Land of Mercy

What we pack for a trip is largely determined by where we are going and what we'll be doing: warm clothes for cool-weather places, fishing gear for fishing, a coffee maker when there is none present. Jesus' invitation of John 37:7 goes like this: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come unto Me and drink." No preparation or planning required - just come. No pondering or deliberation - just come. Just come - come thirsty expecting a Drink. How sad people leave one year and into another still thirsting for what Christ offers freely: salvation, peace, rest, complete satisfaction. Spurgeon writes, "It's a wonder we still live in the land His Mercy!" The calendar of time has changed many times yet Jesus' invitation remains: come, anyone who is thirsty. What do you bring? Bring your thirst and drink of the Fullness of Christ in the ... Land of Mercy.

Magnify Jesus

Most of my life I've cared little whether I owned a magnifying glass; oh, how my life has changed. Not only do I now own one, it has a light on it - woot! "And Mary said, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.'" (Luke 2:46). What do you magnify? Like me, perhaps it's the weather or the economy or the unpleasant circumstances of life. Magnify - to make big of, to make large, to increase in size, to make more intense or extreme. If anyone had cause to allow the external [circumstances] to overwhelm the internal [spirit], it was Mary. Albeit, she chose to magnify God in her moment of fear and uncertainty. Mary embraced her Lord and her Savior: her soul reverberates, "I have found Him Whom my soul loves." (Song of Solomon 3:4). The Ultimate Joy of Christmas is Jesus: Let our souls sing of Him - Let our spirits rejoice in Him - He is The Father's Gift ... Let all we are magnify Jesus!

The Family Tree

Family trees can be interesting! When The Sisters (Deb, Sherri, Joy, me) of our family tree get together it's way-more than just interesting - we rattle the tree! Now, Jesus' family tree is interesting indeed! Consider the lives of Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Judah, Boaz and David; a stolen birthright, adultery and murder, slavery, captivity - sounds shameful, doesn't it? Christ's genealogy is full of real people just like you and I -- disobedience, poor choices, painful consequences. Truth is, there was enough sin just in The Garden; like Jesus' ancestors needed a Savior, so did we - that's why He came. The amazing news of great joy is because of Jesus, Believers now can boast of belonging to His Family Tree. What a wonder - What joy - What a reason to to celebrate His birth!

It's Personal

Now, if time-travel was possible and you could be injected into Luke's account of Jesus' birth, where would you choose to be? I’ve pondered this and without hesitation, I would travel to the fields outside Bethlehem; there, where shepherds “watched their flocks by night … and lo, the angel of the LORD appeared” (Luke 2:8-9). Think about it: the last group an earthly king would give audience to would be a group of outcasts yet they are exactly who The King of Glory chose to deliver His “good tidings of great joy to all people” (V.11). The angel’s next words should ignite personal delight in every heart: “For unto you” ... unto you ... that is, for you, a personal Savior! "Unto you" is as personal as it gets! Emmanuel – God with us – The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), meaning  "to pitch a tent" a reminder of the Old Testament tabernacle where God met with man. A Savior for all people - A Savior Who is personal. Just how personal is He to you?

Sweet Foretaste

For sure, I’ve never boasted of being an excellent cook but there are a few things (through the years) my boys liked - my peanut butter cookies, my broccoli casserole, my homemade hot chocolate and my fresh apple cake. It’s very much appropriate that Believers should have some other-world longings. There are many who approach Christmas with a deep sense of loss  realizing the absence of loved ones. Be alert to overwhelming sadness and the potential for bitterness! In his book Good News of Great Joy, John Piper writes, “O, don’t let all the sweet things of this season become substitutes of the final great, all-satisfying Sweetness. Let every loss and every delight send your heart a-homing after heaven.” Jesus, The Promised King, arrived in Bethlehem bringing Life abundant! The sweet delights of this world are only a foretaste of the Sweet-and-Glorious Delights of the world-to-come! What Joy awaits Believers in heaven – Jesus our King along with some very special people! Oh, a foretaste of glory divine is the blessed  assurance of Jesus! "Make your Now the richer and deeper this Christmas by drinking at the fountain of Forever. It is so near.” Celebrate the ... sweet foretaste!

