Shepherds . . . Blessed Visitors
Week Five
The Shepherds
Blessed Visitors
Luke 2:8-20
“Shalom, my friends.
It’s me, Abel.”
“Shalom!”
And me, Samuel,
Abel’s son.”
”Shalom!”
“And me, Daniel,
Samuel’s son
and Abel’s grandson.”
Shalom!”
“Not much to be proud of,
after all,
we’re just shepherds—
right son?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“And grandson?”
“Yep!”
“What did you say, grandson?
“Oh, sorry, Grandpa. Yes, sir!”
“But none of that really matters tonight . . . .
What a story we have to tell!
Angels! Our race into Bethlehem!
Seeing the Savior! A baby!
Daniel, tell them about the angels!”
“Wow! Me? Yes, sir!”
Luke 2: 8-12
And in the same region
there were shepherds out in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were filled with great fear.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy that
will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
This will be a sign to you:
You will find a baby
wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
It seemed like any other
night spent in the fields.
But we did notice the sheep
seemed skittish.
But they did settle down.
I was actually dozing
when the terrified shepherds’ screaming
woke me up.
Then I saw the angel—
the brightest light I ever saw.
And that voice!
Like thunder!
“Fear not!”
“Good News!”
“Great joy!”
“For all people!”
“In David’S City!”
“Our Messiah!”
“Our Savior!”
“Our Lord!
“Praise His Name!”
“Amen!”
Thank you Grandson!
I can’t forget that angel’s face.
I can’t forget that’s angel’s voice!
I can’t forget His great good News!
“Hallelujah!”
“Now, Son!”
“Yes, Dad!”
“Tell these folks about our race into town.”
“Yes, sir!
But what about those other angels, Dad.”
“Oh, I forgot.
How could I forget?
Too much excitement!
Tell them, my son.”
Luke 2:13-14
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 among those
with whom he is pleased!”
“Yes sir!
Most of us were already on the ground,
overcome by the splendor
of the one angel.
Then suddenly there were thousands
of angels just as glorious.
And they were all declaring God’s praises.
They were declaring glory to God.
They were declaring peace
to God’s people.
I can’t describe how we felt.
We were overcome with joy.
Luke 2:14
When the angels
went away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go over to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has made known to us.”
The angel had told us how to find Him,
this Baby, our Savior born
in Bethlehem.
We all just started running.
I was running faster
than I even knew I could run.
We were racing to find
the Baby born in Bethlehem,
the Baby born to be our Messiah
and our Lord.
No one was on the road into Bethlehem.
No one was in the streets that late at night.
We were twelve—
nine shepherds
and three shepherds-in-training
like my own grandson, Daniel.
As you might have guessed,
those three young ‘uns
got there first.
Even they were out of breath.
But they were too overcome
with excitement.
They waited for us at the stable
set up behind an inn
in a cave in one of our hills.
When we were all there,
once we recovered a bit,
once we could catch our breath,
we noticed the husband.
Joseph is his name.”
“Good job, son.
And I have to admit
that as the oldest of us shepherds,
I was the last to arrive,
and the last to finally catch my breath.
But that crazy race was worth it all,
wasn’t it?”
“Amen, Dad.”
“Yep, Grandad, oops, I mean amen!”
“And now, here’s the heart of our story.
I should say, His story.
It’s all about the story of the Baby Jesus.
I tried to explain the angel
and his good news.
I tried to explain the angels
and their glorious
praise for God.
But Joseph asked us to return
in the morning
so Mary, his wife,
and the Holy Baby, Jesus
could rest.
But Mary called out
from inside the stable
and invited us
to come in and see
the Baby.
Joseph gave in
and all twelve us crowded in,
on our knees and silent—
none of us could speak.
Awe-struck,
that’s what we were.
The angels had amazed us.
But the Baby changed us forever.
Even as a baby
He overwhelmed us
with love, joy, and peace.
I finally found my voice
and praised our God
for the Baby, the angels
and all we had seen and heard.
Praise be to God!”
“Hallelujah, Abba, Father!,” declared Abel.
“Amen, Abba, Father, “ echoed Samuel.
“Amen, Abba, Father,” agreed Daniel.
We slipped outside into the night.
Joseph bid us Shalom, Shalom!
And we did the same.
But as soon as we got to the street again,
our joy burst forth,
and we began singing,
and shouting and dancing,
as only shepherds can.
Surprised?
Come join us one night
when we are alone
out with our sheep
in the field
around the fire—
and you will see what shepherds
do to praise our great God.
Our lives have certainly been different,
better, somehow richer
since that night
when angels came
and our Savior,
a baby was born
in our own town, Bethlehem.
Every night with our sheep
we realize how blessed we are,
we, twelve humble shepherds,
blessed to receive the Good News
of the Savior Born
first, before the Priests,
before our own Rabbi,
first in all the world
blessed by His coming.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
“Right, son?”
“Yes, Father.”
”And grandson?”
”Yep!
”What grandson?”
”Sorry! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!”
Zechariah and Elizabeth . . . Miraculous Parents
Week Four
November 29
Zechariah and Elizabeth
Miraculous Parents
Luke 1:5-25
Blessed be the name of the LORD!
Blessed be His Holy Name!
He has accomplished His
Mighty Salvation
through the humblest
and the least
among His beloved
chosen people.
I was a but a barren older woman,
the wife of a humble priest.
But I was oh, so happy, even so,
for Zechariah was
truly a man called by God.
He deeply loved God’s Holy Word
and he deeply loved God’s
chosen people.
And he loved me.
Our marriage brought us both
much joy as God blessed us
with much happiness
together, even without children;
though our family and our friends
pitied us, they were almost
always kind—Zechariah and I
found sweet comfort together.
You might say we had a fun,
give-and-take, back-and-forth,
non-stop, enjoyable, yet honest
conversation between us—
we both loved to talk, you see,
he as much as I, and myself
as much as he—but it was
all good fun—heart-to-heart.
Zechariah was never one to
hide God’s revelations from me.
