GOD’S VISIONS OF US

THE 7TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS – VISION

SEEING OURSELVES
AS GOD ENVISIONS US – happens when we ask, in prayer. ~ THE 7TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS ~This is what transformation means to us and it happens because of God’s loving grace for us all. As we open our hearts and ask for transformation, things will start to happen. We may wake up one day and have an epiphany of understanding. Something about God and God’s plan will come into focus for us. As we let ego go and live in the state of God’s grace, God will respond and show us more of the glory that is coming to be.

There is very little our goal-oriented, hard-driving culture has created that helps us understand who God really is. Many of us try to find substitutes for God or happiness in the world, even the religious world. There are those who love the church but the institutional church is not the same as a personal relationship with God. Others have revered the Bible but despite all the evidence out there, the Bible is not God. The Scriptures contain the history of God’s people in a segment of time. It also tells us of how God has acted in the lives of ancient people who spoke for God in certain situations. The New Testament is a compilation of Jesus life, along with others who continued after Jesus to spread the Good News from God. The Bible is a starting point but God wants us to make a journey to somewhere far beyond the world we see and know now.

There are many distractions in the Bible that do not help us find this path but a conversation with Jesus’ disciples does give us good direction. Jesus has told the story of the rich man who was driven to build bigger barns and ends it with this:  21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”   Then, turning away from the crowd, he says just to his disciples,  “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to God than any birds! . . . 29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and God will give you everything you need.”   On this seventh day of Christmas, let us remember that, with this much care for each of us every day, God through the Holy Spirit and the heavenly beings around us, will guide us toward that life with God.

As we face a new year, O God of new life, we ask you to hear our pleas for help. Show us how to lay down our burdens and not look back. Be present in us, as we follow the new path you will provide. Thank you for the abundance of joy, love and light.  Amen.       PEACE

SHOWING MERCY

THE 6TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS [WORD # 33] – MERCY

SHOWING MERCY
AS GOD ASKS OF US – is a response we can make in gratitude for the blessings Christmas has brought us. On this sixth day of Christmas, comes this lesson of mercy given, in an ongoing story of the homeless of Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2014 the results of a study were made public. Charlotte’s Urban Ministry Center was an investment in the lives of 85 homeless people. Public and private money provided the beginning of the change in these lives. Not only does this bring stability, it also gives a sense of dignity to those who have very few options. They are required to contribute 30% of their income toward their housing. With a stable place to live, they are able to earn an income. One year after opening, 82 % of the residents are earning an income. Their adequate housing also meant there were 447 fewer ER visits and 372 fewer hospital days, saving $1.8 million in health care. This also meant there was a 72% drop in arrests. Sometimes there are myths around for so long, we assume they must be true. Evil even works to distract us from noticing that the myth has never been challenged. Thanks be to God that there are people in Charlotte who were willing to take the risk. And whether the success is seen in terms of dollars and sense, or in the opportunities homeless folks have been given to reclaim some of their humanity, the whole community wins when all people are given the chance to live productive lives, that contribute to the health of the whole.

Even if many see this as a human accomplishment, God has given guidance to all who were willing to see and hear something God has been directing us to do for many thousands of years. Long ago, Isaiah, in chapter 58, tells of how God complained against those who – “while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.  4 What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.”   Much later Jesus is telling a story and is calling them to account for their lives.   ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you invited me into your home. In our hands-off, highly individualized lives, we again need to hear this message of caring for the community. No group of people can be healthy and survive when some are in need of basic elements for survival and a means to contribute to the whole. There is no time for arguing over unimportant matters. God calls us to be the family of God. What are the needs of our communities?  Creator God, who has blessed us with more than we need to thrive, help us overcome our fear, showing us how to raise up those in need and thereby raising everyone.  Amen.     PEACE   12 30 17  12 30 18

https://mic.com/articles/86251/study-reveals-it-costs-less-to-give-the-homeless-housing-than-to-leave-them-on-the-street#.2K7qTGSd1

WE ARE CALLED TO BRING BLESSINGS

ADVENT WORD #27 – LOVE

WE ARE CALLED TO BRING BLESSINGS
OF LOVE AND LIGHT – to all those around us, as we participate in the Christmas celebration. We heard recently of the coming of John, making way for the coming of “the light, that is Jesus.”   6 “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.  9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”  This passage from John 1 tells us the true light enlightens all of us. I can hear some of us groan under the weight of this statement. This is not a burden for us to carry and when we pray to be equipped in order to pass on the light, we will not feel burdened. It is only when we feel we have to do something like this in our own strength that it will be hard to do.

