Silent Night?

 

Silent Night!
Holy Night! 

Does this song speak to you?
Or is the commotion in your world pulling you along
on its frantic, ear-splitting rush to nowhere? 

Are your mind and your heart
seeking, needing, desiring peace?

Rest now and experience Christmas.

Bathe in the mystery around us.
Pause and consider the reason,
and breathe in the scent of the season.
Then kneel as the sacred surrounds us. 

That night - that sacred night 
was

Set apart for us to know
that the promised one had come.
Creation’s long awaited Son
has stepped from heaven’s brilliant light
to the darkness here below. 

A baby cries, a woman sighs,
and soon the world would realize
the meaning of this “Silent, Holy night.”

Peace has come to still your heart -
God's peace within your soul.
 
This long awaited peace has come 
to make God's children whole.

Angels We Have Heard

We love Christmas carols, but sometimes we just sing them without thinking about what they’re really saying.   Here is the first line of a Christmas carol that began as a French song.  It was paraphrased in 1862 by an Englishman, James Chadwick.               

"Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o'er the plains

and the mountains in reply

echoing their joyous strains…”

Have you ever heard an angel sing?

If we listen to those words – they sound soft and gentle, don’t they?  I’m sure that the writer saw the encounter with the shepherds that way, and that’s nice, but --- sweetly singing?  I’m not so sure that is what came to the ears of the shepherds.  

I’m afraid that my mind doesn’t go there either.  Sweet?  God’s “heavenly host,” His army, announcing the birth of the King of the Universe?  I would be more inclined to believe it sounded like thunder, or a huge brass band than a sweet gentle harp.

The shepherds were frightened by the angel, and the “glory” that surrounded him, as he told them the good news of great joy.  Don’t you think that they were every bit as terrified when the angel was joined by a multitude (a huge number) of “the heavenly host” that filled the sky?

All this to say, though we know that many times God speaks to us in a gentle, quiet voice, there are times when the majesty and power of His words and His works are anything but gentle.  Afterall, He is God Almighty, and the announcement of the event that would change the course of eternity for all of mankind was surely not given in a quiet whisper.  

I suppose this idea touched my heart because so much of the time we Christians don’t look at the power of God, His majesty and might, but only His love and compassion.  I’m so glad that He is filled with power, majesty, might, and love and compassion, aren’t you?  I want to trust my powerful and majestic God who continues to treat me with gentle love, encouragement, and compassion.

Have a beautiful, power-filled Christmas season.

Love, Diane

The Plan

 

It was promised.

“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.” Micah 5:2 (NKJV)

Where do you think that a king should be born?

In a fine golden palace on a warm summer morn,

with the servants all hurrying and royalty worrying,

and the citizens waiting to hear of his birth?

Or, I wonder 

where do you think that God’s Son would be born,

in the home of the lightning, the lair of the storm?

Would God’s thunder and glory
shout from the mountains?

Would the four winds proclaim this good news to the earth?

God’s Son was born in Bethlehem – a little town.  He was born far from home.  He was born in a dirty stable.  

It was promised.
It was planned.

Why that plan? 

Neither of these pictures seem to have been part of God's  plan.  Maybe because He wanted us to realize that we are all His children, each one of us, not just the mighty, the rich and the royal.  We are His children, the lowly, the poor, the old and the unborn.  

I believe God wanted us to know that our hometowns are never too remote, our homes are never too small.  The money in our bank accounts or the reflection in our mirror will never have any bearing on two facts.  

We are children of The King, 
and He loves us so much that He
would give His life to save us.

Bethlehem seemed insignificant, but it wasn’t.  We may feel insignificant, but we aren’t. It was promised.  Jesus, our Savior was promised.  Eternal life is promised for those who believe.  

And for sure, God keeps His promises.

God bless you today in so many ways.

Joseph

 

Matt 1:18 – 25 (ESV) Now the birth of Jesus Christ  took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.  But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
    and they shall call his name Immanuel.” (which means, God with us).

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

------

How many people would take on a challenge as difficult as the one Joseph had?  How many excuses could a person think up for not obeying the commands in that dream?  I believe that God picked this man out to be the earthly father to His Son.  He knew what kind of man Joseph was. 

Some time ago I wrote a poem wondering how Joseph would feel about this task.  This is not something I found in the Scriptures.  It’s just my imagination – but I wonder? 

The baby’s hands curl ‘round his fingers.
He looks in wonder at the sight of those bruised and broken,
rough and calloused, human fingers, held so tight. 

Baby hands reach out for comfort from this man so full of love -
the earthly father of our Savior
commissioned by his God above. 

Would this man’s hands be worthy vessels
to touch and lead the little lad?
Would he find respect and honor
from the one who’d call him dad? 

Baby hands curl ‘round his fingers
as they curl around his heart.
Joseph trembled, filled with questions,
still he vowed to do his part. 

Strong arms raised the precious bundle,
lifting Him toward the skies.
Humbly talking with the Father
Joseph prayed with tear filled eyes. 

With all his heart and soul he pleaded

for the strength and wisdom needed
to fulfill the task, God given,
caring for the Son of heaven. 

Joseph prayed – this was his prayer,
“God help me always to remember
just whose Son is in my care.”

John the Baptist

 

John the Baptist was chosen to prepare the way for Jesus, our Savior!  A voice of one calling in the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 
Isaiah 40:3 (NIV)

John's birth was a miracle.  You'll want to look this up in chapter one of Luke.  When it came time to name the child, His father, Zechariah, spoke of what would be John’s task here on earth.  