Heart Moves

There are certain songs that just make you want to move - then there are songs that move you. Mary's song in Luke 1 reflects a heart a'burstin' with joy and delight. Her song begins, "My soul magnifies The Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior," but she doesn't leave us wondering why: she speaks of His might, His holiness, His mercy, His strong arms, His goodness and His faithfulness. Most importantly, however, Mary declares her Child to be her Savior! Mary's words must be the words of The Redeemed everywhere, and our delight a mirror of hers. And, our hearts move - "Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee - How great Thou art - How great Thou art." Oh Child of God, if your heart is not moved, check your pulse!

In The Midst

In the midst of life, there's a digital calendar; if mine fails or is unavailable, I must take a pause, Genesis 2:9 tells us in His Garden, God made to grow trees pleasing to the eye and good for food then “the tree of life also in the midst of the garden.”  Noted in Scripture, a special tree – not on the fringes of the garden, not tucked away in an obscure location; no, specifically situated in the middle of God’s Garden.  Jesus later declared, “I am The Way, The Truth and The Life; no man comes to The Father but by Me." (John 14:6).  God’s Son – Jesus Christ – came that we might have Life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).  This abundant  Life Jesus spoke of is exceedingly abundant, Life beyond human measure. Furthermore, this Life was made real to man in human form in Jesus. Those who trust fully in Him as Savior experience this Life both in eternity but here in the midst of each day.  Emmanuel, which means God with us, lives within every Believer strengthening, encouraging, steering us through present struggles and rejoicing with us in our victories.  Personally, I find it particularly joyful God chose the center of the Garden for His tree of Life.  Similarly, Jesus arrived right in the middle of a chaotic Bethlehem, bringing Peace, Calm and Life: "Silent night, Holy night - All is Calm, All is bright." In the midst of this Season, would you pause often to ponder on and wonder at One Solitary Life and The Life He offers.  He is The Hope of this Season and all seasons.  Let Him live in the midst of you!

Be Home

Home for Christmas: it sings well, but for many it's just a dreamy thought.  Many folks are just content to stay home for Christmas.  Luke tells us Joseph went to his ancestral home: "up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David." (2:4).  The 92-mile journey was difficult for the young couple especially for an expectant Mary.  Why Bethlehem?  It was to Bethlehem God led the Prophet Samuel to find Israel's first [real] king (David) and with whom The Messiah's royal line began.  And, it was to Bethlehem where God would deliver His Son, to begin the reconciliation of sinful man to Himself.  Jesus came to dwell among men and to dwell in the hearts of men: man's heart - God's dwelling place ... home.  Is your heart home to The Savior? This touted most wonderful time of the year is certainly a wonderful time to be home in Christ. Be home this Christmas!

An Easy Sing

Some songs aren’t easily sung. I remember a two-week period in which Mister Bill and I had to buy 6 new tires!  We had decided there was a highly contagious tire disease! We were a bit off-key on that “rejoice at all times” song. I’m sure angels don’t struggle with nor tire of praising God.  It’s what they do!  You know, of course, we cannot make such a claim.  We seem to need winding-up then poked-and-prodded. Bethlehem’s sky was suddenly populated with Heaven’s finest doing what they do and do so well: “Praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’” (Luke 2:13). I suspect they sang with mighty perfection as if they had practiced an eternity for just that moment. It may have been their greatest performance!  Oh, if we would repeat The Message of the angels, sharing God’s Good News with our own world. The world is literally dying to hear It, see It, feel It, be saved by It.  ‘Tis the Season to speak of It – it’s an easy sing!

Something To Talk About

One-sided conversations can be awkward. It seems to me, a conversation is a conversation only when there's at least two participants.  Zechariah, Jewish priest and father of John, is often overlooked in the Christmas story. Bless him, he questioned the angel's message that his wife would conceive which led to months of being unable to speak. He finally gets his voice back - yay - and he finally has a child (an heir) to hold; so much to talk about! All he can speak of, however, is Jesus Messiah! "Blessed be The Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us." (Luke 1:68-69). There will be lots of conversation - chatter, babbling and such - these coming days. I wonder how much will be spoken of God's Great Salvation of which the birth of Jesus was part. Zechariah held nothing back: he made clear Jesus represented "the tender mercy of our God whereby The Sunrise shall visit us from on high to give Light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of Peace." (V.78-79). Now, that's something to talk about!