So it seems helpful to remember this passage from Matthew 11:  28 “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’ ”   Reading between the lines we see that when we learn from the Lord how to carry our burdens with help, it becomes an entirely different proposition. God does not ask us to carry any burden by ourselves. Instead God has given us Jesus’ love and strength to support us. God has given us each other to help in our daily challenges and we have been given gifts that help us go about life in a way that is different from those who do not rely on God. This is a glorious invitation to come to the birth and transforming life we are offered as we approach this Christmas celebration of new life, born in love. Burdens are lightened through the life-changing event that is coming. PREPARE, through prayer and meditation for the new life made available to all who would take the love into us, as the gift that it is.   Transforming God, we are humbled and in awe of the miraculous event we have the privilege of witnessing. We thank you that we are offered the gift of new life. Help us prepare our hearts to be opened to accept this unspeakable gift. Whisper to us of the light and love that Jesus birth is bringing again to the world, for those who can see it. Guide our hearts to open for this coming.  Amen.       PEACE

THE BLESSINGS OF ANGELS

THE 5TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS [WORD #32] – ANGELS

THE BLESSINGS OF ANGELS
COME NOT ONLY TO THOSE IN THE BIBLE – but also to those who are willing to believe that angels are provided by God, as a blessing and for our protection. On this fifth day of Christmas, let’s talk about some beings that are prominent in the nativity of both Jesus and John. There are far too many passages about angels to mention here, so we will look at a few that have bearing on our everyday lives. It is clear from this passage in Hebrews 13 that angels are involved in encouraging loving lives and relationships.   “Let mutual love continue.  2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”  As we see in the encounter with the angel Gabriel in Luke 1, angels are meant to communicate God’s glorious intentions. In Isaiah 6 he [Isaiah] was given the privilege of seeing God’s glory amidst angels and archangels in heaven, so that Isaiah could tell the rest of us.  “Surrounding Him were the Seraphim, each having six wings; with two they covered His face, with two they covered His feet, and they flew with the other two.”  Other angels do not have wings, only the seraphim and cherubim, so that is why angels have been mistaken for humans, as in the Hebrews passage above, and in the resurrection story at the empty tomb.

The fantastic cherubim were described in detail by Ezekiel in chapter 10. He tells of these beings that were wheels within wheels with four faces – a cherub, a human, a lion and an eagle. They also had wings and flew with the wheels. They showered God’s glory on the house where Ezekiel was. In Matthew 18 Jesus warns us how God through angels is connected to those who have allowed themselves to become like little children.  10 “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.”  He then tells the parable of the lost sheep, where the shepherd will leave the 99 to find the one who is lost.  14 “So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”   Jesus tells another story in Luke 16 of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, who was covered in sores. When the poor man died, the angels carried him into heaven, to be with his ancestor Abraham. In Psalm 34 we hear about the protection God gives through angels around us.  7 “The Lord’s angel builds a camp around his followers, and he protects them.” 

In Psalm 91 this protection is explained at great length.  11 “He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.”  This seems to be an explanation of the idea of guardian angels, for those who love the Lord.  14 “The Lord says, “Whoever loves me, I will save. I will protect those who know me.  15 They will call to me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them.”  Finally in Psalm 103:   17 “But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who love him. … 20 Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out God’s plans, listening for each of God’s commands.  21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve God and do God’s will!”    O God of love and mercy, who offers us angelic protection for all who live a life of love through you, we are grateful for the angels. May our eyes be open to see the loving protection you provide, so that we may not fear this scary world around us. Help us understand that your loving protection provides us the power to act more effectively for you and gives us the agents to help us complete your work that we do in your name.  Amen.        PEACE

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/are-guardian-angels-biblical/#ixzz3vj94gZpx

WHAT CAN I GIVE HIM?