This is a part of Zechariah’s prophecy.

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”  
Luke 1:76-79 (NIV) 

John would be the one to tell of the coming of Jesus, our Savior.  His words would tell his world and ours 
just who the savior would be.

The Blessing

 My Father God, I pray 

With strong arms hold my fragile life when strength has slipped away.

My Mighty one, My God, My help,

I need your strength today. 

With eyes that see what I cannot, show me your holy way.

My Shepherd, help me know the path

you’d have me take today. 

The world gives way beneath my feet 

slipping sands of sin abound.

I need You, my Rock, to stand upon. 

You are my solid ground. 

Almighty God 

The only God

The giver, giving free

The only gift that I desire

Is your love that blesses me.

 

Dear friends,  I recently read in Genesis 49 the account of Jacob blessing his sons.  It goes like this - 

Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;

    listen to your father, Israel."

Jacob went on to tell each of his sons what would come to them in their lives.  Jacob knew each of these men.  He knew their personalities and their strengths and their weaknesses.  

Most of Jacob’s sons fell far short of goodness, but he had a special word for Joseph.  

He predicted that Joseph’s life would not be free of trials – with physical attacks and hostility.  But Jacob saw where Joseph’s strength would come from.  He said, 

“Joseph is a fruitful vine,

    a fruitful vine near a spring,

    whose branches climb over a wall. 

 With bitterness archers attacked him;

    they shot at him with hostility.

 But his bow remained steady,

    his strong arms stayed limber,

because of the hand of The Mighty One of Jacob,

    because of The Shepherd, The Rock of Israel,

 because of your father’s God, who helps you,

    because of The Almighty, who blesses you

with blessings of the skies above,

    blessings of the deep springs below,”

Do you ever wonder if you had been given this information, how you would have reacted?

I am certain that my father would not have been able to tell what my life would be, and neither would yours, no matter how well he knew you.  But our heavenly Father does know, and sometimes I'm surprised that He is so patient with me as I stumble through this life.

The most exciting words I read in this chapter in Genesis are the descriptions of our God and the fact that Jacob said Joseph would remain strong 

because of 

The Mighty one – with muscles to give him strength.

The Shepherd – giving guidance and care.

The Rock – a solid and steadfast place to stand.

The Almighty – the giver of every blessing.

Friends, this blessing from Jacob to Joseph is amazing.  We know that the Savior, the Messiah, the promised King, Jesus, would come through the line of a different brother (Judah) but even with that, Jacob knew that God would bless Joseph.  

God has His hand on each of HIS children, and He will bless those who follow Him.  

He’ll give each of us His strong arm, His guidance and care, a firm place to stand, and blessing from His hand.

We just need to watch and see.

Am I, If I?

Last night we listened to a podcast by Allister Begg.  He was speaking about Jesus’ command to “follow” Him.  It was interesting in that he related it to the “commandments” in the Old Testament as well as the clarifications in Jesus’ words, and how almost every time they intersect with the everyday lives of God’s children.  

He started out by talking about how a child may say, “I want to follow Jesus,” but then that child will not follow even a mundane requirement from his or her parents.  

Are we like that? 

Am I?  If I?

If I tell you that I love my God, but when He says love your enemies, do I say, “that’s not the same”? 

So, AM I following His direction, but only IF I, or when I, feel that other people deserve my love and forgiveness - is that following Him?

Maybe I truly believe God doesn’t expect me to love my enemies?

But Jesus said He did expect that!  So in the middle of the night this question came to me.

AM I FOLLOWING HIM, IF I?

He said to care for the orphans and widows.

Is it loving Him less to say, let some “another”
look to the needs of the struggling mother?
Do I slow down each day and look at the need,
of the lonely, the lost or the beaten and tossed?
Or is it loving Him more to open my arms,
my home  and my hands
to the ones who’ve been harmed.

He said “Love Me, The Lord, with all of your heart.
Let’s look at that statement and tear it apart.

Love Him - The Lord (the Master is He.)
Does that mean I obey Him, or focus on me?


Is it loving Him less to say, "You didn’t expound,
when You gave me the words that I can’t get around."
If I twist out the meaning of “Child, thou shalt not”
or I strive to fit in the desires I have got. 

Or is it loving Him more to release all this pride, 
and do it His way,
and let Him be my guide”?

Love Him - The Lord (the Master is He.)
Does that mean I obey Him, or focus on me?

Relationships matter to God and to me.  
Commandments design our life's purity.
Commandments, examples, of living a life 
of commitment to God, to husband, to wife.  
Structure in families, communities, too.  
It isn’t a game of just “doing you.”

Love Him - The Lord (the Master is He.)
Does that mean I obey Him, or focus on me?

If we look into the mirror of God’s word, we find that we fall far short of His desire for us.  God has had so much to forgive.  We are His creation, made to glorify Him, to raise His name - His image, high.  And we certainly don’t always do that.  

But, I'm amazingly blessed to know that He has given us this word - forgiveness, and the assurance of His willingness to forgive, because I need it so desperately.

God does forgive when we ask – when we repent, but Jesus said He will not forgive if we don’t forgive others.  That is one thing many of us have a problem with.  

God doesn’t offer to let us follow Him less in that area either.  I can’t find an excuse for it in the scripture.  God says to forgive.  In Jesus’ sermon on the mount, He said, “If you don’t forgive, My Father in heaven will not forgive you.” That seems pretty plain.

So where to go from here?

Love Him - The Lord (the Master is He.)
Does that mean I obey Him, or focus on me?