"But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19
On December 23rd, two days before Christmas, I was in a big fabric and crafts store (with my wife, who needed to get something!). The whole front section of the store was a mess, there were five or six almost empty racks of what used to be their Christmas crafts section. As I looked at the picked over and sparse holiday part of the store, I got a familiar sad feeling that told me Christmas was over, and it was still two days before Christmas! I then noticed over to the left, a whole area filled with fresh new craft items. The shelves were full and nothing had been picked through, it was very neat and inviting. The area was filled with red hearts and Cupids. Yes, two days before Christmas the store had already set up its Valentines Day section.
Our faced paced culture is telling us, Christmas is over, hustle over to the mall and exchange those gifts, and by the way you had better hurry because Valentines is coming soon. In the above verse we see Jesus' mother Mary doing the exact opposite. Mary had just been through some pretty crazy days leading up to Jesus' birth, and it says she took the time and "kept" those things in her heart, and "pondered" them.
This is not the season to push on past Christmas, it is the time to all the more dwell on and ponder all of what the season is about. I say we should hit the brakes, slow down a bit and enjoy Christmas some more.
One of the names given Jesus is "Immanuel", which means, God with us. That does not mean that God was just with us that first Christmas two thousand years ago, it means God is with us today. That one thought ought to give us enough to puzzle over, and wonder about, every single day. February 14th is still a long way off, lets slow down and ponder, its still Christmas, for God is indeed with us today.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
I Get To
"And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger."
Luke 2:16
The angel didn't appear to religious or political leaders to announce the birth of Jesus, but he went to some lowly shepherds. I love the response of these men, they went right away, or made haste to fine this newborn Savior. I also love the fact that they did not have to be commanded to go and find Jesus. It seems the angel rightly accepts, that upon hearing the glad tidings of the birth of the savior, that the shepherds would want to find Him. And of course we see that they didn't have to be ordered to go, they believed the message delivered to them from God, and therefore were driven in haste to find Jesus.
The foundation of Christianity is not a set of rules or commands to follow. What motivates us, is our belief in the salvation given us in Jesus, who's birth we celebrate. Ours is not a faith that says, "I have to". Ours is a faith that says, "I want to", or "I get to", or better still, "I love to". We serve, we love, we read the Bible, we worship, because of the love that God has poured into us by His Son. Loving and serving the Lord is never a chore, it is indeed a great privilege. The shepherds have set a great example for us to remember, may the reality of the message of God's grace cause us to make haste, to seek out and worship our precious Jesus.
Luke 2:16
The angel didn't appear to religious or political leaders to announce the birth of Jesus, but he went to some lowly shepherds. I love the response of these men, they went right away, or made haste to fine this newborn Savior. I also love the fact that they did not have to be commanded to go and find Jesus. It seems the angel rightly accepts, that upon hearing the glad tidings of the birth of the savior, that the shepherds would want to find Him. And of course we see that they didn't have to be ordered to go, they believed the message delivered to them from God, and therefore were driven in haste to find Jesus.
The foundation of Christianity is not a set of rules or commands to follow. What motivates us, is our belief in the salvation given us in Jesus, who's birth we celebrate. Ours is not a faith that says, "I have to". Ours is a faith that says, "I want to", or "I get to", or better still, "I love to". We serve, we love, we read the Bible, we worship, because of the love that God has poured into us by His Son. Loving and serving the Lord is never a chore, it is indeed a great privilege. The shepherds have set a great example for us to remember, may the reality of the message of God's grace cause us to make haste, to seek out and worship our precious Jesus.
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Lord Is Good
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" Psalm 34:8
The Christmas season is a time when our taste buds really get a full work out, and its wonderful! This past week I was given a cookie snack that looked like an acorn. It looked cute enough, but tasted even better. It is very easy for me to describe to you what the snack looked like, I already mentioned it looked like an acorn, and that is easy for you to picture. It is a much more difficult task to describe to you how it tasted....it was a tasty, crunchy, peanut buttery, and chocolate, sort of treat. The fact is, that the words I use cannot give the true sense of how good this goodie tasted. The best I would be able to do is to give you one of these acorn cookies and say, taste and see for yourself how good it is.
Isn't it the same when we try to share exactly how wonderful it is to walk in Jesus? We can describe Jesus, who He is, what He has accomplished, and how to receive Him as Savior and Lord. But words can fall short when we try to explain His love, joy, and peace in our lives. The best we can do is present who He is, and plead, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good."
The key for us then, is to be continually walking in, and tasting of, the goodness of the Lord. Our best witness is being able to offer the fullness of life in Jesus, a life we know to be good because we have tasted of it ourselves.
The Christmas season is a time when our taste buds really get a full work out, and its wonderful! This past week I was given a cookie snack that looked like an acorn. It looked cute enough, but tasted even better. It is very easy for me to describe to you what the snack looked like, I already mentioned it looked like an acorn, and that is easy for you to picture. It is a much more difficult task to describe to you how it tasted....it was a tasty, crunchy, peanut buttery, and chocolate, sort of treat. The fact is, that the words I use cannot give the true sense of how good this goodie tasted. The best I would be able to do is to give you one of these acorn cookies and say, taste and see for yourself how good it is.
Isn't it the same when we try to share exactly how wonderful it is to walk in Jesus? We can describe Jesus, who He is, what He has accomplished, and how to receive Him as Savior and Lord. But words can fall short when we try to explain His love, joy, and peace in our lives. The best we can do is present who He is, and plead, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good."
The key for us then, is to be continually walking in, and tasting of, the goodness of the Lord. Our best witness is being able to offer the fullness of life in Jesus, a life we know to be good because we have tasted of it ourselves.
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