In fact, he would often rush
into the house while I was
weaving, and excitedly explain
what Holy Scripture had to say
about God and His unending
Love for His chosen people.
When he went away to serve
in the Temple, I missed him,
but I eagerly looked foward
to the vivid reports he would
bring when he returned home
to me—his eyes would shine
and His words would flow
as He praised the Temple.
Well, you can imagine how shocked
I was when he came rushing
through the door one day,
his face gloriously alive with
holy excitement, but his mouth
mysteriously tongue-tied,
somehow unable to share with
me what had happened.
His good friend, Isaiah, another faithful
priest, had come along with him;
so Isaiah tried to tell me the
incredible story of the angel
who had appeared to my own
Zechariah in the Holy of Holies
with an astounding message—
Zechariah had written it down . . .
He had laboriously labored over
the shocking news he had to tell,
because God’s people needed
to know how God was moving,
and as you shall see; I, myself,
definitely need to know, for
my life was about to change
forever, and all for God’s glory.
Here is the story, even as my
dear Zechariah wrote it out:
“And there appeared to him
an angel of the Lord standing
on the right side
of the altar of incense.
And Zechariah was troubled
when he saw him,
and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said to him,
‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
for your prayer has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth
will bear you a son,
and you shall call his name John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great before the Lord.
And he must not drink
wine or strong drink,
and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,
even from his mother’s womb.
And he will turn many
of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God,
and he will go before him
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children,
and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just,
to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.’”
(Luke 1:11-17)
Oh my, needless to say I was shocked.
An angel appearing to my Zechariah?
The angel assuring him that I,
Elizabeth, his elderly barren
wife would bear a child?
Well, I must say, if anyone
other than angel of the LORD
had said such a preposterous thing, . . .
. . . , well like Abraham and Sarah,
I would have laughed—
but what could I do?
The way Zechariah looked
at me—I honestly did not know
how to feel—just what does
a woman do, when God chooses
at this late date, to bless your womb?
Oh, there was deep joy in my heart,
in our hearts together, my husband
and I, after a lifetime of barrenness;
but there were also two fears—
a natural fear; how could my
worn-out body handle pregnancy?
and a spritual fear; how could
the two of us raise such a child?
Finally, it dawned on me,
why couldn’t Zechariah
talk and tell me about
this mighty miracle, himself?
As Isaiah explained, my poor
Zechariah shook his head
in sorrow and embarrassment—
here it what he had written:
And Zechariah said to the angel,
“How shall I know this?
For I am an old man,
and my wife is advanced in years.”
And the angel answered him,
“I am Gabriel.
I stand in the presence of God,
and I was sent to speak to you
and to bring you this good news.
And behold, you will be
silent and unable to speak
until the day
that these things take place,
because you did not
believe my words,
which will be fulfilled in their time.”
(Luke 1:18-20)
May God forgive me, with these words
I lost control; “My dear Zechariah,
The Angel Gabriel appeared to you
and you didn’t believe him?
How could that be?”
But as soon as I said it
and saw the guilt in my dear
husband’s eyes, my heart
softened, and I embraced him.
And our mighty God declared it.
And so it happened.
And so, on most days,
Zechariah and I rejoiced.
There were days, to be honest,
when the baby in my womb
seemed like a punishment
more than a blessing.
But that was the exception;
God’s Grace proved, as always,
more than sufficient,
and in the midst of my
heaviness, God brought
dear, sweet, Mary, my very
young cousin, also with child,
though she was a virgin—
Her visit changed everything.
As soon as she arrived,
little John in my womb seemed
to dance with joy! Listen
to what I said:
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the child you will bear!
But why am I so favored,
that the mother of my Lord
should come to me?
As soon as the sound of your greeting
reached my ears,
the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed is she who has believed
that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
(Luke 1:42-45)
Believe me, Mary and I
truly rejoiced together
as we shared
the good news
of God’s miraculous
working in our wombs
to bring about the birth
of our John and
Mary’s Jesus.
Eventually Mary returned
to Bethlehem, to her Joseph
while the time drew near
for me and Zechariah—
and praise be to God,
our great big baby boy
was born, and God continued
to surprise His people.
When all of our dear,
our lifelong and faithful friends
gathered for the naming,
they expected a cherished
name from the heritage
of Zechariah’s family,
but God had His own plan,
and His plans are good.
Zechariah remained silent,
even as the Angel Gabriel
had declared; so when
asked for the name
I replied for my dear husband,
”John!” Some gasped,
some objected, some asked,
”Where did that come from?”
But Zechariah motioned
for a slate and proudly
wrote the name, John,
even as I had said;
and at that moment
even as the Angel had said,
he spoke, and how
beautifully he spoke:
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
(Luke 1:68-79)
What a story!
What a God!
How He blesses!
How He rules!
Those He calls
He strengthens
and inspires
His Work to do!
My Zechariah
and I, Elizabeth
His blessed servants
delivered John . . .
who grew strong
and in the Spirit,
prepared the Way
for our Lord.
Nativity Stories . . . Joseph
Week Three
Joseph
A Faithful Man
Matthew 1:15-16
. . . and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary,
of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
No need to talk much about me—
There’s not that much to know.
Oh, I guess you need to know my name.
That would be Joseph ben Jacob.
I am from the tribe of Judah
and the House of David.
And yet I am a very simple man
as was my father
and his father Matthan
and his father Eleazar.
This story is certainly not about me.
It’s not about my remarkable wife Mary.
It’s all about Jesus, her son.
Her son you ask?
That’s a big part of the story.
How did I first meet Mary?
Well, we both lived in Nazareth.
You could say I watched her grow up.
Of course, both of our families
attended the synagogue.
At first Mary was just another
one of the children
in the women’s gallery
while I was already
considered a man,
a young man.
As she grew and became
a young maiden
in a craftsman’s family,
I was drawn to her
as a happy and joyful,
obedient daughter
to her parents.
I must say I was drawn to her
for her godliness
among our people.
