Our Hope

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted,” (Isaiah 12:2-4).

 

We end a year filled with unknowns and fears but yet we persevere with our masks and social distancing and the hope of a vaccination in our future. Perhaps 2021 will be different. Aren’t you glad you didn’t know what was coming a year ago? We took it day-by-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, hoping, trusting, worrying, and praying. 

 

And here we are. God is still our hope. He is the first One we turn to, in prayer. He is the One we turn to when everything else fails. God is our strength and salvation. He is our song and our trust. We exalt His Holy Name! We sing praises throughout the nations and rejoice in the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

The new year is almost here and life will go on for most of us. We celebrate the end of 2020! We lift our hopes for 2021 high and rejoice. God is our hope! 

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed,” (Psalm 20:4 NIV). 

 May you be blessed with a Happy New Year!

After the Rush

 “Later”

“Later after the angels, after the stable, after the Child, they went back… as we always must, back to the world that doesn’t understand our talk of angels and stars and especially not the Child. We go back complaining that it doesn’t last. They went back singing praises to God! We do have to go back, but we can still sing the alleluias!” 

“Later” by Ann Weems, “Kneeling in Bethlehem”.

 

Christmas is over and all the leftover decorations are on sale in the stores, I suppose. The Valentine candy will be on display in a few days while candy canes are bargain basement prices. The trashcan is full of scrunched-up wrapping paper. Broken gingerbread men are all that remain on the cookie plate. Some people have already taken down the tree and stashed away all the Christmas decorations.

 

It makes me sad to put away Christmas. I want to keep playing the music and watching the Christmas lights. I want to keep the spirit of Christmas in my heart and feel the happiness through the new year. My tree will stay up a little longer because I love the lights and the colors of Christmas. I’ll keep playing my Christmas CDs and singing along for a while, because I love Christmas. I love that Christ was born in a stable instead of a palace. I love that Christ chose to die for my sins.

 

We have much to rejoice about. Christ came as an infant to bring us new life. Isaiah tells us what Christ will be like.

 

“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord,” (Isaiah 11:2-3a NIV).

The Christmas Story

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." (Luke 2:4-16 NIV).

Merry Christmas!

The Trip

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” (Luke 2:1-4 NIV).

 

What a trip! Nine months pregnant (give or take a week or two) and a 70-mile walk was ahead. Joseph secured a donkey and gave Mary the option of walking or riding. Neither one sounds wonderful when you are big as a barn with baby. Walking is painful or at least uncomfortable at that stage and riding on a donkey wouldn’t be much better. 

 

God had a plan and so Joseph and Mary took off on the long trip, hoping to make it in time for the baby to be born. God’s plan was set long before Mary and Joseph were even born.

 

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

 

The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Maybe it was the long walk or ride that made Mary’s labor start. Or maybe it was just God’s plan. What a great story for us to remember and share with others. I wonder if Mary shared the story with Jesus when he was growing up? But she didn’t need to; Jesus already knew the whole story.

May the stories of Jesus be told and retold with your family this Christmas and make this season feel perfect.  

The Promise

"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 increase 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," (Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV).

I cannot read these verses without hearing the music of "The Messiah" written by G. F. Handel. My home community presented this every year on the first Sunday of December. A chorus, made of dedicated musicians, filled the First Methodist Church of Marshalltown. My dad was one of the faithful who sang every year as long as he was able. So it was tradition for our family to attend each year. 

The music tells the story of Jesus Christ and the score includes the "Hallelujah" Chorus. It is sung after Jesus rises from the dead on the third day. Because this music meant so much to our family, we used the "Hallelujah" Chorus at the end of my parents' funerals.

As Christmas approaches, our thoughts turn to the beginning of Christ Jesus' life and we rejoice in His holy birth. But we cannot forget the rest of the story. The reason why Jesus came to Earth, to save us from our sins. What a glorious gift Jesus is. May the meaning of Christmas be filled with the hope that is coming in His birth.

