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I <strong>Dropped</strong> <strong>Baby</strong><br />
<strong>Jesus</strong><br />
An Advent Devotional<br />
Peg Forrest<br />
FOCUS MINISTRIES<br />
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I <strong>Dropped</strong> <strong>Baby</strong> <strong>Jesus</strong><br />
© 2015 by Peg Forrest<br />
FOCUS Ministries 300-A Squaw Valley Place Pagosa Springs, CO 81147<br />
All rights reserved.<br />
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TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
INTRODUCTION 4<br />
Sunday, Nov 29 - What If? 5<br />
Monday, Nov 30 - My One & Only 6<br />
Tuesday, Dec 1 - Repent for the Kingdom is at Hand 7<br />
Wednesday, Dec 2 - Prepare the Way of the Lord 8<br />
Thursday, Dec 3 - Now & Not Yet 10<br />
Friday, Dec 4 - In the Wait 11<br />
Saturday, Dec 5 - Hope 12<br />
Sunday, Dec 6 - Peace on Earth 13<br />
Monday, Dec 7 - Don’t Think I Have Come to Bring Peace 14<br />
Tuesday, Dec 8 - O Come Let Us Adore Him 15<br />
Wednesday, Dec 9 - Guide, Guard, Govern 16<br />
Thursday, Dec 10 - What DID Mary Know? 17<br />
Friday, Dec 11 - What Do I Know? 19<br />
Saturday, Dec 12 - Advent is Near! 21<br />
Sunday, Dec 13 - Christmas JOY 22<br />
Monday, Dec 14 - Pregnant With the Name 23<br />
Tuesday, Dec 15 - My Magnificat 24<br />
Wednesday, Dec 16 - I’ll Be Home for Christmas 25<br />
Thursday, Dec 17 - Do Not Fear 26<br />
Friday, Dec 18 - Every Knee Shall Bow 27<br />
Saturday, Dec 19 - Who Am I? 28<br />
Sunday, Dec 20 - Who Am I (2)? 30<br />
Monday, Dec 21 - Who Am I (3)? 31<br />
Tuesday, Dec 22 - Who Am I (4)? 33<br />
Wednesday, Dec 23 - <strong>Jesus</strong> Didn’t Follow the Rules 35<br />
Thursday, Christmas Eve - It’s Complicated! 37<br />
Thursday, Christmas Day - He Came for Me! 39<br />
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INTRODUCTION<br />
A couple of years ago, I spoke at a Christmas luncheon in Arizona. The theme of the event was:<br />
The Greatest Gift. The message was well-planned. It involved an object lesson, in which I<br />
opened a wrapped present with “baby <strong>Jesus</strong>” inside. I envisioned my microphone would be a<br />
lapel, or an over the ear mic. I assumed I’d have a podium for my Bible, and since I don’t use<br />
notes, my hands would be free. At just the right time, I’d open the gift, my introduction would be<br />
complete, and I’d have them all in the palm of my hands. However, the stage set up wasn’t so<br />
simple. The mic was a hand-held, and there was no podium. Trying to balance everything was<br />
difficult at best. The result was catastrophic. I.DrOpPeD.<strong>Baby</strong>.JeSuS! <strong>Dropped</strong> Him! It went from<br />
bad to worse. I felt that I had completely bungled the message. It was just one little incident from<br />
which I struggled to recover. The Lord used it, however, and it became the theme of another<br />
Christmas luncheon in another town for another group of women.<br />
It’s easy to do, you know. It’s easy to drop baby <strong>Jesus</strong>. Right in the middle of all our<br />
preparations for one of the holiest seasons, it is not<br />
uncommon for us to let Him fall. I do it. Sometimes, I get so<br />
wrapped up in wrapping up the trimmings, and the<br />
packages, and the cooking, that <strong>Jesus</strong> simply gets<br />
forgotten…dropped (period).<br />
That’s the purpose in this short little devotional. The last<br />
Sunday in November is generally the start of Advent.<br />
Celebrating Advent is optional. It’s simply a tradition that<br />
developed over the course of the church’s history as a<br />
season to prepare for the coming (which is what the Latin<br />
word, adventus means: the coming). I’m opting to<br />
celebrate this Advent season, not with a calendar-watching<br />
activity, but with a soul-searching, hopeful-expectation of<br />
“hanging onto <strong>Jesus</strong>” until the day-of-his-birth-celebration.<br />
This devotional is my attempt at not dropping him this year.<br />
If you’ve downloaded this for that purpose - thanks for<br />
joining me!<br />
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Sunday, Nov 29 - What If?<br />
John 15:22 begins with these words by <strong>Jesus</strong>, “If I had not come…” Have you ever thought<br />
about that? Christmas is around the corner. The evidence of it has been in stores since before<br />
Halloween! Each year, we celebrate a holiday that is totally centered on the coming of the Christ<br />
child. But, what if He had not come? What would be different if, in fact, there was no<br />
Christmas? Let me start a list…maybe you can complete it – this certainly isn’t exhaustive:<br />
1 There would be no New Testament, the Bible would end with Malachi. Listen to how that<br />
book closes…”I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Everything would end with a<br />
curse!<br />
2 As a result of #1 on the list, there would be no hope. In fact, where Malachi ends, God’s<br />
voice quits. Between that verse and the first verse of Matthew, God went silent.<br />
3 So…God would be totally and completely finished speaking to us…we would never have<br />
the opportunity to hear His voice, in this day and age.<br />
4 There would be no hope of a glorious resurrection.<br />
5 No victory over death and the grave.<br />
6 No victory over sin…<br />
7 We’d still be butchering animals on an altar of sacrifice. Think how many animals would<br />
have to die…we certainly are a sinful lot! Our hands would constantly be covered in<br />
blood!<br />
8 But then, it wouldn’t matter for us, because there would be no inclusion of Gentiles, so<br />
we would remain alienated, separated, doomed to living in darkness.<br />
9 We would have no opportunity for a new identity.<br />
10 No deliverance.<br />
11 No heavenly home to look forward to one day.<br />
12 There would be no “Joy to the World.”<br />
13 No Christmas lights…<br />
14 No Christmas music.<br />
15 No gifts.<br />
16 Oh…and, no churches. We wouldn’t need places of worship, for there would be no one<br />
for us to worship.<br />
17 So, there would be no need for worship music.<br />
18 No need for pastors and youth pastors.<br />
19 No need for Bible teachers.<br />
20 No need for going on with life...because “I couldn’t” keep going on without “Christ in me<br />
the hope of glory” who helps me do “all things through Christ who strengthens me.”<br />
21 No need for ___________________________________?<br />
What if <strong>Jesus</strong> had not come? What then?<br />
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Monday, Nov 30 - My One & Only<br />
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of<br />
the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.<br />
John 1:14<br />
Thanksgiving? Over! Christmas? Just days away! As I pick up my Bible to read about the first<br />
coming, I’m struck by these words that describe <strong>Jesus</strong> in the passage above: The One and<br />
Only! Think about HIM:<br />
My One and Only...who created the world in which I live.<br />
My One and Only...who gives life and breath.<br />
My One and Only...who is the perfect shepherd, &<br />
My One and Only...who is the perfect Lamb of God.<br />
My One and Only...who sacrificed for my salvation.<br />
My One and Only...who redeemed my soul.<br />
My One and Only...who offered me complete forgiveness.<br />
My One and Only...who chose me to be adopted by grace into a new family.<br />
My One and Only...who loves me endlessly.<br />
My One and Only...who prepares eternity for me.<br />
My One and Only...who set me free.<br />
My One and Only...who declares me “not guilty,” accepts me unconditionally, and whispers you<br />
are not condemned (“Go! Sin no more!”).<br />
My One and Only...who provides all that I need.<br />
My One and Only...who knows my end from my beginning.<br />
My One and Only...who has a good work ordained for me –<br />
a purpose and value to my<br />
existence.<br />
My One and Only...who is full of grace.<br />
My One and Only...who speaks truth, gently but firmly.<br />
My One and Only...who sets my feet upon a righteous path.<br />
My One and Only...who offers me an abundant life.<br />
My One and Only...who speaks words of intimacy to me.<br />
My One and Only...who assures me of His presence.<br />
My One and Only...who blesses me beyond measure.<br />
My One and Only...who calls me “friend.”<br />
My One and Only...who heals my broken heart.<br />
My One and Only...who sustains me in his massive, supportive hand.<br />
My One and Only...who knows just what I need, when I need it, and doesn’t always answer yes<br />
to my heart’s desires (because my best is always what's put first).<br />
My One and Only...who is at work completing me – thank you, God!<br />
What a great way to prepare this Advent as we contemplate <strong>Jesus</strong>: Our One and Only! Our<br />
GREATEST GIFT!<br />
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Tuesday, Dec 1 - Repent for the Kingdom is at Hand<br />
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the<br />
kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he<br />
said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths<br />
straight.” (Matthew 3:1-3)<br />
Prepare...that was John’s calling.<br />
The way of <strong>Jesus</strong>...that was John’s mission.<br />
Repent...that was John’s message.<br />