And it may seem odd
to hear this from me,
but her singing
became for me something
I loved to hear.
I could tell
her singing came from
a pure heart of love for God.
Her parents had made the arrangements
and we had been betrothed.
We were to be married
and become man and wife
at the appropriate time.
When I heard that somehow
she was with child,
I was angry.
How could this be?
Who had done this?
To Mary?
My pure sweet Mary?
What could I do?
The Law told me what I could do,
but how could I do that to Mary?
My soul was troubled.
I couldn’t understand
why God had allowed this to happen.
I couldn’t sleep at night.
But then I had a vision.
How do I describe that?
I can’t.
I knew I was in the presence
of someone very holy.
I felt so unworthy, so unclean.
I still remember the angel’s words:
“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.”
(Matthew 1:20-22)
After that, I wasn’t angry.
I was scared out of my wits.
Who was I?
How could I help Mary raise
so holy a child,
the Savior of our people?
How could I face the gossips
and their cruel accusations
against Mary.
All I could do was obey.
The angel told me to
take Mary as my wife.
So I did.
Of course we did not
live as man and wife
until after the baby was born.
Mary never changed.
She lived out her joy before me,
She lived out her trust and obedience.
Oh, it hurt her—
the ugly, the ridiculous gossip.
It made me mad
but there was nothing we could do.
Our trip to Bethlehem was a mercy.
It got us away from all of that gossip.
It was all so unfair.
Our people knew Mary.
They knew me.
But they just couldn’t trust us.
They couldn’t trust God.
The days were hard,
but the nights were harder, still.
The ground where we slept
made us both sore,
but especially Mary,
as she was now so large with child.
We had only the simplest of foods
and as the trip wore on,
I could see Mary growing
wearier by the day.
But we did have God’s promise
to us both,
and that gave us strength
each morning to face another day,
and especially as we drew
nearer to Bethlehem.
When we entered my familiy’s
ancient hometown,
it seemed Mary’s baby
in the womb noticed.
She could tell her time was near.
I could tell how the pains
grew stronger even
as we searched the
overcrowded little town
for a place to stay—
and to give her some privacy.
No one had a room for us, it seemed.
Every inn was full.
Every house with any extra room was full.
I grew more and more desperate
until one innkeeper,
after taking a good long look at Mary,
and recognizing her condition,
took mercy and offered us
an almost forgotten
stable behind his inn.
He even made sure the straw
was fresh and clean.
He did the best he could do.
And as soon as we managed
to get Mary settled
He came, Mary’s baby Jesus.
Mary had wisely prepared me.
We both knew what to do.
So, as God would have it,
of course, there were
no complications—
though it was very painful
and intense for her, of course,
but her strength from our God
shone through.
Then, when she and her son
were clean and resting
on the straw,
I gave God praise,
and took up my place
to guard the entrance,
though I don’t think
anyone would have
noticed us there.
I heard them at a distance,
they were laughing
and talking and
joking with each other
as I guess, shepherds
at night often do.
When they saw me in the entrance,
they suddenly stopped
as the elder among them
stepped forward and asked,
”Is this the place
where the angels told us
we would find Him born—
a baby, the Savior,
our Messiah,
lying in a manger?”
Immediately,
all of these shepherds,
some merely boys,
some still young men,
some of them older—
I think there
might have been twelve,
started talking at once,
mentioning angels
and their glorious appearance,
brighter than stars.
I tried to talk some sense
in the midst of their babel,
”My Mary and her baby are resting,
she’s exhausted,
he’s a newborn—
could you return in the morning?”
But then from inside
Mary spoke up with joy;
”Oh, faithful husband,
do not send them away—
did you hear them?
Angels have sent them.
We cannot turn them away.
Let them share in our joy.
Let them join us in praise.
Almighty God has blessed them
with the birth of His Son.”
What could I say?
They fell to their knees
as they entered the stable.
Some wept and some laughed,
some shouted, some whispered
but with us they all worshipped—
not one of them stood
in His Presence
the One
who lay in the manger.
And then they were gone,
and I heard their singing,
praising our God,
declaring the Truth
over and over again.
“The Savior is born.
Our Messiah us come
right here in Bethlehem,
our Savior is born.”
You know, even though
the shepherds spread the word,
very few came to see Him,
very few took the time
from their business
to see Mary’s son.
When her time for cleansing
had come we journeyed
the short distance
to Jerusalem
and the Temple
as we should.
There we were heartened
by Simeon and Anna
and their assurance
Mary’s baby was the One.
Not long thereafter,
Wise Men came
led by the star
shining in the heavens,
as they said,
guiding them all the way
to this humble
place where Mary’s son was born.
They gave us rich gifts,
gold, frankincense, and myrrh—
as in their worship
they proclaimed Him,
prophet, priest and king.
They warned us of Herod
and his dangerous
plot to find
us and Jesus
since Mary’s Son
was born to be king.
After they left
the angel appeared
to me again,
and we fled from our town
to Egypt where
our peoples’ journeys
had begun.
Only when Herod had died
did we dare to return.
At home in Nazareth
Mary’s boy grew more
wonderful and stronger
and more obviously
dedicated to our Great God.
What a blessed man I am.
What a blessed husband I am.
What a blessed labor
I am given.
Assisting my Mary,
helping her
raise her son,
somehow to become
the Messiah for our people—
the Savior of the world.
- Praise be to the Almighty.
Praise be to our God.
Praise be to Him for His Mercies.
Praise be to Him for His Grace.
Praise be to Him for His Love.
All praise be to His holy Name.
Nativity Stories . . . Mary
Nativity Stories
Week Two
Mary
A Joyful Singer
Hey y’all!
I’m Hanna and
you might as well know
right off the bat—
I’m proud to be from Nazareth.
Some folks think
we’re too simple,
but I always say
it’s best to keep
life simple.
Love God.
Love your neighbor.
Focus your heart and mind
on that and a whole
lot of complications,
why, they just go away.
Besides, living in Nazareth
under Roman rule—
well, it just makes life hard.