Rejoice!

How many voices do you have? Most people [I know] have a few: one voice with which they speak to their doctor or insurance agent; a different voice they use when talking to a stranger; then, of course, that voice used to talk to family and close friends. Hebrews 3:6 says, "God's ways are everlasting." When God acts [and speaks], we can be certain it is with unchanging authority and certainty. In contrast to man's ever-changing voice-mood-countenance, all God does [and says] reveals His flawless character of graciousness, kindness, mercy and love. When He promised in Genesis (3:15) that The Messiah would one day destroy man's enemy [the "seed of Satan]," God meant it! Even though time and time again, man rebelled against and disobeyed Him, God kept that promise. The arrival of The Holy Child in Bethlehem was part of that promise! It's why we raise triumphant voices in celebration: "Joy to the world - The Lord has come." One never-changing God with One ever-eternal  voice: let heaven and earth rejoice!

Our Certainty

Watching the clock is not a good way to [shall I say] pass the time. Unlike the "wheels on the bus" that go round-and-round, the hands on a clock can creep to an invisible crawl. At this moment, I'm encouraged by the present-tense of Mary's words, "My soul MAGNIFIES the Lord - My spirit REJOICES in God - Holy IS His Name - His Mercy IS for those who fear Him." (from Luke 1:46,47,49,50). As sure as Mary was of her words, so can Believers be today! The birth, life and ministry of Jesus testified of God's Presence at a certain point in history but also an Ever Presence with those who put their trust in Him Who said, "Lo, I am with you always." Why not face our fears and uncertainties like Job: "To God would I commend my cause, Who does great things." (Job 5:8-9). Oh, the blessedness of celebrating certainty in the midst of uncertainty: Jesus ... our Certainty.

Salvation Has Come

Have you ever stood at the window watching, waiting as patiently as possible, for the the arrival of someone or something? Minutes seem like hours, hours seem like days, dwys seem like years! Surely this describes what Isaiah prophesied: "Woe to you, O destroyer, while you were not destroyed; O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be their strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of distress." (Isaiah 33:1-2). A promised Deliverer to destroy the destroyer! Indeed the people's moments had turned into centuries; perhaps many had lost all hope. Then, as prophesied and promised, The Deliverer came and Zechariah announces The Sunrise has come: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant - as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old - Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us." (Luke 1:68-71). This same Deliverer now lives within the hearts of those who believe in Jesus Messiah. Now, those who Believe, await His return. What a cause for Celebration ... Jesus Messiah ... Salvation has come!

Belief of Believers

ave you ever asked something to which the answer was so obvious, so apparent, the question was ... well, just dumb! Let me assure you such questions do not go unnoticed by Mister Bill: ask a dumb questions, expect a smart remark. While performing priestly duties in the temple, God sent an angel to Zechariah: "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 ... he will be filled with The Holy Spirit ... And he will turn many of the children of Israel to The Lord their God, and he will go before Him [Jesus] ... in spirit and power." (Luke 1:13-17). Perhaps Zechariah's response to God's announcement slipped past his lips without thought: "How shall I know this?" (V.18). Yeah, a textbook example of nonsensical questions to which God did not find amusing [as Zechariah was left "silent and unable to speak" until John's birth]. The lack of discernment is often a result of unbelief; we often pray lacking genuine belief that God is able to answer our prayers! I'm so glad those weren't Zechariah's final words: "And his [John's] father Zechariah was filled with The Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, 'Blessed be The Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people." (V.67-68). Zechariah's Song (V.67-79) testifies of The Christ of Christmas come to save mankind - The Free Gift to all who believe. Jesus Messiah is The Belief of all Believers!

Magnify Him!