Nothing could be more “advent” than John the Baptist – he<br />
was the pre-advent of the advent of the incarnate Christ. I’ve<br />
no problem with his calling, or his mission. His message,<br />
however, is another story. Who wants to hear the word,<br />
“repent?” Even so, many seemed to be attracted to John’s<br />
message (or, maybe they were attracted to the snacks he<br />
provided….mmmmmm – locusts!!!!); people came out in<br />
droves to be baptized by him. On the other hand, eventually,<br />
the Word he proclaimed in connection with the coming of the<br />
Messiah, as a way of preparation, also got him killed (that’s<br />
another story for another day). Regardless, “repent” was his<br />
message. About face! Change your mind; change your heart;<br />
change your life!<br />
I found myself wondering. What if JB dropped into the world<br />
of Christmas today? What would his message be? How<br />
would he help you and I prepare for the celebration of <strong>Jesus</strong>'<br />
coming, and the, possible imminent advent of his return? Inside me, the still small voice of the<br />
Spirit of God, whispered, “Repent...” (I might be wrong, but I think I heard the word, “duh,” after<br />
that. If so, it was very still and very small.)<br />
I was actually doing all this wondering as I was filling little clear plastic ornaments for my grandchildren.<br />
I created fake snow with white rice, and half-filled each of the ornaments with it. Then,<br />
I started dropping in these tiny little objects from the craft store. The goal is for the kiddos to find<br />
the objects hidden in the rice. It’s rather like Where’s Waldo © in a Christmas ornament. They<br />
can make it a game if they want and see who can find all the fun objects fastest. Or, they can<br />
just look for them. One of the objects is a cross. The thought occurred to me as I dropped the<br />
cross in the first ornament, “Isn’t that the problem with the glitz, the decorations, the shopping,<br />
the push, the activities, the lights, the hustle, the bustle, the search for the perfect present? The<br />
cross gets lost in the mayhem. Isn’t Christmas more about the cross, rather than the<br />
manger? Isn’t Christmas more about salvation for the lost, than the perfect shirt or piece of<br />
jewelry, or necktie to give to dad?” Isn’t Christmas more about redemption? Isn’t Christmas<br />
more about ---- oh, yes, "forgiveness?” Repent!<br />
As we prepare for Christmas, let’s start with our own hearts. Let’s evaluate John’s message:<br />
what is cluttering our hearts and keeping the cross in the shadows? Repent! Make room for the<br />
Savior by cleaning out what doesn’t belong in our hearts…and, rejoice when you find His<br />
forgiveness!<br />
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Wednesday, Dec 2 - Prepare the Way of the Lord<br />
There are a lot of weddings coming up over the holiday<br />
season. I have the invitations and am working on the<br />
gifts. I’m so glad I’m not the one having to prepare for<br />
a wedding amidst preparing Christmas planning. Can<br />
you imagine? Honestly, I’m feeling a bit anxious on<br />
behalf of these brides, grooms, and their<br />
families. Preparing for a wedding is a very big<br />
DEAL. It’s also very expensive. Do you know the<br />
average cost of a wedding? Let me spare you the<br />
research. Answer: it depends on where you get<br />
married. The average number of dollars spent in the<br />
U.S. overall as of last May was (drum roll) $27,021.00.<br />
I did not make that up. However, if you live in New York<br />
City, the average cost of a wedding is (GONG).....<br />
(GONG)...(GONG)...$65,824! I did not make that up,<br />
either. My girls were lucky to get a wedding for $3000.<br />
They were robbed! What does this have to do with a<br />
Christmas reflection?<br />
Obviously, it’s the word prepare. We prepare months<br />
for a wedding, some girls take years. We spend more<br />
money on the day, than we do in preparation of the life<br />
to come. I find that to be very sad; but what about<br />
preparing for Christmas? I’m not thinking of the plans. I’m not thinking of the decorations, or who<br />
you are having over for dinner, or how many presents you have to buy, or how big the tree is, or<br />
whether or not God will co-operate with the weather man and bring you snow. I’m asking this<br />
question, “What are you doing to prepare your heart for Christmas?” What does that mean,<br />
really…practically?<br />
PREPARE, that was John the Baptist’s mission. Remember the verse from yesterday? He gave<br />
us one way (repent), which we already discussed. Here was our focal verse:<br />
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the<br />
kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he<br />
said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths<br />
straight.”<br />
Here are a few more ways to prepare:<br />
1) Make room for <strong>Jesus</strong>. Remember the Christmas story? There was no room for <strong>Jesus</strong> in<br />
the inn. Have you made room for Him in your daily life? Room for Him in your home? Room<br />
for Him in your extra time? Room for Him in your Christmas celebration?<br />
2) Treasure & ponder the <strong>Jesus</strong>-moments in your life. Remember Mary? All of a sudden,<br />
following the birth of her first-born-son, all these unexplainable things began to unfold. These<br />
were <strong>Jesus</strong>-moments and Mary treasured them and pondered... Take time during the holiday<br />
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season to reflect on your own <strong>Jesus</strong>-moments -- times when the unexplainable can only be<br />
explained by breathing two words, “but God.”<br />
3) Worship & glorify Him. I’m not anti-Christmas. I’m all about gifts, and Christmas lights,<br />
and a sweet-smelling pine tree, and food (especially fudge), but I’m even more about the<br />
worship of the One worthy of it all.<br />
This week’s lesson of advent: prepare! Spend time planning for a Christmas that directs you to<br />
<strong>Jesus</strong>, keep Him front and center of this holy-day.<br />
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Thursday, Dec 3 - Now & Not Yet<br />
Advent gently reminds us of the “now” and “not yet” that comes with being people of faith.<br />
Advent reminds us of the importance of waiting. Advent whispers our need for a Savior. Advent<br />
teaches us God’s timing is always better than ours!<br />
-Margaret Feinberg-<br />
This morning’s focus is short…but, it’s important. This is about zeroing in on the “waiting room”<br />
period that comes with Advent. There are several things I’m praying about, waiting on, and<br />
begging God to let me see their advent. Much of my waiting involves people I love who are in<br />
need of my Savior. As I reflect today on the Advent of <strong>Jesus</strong>’ birth, I pray for the timing of His<br />
"birth" in each of those hearts who don’t KNOW Him. With God, it is always about the<br />
occurrences we’re seeking, coming in the fullness of time. So, while I’m standing in the now, I’m<br />
looking for the time when the “not yet” is at an end, and God the Father looks at God the Son<br />
and says, “OK, now - go! Be born-anew in hearts that have seen the fulness-of-time!”<br />
May these current waitings remind us to pray and to do what we can to “prepare the way” of the<br />
Savior in the hearts of those we love who don’t yet know him.<br />
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Friday, Dec 4 - In the Wait<br />
Once again, I’ve been thinking about the waiting that comes with Advent. Waiting is imperative<br />
with the coming. Waiting says there is something better ahead...and, so, with the waiting there<br />
has to be hope. The two join hands and walk together towards the coming.<br />
Hope is that little flutter that keeps the waiting alive, and nudges my ability to press on. There<br />
are days it is hard to stay steadfast were it not for hope (this can be especially true over the<br />
holidays). We need to be reminded of hope: hope that with the coming there will, indeed, be<br />
change. So many feel stuck and hopeless during the holidays. Sometimes, it's almost<br />
impossible to sense that little flutter and keep going.<br />
That's why we need fore-runners. That's why we need prophets. That's why the Israelites, after<br />
400 years of heaven's silence, had to have a John-the-Baptist. Hope was at a premium. Few<br />
had any hope-remnants left considering the conditions under which they were living - socially,<br />
politically, economically, environmentally, emotionally (all were a struggle), but particularly,<br />
spiritually. So, God gave a fore-running miracle in the birth of a new-kind-of-prophet. John's job?<br />
Prepare the way for the coming. Turn hearts. Ready the souls. Bring hope.<br />
If I am a follower of <strong>Jesus</strong>, John's job is mine, too. This Christmas season, I'm to find ways to do<br />
the same. Nothing declares the specialness of the season like a hope-bringer. This Advent, it's<br />
my desire to renew hope by being someone's fore-running miracle. I was born again for just<br />
such a Joy.<br />
You?<br />
What was can we pro-actively bring hope to<br />
someone who holds only small remnants?<br />
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Saturday, Dec 5 - Hope<br />
I recently received an e-letter from a friend of mine.<br />
