The story of the Wise Men really takes place some time AFTER the birth of Christ…but, for all of us, the Nativity scene would not be the same without the figures of the wise men kneeling at the manger. In scripture we read, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2
The first thing we learn regarding these men of wisdom…. they were searching for answers….that’s why they were constantly viewing the night sky. They were looking to the stars in the heavens to divulge the secrets of the universe. They were able to predict the changing of the seasons, the coming of storms or other weather conditions; perhaps, even the fortunes of men and countries…all from charting the movement of the constellations.
But now they had witnessed a phenomenon of great magnitude …a star in the Eastern sky that ancient manuscripts foretold would acknowledge the birth of a king…and their search of the skies led them to leave hearth and home to find this king. So, they packed up their camels and with caravan in tow, they set out to find this emperor that would rule the Jews. Unfortunately, their first encounter was Herod….a real buzz kill to be sure!
After hearing the story of the wise men’s journey, Herod was greatly troubled and sought to dupe the wise men into telling him when and where they would find this child-king. “Go and search diligently for this child and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him. After listening to the king, they went on their way.” Matthew 2:8-9a
But the best part of the story occurs next, “And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:9b-11
The journey had been long; the path fraught with danger and disappointment….a surly king who offered little help; but, they had come too far to go home empty-handed. So they did what had gotten them to this point…they sought answers in the heavens and behold, the star went before them. That single, bright, illuminating star that held their focus at the beginning of their journey was still leading them to their final destination…an opportunity to worship the King…and they would not be denied.
When the star stopped, they stopped ….their search for the king was rewarded. And so they entered his presence with presents….and falling before this child, they worshipped the Savior of all mankind.
Are you wise enough to seek the child of Bethlehem….are you willing to go the distance to lay your gifts at the feet of this King of the Jews…are you searching the heavens looking for answers only God can provide?
This Christmas seek the Christ-child …diligently follow the star to the place where Jesus awaits your worship…open you heart and give him the gift greater than gold or frankincense or myrrh…give him your heart, yielded and still. Give him you obedience …give him the love and adoration of one who belongs to Him.
For on that first Christmas, He came to us so that we could come to Him….and forever belong to Him.
Be wise this Christmas….seek the Child, God’s Only Son. Then you, too, can rejoice with exceeding great joy…just like the three wise men of old.
Wiser in worship of the newborn king….Merry Christmas,
WPQ
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
TENDING TO THE FLOCK
That night began like any other of a thousand nights…the blazing sun sinking majestically behind the rolling Judean hills. The air became thicker, so we built a big fire and began to huddle the sheep in circles of ten. A glance to the south revealed the flicker of lights as, one by one, families began their evening prayers and gathered round the table to break bread and share the events of the day. It is a lonely and very thankless job…being a shepherd… having all who know you look down on you and your filthy occupation. But, someone had to care for the sheep; to tend to these tender lambs, so there might be meat in the village and spotless lambs for our sacrificial offerings. Besides, I was simply following in my father’s and his father’s footsteps…I had little choice in what I had become….despised by the religious rulers and tolerated by the villagers.
I was patrolling the northern perimeter of the encampment as the wind whipped around me, chilling me to the bone; I listened intently for the sound of movement through the brush… the sounds of predators on the prowl. I cinched my belt tighter and drew my cloak around me, hoping to stave off the winter night’s chill.
And then, IT HAPPENED!!! The sky was like midday as a bright light lit up the blackness of the night …for there, hovering above us all, was an angel. I fell to the ground, shaking, not from the cold but from fear…who was this and what did he want with us. He spoke quietly; softly, as he told us not to be afraid, for he came bearing Good News that was for all mankind. A savior was born and just miles away in the sleepy, little town of Bethlehem, we would find him…wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Then, to our utter amazement, the entire heavens were filled with an angelic host who sang and proclaimed the Glory of God and his desire for peace on earth.
And as suddenly as they had appeared, they vanished ….gone in an instant. At first, we were all too stunned to even speak…but as we regained our wits, we knew what we had to do…WE HAD TO SEE THIS FOR OURSELVES. So gathering our staffs and entrusting the sheep to two of our own, we quickly set out for the stable of Bethlehem.
We arrived to find everything just as the angel had described…mother Mary, her husband Joseph and their little baby, Jesus. We could not contain our joy as we told them all that had just happened to us …out in the fields, tending our flocks, doing what we were called to do.
And yet, I could not help but ponder, why us, O God? Why come to the lowliest of mankind with the greatest, most wonderful news …EVER? Why entrust us to tell others this Good News….that a Savior was born who is Christ the Lord? I could not answer that question, but neither could I constrain myself….so I did the only thing I could think to do….I set out to tell others!