O Lord, thank you for sending us Your Son, to save us from our sins. May our hearts be filled with the true meaning of Christmas this season. Amen.

The Expectant Mother

Mary, dressed in blue with a cloth covering her head, petite, young and lovely...this is how I picture Mary the mother of Jesus. It may be a false image but it's one that has developed by seeing many nativity programs over the years.

The facts from the Bible are that Mary was a virgin. She was highly favored by God and the Lord was with her. Mary was pledged to marry a man named Joseph. She would bear a child - the Messiah, God's promised Savior, God's Son.

Mary willingly accepted the remarkable choice God had made in selecting her, "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said," (Luke 1:38 NIV).

What a brave and trusting girl she was. I've often wondered how Mary endured the doubters' ridicule and even Joseph's questioning thoughts.

If only I could be as brave and trusting as Mary. Imagine how my life might be different.

Let us accept Mary's attitude toward God's directing of our lives and say - "I am the Lord's servant."

Use me, Lord, and let me be open to all that you say. Amen.

The Prophet

"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!" (Luke 1:41-42 NIV).

"When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy," (Luke 1:57-58 NIV).

Zechariah said, "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," (Luke 1:76 NIV).

The baby Elizabeth was carrying was the future John the Baptist. John came before Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus Christ's ministry, baptizing of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah,

"A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.'" (Luke 3:4-6 NIV).

John the Baptist was a miracle baby, given by God, for a purpose of making the way for Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, also a miracle baby. The prophet was foretold in the prophet Isaiah's writing in Isaiah 40:3-5. 

I love the way God wove these two women's stories together. It is also wonderful how God weaves lives together yet today. Rejoice for the prophet who led the way for Jesus! Rejoice for the coming of Jesus' birth. Rejoice!

The Sign

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel," (Isaiah 7:14 NIV).

 Advent is a time of waiting patiently for what we hope for: baby Jesus, the promised One, a Savior. As a child there is so much excitement during this season. Presents are under the tree. There are bright lights and shiny bows, nativity sets and tinsel. All the senses are sharpened as Christmas Day draws near. The fragrance of a pine tree or cookies baking in the oven fills the air. Christmas music plays in the background.  The touch of special ornaments as they are hung on the tree and the taste of peppermint candy canes is on the lips and tongue. Christmas is coming.

Although as believers we know we are saved by Jesus Christ, yet Paul writes in Romans that salvation is past, present and the future. My NIV Life Application Study Bible explains Romans 8:24-25 that we were saved at the moment we believed in Jesus Christ as our Savior (the past), and we are being saved through the process of sanctification (the present), and one day our salvation will be complete when we are made pure as Jesus Christ (the future).

"But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently," (Romans 8:24b-25 NIV).

Christmas is coming. Let us watch for the sign and see it coming. Let us rejoice in the salvation that Jesus Christ brought into this world, gives to this world, and will give to all believers in the future when He comes again. Amen.

The Stars

I like to look at the stars and the moon at night. The moon has been especially bright on these cold, clear nights. The stars are hard to take a picture of, I've found. But, there are nights when the stars sparkle and glimmer so brightly. I love those nights.

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing," (Isaiah 40:26 NIV).

Looking at the stars brings God closer to me. I remember whose Kingdom I belong to and I am so blessed to have such a creative and loving God. We are blessed to have lights in the night sky that show us whose we are. Our only way of estimating an image of our God is to view all He has done for us and try to imagine, with our limited perspective, how great our God is! It is impossible to picture Him and imagine Him with any sense of reality but He is our God, so big and powerful and majestic and just. He has no limitations, no boundaries to hold Him back. God is so so good!

Next time we look at the night sky and pause with amazement at all God has done, let us give God some thanks for all He has created. Stare at the night lights and soak up God's beauty. Take time to give God glory. Remember the purpose of the stars as we enter the Advent season. The stars guided the shepherds and the wise men to the home of baby Jesus. 

Thank you, God, for the stars.