This friend is a "global worker" (we used to use the<br />
"m" word to describe this gal, but we can't<br />
anymore). She works in an undisclosed 10-40-<br />
window-country. That means I can't tell you where<br />
she is serving. However, her neighborhood has<br />
become a war zone in recent weeks: bombs, rifles,<br />
grenades (you get the picture). Her e-letter can't be<br />
reprinted, but I can tell you some of the contents.<br />
The day before she wrote this missive, five<br />
brothers-of-the-faith had been martyred for their<br />
beliefs. One dad, along, with his two teenage sons,<br />
she and her husband knew very well. Their little<br />
Christian community was rocked and deeply<br />
grieving, but, she steadfastly declared, "Not without hope!" They all know that these modernday-martyrs<br />
were not swallowed up in death, but to LIFE. It's why <strong>Jesus</strong> was born, so He could<br />
die, to bring new hope of everlasting LIFE. It doesn't mean life will be easy or happy. It does<br />
mean we all have a better something to look forward to in the midst of such tragedy. Hope is not<br />
deferred even in this tragedy, making the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12)<br />
On a recent trip to FOCUS on the Family with my daughter-in-love, the bookstore was having a<br />
25%-off-the-entire-store sale. Since I am focusing on Advent, I bought a beautifully carved<br />
Advent-wreath. This past week I lit the first candle, which represents HOPE. I understand the<br />
need for HOPE so much more after pondering and praying over my friend's note. As I prayed, I<br />
found myself in the middle of Jeremiah's Lamentations. Everything in his life had been stripped<br />
away. Yet, in the middle of the loss, Jeremiah KNEW and DID NOT FORGET hope. That's<br />
because he knew the only source of hope. Here are his words:<br />
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:<br />
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!<br />
His mercies never cease.<br />
Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each and every morning.<br />
I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!"<br />
The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him.<br />
So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.<br />
And it is good for people to submit at an early age to His yoke, to sit in silence beneath His commands.<br />
Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may hope be found...no one is ever totally abandoned by the<br />
Lord.<br />
Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion, because of the greatness of His unfailing love. Who<br />
can command things to happen without the Lord's permission? Does not the Most High send both<br />
calamity and good?<br />
Instead...let us turn back to the Lord, and lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven...<br />
(excerpts from Lamentations 3:21-41)<br />
Again, may we be reminders of the HOPE that is found forever in the faithfulness and mercies<br />
of our God. He will, as Jeremiah goes on to remind us, be true to His promises regarding His<br />
chosen, His beloved Children; and, He will come again! Advent is near!<br />
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Sunday, Dec 6 - Peace on Earth<br />
This the second Sunday of Advent, and, I get to (woohoo!) light the second candle on my new<br />
advent wreath, which represents peace.<br />
Here's what the angels came declaring to the shepherds that star-filled night of Christ's birth:<br />
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased (Luke<br />
2:14)."<br />
On that one night, Peace was born. It didn't take long for the world to try to wipe Him out. We<br />
say we long for "peace on earth." We hear those words often in our war-filled world. Yet, it<br />
makes me wonder if we really want it? Why do we, the human race, continue to stir up the<br />
proverbial hornets nest? Are we afraid of Peace? Perhaps...perhaps, so! Here's what seemed to<br />
pop into my mind as I began to ponder peace: To want peace contradicts our desire for<br />
control! One of our greatest fears is being out of control. Yet, peace is only found in surrender -<br />
surrender to the Prince of Peace, <strong>Jesus</strong>.<br />
Surrender is God's invitation to contentment and everlasting peace.<br />
Truly, there will be no "peace on earth" until the Prince of Peace returns at His second Advent,<br />
and every knee bows and every tongue proclaims Him Lord! Advent is near!<br />
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Monday, Dec 7 - Don’t Think I Have Come to Bring Peace<br />
After yesterday's Advent thought, I remembered a poem I'd written in a FOCUS Ministries<br />
Christmas letter year's ago. I had to go digging to find it. I'm no poet (not even close). Yet, it<br />
speaks to the concept of peace, and the notion that while angels proclaimed peace on earth,<br />
even <strong>Jesus</strong>, during His ministry said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.<br />
I have not come to bring peace, but a sword... (Matthew 10:34)." Yes, there will be divisions and<br />
strife in relationships that are close to us, as well as between nations, but, what <strong>Jesus</strong> did come<br />
to bring was individual peace for those who sought Him. A common thread runs through <strong>Jesus</strong>'<br />
miracles; a thread similar to this one, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace (Luke 7:50)!" or<br />
this prayer from the Apostle Paul (Romans 15:13): May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and<br />
peace in believing (emphasis mine). In other words: The peace of <strong>Jesus</strong> is the peace that<br />
ceases the wars that rage inside of me! So, here's that poem to ponder today:<br />
It wasn't a what, but rather a WHO,<br />
Had arrived on earth that night.<br />
A soft sweet babe in a manger,<br />
Not a king with powerful might.<br />
A simple child of parent's poor,<br />
No national wars would He cease.<br />
But there, wrapped in swaddling cloth,<br />
Lay the Sovereign Prince of Peace.<br />
He'd come to seek and save the lost,<br />
To set the captives free.<br />
To proclaim good news to every man,<br />
And cease the war in me!<br />
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,"<br />
The Scriptures make it clear.<br />
Let's not make the same mistake,<br />
This time seek His Presence here.<br />
No peace will be found 'til Christ returns,<br />
And on the Mount of Olives stands.<br />
Then Peace will reign o'er all the earth,<br />
As this Prince, His peace commands.<br />
Peg Forrest (c) 2003<br />
"Peace on earth; goodwill toward men,"<br />
The angels declared that night.<br />
But where was the peace they promised?<br />
It seemed nowhere in sight.<br />
No peace to be found in Ramah.<br />
Rachel weeping for her child.<br />
For they all sought an absence of strife.<br />
A political climate so mild.<br />
They did not understand the truth,<br />
Their eyes, in fact, were blind.<br />
They weren't to look for conditions,<br />
But a Peace of a different kind.<br />
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Tuesday, Dec 8 - O Come Let Us Adore Him<br />
Yesterday, as I was working in the kitchen and listening to a<br />
little Christmas music playing in the background, I began<br />
singing along to an old Christmas-favorite, "Oh, come let us<br />
adore Him! Oh, come let us adore Him! Oh, come let us<br />
adore Him! Christ...the Lord!"<br />
Advent - a season to focus on adoration of our Savior and<br />
Lord... So, I refreshed my memory on just what it means to<br />
"adore" someone. I'll refresh your memory, too. It means "to<br />
love intensely, to worship, speak words of admiration and<br />
reverence; to regard with feelings of respect and reverence;<br />
to consider as hallowed or exalted (I can't credit any one<br />
resource as this is a combination of Hebrew, Greek, and the<br />
WordBook Dictionary App)." It was the words I italicized<br />
above that struck my heart - to speak, out loud, words of<br />
adoration. The realization hit that I seldom do just that... I<br />
have gotten in the habit of being thankful; but that's not<br />
adoration. Adoration involves character - WHO YOU ARE.<br />
Adoration means I tell you just what I love about you. It's not<br />
what I love about what you do FOR ME, but who you are TO ME! That's a big difference. It<br />
seems lately, that there's been this big push on gratitude (and rightly so, we do tend to be an<br />
ungrateful people); but, so maybe with so much focus, perhaps we've forgotten adoration.<br />
I read this statement a couple of years ago in a book on marriage, and it stuck: "We can't love<br />
someone intimately, when we are always thinking about them, or talking about them,<br />
negatively." ** Not only is this true in marriage, it's true in all relationships, especially our<br />
relationship with <strong>Jesus</strong>. Remembering to speak words of adoration will always lead us to<br />
deeper intimacy! And, I long for the delights that come with exploring the depths of my<br />
relationship with my Savior!<br />
So, as I sang out those words, "Oh, come let us adore Him," there was a quiet Spirit-whisper of<br />
invitation - "Come..." I did. In the midst of a meal preparation, I stopped and sat at my table, and<br />