THE 4TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS [WORD # 31] – GIVE

WHAT CAN I GIVE HIM POOR AS I AM? – is the question we may often ask ourselves. ~ THE 4TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS ~ It is the opening line of the fifth stanza of this poem by Christina Rossetti, written before 1872. Even if the weather does not reflect the typical winter scene she describes, I have found it touches our hearts with the sorrow and inadequacy we can feel in this season. Instead of bowing to those feelings, she paints a picture of the blessed gift of the baby who came to save us all. As we ponder her words, we too can be lifted up to receive God’s indescribable gift to us, on the fourth day of Christmas.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

 

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter, a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

 

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,

A breast full of milk and a manger full of hay;

Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,

The ox and ass and camel which adore.

 

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,

Worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

O God, who brings us this unimaginable loving gift of he who would save us all, prepare our hearts to receive him. Lift us up from sorrow and fear, to see the great love that brings him near.  Amen.       PEACE

JESUS COMES

THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS [WORD # 30] – HEAVEN

JESUS COMES FROM HEAVEN
TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO EVERY HOME – and every person on the earth. ~ THE 3RD DAY OF CHRISTMAS ~ The hymn, “From Heaven Above To Earth I Come”, comes to us from Martin Luther and was used in a Christmas festival he held at his home each year. It was included in a hymnal of 1535 and later translated in 1855. There are 15 verses in total. A man dressed as an angel would sing them. The story comes from Luke 2: 1 – 18. The good news is announced by the angel to the shepherds:   “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”  13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”  And we – we are all blessed every day by the presence of this good news available to us. This hymn – on the third day of Christmas – gives God praise and retells the glory of God come down to us all.

1. “To you this night is born a child

Of Mary, chosen virgin mild; 2

This little child, of lowly birth, 2a

Shall be the joy of all the earth.

2. “This is the Christ, our God and Lord,

Who in all need shall aid afford;

He will Himself your Savior be

From all your sins to set you free. 2b

3. “He will on you the gifts bestow

Prepared by God for all below,

That in His kingdom, bright and fair,

You may with us His glory share. 2b1

4. “These are the tokens ye shall mark: 2c

The swaddling-clothes and manger dark;

There you shall find the Infant laid 2d

By whom the heavens and earth were made.” 2e

5. Now let us all with gladsome cheer

Go with the shepherds and draw near

To see the precious gift of God,

Who has His own dear Son bestowed?

May our minds and hearts be blessed by these words, as we open our hearts to the promise.  Amen.     PEACE     12 27 17   12 27 18

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/from_heaven_above_1.htm

[The numbers at the ends of the hymn lines refer to the verse in Luke that corresponds.]

ANGELS CAME

ADVENT WORD #26 – ANGELS

ANGELS CAME
IN GREAT NUMBERS, TO ANNOUNCE JESUS BIRTH – to these humble shepherds.  13 Then a huge army of angels from heaven joined the first angel, and they were all praising God, saying, 14 “Praise God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please him.” 15 The angels left the shepherds and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this great event the Lord has told us about.”     

What an awesome experience for the shepherds. But angels are always involved in something extraordinary, wherever we hear about the news they are bringing, it is a signal of a change in the way things have been. Life is about to get more exciting when they are around. They are bringing a message from God, after all. Angels are devoted servants of God and are entrusted with important messages. If an angel is involved, we can be sure this is something extremely important. It is undoubtedly a signal to us, to pay attention, and understand the import of what this message may mean. O God who created the angels, we are in awe of the messages they bring. Help us, through your grace to listen for their messages, and follow their urgings, so that we may be faithful to the life you would have us live.    Amen.       PEACE

LET US CELEBRATE THE JOY

THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS [WORD #29] – JOY

LET US CELEBRATE THE JOY
THAT IS CHRISTMAS ~ THE 2ND DAY OF CHRISTMAS ~ for it is something more than the culture gives us. Philippians 4 gives us these words to gladden our hearts and remind us of the true meaning,  4” Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice !”  The beloved American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow found a way to rejoice in the Lord’s birth when he wrote the following words in 1863, on Christmas day, following the tragic loss of his wife in a fire and the serious wounding of his son in the war. He is an example of how God can stir a heart in sorrow to express hope and the faith God can use to bring renewal. Note 4 – 6 reflect the impact of the Civil War on the nation and on himself personally, yet he remained hopeful.