Before I returned to the flock that night, I knocked on EVERY door in Bethlehem and told them the exciting news; in fact, we all did. Traveling in what could only be described as an uproarious caravan, we told everyone we knew that in a stable, just yards away, lay the Christ child…the Savior come to earth. Some believed what was told to them, though many just slammed the door, cursing that they had been disturbed by a drunken mob of shepherds. But, it did not matter to us….WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD SEEN AND WHAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD….and we glorified God for including us in telling others of what He had done that night ….that GLORIOUS night in Bethlehem.
Are you a shepherd this Christmas…busy tending to the affairs of family, friends, jobs, careers, even life itself? Are you out in the fields without a clue of what God has in store for you this Christmas? Maybe, he wants to shake-up your world…like he shook the world of those shepherds that first Christmas. Maybe, he wants you to know the excitement of the Good News that a Savior has been born; but, more importantly, He wants you to know the Savior; personally, intimately and without reservation.
Then, just like the shepherds, the excitement of that Good News will permeate everything you do as you knock on the doors of others to share what God did that very first Christmas night ….for a band of shepherds tending to their flocks in the hills near Bethlehem.
Oh, to be a shepherd this Christmas and share the wonder of it all…..
WPQ
I was patrolling the northern perimeter of the encampment as the wind whipped around me, chilling me to the bone; I listened intently for the sound of movement through the brush… the sounds of predators on the prowl. I cinched my belt tighter and drew my cloak around me, hoping to stave off the winter night’s chill.
And then, IT HAPPENED!!! The sky was like midday as a bright light lit up the blackness of the night …for there, hovering above us all, was an angel. I fell to the ground, shaking, not from the cold but from fear…who was this and what did he want with us. He spoke quietly; softly, as he told us not to be afraid, for he came bearing Good News that was for all mankind. A savior was born and just miles away in the sleepy, little town of Bethlehem, we would find him…wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Then, to our utter amazement, the entire heavens were filled with an angelic host who sang and proclaimed the Glory of God and his desire for peace on earth.
And as suddenly as they had appeared, they vanished ….gone in an instant. At first, we were all too stunned to even speak…but as we regained our wits, we knew what we had to do…WE HAD TO SEE THIS FOR OURSELVES. So gathering our staffs and entrusting the sheep to two of our own, we quickly set out for the stable of Bethlehem.
We arrived to find everything just as the angel had described…mother Mary, her husband Joseph and their little baby, Jesus. We could not contain our joy as we told them all that had just happened to us …out in the fields, tending our flocks, doing what we were called to do.
And yet, I could not help but ponder, why us, O God? Why come to the lowliest of mankind with the greatest, most wonderful news …EVER? Why entrust us to tell others this Good News….that a Savior was born who is Christ the Lord? I could not answer that question, but neither could I constrain myself….so I did the only thing I could think to do….I set out to tell others!
Before I returned to the flock that night, I knocked on EVERY door in Bethlehem and told them the exciting news; in fact, we all did. Traveling in what could only be described as an uproarious caravan, we told everyone we knew that in a stable, just yards away, lay the Christ child…the Savior come to earth. Some believed what was told to them, though many just slammed the door, cursing that they had been disturbed by a drunken mob of shepherds. But, it did not matter to us….WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD SEEN AND WHAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD….and we glorified God for including us in telling others of what He had done that night ….that GLORIOUS night in Bethlehem.
Are you a shepherd this Christmas…busy tending to the affairs of family, friends, jobs, careers, even life itself? Are you out in the fields without a clue of what God has in store for you this Christmas? Maybe, he wants to shake-up your world…like he shook the world of those shepherds that first Christmas. Maybe, he wants you to know the excitement of the Good News that a Savior has been born; but, more importantly, He wants you to know the Savior; personally, intimately and without reservation.
Then, just like the shepherds, the excitement of that Good News will permeate everything you do as you knock on the doors of others to share what God did that very first Christmas night ….for a band of shepherds tending to their flocks in the hills near Bethlehem.
Oh, to be a shepherd this Christmas and share the wonder of it all…..
WPQ
Monday, December 22, 2008
HOW BIG IS A MULTITUDE?
Have you ever played that game where you sit in a circle (or a straight line, sitting arrangements are optional) and one person whispers a statement to the next person in line? This continues until the secret is passed from one to another and has completed the entire circle …then the one who originated the secret tells what was last conveyed to them and it is compared to the original statement. The two are very seldom the same; in fact, they often have little in common.