began to work on an activity I learned years ago in Mom's In Touch: write a list about who God<br />
is for every letter of the alphabet. And, I began to speak it aloud, looking heavenward. Gotta<br />
admit, it felt awkward. That just speaks to how foreign adoration has become. Oh, that it may<br />
not be just a random, Advent event. May this become the spirit of my soul, to long to come,<br />
often, and adore Him...Christ the Lord!<br />
This morning, take a few moments and just let him know what you love about him; and, then<br />
maybe tell someone else…<br />
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Wednesday, Dec 9 - Guide, Guard, Govern<br />
Still reflecting on peace, I happened to read this prayer from an old book of prayers, Prayers<br />
Ancient and Modern - Primary Source Edition (Mary Wilder Tileston). I am making this prayer<br />
mine today as a part of my Advent reflection:<br />
Grant unto us, Almighty God, Thy peace that passeth all understanding; that we, amid the<br />
storms and troubles of this our life, may rest in Thee, knowing that all things are in Thee, under<br />
Thy care, governed by Thy will, guarded by Thy love; so that with a quiet heart we may see the<br />
storms of life, the cloud and the thick darkness; ever rejoicing to know that the darkness and the<br />
light are both alike to Thee. Guide, guard, and govern us even to the end, that none of us may<br />
fail to lay old upon the immortal life - Amen<br />
-George Dawson-<br />
Guide, guard, govern...I like that! It made me think of this verse, regarding Christ's Advent:<br />
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his<br />
shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting<br />
Father, Prince of Peace.<br />
Isaiah 9:6<br />
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Thursday, Dec 10 - What DID Mary Know?<br />
The following link has been all over Facebook, so you may have clicked on it already, but if not,<br />
take a listen to this remix of one of my favorite Christmas songs - Mary Did You Know<br />
(Pentatonix).<br />
The song alone is worth pondering today as we reflect on Advent. However, as I listened, the<br />
question kept begging an answer in my mind - Exactly what did Mary know? Recently, Bay<br />
and I watched the old movie, Yentl, with Barbara Streisand. If you've not seen it, the story<br />
highlights a young Hebrew woman who longed to increase in knowledge, to have her questions<br />
answered, but she lived in an era when "it was a man's job to do the thinking and the learning,<br />
and a woman's job to marry, to cook, and to have babies." For a woman to read and study the<br />
Torah was illegal. Yet, bless his heart, Yentl's father taught her to read, to study, to discuss, and,<br />
even argue the Holy Writings...until he died, and Yentl was left with nothing. So, she cut her hair,<br />
dressed like a young boy, and set out to a new community, where she might enroll & live among<br />
the male population as a student, and satiate her greatest desire.<br />
Mary lived in such a society, perhaps a bit worse than Yentl's.<br />
Life for women in Mary's world was not easy, nor free. Women<br />
were no more than property owned by a man. As in Yentl's<br />
world, what Mary DID KNOW was that she wasn't allowed to<br />
think, to have a voice. What Mary DID KNOW would have been<br />
caught, as others talked, but she was NEVER taught. What<br />
Mary DID KNOW was that there would, one day, come a<br />
Messiah, and all young girls, who lived to marry and have<br />
babies, hoped that they might be the blessed woman to birth<br />
that child. Their belief was this babe would grow to manhood<br />
and rescue Israel from Roman reign. What Mary DID KNOW<br />
was limited to what the men<br />
knew, and even their<br />
picture of the Christ-tocome<br />
was skewed. The<br />
men expected a victorious<br />
warrior, a ruler to sit on the throne of David - a King who<br />
would release them all from persecution. Perhaps Mary was<br />
looking forward to a throne, not a tomb; a castle, not a<br />
cross.<br />
I know one thing - Mary didn't know Isaiah-the Prophet's<br />
words that it would be a virgin who would conceive, for her<br />
first question to the angel (after he settled her fears) was,<br />
"How can this be when I have not known a man?" If she<br />
was blind to that explicit truth, to what else was she blind?<br />
No one saw the Messiah as Isaiah painted Him in chapter<br />
53: a suffering servant. So what did Mary know? All we<br />
know for certain is that Mary DID KNOW what the angel<br />
told her, and every word built one upon another until they<br />
crescendoed in her mind: I will be the Mother of the Christ.<br />
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Here is what Mary DID KNOW:<br />
<strong>Jesus</strong><br />
Savior of Sin<br />
Miraculous Birth<br />
Ruler over Jacob's House<br />
Son of the MOST HIGH GOD<br />
Exceedingly Great in Importance & Authority<br />
A Gift of Jehovah, Yahweh, to one day Reign Over David's Throne<br />
Messiah<br />
Holy One<br />
Luke 1:26-38<br />
At this season of Advent, I am particularly thankful for the opportunities I have to learn and to<br />
increase in knowledge, and with that knowledge to grow in grace and mercy. Advent's fulfillment<br />
opened a whole knew world of expanded knowledge for me!<br />
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Friday, Dec 11 - What Do I Know?<br />
I continue to think about Mary...and I keep wondering about what the Lord God opened her eyes<br />
to understand. I went back to read Isaiah 53. It's all in black and white. Yet, the teachers of the<br />
law seemed to miss it. God the Father had allowed their eyes to be blind to the idea of His Son<br />
being the Suffering Servant, in order that His plan of salvation be fulfilled. So, I'm guessing Mary<br />
didn't know on the day her son was born what was in store for the Messiah, this wee babe. Isn't<br />
that a good thing, though? What mom wants to see her newborn son shadowed by a cross over<br />
his cradle? (That's one of the great gifts of God...He often shelters us from the KNOW until<br />
we NEED TO KNOW!) So, it was a gift of grace these words weren't ringing in Mary's<br />
ears that night in the manger:<br />
He was despised and rejected by men;<br />
a man of sorrows,<br />
best friends with grief.<br />
He was one from whom men hid their faces;<br />
He was despised and un-esteemed.<br />
He has borne our griefs<br />
and carried our sorrow;<br />
Yet He was stricken,<br />
and afflicted,<br />
Pierced for our transgressions;<br />
Crushed for our iniquities<br />
Upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace!<br />
His wounds healed ours.<br />
He was oppressed,<br />
like a lamb led to the slaughter....<br />
(Isaiah 53:3-7, paraphrased)<br />
I'm so VERY thankful this was God's plan. There in the<br />
midst of anguish is the gospel. God's Good News for mankind. He was pierced, crushed,<br />
chastised, wounded...that I might be made whole, healed, set free, and given<br />
peace....through His so-great-a-salvation!<br />
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He<br />
came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who would receive Him,<br />
who would believe in his name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born,<br />
not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. So the Word became<br />
flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:10-14)<br />
Mary may not have known that night in the Bethlehem stable, but Mary was a ponderer. Mary<br />
had a teachable spirit. As her child grew, and she began to see things, and hear more things, I<br />
have to believe the Lord opened her eyes slowly to His PLAN for ALL MANKIND. The pieces of<br />
the puzzle began to come together. Grief and hope mingled...with peace. I have to believe that<br />
as <strong>Jesus</strong> grew, Mary DID KNOW that her Son would soon Deliver her; and, in the midst of life,<br />
Mary surrendered her son to death.<br />
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There's a lot for me to learn from this woman of faith, this human mom, who is not unlike any of<br />
us. The questions now are, "Peg - what do you know?" and “Are you living on that knowledge<br />
by faith?” Advent is near!<br />
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Saturday, Dec 12 - Advent is Near!<br />
Yesterday, I left off asking myself a question, "Peg - what do you know?" I've thought A LOT<br />
about that for twenty-four hours.<br />
Mary had no Bible.<br />
Mary had no resources.<br />
Mary had no teachers.<br />
Mary wasn't allowed to be educated in a<br />
traditional sense.<br />
I have a Bible; no, correction, I have<br />
many Bibles of different translations.<br />
I have resources - bookshelves full of<br />
them, as well as a Kindle app filled to<br />
overflowing.<br />
I have the internet, filled with teachers of<br />
high caliber and quality scholars.<br />
I have total freedom to increase in<br />
wisdom and knowledge.<br />
What do I know, though?<br />
It almost seems the more "food" available, the less the hunger. What a sad indictment on myself<br />
in the midst of scholarly wealth and availability.<br />
What do I know? And, why is it important? Because, Advent is near! <strong>Jesus</strong> will come again. As<br />
the time draws nearer, the more the enemy wrestles to divert attention, to close our minds, to<br />