Men and women
and boys and girls
work so hard
they just don’t have time
to make life complicated.
But that’s enough of that.
I want to tell you a lovely story
about one of our very own
who was called
to become a part
of the greatest
story of all.
Her name is Mary.
Well, I declare,
I never in all my life
knew a happier girl
than Mary.
In fact, I would call
her plumb joyful.
Why, that girl
was singing
every time
I saw her.
In the market
buying vegetables
and fruit for her mother,
she was singing—
and she sang like a bird.
Now, bless her heart,
she was not really
beautiful, but she was cute—
and if you looked into her eyes
when she was singing,
well, they had a shine to them
that would remind you
of the stars.
Anyway, she was always
singing, in the market,
at the well, hurrying
with a message from her mother,
and in the women’s section
of the synagogue.
In fact, I always
tried to sit near Mary’s mother
and her daughters,
just so I could hear her sing.
Now, we are a small town,
and there will always be gossip,
but when things got tough
for Mary, for Joseph and her son;
I never did believe that gossip.
You just don’t sing like Mary.
You just don’t live in joy like Mary.
and do such things.
Yes, it’s true,
her son was a mystery,
But I choose to believe,
not in all that nasty gossip,
but in the tried and true
character of Mary and her Joseph.
So, even when it became
obvious Mary was
expecting a child
before she and Joseph
were married,
and the gossip
became nastier
and nastier,
I held on to
my belief in dear Mary.
Not even when Joseph
and Mary’s own father
looked so worried,
and the gossip
grew nastier
and nastier,
I still heard Mary’s
beautiful singing
and saw her eyes
still shining—
now somehow deep in my heart
I new our little Mary
had done nothing wrong.
Then came the census.
They, I mean Mary and Jospeh—
even with her so great
with child, were forced
to travel all the way
to Bethlehem
to register for their taxes.
Well, the gossips had a field day,
I even heard them saying,
“Good riddance!
They will bring a curse upon our town.
Such a shame for us to bear!”
Poor Mary’s father and Mother,
bless their hearts,
they had to face all that nastiness
constantly—
but to their credit
I never heard them
shaming their daughter
nor their son-in-law.
Well, after the census
all kinds of stories
returned with other travelers
for the census—
and I didn’t know what to believe.
Some claimed Joseph
was so embarrassed
they just took off to Egypt
to raise the boy—
all the stories said it was a boy—
among relatives living there.
Yet there were other stories
told by pilgrims
returning from Jerusalem
who whispered tales
about shepherds, angels,
a star and Wise Men,
and the murderous
attack on infants
by our so-called king.
No one knew anything for sure,
and Mary’s father and mother weren’t talking—
I don’t know if they actually knew
what was true, . . .
until after Herod, “Praise God!” died.
Finally, Joseph, Mary, and her child returned.
From the very beginning
her boy’s joy and his eyes—
and his beautiful voice—
he sang like Mary
won the hearts of man,
including me, of course.
Bless his heart.
He had her same joy
and her same
sense of peace;
well, if a boy
in such a place
as Nazareth
near Galilee
can be called peaceful;
well her sweet boy won people over,
you know what I mean?
Even some of those gossipers,
bless their hearts,
finally shut their mouths.
He laughed and ran and played
with all of the other children.
He attended the Hebrew school
at the synagogue
just like the other boys.
In many ways he seemed typical,
but to those of us
who watched him closely,
he remained, well mysterious.
Oh, some gossipers held to their disdain.
But most of us forgot this delightful
boy’s questionable past.
Joseph and Mary lived clearly devoted lives,
honoring God, her parents, each other;
carrying for their son, Jesus,
and his younger brothers and sisters.
The goodness of their lives
overcame the accusations
of the bitter gossip
still whispered here and there,
but less and less
as years passed by.
Anyway, I continued to admire Mary and her songs.
As it happens, she started coming to my vegetable stand,
and we enjoyed catching up on family news.
She had been friends with my younger daughter,
Abigail, who had married and moved
away to Caesarea while Mary had been away.
Gradually, over the years, even as Jesus grew
from his boyhood toward his maturity,
Mary occasionally told me bits-and-pieces
of their story, until one time when Joseph
had traveled, she seemed eager
to tell me the whole glorious story—
and of course, you will not be
surprised to know—
I believed every word of it.
By then I knew I had been right about
Mary, Joseph and her baby—
now her soon-to-be young man, Jesus.
So, here it is,
the most beautiful story I ever heard:
How beautifully
Mary’s eyes lit up
as she told the story.
First, she explained
she was outside Nazareth on a hill
when the angel
appeared to her.
Of course she was terrified.
I never saw an angel,
but if I did
I bet I would faint
right there, right then.
Anyway, he told her
not to fear.
He explained she had found
favor with God.
Then, he really blew her mind.
He told her
she was going to have a baby.
A baby boy!
The angel even gave him a name—
Jesus!
The angel kept on shocking her.
He told her the baby would be called
Son of the Most High,
The Most High!
For goodness sake!
Then the angel just kept on going.
He told her
the Lord God
would give him
the throne of David, his father.
And if that weren’t
enough the angel added
this child would grow up to reign over
the house of Jacob,
our peoples’ father, Israel,
forever.
Forever with no end!
Bless her heart.
Imagine!
Mary knew herself.
She had never been with a man.
Sure, she was betrothed to Joseph.
But she had never been with a man.
For goodness sake,
they weren’t married.
So, she just out and asked the angel,
”How can that happen?
I know I have not been with a man?”
Then the angel explained
God would work a miracle
so her son would be holy—
the Son of God.
The angel went on to tell her
about her elderly cousin,
Elizabeth who had no children,
bless her heart,
that she was now expecting a son.
Then he challenged Mary to believe.
”For God nothing is impossible.”
What could gentle, joyful, Mary say?
She replied,
”I am the Lord’s servant.
I surrender to His Will.”
Bless her sweet, sweet heart.
Then she told Joseph.
Of course he was troubled.