Thank the Lord this didn’t happen on that glorious night over two thousand years ago. I can just see the multitude of the Heavenly Host getting ready for their trip to earth to proclaim the birth of the King. One by one, wings were checked, halos were straightened and the word was spread, “Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, good will to men.” Got it? Got it!
And then they were off to share the glorious news that God had come to earth…not as a great warrior or majestic ruler, but as a baby…and it all began in the surrounding hills of Bethlehem. For in the fields were shepherds, watching their flocks, when suddenly, out of nowhere, the sky was filled with a brilliant light as the messenger of God spoke, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for ALL PEOPLE (my emphasis). For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manager.” Luke 2:10-12
And now the plot thickens according to Scripture: “And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST; PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN!” Like 2:14
A multitude of the heavenly host….how big is a multitude anyway? Yet, here they were, in one accord, singing and praising the Lord with the same words. No distractions; no fumbling for just the right words to express their joy; no lack of unity but perfect harmony in praising the Lord Most High for the gift of His Son that first Christmas night. Yes, they sang out so that all would know to whom praise belonged.
How about you this Christmas season….are you part of the maddening throng of Christmas pretenders or are you a member of the multitude of the heavenly host? Are you praising the Lord and giving glory to God in the highest or are you just going through the motions of wishing others a Happy Holiday?
This Christmas why not join the cast of the multitude of the heavenly host… or be that angel that first appeared to the shepherds. Let the glory of God fill your heart and mind as you share with others God’s most precious gift….His son, a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. It is a gift that keeps on giving…a gift of eternal life for all who believe on the name of Jesus Christ.
May we all be angels that have been heard on high, sweetly proclaiming He is born …He is born….Hallelujah, A SAVIOR IS BORN!!!!!
Joining the multitude….proclaiming His birth,
WPQ
Thank the Lord this didn’t happen on that glorious night over two thousand years ago. I can just see the multitude of the Heavenly Host getting ready for their trip to earth to proclaim the birth of the King. One by one, wings were checked, halos were straightened and the word was spread, “Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, good will to men.” Got it? Got it!
And then they were off to share the glorious news that God had come to earth…not as a great warrior or majestic ruler, but as a baby…and it all began in the surrounding hills of Bethlehem. For in the fields were shepherds, watching their flocks, when suddenly, out of nowhere, the sky was filled with a brilliant light as the messenger of God spoke, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for ALL PEOPLE (my emphasis). For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manager.” Luke 2:10-12
And now the plot thickens according to Scripture: “And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST; PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MEN!” Like 2:14
A multitude of the heavenly host….how big is a multitude anyway? Yet, here they were, in one accord, singing and praising the Lord with the same words. No distractions; no fumbling for just the right words to express their joy; no lack of unity but perfect harmony in praising the Lord Most High for the gift of His Son that first Christmas night. Yes, they sang out so that all would know to whom praise belonged.
How about you this Christmas season….are you part of the maddening throng of Christmas pretenders or are you a member of the multitude of the heavenly host? Are you praising the Lord and giving glory to God in the highest or are you just going through the motions of wishing others a Happy Holiday?
This Christmas why not join the cast of the multitude of the heavenly host… or be that angel that first appeared to the shepherds. Let the glory of God fill your heart and mind as you share with others God’s most precious gift….His son, a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. It is a gift that keeps on giving…a gift of eternal life for all who believe on the name of Jesus Christ.
May we all be angels that have been heard on high, sweetly proclaiming He is born …He is born….Hallelujah, A SAVIOR IS BORN!!!!!
Joining the multitude….proclaiming His birth,
WPQ
Friday, December 19, 2008
Christmas surprises!
Christmas is all about ….SURPRISE!!!!! From the moment we begin the Christmas shopping season, we are all looking to buy our loved ones something that will surprise them…something that catches them totally off-guard. So, on Christmas morning, when they tear away the ribbons, bows and wrapping paper and they look inside the box….they will be surprised…. And our joy will come when we see that look of surprise on the face we love.
There is one member of the cast of Christmas who is the poster boy for SURPRISE…and his name is Joseph. A young man; son of David and a carpenter by trade, he had been engaged to a lovely young maiden for probably about a year. The wedding day is drawing near when Joseph finds out that his bethrothed is with child …Surprise! And he knows that he is not the father; he knows that the marriage has not been consummated. But, he is a fair and just young man and does not wish to cause Mary any additional embarrassment….so he resolves to divorce her in a quiet manner. But as he is considering his options, scriptures says, “behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “ Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
SURPRISE….SURPRISE …..SURPRISE!!!!!
