Oh how I love Christmas time! All of the lights, musics, smells, sounds.... and "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Our family loves to watch Charlie Brown - we have 3 of the holiday videos and it's a tradition. Obviously not a spiritual one but a warm memory one. Traditions are an important part of holidays, there is a sense of familiarity and continuity to them.
Imagine on that night that Christ was born how the shepherds were doing what was routine and familiar to them out in the fields keeping watch by night. The familiar sounds of the cattle lowing or the sheep bleating, the sounds of the animals bells tinkling as they grazed, maybe the wind was gently blowing or possibly the shepherds sang songs to bide the time. The sky must have been magnificent with all the stars in the sky especially the one great star that was to guide the wise men to the Messiah.
All of a sudden an angel of the Lord appears before them! Not only that but the glory of the Lord shone about them! Can you imagine? They were very afraid - I would be too! Then the angel speaks, telling them that great news of great joy - the Savior, Christ the Lord, has been born in the city of David. Suddenly an angelic host appears singing praises to God, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth among men with whom He is well pleased."
What an amazing narrative! It is such an awesome thing that the angels brought the greatest news of all history to shepherds first. Their lives must never have been the same. Immediately they went to see the Christ child but they didn't keep it to themselves... they told everyone! Luke tells us in Luke 2:18 that "all who heard it wondered at the things that were told them by the shepherds." Maybe they had a tradition of recounting their story every year at the same time - celebrating the good news.
Isn't that what Christmas is about? Sharing Christ and His birth, why He came. Truly this season is one of great news of great joy!
I pray we would not get lost in the bustle so much that the simple beauty and wonder of Christmas is missed. "Today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11
Praise God for His Christmas gift!!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
The heavens declare the glory of the Lord
"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales?...
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
"It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in....
"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing." Isaiah 40:12,21-22,26
God spoke the heavens into place, calls all of the stars by name, and measures the universe with the span of His hand. As you gaze into the night sky, give praise and glory to the One Who is the Author of it all. He is worthy!
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
"It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in....
"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing." Isaiah 40:12,21-22,26
God spoke the heavens into place, calls all of the stars by name, and measures the universe with the span of His hand. As you gaze into the night sky, give praise and glory to the One Who is the Author of it all. He is worthy!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
I'm back!!
Oh my! Has it really been that long since I've posted last??? Goodness me.
Well, I am working on getting my act together (anyone else in the boat with me?). Meanwhile the Lord and I have been working on the concept of loving the brethren. Not that I haven't loved them at all but expanding my ability (and understanding) to love them in the way He wants me to... especially the difficult ones. Now there's where the lesson comes in.
My girls and I have been doing an in depth study of I John which covers the concept of agape love quite deeply. Basically those who say they love God but don't love their brethren are liars (I Jn 4:20)... ouch. God commands that we love one another.
As I have been studying this I looked up LOVE in Vine's Expository Dictionary. Here is what it said for agape:
"Christian love has God for it's primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments.
"Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks the welfare of all and works no ill to any; love seeks opportunity to do good to 'all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith,' Gal. 6:10"
The best picture of this love is the sacrifice God made when He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins while I was yet a sinner. God loves me in spite of my unworthiness.
Agape loves expresses itself by doing what is best for the receiver regardless of what they want. It is sacrificial, unconditional, unselfish and requires no return. It is a love that I cannot begin to express outside of the power of Christ in me as I abide in the Word of God and press in to God daily.
Honestly I fall so short especially when I get too busy to abide in His word, when I have disconnected from the lifeline. How about you? Are you plugged in and loving as God would have you love? Praise be to God for His mercies are new every morning... let's make today a day of living in the light of God's love by loving others.
Well, I am working on getting my act together (anyone else in the boat with me?). Meanwhile the Lord and I have been working on the concept of loving the brethren. Not that I haven't loved them at all but expanding my ability (and understanding) to love them in the way He wants me to... especially the difficult ones. Now there's where the lesson comes in.
My girls and I have been doing an in depth study of I John which covers the concept of agape love quite deeply. Basically those who say they love God but don't love their brethren are liars (I Jn 4:20)... ouch. God commands that we love one another.
As I have been studying this I looked up LOVE in Vine's Expository Dictionary. Here is what it said for agape:
"Christian love has God for it's primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments.
"Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks the welfare of all and works no ill to any; love seeks opportunity to do good to 'all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith,' Gal. 6:10"
The best picture of this love is the sacrifice God made when He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins while I was yet a sinner. God loves me in spite of my unworthiness.
Agape loves expresses itself by doing what is best for the receiver regardless of what they want. It is sacrificial, unconditional, unselfish and requires no return. It is a love that I cannot begin to express outside of the power of Christ in me as I abide in the Word of God and press in to God daily.
Honestly I fall so short especially when I get too busy to abide in His word, when I have disconnected from the lifeline. How about you? Are you plugged in and loving as God would have you love? Praise be to God for His mercies are new every morning... let's make today a day of living in the light of God's love by loving others.
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