But, bless his honorable heart.
He knew Mary.
He was worrying over what to do.
Then an angel visited him in a dream.
And the angel explained,
Mary remained faithful to Joseph.
God was working a miracle.
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins.”
(Matthew 1:21)
So Joseph and Mary were married.
Then as her time drew near
they had to travel all the way to Bethlehem
to pay Caesar’s tax.
That trip was hard.
They only had a donkey.
They only had blankets
to lie down on a night.
They only had each other
to share the way.
But God led them.
They made it to Bethlehem.
But Bethlehem was crowded.
It was almost her time.
Joseph desperately searched
everywhere in the town,
but there was no place for them.
But God provided.
One inn keeper reluctantly
agreed they could
use a small stable
behind his inn.
It was there that Jesus was born.
It was Mary, alone with Joseph,
who delivered her son.
In a stable.
It seemed they were all alone.
But sweet Mary knew God was there.
And to prove it,
after they were settled for the night,
Mary and her baby Jesus;
shepherds came to worship.
Shepherds!
They were the first
to worship Jesus.
And they had come
because God had sent a crowd of angels
to tell them the Savior was born.
Those angels had told
the shepherds where they would find the baby.
And, lo and behold,
they came, and here he was.
Mary laughed as she told me
how those shepherds
had knelt before the baby,
the first to worship him.
And later, even as she and her son
were getting strong enough
to travel, they had had another
group of visitors.
They were so different from the shepherds.
They were foreigners.
They were known as Wise Men.
They had come on camels.
They were richly dressed.
They brought rich gifts,
gold, myrrh, and frankincense.
But just like the shepherds
they knelt and worshiped Baby Jesus.
Then the angel appeared again
to Jesus in another dream.
The angel warned Joseph
to flee with Mary and her son.
Herod, (I will never say, “Bless his heart.”)
was sending soldiers
to kill not only Jesus,
but as it turns out,
all of the young boys
in that place.
So, with the gifts from the Wise Men,
Joseph and Mary and her son
were able to escape
Herod’s murderous threat.
They fled to Egypt and remained
there among some of our people
until Herod had died.
Then they returned here to Nazareth.
Oh, some still gossiped.
But others like her parents
and others who really
knew Mary and Joseph
and who they actually were,
we rejoiced to have them home.
And we wondered at their stories.
And we grew to wonder more and more
over Mary’s miraculous son.
What a beautiful story!
How wonderfully
God had blessed Mary and Joseph!
Imagine the shepherds
coming to worship!
Imagine the wise men
with their rich gifts
also coming to worship!
What a glorious story!
How blessed I am
by this story!
And how blessed
we all will be
by Jesus,
bless his heart!
Praise be to God!
Hallelujah!
How He has blessed my heart!
Nativity Stories . . . Isaiah
Nativity Stories
God’s Glorious, Miraculous, His Joyful Visitation Among Us: It had always been God’s plan for redemption. This had been His plan from eternity, not just for humanity as a whole, but even more so for individuals like you and me. God has loved you from eternity. He has loved me. Every word in Scripture rings true along with that plan. My heart resounds with joy to this Great Good News. So,every year I write a Christmas story. I have been doing this since 1971 when I was a sophomore at the University of Montevallo. Over they years I have written all manner of stories featuring Biblical characters, family members, missionary families, imaginary families, and assorted animals. It has always been a delightful adventure for me, seeking to reveal the wonder and glory and the beauty of Jesus, God Incarnate coming to live among us.
This year will be unique. I believe God has given me the task of writing seven nativity stories, each written with one or two Bible personalities in view. I hope to post one a week leading up to Christmas. I will begin with the Prophet, Isaiah, called the Gospel Prophet—but, then again, actually all Old Testament prophets are Gospel prophets. They each play their role in God’s plan to make eternal redemption available to every person.
Week One
A Visionary Prophet
November 8
Isaiah
A Visionary Prophet
Well, who am I, you ask?
My name is of no matter to you.
I am here to tell a story of
God’s prophet, Isaiah.
I tell one of many stories
which could be told of this great and godly
man who stood before
kings, both righteous and unrighteous,
to proclaim the Word of God.
I received the blessing
of serving as a chosen one
among his scribes.
Here, then, is my story.
May God bless you
so you clearly receive His message.
Isaiah chose to spend extensive time alone.
Some days I never saw him at all.
One evening, late enough
that I had eaten my meal,
I was not so surprised to
see him coming through the door.
As was befitting, I asked Him,
”Shalom, Master Isaiah,
can I get you something to eat?”
“No, no, no, my brother.
We must get to work.
I have an amazing Word from the Lord.”
Indeed, yes He did.
Every Word God communicated to Isaiah
declared absolute truth
no man would ever undermine,
though kings and generals
might attempt such foolishness.
Here is what he carefully,
deliberately declared to me,
making sure I wrote each blessed
word God had declared.
“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish.
In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious
the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior
in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
(Isaiah 9:1-5)
Now, I must tell you how
Isaiah behaved
while he expressed to me
this Word from the Lord.
He never sat down.
He paced back and forth.
His face shone with glory.
His eyes were bright.
And as I listened,
my heart overflowed with joy.
Here was God’s Holy Word
entrusted to my own
humble fingers to record.
Sometimes Isaiah spoke loudly,
forcefully, demanding attention.
At other times he seemed
overcome with the majesty
of God’s Message,
and he almost whispered.
Sometimes his voice became exultant,
but at other times
he wept with a brokenness
which moved me to tears.
This night Isaiah sounded triumphant.
Obviously he had Good News to share.
He delivered a message about glory
coming to Galilee of the nations.
He declared a great light was coming
to people bound by darkness.
For His people there would be great joy.
The oppression of hopelessness
would cease.
Battle gear would be burned.
(At this point, I must tell you,
Isaiah became more excited
than I had ever seen him.
He started laughing and crying
at the same time.
He rushed outside and looked up
at the stars, as he declared,
“Praise be to God,
Ruler of the Universe.”