Joseph was going to be a father and his son was the Son of God. I don’t know about you, but that would have taken my breath away ….permanently. But not Joseph; he dealt with this monumental surprise in a clear and concise way. “When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded; he took Mary his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” Matthew 1:24-25
What can one learn from this young man of Galilee? Well, on the surface, we might discern that Joseph is a minor character in the life and story of Jesus; but, a closer inspection reveals that Joseph was a man of deep convictions and integrity. He could have done the “right thing” and simply divorced Mary and started over in his search for the perfect wife…or he could have ignored the dream as just a bad case of indigestion.
But He did neither; rather he did as commanded….and in spite of the ridicule and public shame that would be his…He loved and nurtured the surprise that was Jesus. He took lemons and made lemonade!
How ‘bout you this Christmas? Is there some “surprise” just lurking around the corner that will upset the delicate balance of your life? Will you let a “surprise” rob you of your joy this Christmas or will you, as Joseph did, step up and step out in faith to answer God’s call.
It might require a trip to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen ….a night of vigilance and prayer in the emergency room …a visit to a bereaved friend or someone in the throes of a deep depression…..not every SURPRISE is a pleasant one!
God may be waiting to see how you handle surprises….both good and bad. Why not be like Joseph and accept the challenge to serve the Lord this Christmas season…and all year through? Remember, Joseph took Mary and the child and it changed his life forever.
May your surprises be a blessing this Christmas,
WPQ
There is one member of the cast of Christmas who is the poster boy for SURPRISE…and his name is Joseph. A young man; son of David and a carpenter by trade, he had been engaged to a lovely young maiden for probably about a year. The wedding day is drawing near when Joseph finds out that his bethrothed is with child …Surprise! And he knows that he is not the father; he knows that the marriage has not been consummated. But, he is a fair and just young man and does not wish to cause Mary any additional embarrassment….so he resolves to divorce her in a quiet manner. But as he is considering his options, scriptures says, “behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “ Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
SURPRISE….SURPRISE …..SURPRISE!!!!!
Joseph was going to be a father and his son was the Son of God. I don’t know about you, but that would have taken my breath away ….permanently. But not Joseph; he dealt with this monumental surprise in a clear and concise way. “When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded; he took Mary his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” Matthew 1:24-25
What can one learn from this young man of Galilee? Well, on the surface, we might discern that Joseph is a minor character in the life and story of Jesus; but, a closer inspection reveals that Joseph was a man of deep convictions and integrity. He could have done the “right thing” and simply divorced Mary and started over in his search for the perfect wife…or he could have ignored the dream as just a bad case of indigestion.
But He did neither; rather he did as commanded….and in spite of the ridicule and public shame that would be his…He loved and nurtured the surprise that was Jesus. He took lemons and made lemonade!
How ‘bout you this Christmas? Is there some “surprise” just lurking around the corner that will upset the delicate balance of your life? Will you let a “surprise” rob you of your joy this Christmas or will you, as Joseph did, step up and step out in faith to answer God’s call.
It might require a trip to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen ….a night of vigilance and prayer in the emergency room …a visit to a bereaved friend or someone in the throes of a deep depression…..not every SURPRISE is a pleasant one!
God may be waiting to see how you handle surprises….both good and bad. Why not be like Joseph and accept the challenge to serve the Lord this Christmas season…and all year through? Remember, Joseph took Mary and the child and it changed his life forever.
May your surprises be a blessing this Christmas,
WPQ
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Gabriel...God's Messenger
Heavenly sunlight streamed through my window, cascading across the mountains of messages still waiting to be assigned ….I was having a hard time getting it together this morning when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Arturo standing behind me; long-faced and solemn…something totally out of character for this delightful cherub.
“He wants to see you….RIGHT NOW!” he exclaimed … “In the Throne Room, alone.” I smiled and hurried him on his way. I adjusted my robe, fluffed my wings, straightened my halo and started the hike through the halls of Heaven to stand before God Almighty. You see, my name is Gabriel and I am God’s Holy Messenger. For as long as time immortal, I have been communicating with God’s creation to notify them of His Love and His care for them. But, this must be something REALLY important since I was summoned to the Throne Room. The last time I was there, he sent me to deliver a message of answered prayer to Zechariah, husband of Elizabeth, the Barren One. God had heard their prayers and acknowledged their faithfulness …they were having a son that would prepare the way for the Messiah of God’s chosen people.