hide the truth, to kill Peace. Just as He did the first time. This we should know, in the end times<br />
there will be more trial, tribulation, and persecution than ever before. We could easily find<br />
ourselves in a situation where Biblical information is as hard-to-get as other resources. The<br />
enemy fears his future, so He will attempt to increase fear in God's people, attempting to<br />
destroy in His wake for one last-ditch-effort to control.<br />
Do I have a Mary-heart? A heart that ponders and longs for Truth? A heart that listens, and puts<br />
the pieces of the puzzle together? Not just to ponder, but to remember? Not just to reference,<br />
but to HIDE away forever? Not just to have available when needed, but to know and to have - to<br />
hold onto for future courage and perseverance?<br />
May I never fear the future, but meet it head on, because I have faithfully studied to that end.<br />
Advent is near!<br />
PS. We’re really not through discussing Mary…but tomorrow is our Third Advent Sunday (and<br />
we light the candle representing JOY).<br />
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Sunday, Dec 13 - Christmas JOY<br />
As a little girl every Christmas Eve vespers service I ever attended began with this song, written<br />
out below (here's a link to listen) and here are the words:<br />
O come, O come, Emmanuel<br />
And ransom captive Israel<br />
That mourns in lonely exile here<br />
Until the Son of God appear<br />
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel<br />
Shall come to Thee, O Israel.<br />
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free<br />
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny<br />
From depths of Hell Thy people save<br />
And give them victory o’er the grave<br />
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel<br />
Shall come to Thee, O Israel.<br />
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer<br />
Our spirits by Thine advent here<br />
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night<br />
And death’s dark shadows put to flight<br />
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel<br />
Shall come to Thee, O Israel<br />
O come, Thou Key of David, come<br />
And open wide our heavenly home<br />
This is a haunting song. A song sung by people in captivity and bondage. A song of slavery. A<br />
song of gloom and darkness. A song of the lonely. Yet...a song of hope. A song of promise. A<br />
song of redemption. You hear it in the music and lyrics.<br />
The good news is Emmanuel came at Christmas, and with Him came everything that which<br />
those in slavery, darkness, and misery longed. Now, it's simply a matter of receiving... For all,<br />
even those who are in that dark place that sometimes envelops over the holidays, there is JOY<br />
to be found in <strong>Jesus</strong>. This is the story of the third advent candle: in His presence is fulness of<br />
joy.<br />
May we pass that on... Emmanuel came. He ransomed. He turned mourning into dancing. He<br />
freed us from Satan's tyranny, brought victory over the grave, dispersed the gloomy clouds of<br />
our lives, and cheered our spirits. May we live like we BELIEVE...and make it contagious to<br />
others who don't know it yet. The Good News is Advent is near for all who believe and receive...<br />
Step into the joy of freedom in Christ!<br />
XXXX<br />
**For a deeper discussion on the topic of joy, go to www.peg-justathought.blogspot.com. From December 29, 2014<br />
through September 28, 2014, once a week, I blogged about my personal study on joy.<br />
22
Monday, Dec 14 - Pregnant With the Name<br />
Studying the Christmas story in Dr. Luke’s gospel, sent me to his other book, the Acts of the<br />
Holy Spirit, and in particular the life-changing, transformation of one named Saul (we know him<br />
better as the Apostle Paul). I loved the Lord's words God spoke to Ananias about Paul.<br />
Remember, Ananias was a little skittish when<br />
God came to him and asked him to go and lay<br />
hands on the man so that he might regain his<br />
sight. Rightly so, Ananias had heard much<br />
about Paul, the evil he had inflicted on God's<br />
saints, his brethren. Of course, God jumps all<br />
over Ananias for his doubt! (Duh, no! I'm just<br />
checking to make sure you're really<br />
reading…). God assures Ananias with these<br />
words, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of<br />
mine to carry my name before the Gentiles<br />
and kings and the children of Israel. I will show<br />
him how much he must suffer for the sake of<br />
my name (Acts 9: 12-16).<br />
The words spoken are interesting enough, but<br />
one word in particular is intriguing. It's the word<br />
"carry," which means "to bear" (as in a woman<br />
"bearing a child"). Paul's calling from the Lord:<br />
to be pregnant with the name of <strong>Jesus</strong>. Add to<br />
that this charge, too: as a woman would<br />
"suffer" in child-birth, Paul would suffer the<br />
pains of bearing the Name.<br />
I've often related my salvation transformation<br />
to Paul's. I know, that sounds a bit prideful.<br />
Believe me, I recognize mine wasn't on the<br />
magnitude of Paul's (and I hadn't been quite as evil), but my life, my desires, my behavior all<br />
changed overnight. Most of all, I believed the night of my salvation that God had placed a call on<br />
my life to "carry the name of the Lord" and to present Him in a way that others might KNOW<br />
HIM as I had come to know Him. That call is still vivid and clear. So, like Paul, my mission, our<br />
mission, as believers, is to "bear the name of <strong>Jesus</strong>" -<br />
Where's this going? All that background to say this: Like Mary I am called to bear the Savior, to<br />
bring Him forth for the people, this Savior of mankind. That led me to thinking back to Mary's<br />
response to her call: Mary's Magnificat. A call that important requires a proper response!<br />
Tomorrow: MY MAGNIFICAT!<br />
I'm wondering...have you ever written yours? What a great time of year to do so, don't you think!<br />
Advent is near!<br />
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Tuesday, Dec 15 - My Magnificat<br />
(...a continuation from yesterday)<br />
Tis the season for Magnificats; and God has given me a joy-job (to bear the name of <strong>Jesus</strong>)!<br />
MY MAGNIFICAT (of sorts)<br />
My soul rejoices in the Lord<br />
For He is the God of the Impossible-Made-Possible<br />
He is the BIG GOD for the Little One<br />
The God of BIG DEEDS<br />
The God of STRENGTH<br />
The God of HELP<br />
The God of HEALING<br />
The God Who Brings HOPE<br />
The God Who SATISFIES the HUNGRY<br />
Holy is His Name<br />
Merciful is His Character<br />
Grace is His motive<br />
Powerful are His acts<br />
My soul rejoices in the Lord<br />
For He has chosen me to be<br />
His instrument -<br />
A vessel of honor,<br />
Set-apart,<br />
Useful to the Master,<br />
Prepared for every good work.<br />
He has impregnated me<br />
With the fulness of His Holy Spirit,<br />
To spill forth<br />
- faith<br />
- wisdom<br />
- grace, and<br />
- life-changing power,<br />
- to agree<br />
that I AM a follower of <strong>Jesus</strong>, the Christ<br />
- the EXPECTED ONE!<br />
What precious, priceless cargo!<br />
May I carry it as Paul must have after Ananias lay hands on<br />
him so long ago,<br />
- proudly<br />
- protectively<br />
- possessively<br />
- purposely, and with<br />
- priority.<br />
Certainly, he was persecuted.<br />
Yes, ultimately put to death.<br />
But along the pathways of his journey many praised God!<br />
Because of Him,<br />
Picked up the name, and<br />
Carried on...<br />
And when others see me - even from a distance,<br />
May something deep within their spirits leap for joy,<br />
Because they recognize that for me<br />
To Live is CHRIST!<br />
Because He has bestowed upon me<br />
The Blessing<br />
Of Bearing His Name<br />
Wherever He might send:<br />
- next door<br />
- across the street<br />
- within the state<br />
- the country<br />
- across the sea<br />
- maybe, even to church!<br />
So may I carry that name, like a phylactery<br />
Bound to me for all to see<br />
- to know<br />
- to understand<br />
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Wednesday, Dec 16 - I’ll Be Home for Christmas<br />
Every time I turn on the Pandora Christmas-music-station, I hear someone crooning, "I'll be<br />
home for Christmas..." It's such a sad, nostalgic Christmas song, made more so by the fact that<br />
not everyone I love can be home for Christmas. During the holidays, I miss my grown-up-kids<br />
the most. Don't get me wrong, I love that they are able to create their own family traditions<br />
(those are IMPORTANT!). I am thrilled to think of them with their kiddos, carrying on some of the<br />
same ones that we instilled: attending the Christmas Eve service, gathering at home afterwards<br />
drinking some of Aunt Kim's Egg Nog (her special, yes, non-alcoholic, recipe is the BEST),<br />
reading the Christmas story, tearing open a few presents before bed, saving Christmas<br />
stockings & a surprise gift for morning... What I miss is the magic that family makes by being<br />
together. So, we've learned to make that magic happen whenever we can...and, I'm glad that<br />
my kiddos work at finding the few times we can all gather under one roof.<br />