I rushed out into the night also.
I joined him in praising God.
This was one of the most holy
moments we had ever shared together.)
Then I followed him back inside.
I took up my stylus,
and with mesmerizing
Joy he spoke these words:
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
(Isaiah 9:6-7)
(And then my Master, Isaiah, stopped his proclamation,
and told me to put down my stylus.
He often did this, when overcome
with the power of the message,
so he could explore the depth and meaning
in God’s Holy Word.)
“Imagine this, my brother.
God will send a child, a son among us.
He will establish a holy kingdom,
ruled by our Holy God.
Just think of His Names:
Wonderful Counselor!
Mighty God!
Everlasting Father!
Prince of Peace!
In some mysterious,
miraculous manner,
God is coming
to live among us,
Praise be to His Holy Name!”
Then, Isaiah, my master started dancing,
well, not exactly dancing,
more like stepping in rhythm
as he almost sang.
Actually, first he declared
from memory
an earlier prophecy.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.
(Isaiah 7:14)
Then with more excitement
and joy than I had
ever seen in my Master
he begin to chant and dance-step
around the room.
“Our Lord God will do it,
He will do it as He has planned
even from all eternity.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
He will show us His sign.
A virgin shall conceive a son,
His Name, Immanuel.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
He has said it, brother.
And so, it will surely be done.
His Word will never, never fail.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
All His people are blessed.
All the world will finally know.
God offers redemption to all.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
His Love and Word are glorious.
This Son will be our redemption.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.”
Then he grabbed me
by both hands
and led me
as we chanted
his song,
as we stamped
our feet
in less than perfect rhythm
And in my heart I knew
how this message
my Master Isaiah
had received from God
would bring joy
to all the people
of the world.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
Hosanna to His Holy Name.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord
HALLELUJAH PRAISE THE LORD!!!
The more I read the Bible the more I admire the gritty reality it reflects as it portrays our human experience on this fallen Earth. Every mighty person of God in the Bible reveals not only their strength in serving God, but also their Adam-and- Eve-like-nature—falling so short of the glory of God. Every godly life experiences a full spectrum of victories and challenges, ranging from those mountain top victories to those lost-in-the-dark-valley defeats. Noah and his family survive the flood due to his faithfulness, and then he gets drunk on wine. Abraham faithfully answers God’s call, and then he and Sarah make their own arrangement for Abraham to father a son out of wedlock, choosing to not fully believe God’s Promise. Moses faithfully leads God’s people from slavery in Egypt, and then he hits rather than speaks to the rock as God has commanded—and so he misses out on entering the Promised Land. David slays Goliath, giving glory to God; but then later he murders a faithful soldier in order to cover up the king’s adultery with that soldier’s life. The Bible pulls no punches. Humankind is portrayed clearly—both good and bad.
Perhaps the Book of Psalms best shows this gritty reality about our human nature, and how that relates to God and our faith in Him. Psalms are filled with praise, but also with tough questions, and laments about the unpredictability of life, sharply contrasting faith and doubt—but God’s People speaking through the psalms always move toward deeper, more rewarding faith. Psalms 22 can illustrate this shocking contrast.
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
*************
27All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you.
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
even the one who could not keep himself alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
that he has done it.
This Psalm records David’s intense suffering at various points in his life. He even asks why God has forsaken him. He mentions suffering which remarkably reflects the suffering of Christ on the cross hundreds of years in the future. He describes his suffering as being poured out like water, as having all his bones pulled out of joint, and as his being laid in the dust of death. But as he endures such suffering, David also ends his reflection as one who expresses faith in the Goodness of God. God brings David through extreme pain to a remarkable victory over sin and death. Notice: Verses 27-31 clearly testify to David’s testimony to God’s ultimate victory. In this remarkable Psalm David bears witness that even when God seems most absent, He is most present. He never abandons His own. He will secure victory in the end. As His children we are never alone. How appropriate, and how like God’s tender care in how He works, that when hanging all alone on the Cross, Jesus recalls this Psalm as a testament to God’s faithfulness even as He must turn away from the sins of human kind, even as Jesus bears them on His shoulders. Indeed, our blessed Savior knows, God’s Way never lets us down.
And so, it makes beautiful sense, hopeful, encouraging sense that the word, HALLELUJAH, (Praise the Lord) appears over one hundred times in the book of Psalms. Hallelujah is transliterated from the Hebrew phrase, ha-le-lu-yah. This literally means (ha-le-lu) Let us praise, and (yah) the Lord God. Here are some verses from Psalms which include Hallelujah or the translation, Praise the Lord.
Psalm 106:1 ESV
Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD!
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 111:1 ESV
Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Psalm 112:1 ESV
Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in His commandments!
Psalm 113:1 ESV
Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD!
Psalm 135:3 ESV
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
Psalm 146:1 ESV
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
Psalm 150:6 ESV
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!
Interestingly, the last five Psalms, Psalms 146-150, all begin with Praise the LORD! Then their final verse also ends with Praise the LORD! These are often called the Hallelujah Psalms. What a powerful way to conclude this rich book composed of peoples’ honest, forthright prayers, which in the end give praise to God. In our own lives we can reap rich blessings when we begin and continue and end our days with praise to the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
In the morning I praise the LORD
for He has kept me safe
through the night.
Praise the Lord!
As I take my breakfast I praise the LORD
for He provides for me
everything I eat.
Praise the Lord!
As I tackle every challenge I praise the LORD
for He provides
wisdom and strength.
Praise the LORD!
As I face interruptions in my work I praise the LORD
for He directs
every encounter.
Praise the LORD!
When I fail to reach my goal I praise the Lord
for He reveals
His plan to succeed.
Praise the LORD!
When I pause for lunch I praise the Lord
for He provides
rest and sustenance.
Praise the LORD!
As I meet with people I praise the LORD!
for He redeems
every relationship.
Praise the LORD!
As I notice beauty around me I praise the LORD!
for He provides me
His splendor surrounding me.
Praise the LORD!