Magnification is a wonderful thing! The plentiful (and scattered) supply of reading glasses here confirms this older-me greatly values enlarged and lighted text. Mary begins her song (The Magnificat) this way: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." (Luke 1:46-47). From its depth, her soul makes its highest delight and praise most conspicuous. He Who visited and overshadowed her created within her an overwhelming spirit of joy. Perhaps her immediate and hurried departure to Elizabeth was spurred by little more than extreme excitement of what The Lord was doing for His people. The psalmist also declared, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together!" (Psalm 34:3) - "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name! (Psalm 103:1). Overcome with The Presence, Mary testifies of God above her fears and above her circumstances! What a model for personal Christmas celebration. In spite of and in the midst of uncertainty and season frenzy, we [too] can make great of and known the promised Messiah to man. Yes, why not! Let us magnify Him!

Be Filled

No doubt, many reached a particular point then pushed away from the Thanksgiving table and declared, "I'm full!" That will happen again throughout the month of December as we gather around tables plentiful with delicacies - many only enjoyed at Christmas. Declared or not - full we will be!  John wrote of a divine fullness: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from The Father, full of grace and truth." In the context of humanity, we all understand well the limitations of the physical: we lack and are constrained by many things. Jesus, The One and Only Son of Almighty God - He Who existed from eternity past to eternity future - took on Himself human form; yet He lost nothing of His essential nature! Furthermore, Jesus took physical nature yet assumed none of man's sin nature. Isaiah describes Jesus' appearing: "And the glory and majesty and splendor of the LORD will be revealed." (Isaiah 40:5). The Perfect Fullness of God revealed to man in The Person of Jesus Messiah (Christ) is what we celebrate this Season. In Him there is no diminishing grace nor relative truth! It is a spiritual fullness [of lacking nothing] that all may experience but only through The Messiah. The wonder of the season is Jesus - Know Him and be filled.

Do His Word

Every once in a while, someone gets something right; what I mean is someone will say something so starkly profound in the face of misinformation, it drives home an otherwise assumed yet unspoken truth. The words can stop us in our tracks, leave us momentarily speechless, cause us to pause. Such are the words of David: "Bless the LORD, O you His angels, you mighty ones who do His word, obeying the voice of His word! Bless the LORD, all His hosts, His ministers, who do His will!" (Psalm 103:20-21). The most common belief about angels is far from what David describes. These created heavenly beings that arouse our wonder and curiosity aren't as elusively mysterious as we think: they are God's servants, always doing His bidding - going to where and doing as He instructs! The appearance of angels to the shepherds wasn't a fearsome thing - it was a glorious reflection of Him Who sent them to announce the arrival of Heaven's Son, the promised Messiah. In this same context, Believers find their calling: to be and go and do as The Father commands, to shine forth His Light in a darkened, fallen world. As Jesus said in John 4:34, "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish His work," and so should we find our life-purpose. The angels existed for nothing more than to serve and rejoice in God's word. Do you [also] find your joy in doing the will of The Father? Fulfill your purpose ... do His word.

What You Believe

Ready! Able! Willing! Of these three, which is the hardest? To be ready, we plan and prepare; to be able, we make sure we have sufficient power and resources to accomplish the task before us; to be willing, however, goes beyond the ready-and-able - it is the voluntary, inclination to move forward in our readiness and ability. Yeah, this is where many of us get stuck! We really know very little about Mary, she who was chosen to give physical birth to Jesus. Something we do know and learn from is ... willingness. When the angel described the divine conception [by The Holy Spirit] and the Holy Child she would bear, she said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38). No "but what about ..." or "are you sure ..." or "I'm not sure ...". Because God chose Mary, we can conclude she was physically-emotionally-spiritually ready and able and ... willing. Willing to suffer the scandal to ensue, the inability to adequately explain, the shame brought to her, Joseph and their families. Yes, Scripture makes clear ... she was completely willing! God has given Believers [reportedly] 8,810 promises in His Word; if I memorized every one and could recite them standing on my head while wiggling my toes, they would be moot and of no practical importance UNLESS I truly believed them. You see, our willingness [to believe and act] validates and establishes the soundness of what we say. Mary truly believed the words spoken to her by the angel. Can you - Will you respond as Mary ... willing to be the "servant of the Lord." It's really a matter of what you believe.