1  I heard the bells on Christmas Day   Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet The words repeat  Of peace on earth, good-will to all!

2  And thought how, as the day had come,  The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along The unbroken song  Of peace on earth, good-will to all!

3  Till ringing, singing on its way,  The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, A chant sublime  Of peace on earth, good-will to all!

4  Then from each black, accursed mouth,  The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound, The carols drowned  Of peace on earth, good-will to all!

5  It was as if an earthquake rent  The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn The households born  Of peace on earth, good-will to all!

6  And in despair I bowed my head;  “There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong, And mocks the song  Of peace on earth, good-will to all!”

7  Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:  “God is not dead, nor doth God sleep;
The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail,  With peace on earth, good-will to all.”

O God of unquenchable hope, sustain us through all the trials we face, knowing the result will be a triumph of what you will to happen. We thank you for your boundless love and strength so that no matter what we face, we face it with your love to sustain us.  We are most grateful for the gift of Christmas.  Amen.       PEACE

COMING TO CHRISTMAS

THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS [WORD #28] – JESUS

COMING TO CHRISTMAS
TO RECEIVE THE JOY JESUS GIVES – is not something we do very well on our own. We may get excited with the anticipation of the surprises we will have when we open gifts from loved ones, and it may bring back memories of life when we were children. It may be fun to see the beautiful lights and fun decorations on lawns and roofs. It may even be delightful to hear all the music of the season. But to know the true joy of Christmas is not something we can produce on our own, or pick up from the festivities going on around us. As the Grinch realized, the true meaning of Christmas “is something more,” and even if the season is hard for us, we can all share the true Christmas Spirit because it is a gift that we open our hearts to receive.

The gift is part PROMISE, as we heard in Jeremiah 29:  11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.  12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.”  The gift is part HOPE, as Paul reminds us in Romans 15, but we first heard in Isaiah 11:  “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him. … “Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.”

The gift is part PEACE as we hear in Philippians 4 of how the peace of God will help transform us:  6 “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  The gift is part LOVE because God first loved us by creating us in God’s image, and then in Ephesians 2, we are told,  “4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which God loved us … made us alive together with Christ.”  And finally, as we hear from John 3:   “God so loved the world that he gave God’s only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”   In the face of the greatest gift anyone could ever give or receive, we are brought to our knees with gratitude – for the PROMISE, the HOPE, the PEACE and the LOVE that is God’s gift to us in Christmas. When we open this gift, we will not need all the external trappings of the season, to ease our sorrow and to feel the joy that is the true Christmas.

O God, who has given us the best of gifts, help us receive it in our hearts, and then transform us by its power, to spread all that it means to others around us. May we be guided by the Spirit to show this gift to all we meet through our lives of love and peace. Hear our prayer as you promised.   Amen.       PEACE     MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL   ❤

A HUMBLE MANGER

ADVENT WORD #25  – MANGER

A HUMBLE MANGER
IS THE PLACE WHERE JESUS WAS FOUND – the baby that would bring salvation to the world. As the angel told the shepherds, in Luke 2 – “He is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.” How many of us have said, or at least thought about Jesus being put in a manger, a simple wooden structure that holds food for animals. You have to be kidding. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords starts out sleeping in a box for feeding animals? This hardly seems like what should happen. Did God really approve of that?

Yet this is the beginning of many humble events in Jesus life. He was hardly raised like a king, a Messiah would be. He grows up in relative obscurity. So why are we concerned if he was in a manger? Could it be that it reminds us of our own vulnerability? This baby was born into a family that loved him and that is the most important need a baby has at that point. That love saw that he was kept warm and fed, his physical needs were met and the love filled his emotional need. It is a sign for us, that all children need to be loved and supported in these ways. We know all babies and children are not cared for in the ways they need and with our prayers and concern, we can do something to help those situations. We are not able to fix the lives of all children. We can always help to alleviate some of the need, in whatever ways God calls us to do that.  Loving God, who placed the Messiah in a simple manger, we are grateful for this event, and the way you brought humility into the story. Help us live humble lives in serving others, for your sake. Guide us in telling the story in the way we live out our lives. In the name of the baby who would become the Savior.   Amen.        PEACE