For <strong>Jesus</strong>-followers, that haunting we feel<br />
at Christmas-time, that longing for home,<br />
for family, is simply a poignant reminder<br />
that none of us are HOME. We'll never<br />
really have that hole in our hearts filled until<br />
we reach heaven's gates. Oh, we may sense<br />
the magic for a few brief days, when family<br />
can gather together, but it's simply a foretaste<br />
of what we really are seeking - being at home<br />
in the presence of our Savior. We will never<br />
be fully satisfied until we are home with<br />
<strong>Jesus</strong>. The <strong>Jesus</strong>-disciple, Peter, got that fact<br />
- he looked beyond earth to that place about<br />
which his Lord taught. As <strong>Jesus</strong> explained<br />
the fact of His coming death to His disciples,<br />
He used these words:<br />
"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to<br />
prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take<br />
you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14: 2-3, ESV)."<br />
So, Peter reminds us,<br />
"Friends, this world isn't your home, so don't make ourselves cozy in it...(1 Peter 2:11, MSG)"<br />
Advent is more than just a current season of approximately 25-30 days. Advent is ahead. <strong>Jesus</strong><br />
is currently preparing for another Christmas. A Christmas when all the family who are in-Christ<br />
will be together celebrating in His Father's mansion. I look forward with anticipation to that day.<br />
So much so, that I don't want to be "cozy" here. And, just as my adult-kids work hard to make<br />
together-times happen, I will do my part to work at making an eternal gathering with those I love<br />
possible. Think of the magic of that time! Advent is near!<br />
Today's Advent Lesson: One day, those of us in-Christ will all be home for Christmas. Let's<br />
prepare for that Advent by sending out Kingdom invitations. What a day that will be!<br />
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Thursday, Dec 17 - Do Not Fear<br />
There are a lot of "do not fear" statements in the Christmas story. Ever noticed? As I was rereading<br />
the various accounts in the four gospels, the "do not fear" comments (mostly from a<br />
visiting angel) were spoken to a number of the critical players in the nativity story. However,<br />
there was one spoken to Joseph that leapt off the page and into my heart:<br />
Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is<br />
from the Holy Spirit...all this has taken place to fulfill what the Lord spoke to the prophet, Isaiah,<br />
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and He shall be called, Immanuel (which<br />
means, God with us)."<br />
Matthew 1:20, 23<br />
Talk about a fearful season for all the principle characters necessary to bring God's Son into and<br />
up in this world. Each found themselves constantly under a cloud of threat, fear of the future,<br />
and the possibilities of imminent death. Yet, over and over again, that visiting angel spoke words<br />
of assurance, "Do not fear..." Do not fear for God has come to you. Do not fear for God is now<br />
with you. Do not fear you are never alone. Do not fear for He will save you. Do not fear, your<br />
prayers have been heard. Do not fear for I have brought you tidings of great joy.<br />
"Do not fear!" is an integral part of the Advent Story...<br />
We may not have an angel visit us today in our dreams, in a vision, or in person. Yet, we have<br />
this truth tucked away in the lines of the <strong>Jesus</strong>-story with which we can cling: He is with<br />
us...always! Even unto the end of the age!<br />
<strong>Jesus</strong> Christ: the same yesterday, today, and forever.<br />
Sovereign God.<br />
The in-charge-I-AM, who oversees every outcome for a good we may not currently see, who will<br />
accomplish what He purposes, is the God of the Details.<br />
This God is with me. His name is Immanuel!<br />
Do.Not.Fear.<br />
Advent is near!<br />
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Friday, Dec 18 - Every Knee Shall Bow<br />
This is one of my favorite Christmas ornaments. It happens to be the only Santa-anything I have<br />
in our house this time of year. Every year I put up my little fake tree that is home to every nativity<br />
ornament I own, and, this one is front and center. I love that Santa is kneeling in front of the<br />
manger. It puts everything about Christmas back in perspective. It's not about Santa…it’s about<br />
EVERY MAN! What I love most is that Santa is worshipping. It reminds me that Christmas is<br />
about humble beginnings and humble continuings (I know that's not a word, I like it, anyway).<br />
<strong>Jesus</strong> humbled Himself by becoming a babe, living simply, dying wholeheartedly on my behalf;<br />
I'm to live out His example on a daily basis. I love that at the bottom of this ornament it has<br />
these words:<br />
That at the name of <strong>Jesus</strong> every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that <strong>Jesus</strong><br />
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father!<br />
Philippians 2:10-11<br />
There it is. The true response to Christmas.<br />
Advent is near!<br />
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Saturday, Dec 19 - Who Am I?<br />
I collect nativity scenes. I have them from all over the world; and they are placed all over my<br />
house. I enjoy putting them out every Christmas. Some years I hold back on just how many get<br />
unwrapped; I go for simplicity. Other years, they all go up. No matter how many go on the<br />
shelves, as I put the figures in place, there is a question that seems to hang over my head: Who<br />
am I in the Christmas story? Over the next few days, let's explore each figure, their character<br />
traits, and the role they played in the <strong>Jesus</strong>-story.<br />
Mary.<br />
I know. We've already looked at Mary some little<br />
bit. So, here's what I see in this woman:<br />
Pure in heart.<br />
Teachable.<br />
Humble.<br />
Surrendered.<br />
Sacrificial.<br />
Willing to be willing.<br />
Obedient.<br />
Reflective.<br />
Ready.<br />
Faith-full!<br />
Filled with God (literally and metaphorically).<br />
Not fear-less, but courageous.<br />
Human.<br />
Here are some of my favorite God-words about<br />
Mary.<br />
Greetings, O favored one (highly sought after, filled with grace), the Lord is with you! (Luke<br />
1:28, 30)<br />
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your<br />
word." (Luke 1:38)<br />
Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from<br />
the Lord. (Luke 1:45)<br />
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the<br />
humble estate of his servant... (Luke 1:46-48)<br />
Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)<br />
As we read God's words, we can see so much depth of character between the lines, in the<br />
woman God chose to mother His Son. If anyone had a mama's heart, Mary did! If anyone<br />
understood what it meant to be a servant of the Lord Most High, Mary did! If anyone willingly<br />
surrendered her life to sacrificial obedience - it was Mary!<br />
Are you Mary?<br />
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Am I?<br />
If I'm a Mary, then I am a surrendered servant willing to be willing to receive from God's hand<br />
whatever He asks...<br />
Ah, but there are still more folks around that manger at which to take a good long glance. <br />
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Sunday, Dec 20 - Who Am I (2)?<br />
No nativity is complete without the man hand-picked by God to be the step-father of His Son,<br />
namely, Joseph. What a responsibility! I often wonder what kind of thoughts ran through<br />
Joseph's mind as <strong>Jesus</strong> was growing? What kind<br />
of man was he?<br />
Very little is said about Joseph in Scripture. Most<br />
of what we know about Joseph is found in<br />
Matthew's account of the story.<br />
His genealogy was impeccable.<br />
His reputation was faultless.<br />
In the spiritual arena, Joseph's way of thinking,<br />
feeling, and acting were "wholly conformed to the<br />
will of God" (meaning of the Gk word, dikaios, translated "just").<br />
Physically, he was a strong man - a carpenter by trade (my husband comes from a family of<br />
carpenters, so this I know by experience).<br />
In matters of the heart, he wrestled to do right. It's obvious, where Mary was concerned, Joseph<br />
was torn between "law" and "love"...but above all, he was "unwilling to put Mary to shame" (that<br />
speaks of a pretty tender soul).<br />
He was quick to obedience, yet patient in practice. As soon as the angel spoke to him in a<br />
dream, Joseph believed... His belief turned to quick action. True belief always moves to quick<br />
action. This is repeated about Joseph with every move he and Mary made.<br />
On the other hand, Joseph was a patient man...He was willing to wait on intimacy. To me this<br />
speaks of great love, not just for God, but for his wife. After all, one of the first attributes listed<br />
for true love is patience.<br />
These are my favorite God-words about Joseph:<br />
When Joseph awoke form sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his<br />
wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.<br />
Matthew 1:24<br />