For all who work along with me
for He makes us
partners to do His good.
Praise the LORD!
In the evening as I eat
for He satisfies
my every need.
Praise the LORD!
He blesses me with
home and family
blessed by His Love.
Praise the LORD!
When each day ends
I recall Jesus walking
beside me all day long.
I will close in quoting the poem below by the German poet, Raine Maria Rilke. His short, powerful poem declares that the answer to every question we have about life is to give praise to God. I have found that truth gives me a strong foundation in facing the ever shifting mysteries of living out faith day-to-day.
I PRAISE
Oh say, poet, what do you do?
—I praise.
But what of the deadly and the monstrous,
how do you keep going, how do you take it in?
—I praise.
And what of the nameless, the unnamed,
how do you keep calling out, poet?
—I praise.
Where does it come from, this right you claim
to be authentic in every guise and each mask?
—I praise.
And that the stillness and the turbulence
recognize you like star and storm?
—Because I praise.
Raine Maria Rilke
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
John 14:6
Jesus said to him,
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
Though we may search
wherever we go
and though we may seek
every day that we live,
we all long to know,
we all seek to find
all the meaning behind
these days that we live.
Whether in plenty,
whether in want,
enjoying the light
or enduring the night,
we have this longing,
we have this desire
to fill up this hole
deep in our hearts.
God made us so,
He gave us this need,
He comes to us each
seeking His child
to give us His Love
and His Presence,
love, joy and peace,
His Kingdom we seek.
Jesus, Messiah,
God’s Promised One
comes as the Shepherd
gathering His sheep,
in Him is the Kingdom,
in Him we are found,
in Him we are born
in the Kingdom of God.
Let’s get straight to the point! Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven brings us His life, death, and resurrection. He brings us gifts so powerful, so beautiful, so fundamental for our lives here on earth and for our future in Heaven. He literally offers us everything as we make our ultimate choice between eternal life and death. In Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven we receive everything. Without Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven we lose everything. This is the clear message of the Bible. This is Jesus’ powerful Word through these two short parables: “The Parable Of The Hidden Treasure” and “The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price.”
The first story goes like this: A man finds a great treasure hidden in a field. It is so valuable a treasure he immediately hides it again. Then, with joy, he goes and sells everything he has, and then buys that field. That’s it. All of us understand the ending. His whole life is changed and enriched forever. Things for him will never be the same. From that point on he will be able to bless himself and others with the bountiful resources this treasure has provided. It’s like that for you and me. Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven is our great treasure. His Being and the life He brings in the Kingdom of Heaven are worth “selling out” or giving up everything we have. Literally, it’s like making a choice between EVERYTHING and NOTHING. Jesus offers us the Kingdom of Heaven, which is worth whatever small trinkets we might have worked so hard to collect. What can I say but, “Praise God for Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven?”
Jesus might well say, “The second parable is like unto the first.” Here is a merchant seeking beautiful pearls. He is delighted to find one pearl far more precious than any other. He goes and sells all that he has. Then he joyfully buys that particular, that beautiful, that treasure of a pearl. Like the merchant who has found the great treasure, his entire life enriched beyond belief. He suddenly has so much more than he has ever anticipated. He is enriched beyond his wildest imagination. When Jesus finds us, he brings to us just such a treasure. He changes our life for the richer and the better forever. Getting to know the riches in the Kingdom of Heaven fills our life here and now and forever with more goodness we would have never believed possible.
Well, that’s not complicated at all. Jesus tells two simple stories. He has pivotal, vital, and eternal truth to share. Find Jesus. Turn to Him in surrendering everything. Find in Him and the Kingdom of Heaven more than you have ever imagined having. So, whether you have been looking for treasure or for pearls; realize that what your heart and soul really need is Jesus. He not only satisfies our deepest longings. He powerfully meets more than our deepest desires. He replaces them like the actual junk they are. He overflows our lives with blessings we cannot contain. What do we need in life? Who do we need in life? We need Jesus. We need the Kingdom of God only He can bring to us. Jesus is the greatest treasure. He is the priceless pearl. Hallelujah! Amen!
And, of course, our lives, overflowing with God’s blessings, become testimonies to His Love, His Power and His Goodness. We cannot contain our joy. We have Good News to share. In fact, our very lives day-to-day become parables of those who have been found by Jesus and have received all the blessings of the Kingdom of God.
No wonder He taught His disciples to pray:
It is God’s Kingdom we need. It is God’s Kingdom we need to take control over every bit of all of our lives. His is the Kingdom. His is the power. His is the glory. Forever, amen!
This Is My Father’s World
Psalm 8 ESV
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
The beauty of the world around us is such a powerful testimony to the glory of God. This year we have been continually blessed by God’s gracious provision of dahlias and zinnias throughout the summer and into the Fall. And in turn these beautiful blossoms have attracted beautiful butterflies who come to dance among them as they search for pollen. And even beyond their lovely presence we have delighted in the hummingbirds who have darted in and out among the blossoms. So, it has been a source of daily joy—recognizing how intricately God has created this world—brimming over with constant reminders of His Glory. So, I join the Psalmist in praising our wonderful and very purposeful Creator. His majesty is abundantly clear to anyone who has eyes to see. I believe that is why I have since my childhood loved the hymn, “This Is My Father’s World.” Not surprisingly, the hymn writer, Maltbie Babcock, a Presbyterian minister, wrote his testimony in song, inspired by times he spent walking among the natural beauty of the forests, hills, rivers and water falls of upstate New York.
THIS IS MY FAHER’S WORLD
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world;
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas—
His hands the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world;
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world;
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world;
O let me ne’er forget!
That though the wrong seem oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world;
The battle is not done
Jesus who died shall be satisfied
And earth and Heaven be one.
