to look inside, we can see something new that has been newly revealed.
Let us ADVENT a NEW BEGINNING today, and carry that LIGHT with us always.
Amen
–
John 1:1-5 KJV[NIV]
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended [or overcome] it not.
—
From Psalm 1 NIV
Blessed is the one…
* whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
* who meditates on his law day and night.
*That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither…
—
John 15:1-11 NIV
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.“
I’m shocked that Christmas is coming so fast… yeah, they warned us with a late Thanksgiving, but geez it’s 3 weeks away to Christmas Day. I only got rid of the Halloween candy recently and that was in WARM weather in comparison to the chill now…
It’s not the calendar, but the chill in the air that does help me usher in the feeling of December and that of the Christmas Spectacular almost side show busy. But it’s the reason meaning of Christmas which is captivating. And so, slowly, I have begun another thin precious book (“Why the Nativity” by David Jeremiah who wrote “Answers about Heaven “), about answering questions about the Nativity, not the building but the ENTRY of HEAVENLY HEALING, that comes with JESUS as a BABY. Christmas completed.
I must remind us that Christmas doesn’t start at Christmas. The precariousness that we know of a baby being born in a manger is so unique that it demonstrates ALL THE MORE of God being in charge and giving charge of a baby to a family He picked to shepherd the great Shepherd.
This little book, “Why the Nativity”, inexpensive on ebay, is priceless in the reminder that God sees the fullness of time and our place in it, our moving time is but a small yet crucial placement for Him in us. The book reminds that the prophets were placed to guide us in both knowing what will happen and knowing WHO is happening. God is happened, happening, will happen – because God never changes and always exists. The end is not an end but a beginning we can’t fathom.
Do we have to fear the future? No, God is already there. Just keep moving like that donkey delivered Mary, and carry the LIGHT of the Christmas Spirit always, no matter the date…
Keep John 8:12 in mind:
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
My friend is reducing the volume of her estate to move out of state (please keep her in prayer). She is reducing her items plus that of her mother’s and others. She has shepherded their belongings and their memories so well. She has enjoyed these items, but knows the next chapter is so important with her grandkids, and those are the times and new chapters where they will develop special new memories together. Any book chapter page is flat, but a memory heart chapter is multidimensional with depth and love.
Recently she preciously gave me one beautiful ornament containing the Nativity scene. This ornament was her grandmother’s. I love vintage for sure, but it’s the subject matter that she and I share: a deep love of Jesus and the appreciation that we ourselves are shepherded. Jesus is our Lord and Savior, Jesus is King.
The shepherd on the ornament is clear, remarkably so. Kneeling, dressed, reverent. Shepherded by the angels to visit the baby, he will learn from his heart that this is no ordinary baby, this baby will and already did Shepherd our hearts, tending to the tender moments, shoring up the tough times, making a way where there was no way, and laying His body down for the sake of our salvation. We are shepherded by God and God is love.
We can be a part of shepherding in Christmas and Christ for others, as long as we ourselves be the sheep Shepherded by our Savior, listening for His Word, comfort, and correction. And for us to be Shepherded by the faith instilled in us, we can do hard things too.
This is tough, for her to move, and I cheeringly said: “the best vintage item your kids and grandkids want is you.” We all need to remember that the items are just items, even the ornaments, but Jesus is our All in All. Follow the Shepherd. Be a Flock on the move, then rest with Him at the gate.
Amen
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” An angel speaking to Mary. Luke 1:37
Jesus said: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:10-11, 14-18
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2:20
It was a beautiful Living Nativity during the Rockettes Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
The whole program was SPECTACULAR, and yet the Nativity scene I did not expect and that brought a tear to my eye, as I appreciated reverence and realness to the season. Yes, was beautiful to hear the scriptures and see these devout scenes, singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing in a public presentation, including an angel, Maji and camels and they spoke of gifts for a King, to be a Healer. The people clapped, I felt HOPE in that too, people hearing a message of HOPE.
Christmas in NYC is special, the crisp weather and colorful decorations (even if the main tree wasn’t yet lit until later this week, it WAS impressive to see). It’s ALL a sight to behold, but wow lots of people and at Bryant Park I was balking at the $5 apple cider donuts but realizing that location location location is what people are paying for, not just the donuts. And as we DO bite into the commercialism too much, and me seeing Santa’s on every bike-taxi plus 40 more on stage at Radio City, we puff Christmas into flossy candy strewn everywhere like tinsel…
An overload in stimulus has to be counteracted with good walking shoes and not trying to take it all in. Grateful I’ve been to NYC recently and this felt like I could just galk at everything and not be a super tourist indulging. So it’s OK if you simply take in that Christmas in New York City, or anywhere, as a display of a Christmas that is felt and enjoyed as a season of LOVE.
I sat in Radio City’s first floor section thinking about Annie in the 1980’s movie scene for the time they got to go to Radio City, and her amazement, which the place has amazed for almost 80 to 90 years. Vintage classic, I love the art deco, thinking of 40’s fancy ladies resting in the powder room’s comfy green chairs. This is the first time I’ve seen the Rockettes perform, although I’ve been on a couple on tours of the building previously. It was unmistakably amazing to see the Rockettes timing and sound of the tapping and especially that slow toy soldier domino effect of being knocked down and holding each other. Also, so cool was the color images in projection all throughout the theatre walls, THAT was unexpected and not anything you could appreciate fully unless you sat under it, even fake snow… There were drones in flight, and Santa shadows that moved in independence, and the fireworks and Santa’s sleigh that zoomed right off the stage into the sky. Spectacular.
We rode with friends into the city after lunch at a familiar place and then went back home via a train after a long day. I still remember the little things of the day, things to remember and things to forgive and forget. Isn’t that like Living IN a Nativity ourselves? Taking in the majesty of Jesus being born, then living out our days as Jesus would, noticing details, helping. Living IN the moment.
Living IN Nativity was seeing the smart little girl at lunch knowing her colors, especially PURPLE. Her parents didn’t mind her gibber-gabbering to me and I gave her my little plastic turtles that I fished out from my purse, she will have more fun with them than me. They reminded me of my friend who has a t-shirt with the phrase “I taught the turtles to sing” referring to God majesty in creating. And living in the moment was seeing an inquisitive little boy at the entrance of the theater trying to re-hook the ribbon separator, I realized that I could help him learn how it worked while we waited. When I see people whom I will never see again, I wonder if in Heaven we will run into each other.
And when we were hightail hiking down to the train, all needing the decompression we all did from an over-extravagent day, I appreciated reverence of the Living IN Nativity as I saw particular shops “randomly” next to each other display “free gift” and “Grace” Cafe… yes… It was a reminder to me to give forgiveness to scenes where I felt hassled and ask forgiveness for when I hassled the scene. For Jesus with living out of the Nativity scene gave us grace as a free gift.
Living IN Nativity is letting God fix things, but you watch the events unfold like the unbundled Christmas tree limbs falling down into place…
Living IN Nativity is being THANKFUL, reverent, real. Living IN Nativity is living in the moment, and being in timelessness of finding the LOVE of the season, in ALL seasons, gifted before tracking time ever began.
Living IN Nativity is LOVE!
Amen and Spectacular!
—
Luke 2: 8-14, KJV. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 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 Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Debbie Upper 