If I'm a Joseph, then I'm willing to wrestle with tension that often comes between "law"<br />
and "love." I am patient in practice as I wait on God's timing, but quick to obedience<br />
when God speaks.<br />
Am I a Joseph?<br />
Are you?<br />
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Monday, Dec 21 - Who Am I (3)?<br />
So far, gotta tell ya, I’m no Mary, and I’m definitely no Joseph! However, next on the scene are<br />
the shepherds. Simple men. Smelly (they spent their entire day around sheep, for goodness<br />
sake!). Here's what I've learned about shepherd's during <strong>Jesus</strong> day.** Once shepherds held<br />
some level of esteem, and the occupation noble, as during the days of Abraham and a young,<br />
pre-king, David. By the time of <strong>Jesus</strong>' birth, this was no longer so. Shepherds were at the<br />
bottom of the social ladder, sharing the same status as tax collectors and dung sweepers.<br />
(Bummer!) They are only mentioned in Luke's gospel. Shepherds were marginalized, belittled,<br />
and stereotyped. In the Mishnah, Judaism's written record of the oral law, it is written that no<br />
one should ever feel obligated to rescue a shepherd who has fallen into a pit. Such prejudice<br />
extended to civil rights - shepherds were completely deprived. For goodness sake, a shepherd<br />
wasn't even admitted into a public court to testify as a witness. Some shepherds came by their<br />
reputation rightly, others not so much. Regardless, to be a shepherd was to be despised.<br />
In order to relate to a shepherd on the hillside, I had to think of the most marginalized, illthought-of<br />
people in current society. Not wanting to admit to my own social prejudices, I asked<br />
"Google." I typed into the search engine, "most despised people group in American society."<br />
The first fifteen (that's what showed up on my page #1) entries popped up the following answer:<br />
atheists. I found that intriguing. So, picture a group of atheists sitting on a hillside, chatting about<br />
whatever atheists find to chat about, and a group of angels surround them with the birth<br />
announcement of a Savior sent from a God-they-don't-even-believe-exists. All of a sudden, we<br />
have atheists-no-more! All of a sudden, David Silverman, Peter Singer, Richard Dawkins,<br />
Michael Martin (and a host of Hollywood actors & actresses) are showing up in churches and<br />
singing the praise of God the Father, and telling unbelievable stories. All of a sudden, the<br />
religious leaders of our day are baffled! What's happening? Not only are they baffled, their<br />
noses are totally out of joint. God wouldn't unveil the greatest mystery of all time to these men!<br />
Don't lose sight of this irony... However, it was the least expected that <strong>Jesus</strong> came to save. His<br />
mission was to move among the lowly and the outcast, to seek and to save the lost! Not the<br />
healthy, but the sick, needed the doctor!<br />
To be a shepherd around the manger required a miracle of brokenness. To be a shepherd<br />
around the manger meant I recognized my lostness. To be a shepherd around the manger<br />
meant that I set aside all my worries about what people thought, and desired to SEE the<br />
SAVIOR more than I FEARED REJECTION. To be a shepherd around the manger meant that<br />
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the safety net found in my identity, even as an outcast, had to be lost, so I could be found.<br />
Shepherds breeze in and out of the Nativity Story rather quickly, but what a huge place<br />
they hold: the unbelieving believing. They are the second greatest miracle of the Advent!<br />
No wonder they went away glorifying and praising God, and telling the wonderful story of all<br />
they had seen and heard!<br />
In many ways, here I am! I am the Shepherd!<br />
**** All credit given to Randy Alcorn, "Shepherd Status" in Come Thou Long-Expected <strong>Jesus</strong>, Nancy Guthrie, Editor,<br />
Crossway Books, 2008, pp. 85-89.<br />
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Tuesday, Dec 22 - Who Am I (4)?<br />
Some nativities include the wise men who traveled from afar to visit the young child, <strong>Jesus</strong>.<br />
Really, these figures don't belong near the manger. I suppose if I were to be correct, I'd place<br />
them across the room somewhere. I don't know when they first saw the star, announcing the<br />
birth of the King of the Jews, but <strong>Jesus</strong> was almost, if not, two years old before they arrived.<br />
Another thing, we don't really know for sure, is that there were just three of them. There could<br />
have been 300...Scripture doesn't make it clear. We simply know they gave the little King three<br />
gifts. And, they weren't really Kings, they were "wise" men, smart men, knowledgable in the<br />
sciences, the study of the stars, agriculture, mathematics, as well as, political and religious<br />
information.<br />
These "wise" men had been around since Daniel's day (see Daniel 6), and had probably come<br />
from as far away as <strong>Baby</strong>lon (currently the area around Baghdad). Undoubtedly, they had been<br />
greatly influenced in Judaism, and possibly had benefitted from the legacy and prophecy of<br />
Daniel, himself. Other than this, we don't know a lot about these men...they were strangers on<br />
the scene, but strangers who rattled the courts of King Herod, and all the chief priests, for sure!<br />
Yet, come they did, and a very long way (out of their way) just to see this special child and<br />
worship Him! We can learn much about worship from these men. In fact, all I really know<br />
about the wise men is how to experience true worship!<br />
As we wind down the Advent season, this is a perfect time to contemplate our worship of the<br />
King of Kings. What does it look like to worship? How can I, just like these wise men, come to<br />
him with a whole heart prepared to honor Him on the day of his birth?<br />
Worship often means stepping out of my comfort zone. Just as the magi went out of their way,<br />
true worship means I may struggle with some feelings of mental discomfort. I go the extra mile...<br />
True worship includes physical expression. The wise men "rejoiced exceedingly with great<br />
joy" (that doesn't sound like reverent whispers to me!). They "fell down and worshiped him."<br />
True worship gives. "Opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts..."<br />
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True worship is excessive. "...gold, frankincense, myrrh."<br />
Gold: worship gives sacrificially out of our wealth (a little P.S. here: it really is true, we've never<br />
been able to out-give God...we give, He always gives back).<br />
Frankincense: a gift of perfume, or incense, which is representative of the prayers of our heart<br />
(research Scripture, and you often find references to prayer as a "sweet smelling offering" to the<br />
Lord). A worshipping heart is a prayerful heart.<br />
Myrrh: an anointing oil, often used to anoint a body in death. Myrrh, representative of an offering<br />
of our lives - wholehearted and complete.<br />
As I look back over each of these thoughts, I guess I can summarize true worship with two<br />
words: reckless abandon...<br />
In a couple of days, I get to commemorate Christ's birth, as do you. We'll all do so differently,<br />
with a day filled with traditions familiar to each of our homes. But, may we, also, do so with a<br />
worship that's somewhat reminiscent of King David as he danced through the streets of<br />
Jerusalem with the Ark of the Covenant... What a celebration of worship our Savior deserves!<br />
Advent is near!<br />
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Wednesday, Dec 23 - <strong>Jesus</strong> Didn’t Follow the Rules<br />
As I’ve been studying different passages of Scripture in preparation for Advent, the following<br />
thought keeps running through my head. <strong>Jesus</strong> wasn’t what anyone EXPECTED!<br />
Sometimes, yes, He was ALL they hoped for, other times, not so much! Not at all.<br />
A few summer’s back, one of our small grand-treasures had been out horseback riding with his<br />
Papa. At one point, Bay gave him a little instruction on how to hold the reins properly so he<br />
could better direct his horse. As they returned to the corral, we asked Ethan how the ride went.<br />
His dejected response: “I didn’t do the rules…” We still get a chuckle out of the inflection of<br />
disappointment in his voice as he told us that news. I thought of that story the other day, as I<br />
was thinking about <strong>Jesus</strong>-come-to-earth-in-flesh. He definitely didn’t do the rules!<br />
Remember the teaching of <strong>Jesus</strong> at Matthew’s<br />
house about the wineskins? He was answering<br />
the questions of the religious leaders as to why<br />
He did things so differently… Why did <strong>Jesus</strong> eat<br />
with sinners & tax-collectors? Why didn’t He fast<br />
like the rest of them? <strong>Jesus</strong> answer was that He<br />
wanted them to consider a whole new way of<br />
thinking…He was letting them know that with His<br />
coming, He would initiate a NEW Covenant<br />
relationship…<br />
So, I had to go back and look at <strong>Jesus</strong>’ teaching<br />
to that point in Matthew 9. <strong>Jesus</strong> taught as one<br />
with authority, but <strong>Jesus</strong> teachings are quite<br />
