Joy

Neh. 8:10b, "The joy of the Lord is your strength."

It is after nine p.m. on Christmas night. We have had a wonderful day, and the snow that blanketed our area with its pristine white was a wonderful gift. But the children have tracked the snow, and mud is showing through. I am too full of turkey, dressing, and pecan pie. The Christmas tree will soon be stripped of its ornaments and put away for another year. There are dishes piled in the sink and leftovers in the refrigerator. It really is cold and dreary outside with at least two long winter months in the immediate future. Life's Little Frustrations reflects that kind of mood. But I would really just like to add a few lines to that little poem to encourage us all tonight.

We've had our fill of Christmas cheeer.

The holiday's over for another year.

The weather outside is dreary and cold.

The year 2010 is weary and old.

This is the most discouraging thing--

It's such a long, long time until spring!

So what is a person supposed to do?

Walk closely with Jesus and His joy will shine through.

Acknowledge His Presence, know that He's near

And allow Him to guide us through this next New Year.

Give thanks for His blessings and bask in His love.

Walk closely with Jesus and the Father above.

And remember--Jesus is the Gift that keeps on giving every single day!

Life's Little Frustrations

We've had our fill of Christmas cheer.

The holiday's over for another year.

The weather outside is dreary and cold.

The year 2010 is weary and old.

This is the most discouraging thing--

It's such a long, long time until spring!

The Humble

James 4:10, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

Rev. 22:20b, "Come, Lord Jesus."

Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying that God must love common people because He made so many of them. God even loves the most common of birds, being in charge when one small sparrow falls to the ground.

When God sent Jesus, the long awaited Messiah, to earth, who were the first people to know His plan and greet the Baby? The angel Gabriel announced His imminent birth to a teenage Jewish girl whose major credential seems to be her incredible response to an event which was to rock her world and cause her great heartache as well as great joy. It was her willingness to do God's will that gave her the greatest privilege of any woman, that of birthing and nurturing the very Son of God. Her response was, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

When the Baby Jesus was born, His birth was not announced in a palace or a seat of government or to someone wealthy or prominent. He was laid on the prickly hay of a feeding trough for animals. The angels gave the good news to shepherds, who were lowly men in the social order of Israel.

Two obscure people met Jesus in the temple when His parents carried Him there to be circumcised on the eighth day after His birth. Simeon was righteous and devout and was led by the Holy Spirit. Anna was a widow, eighty-four years old. She never left the temple but worshiped God day and night with fasting and prayer.

To whom does Jesus come today? Do we see the pattern? He comes to those like Mary who are willing to do His will, to follow Him completely, whatever the cost. He comes to those who are meek and lowly and know their need of Him, like the shepherds, to those who will receive Him, worship Him, and tell others about Him. He comes to the righteous and devout, those who are led by the Spirit. He comes to those who love Him and desire to know Him. Has He come to you this Christmas season?

Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

Christmas is swiftly coming our way.

Next Saturday it will be Christmas day.

Then we'll be left with a present-less tree

And all of the after Christmas debris.

Responses to the Coming of Christ

Luke 2:20a, "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen....."

How did the people who first heard about the birth of Christ react to that amazing news?

Luke 2:15-20 tells us that the shepherds hurried off to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph, and the Baby. When they had seen Jesus, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. Then they returned glorifying and praising God for what they had seen and heard.

A very devout man named Simeon lived in Jerusalem. He was eagerly expecting God's promised Messiah, and the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would see the Christ before he died. On the day that Jesus was presented at the temple for circumcision, Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple. When Simeon saw the Baby, he took Jesus in his arms and praised God, calling Jesus "the Savior You have given to all people" and "a light to reveal God to the nations."

A woman named Anna was also in the temple. She was a widow. Her husband had died after they had been married for only seven years, and Anna was now eighty four years old. She never left the temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She too praised God when she saw the Baby Jesus. She talked about Him to those who were looking forward to the redemption of Israel.

Jesus' mother, Mary "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19.

How do we react to the birth of Christ? Do we recognize Him as God's Son and the Savior of the world as Simeon did? Do we thank God for sending Jesus and praise and glorify God often for His most incredible Gift, as the shepherds and Anna did? Do we spread the word about His birth like those who first heard the wonderful news? Do we treasure Christ as our Savior and meditate on our salvation and our walk with Him, pondering all this in our hearts like Mary? Is the miracle of Jesus' birth new and thrilling and wonderful every time we contemplate what He has done for us?

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the incredible Gift of Your precious Son, sent for our salvation. May we never consider this with a ho hum attitude but always see how awesome and magnificent His coming into the world is and how blessed we are with the greatest Gift ever given. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

As I read this news, my head is in a haze--

Before Christmas comes there are only eleven shopping days.

Most of us have been busy, but can you believe

Some folks won't begin to shop until it's Christmas Eve!