In the very first line he summarizes his testimony: “This is my Father’s World.” He rejoices in the beauty of nature, and he recognizes that all that beauty points not only to our glorious Creator, but also to our loving Father. He has shaped and formed the heavens above, the mountains standing tall, the trees so grand, and everything in nature that so delights us. We can say a hardy “Amen” to “This is my Father’s World.” Indeed, every aspect of His Nature all around us speaks to us of His awesome creativity and His loving provision for His people. We can find encouragement, assurance, and strength as we open our eyes and ears; and indeed, all of our senses to luxuriate in His goodness.
Sometimes we really need His loving assurance. Because of our human problem with sin, we cannot ignore the troubles in this life that sometimes threaten to overwhelm us. As the third stanza of this beautiful hymn reminds us; we need to hold onto the testimony of God’s Goodness and Power so evident in nature. Though the battle with the Enemy still rages, God remains our eternal and faithful Ruler. After all, Jesus has come and lived among us. He has lived and taught among us. He has worked mighty miracles of healing. He has provided for our needs, small and large. He has proven His power over nature by walking on water and calming storms. He has even raised the dead. Ultimately, He has died to give us victory over our own sin and death. He has risen in resurrection power to redeem us as we turn to Him in faith. He is preparing a place He will gloriously share with us forever.
There is a quiet and resolute faith underlying every word of this hymn. The simple tune undergirds this message of assurance brimming with joy and celebrating the glory of our Good Father in Heaven. Praise His Holy Name.
(Now, if you have a few moments, go to You Tube and search for “This Is My Father’s World,” choose one of many available recordings and let the sweetness of the words and music wash over you. I chose a beautiful and quiet version by Amy Grant.”)
A Beautiful Example
Of Our Father God’s
Creative Craftsmanship
GOD’S EXTRAORDINARY, AMAZING LOVE
GOD’S EXTRAORDINARY, HIS AMAZING LOVE
God’s Love really is extraordinary. His Love is amazing. And best of all, His Love is absolutely real. Look around. He proves it in the intricacy and beauty of Creation which surrounds you. Listen. He proves it with the infinite variety of sounds in nature which fairly sing His praises. Examine your heart. All you find there which is good and true and beautiful comes from Him and His proven love for you.
God’s Love is always looking for those who will declare and prove His Love in the beautiful way they both speak and act in Him and for His glory. When I observe extraordinary love lived out in life, I always find as its source, the glory of God. When I am amazed at loving acts, loving thoughts and loving intent; I always find in the heart of those acts, those thoughts and that intent; the absolute love of Christ.
If we look for an example of living the life of godly love, we need look no further than to the life of Jesus, our Lord. He clearly lived out the Love of God and demonstrated daily the reality and the power of divine love. The Apostle Paul gave us a beautiful description of such love in I Corinthians 13. If you examine the qualities he identifies in God’s Love, you cannot help but see how beautifully His Life met every standard for living out Almighty God’s own Love for us.
1. Jesus lived out patience and kindness day-by-day as He related to His disciples.
2. Jesus neither envied nor boasted—He always chose contentment as the Father led Him.
3. Jesus insisted on the Father’s Way and not His own.
4. Jesus never allowed weariness nor disappointment to make him act irritably or resentful.
5. Jesus never rejoiced at wrongdoing. He clearly rejoiced with the truth.
6. Jesus bore up under every attack. Jesus believed and acted obediently in response to every word from the Father. Jesus joyfully embraced hope from Heaven even when there were 5000 waiting to eat. Jesus endured His arrest, His trial, His condemnation, and His crucifixion.
7. Jesus bore every earthly hurdle life threw His Way, looking to, listening and reveling in every promise from Above.
Just last week I was reading in a daily devotion book based on the life and testimony of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who joined the small number of Christian ministers who dared to stand against the evil violence of Adolph Hitler against Jews, disabled and so-called imperfect people in Germany society. Hitler’s hellish philosophy, which proclaimed keeping the so-called purity of the German race by any means necessary—much too often leading to hideous torture and murder. In the face of pure evil Bonhoeffer and others risked everything to joint in planning Hitler’s assassination. When their plot failed and they were arrested, Bonhoeffer and others eventually faced the death penalty.
“This is the end—for me, the beginning of life.” In 1945 Just as War II Ended, Bonhoeffer was hung because of his anti-Nazi activities, inspired by his deep faith in Jesus.
Bonhoeffer inspired Charles Ringley to write these words in speaking of God’s Love which aggressively seeks redemption for every person He creates:
An approach that gives when it has the right to demand
is a remarkable quality of love indeed.
An attitude that forgives when it could condemn
and a love that embraces when it could so easily
find reason to reject us
is an attitude and life that can inspire hope and faith.
God’s love does the opposite to what we would normally expect.
It fills empty rather than full hands.
It pursues the worst to make it be best.
It makes the weak strong and rules with love
rather than with force or coercion.
Such a love is wholly undeserved,
but it I most welcome,
for it is love that transforms us.
Here is a lot to ponder: The Love of God gives when it has the right to demand.
The Love of God forgives when it could condemn.
The Love of God embraces rather than rejects.
The Love of God inspires hope and faith.
The Love of God does the opposite of what we would expect.
The Love of God fills empty rather than full hands.
The Love of God pursues the worst to make it the best.
The Love of God makes the weak strong.
The Love of God rules with love rather than with force or coercion
The Love of God is wholly undeserved but is most welcome.
The Love of God miraculously transforms us.
The Love of God lives eternally in our Lord Jesus.
Throughout His life on Earth Jesus daily and moment-by-moment illuminated the Love of God. One of His most poignant and powerful acts of Love came just before the Last Supper when Jesus knelt and washed His disciples feet—something none of them had been willing to do for Him or for each other.
GOD KNEELING DOWN
Christ in His Perfect Love
startles our slumbering hearts
when we watch
God kneeling down
with a towel around His waist
taking our filthy feet
in His strong
yet His merciful hands
doing for you what we in
pride never thought we could do
for another—
carefully cleaning from
the bottom of our toes
the grimiest of earth,
ignoring the odor
of the dung from the street,
serving in love
those who should be bowing
before Him in glory—
Him whose feet we should
be anointing,
Him who in humility serves
those who should serve Him.