paradoxical to typical thought of the day.<br />
Example: His first sermon on the hillside.<br />
Consistently, we read <strong>Jesus</strong> say these words,<br />
“You have heard…” He then follows those words<br />
with a new thought, “…but I tell you…” As a<br />
result, He confused His Jewish brethren. While it<br />
appeared as if He could be the Messiah, He was<br />
unlike anything they had hoped or expected.<br />
Not only were His teachings different, His actions<br />
were unexplainable. He reaches out (&<br />
TOUCHES, heaven-forbid!) the untouchables<br />
and the unlovables. He befriends tax-collectors<br />
and Roman soldiers. He honors a despicable<br />
Samaritan, a woman, no less, with words of<br />
encouragement, a hope for tomorrow, and presents her with salvation. He heals lepers,<br />
welcomes prostitutes, and casts out demons. He talks about not judging others, then appears to<br />
judge those who are the righteous, while welcoming the unrighteous. He parties instead of<br />
fasting. <strong>Jesus</strong> was confusing, because <strong>Jesus</strong> didn’t fit a safe, explainable package. As a<br />
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esult, the sons of Abraham couldn’t seem to wrap their minds around the concept of Him as<br />
their Messiah.<br />
I wonder, then, what is the church’s view of <strong>Jesus</strong>? Have we tried to make him safe? Have we<br />
tried to create a version of <strong>Jesus</strong> that is explainable? If so, in doing, have we truly given the<br />
world an accurate picture of a God-of-mystery? A God who will take a lifetime to understand and<br />
to know? I’m afraid I might be guilty of wanting to make <strong>Jesus</strong> so desirable that I attempt to<br />
make him explainable. Yet, the bottom line is that I don’t want an explainable, comprehendible,<br />
live-up-to-my-expectations <strong>Jesus</strong>. I want a God who is approachable, yes! I want a God who<br />
loves me, yes! I want a God who cares and reaches out to touch and embrace and draw near,<br />
absolutely! Yet, I want a God of mystery. I want a <strong>Jesus</strong> who doesn’t fit any box of thought or<br />
expectation. I want <strong>Jesus</strong> to be so big, He’s unexplainable, for if I can explain Him - He ceases<br />
to be God. If I minimize His mystery, I no longer need Him. Indeed, I NEED HIM too much for<br />
this to be the case. May I always marvel at His mystery, and help others to do the same! I hope I<br />
never figure <strong>Jesus</strong> out...<br />
Reflect more on this thought as Christmas draws closer still…What is your picture of <strong>Jesus</strong>?<br />
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Thursday, Christmas Eve - It’s Complicated!<br />
This morning, I've been thinking about all the complications surrounding the birth of <strong>Jesus</strong>. Just<br />
think with me -<br />
Mary was pregnant out of wedlock.<br />
She was under threat of stoning.<br />
Hanging over Mary's head was the question of<br />
whether or not Joseph would believe her,<br />
divorce her, or throw her to the wolves to be<br />
judged and executed...<br />
Joseph had to wrestle with the same question,<br />
then when he thought he'd finally decided....<br />
Joseph was asked to sacrifice his reputation to<br />
take Mary home as his bride.<br />
The gossip they endured because of this alone<br />
was severe, but add to that the curiosity that<br />
raised people's eyebrows when Joseph and<br />
Mary claimed the child was "born of the Holy<br />
Spirit, would save people from their sins, and<br />
was, in fact, the long-expected Messiah..."<br />
In Mary's last days of pregnancy they had to<br />
make a long, and unplanned trip to register for<br />
tax purposes, along with a huge crowd.<br />
There was no easy way to travel, so they went<br />
by donkey.<br />
Along the way, Mary went into labor.<br />
We think the lines at the grocery store are long<br />
this time of year - I can't imagine the lines in<br />
Bethlehem that year with everything recorded by<br />
hand in the "old-fashioned" way.<br />
There were no rooms available, no doctor or mid-wife, no epidurals or pain meds, only<br />
straw, the undercurrent of noisy barn-animals, and a feeding trough.<br />
Once the child was born, they were forced to move frequently, literally overnight, as the<br />
result of angelic-sleep-interrupted dreams.<br />
Their lives were in danger - often.<br />
<strong>Baby</strong> boys two and under were slaughtered as King Herod tried to wipe out the potential<br />
political threat of another King who might usurp him (Mary and Joseph had to feel the weight<br />
of that horrific event).<br />
All this to say, <strong>Jesus</strong>' birth-story was not easy for His earthly parents.<br />
Even by the time Mary & Joseph reached the eve of the birth of God's Son, it had been difficult<br />
enough. I wonder then - just what was running through their heads? I'm thinking I'd be<br />
screaming, "I didn't sign up for ALL THIS! I take it back! I'm not your woman!”<br />
HOWEVER...I expect, even in their humanness, this was not the response from this young<br />
couple. I imagine they had to be doing, just what we need to be doing, when life is hard,<br />
confusing, unplanned, and the road ahead extraordinarily foggy: they were remembering. (My<br />
soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember...Psalm 42:6b)<br />
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Remembering angels sent from God.<br />
Remembering God-words.<br />
Remembering dreams and visions, too real to be made up.<br />
Remembering validations from godly fore-runners (such as Zechariah and Elizabeth) who<br />
supported them with affirmation.<br />
Remembering prophecies of the Old Testament scrolls - the Words of God literally coming<br />
true before their eyes.<br />
Remembering unexplained open doors, protection, and provision.<br />
I expect, even in their humanness, they were doing exactly what we should do amidst the<br />
difficulties of life: they were looking forward with hope. (Why are you cast down, O my<br />
soul, and why in turmoil within? Hope in God...Psalm 42:11)<br />
Looking forward to new life.<br />
Looking forward to watching the unfolding of God's plan.<br />
Looking forward to being a part of a future of freedom, peace, and leadership<br />
Looking forward to being a part God's intentional purpose.<br />
Looking forward to God-with-them their hope of glory.<br />
Looking forward to a coming salvation...even their own!<br />
I expect, even in their humanness, they were doing exactly what we should do when life catches<br />
us by surprise and takes our breath away: they were clinging to every little blessing they<br />
could tangibly see. (Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give<br />
thanks to Him, and bless His name! Psalm 100:4)<br />
The blessing of being on a journey together.<br />
The blessing of understanding and knowing they<br />
were a part of something bigger than themselves.<br />
The blessing of provision.<br />
The blessing of insight, wisdom, and direction.<br />
The blessing of shepherds showing up at their door,<br />
even unannounced, to remind them they were still in<br />
the middle of God's Great Unveiling.<br />
I can just hear them counting and re-counting all<br />
God had done and was doing day by day, hour by<br />
hour, minute by minute to take care of them...<br />
This Christmas eve...these are the gifts I desire to<br />
unwrap. Three gifts: 1) remembrance of God's<br />
faithfulness, 2) hopeful, forward-looking, and, 3) an<br />
attitude of gratitude for every thing He has done on<br />
my behalf.<br />
Above all...May I take away the obvious fact, God is still at work all around me, even when<br />
things seem a little (or a lot) dim.<br />
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Thursday, Christmas Day - He Came for Me!<br />
It's Christmas. <strong>Jesus</strong> Christ, the Savior-WITH-us, has been born. Simply reflect on these<br />
following truths today. Read them over and over. Let them soak deeply into your heart.<br />
Remember who, what, and why!<br />
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people; He has raised<br />
up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David.<br />
He will be...Immanuel. The Word (who) became flesh and dwelt among us...full of grace and<br />
truth!<br />
In Him was LIFE, and that LIFE was the light of men...<br />
Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the SUNRISE shall visit us from on high to<br />
give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way<br />
of peace.<br />
Indeed, my eyes have seen your salvation...a light for<br />
revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people<br />
Israel.<br />
(Luke 1:68-69; Matthew 1:23; John 1:14; John 1:4-5; Luke<br />
1:78-79)<br />
XXXXXXXX<br />
The Word became flesh...<br />
The light that could not be overcome by darkness.<br />
The light to guide our feet into a peaceful way.<br />
My Salvation (me, a Gentile)!<br />
My Redeemer.<br />
My Glory.<br />
My Sunrise!<br />
Thank you, God my Father, <strong>Jesus</strong> the Son & sweet,<br />
tender Spirit of my Living Lord-<br />
In humble reverence<br />
I worship You this day and throughout the New Year!<br />
Merry Christmas!<br />
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