Could this be THE MESSAGE I wondered as I pushed open the massive doors to God’s inner sanctum? I bowed lowly and was summoned to come closer…then, in what was probably a whisper that reverberated throughout that great hall like a thousand symphonies, God said, “Gabriel, my most valued one, IT IS TIME! Go to the town of Nazareth in Galilee and there you will find my hand maiden, Mary. Tell her …SHE IS THE CHOSEN ONE. SHE WILL BEAR A SON AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED JESUS….for He shall save my people from their sins. And, Gabriel, easy on the bright light of you aura…we don’t want to frighten her, now do we?”
“Yes, O Holy One….I will be gentle that she may receive this message from you.” And, in a twinkling of an eye, I was gone to deliver the most important message to all of mankind.
Now, what you’ve just read is probably the results of an overactive imagination or a dramatization, if you will; however, the message is true. God gave Gabriel the task of telling Mary that Jesus was to be born of a virgin …that she was to be the earthly vessel to bring forth God’s Son. His part in the cast of Christmas is forever fixed as a messenger of Good News…and that’s what God imparts to each of us each Christmas.
We are to be the messengers of Good News. We are to proclaim, unashamedly, that God came to earth as a little child to save all people from their sins. We are to tell everyone that God loved us so much that He did not even spare His own Son; rather He sent him to a young maiden and her bethrothed so that His life’s blood would be shed for the remission of our sins.
That is the real message of Christmas….that God made a way for us to be made RIGHT with Him….so that one day, like His beloved and trusted messenger, Gabriel….we could stand before Him in the very Throne Room of Heaven and there see our Savior, seated at His right hand.
Oh…… my friends,
What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see.
When I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace.
Then He’ll take me by the hand and led me into His promised land;
WHAT A DAY …GLORIOUS DAY…THAT WILL BE!
And that is our message for Christmas…
So Go.... and be a Gabriel!!!!!
Telling others about My Savior,
WPQ
“He wants to see you….RIGHT NOW!” he exclaimed … “In the Throne Room, alone.” I smiled and hurried him on his way. I adjusted my robe, fluffed my wings, straightened my halo and started the hike through the halls of Heaven to stand before God Almighty. You see, my name is Gabriel and I am God’s Holy Messenger. For as long as time immortal, I have been communicating with God’s creation to notify them of His Love and His care for them. But, this must be something REALLY important since I was summoned to the Throne Room. The last time I was there, he sent me to deliver a message of answered prayer to Zechariah, husband of Elizabeth, the Barren One. God had heard their prayers and acknowledged their faithfulness …they were having a son that would prepare the way for the Messiah of God’s chosen people.
Could this be THE MESSAGE I wondered as I pushed open the massive doors to God’s inner sanctum? I bowed lowly and was summoned to come closer…then, in what was probably a whisper that reverberated throughout that great hall like a thousand symphonies, God said, “Gabriel, my most valued one, IT IS TIME! Go to the town of Nazareth in Galilee and there you will find my hand maiden, Mary. Tell her …SHE IS THE CHOSEN ONE. SHE WILL BEAR A SON AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED JESUS….for He shall save my people from their sins. And, Gabriel, easy on the bright light of you aura…we don’t want to frighten her, now do we?”
“Yes, O Holy One….I will be gentle that she may receive this message from you.” And, in a twinkling of an eye, I was gone to deliver the most important message to all of mankind.
Now, what you’ve just read is probably the results of an overactive imagination or a dramatization, if you will; however, the message is true. God gave Gabriel the task of telling Mary that Jesus was to be born of a virgin …that she was to be the earthly vessel to bring forth God’s Son. His part in the cast of Christmas is forever fixed as a messenger of Good News…and that’s what God imparts to each of us each Christmas.
We are to be the messengers of Good News. We are to proclaim, unashamedly, that God came to earth as a little child to save all people from their sins. We are to tell everyone that God loved us so much that He did not even spare His own Son; rather He sent him to a young maiden and her bethrothed so that His life’s blood would be shed for the remission of our sins.
That is the real message of Christmas….that God made a way for us to be made RIGHT with Him….so that one day, like His beloved and trusted messenger, Gabriel….we could stand before Him in the very Throne Room of Heaven and there see our Savior, seated at His right hand.
Oh…… my friends,
What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see.
When I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace.
Then He’ll take me by the hand and led me into His promised land;
WHAT A DAY …GLORIOUS DAY…THAT WILL BE!
And that is our message for Christmas…
So Go.... and be a Gabriel!!!!!
Telling others about My Savior,
WPQ
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
THE CAST OF CHRISTMAS
Over the next few days, I will be writing about the different characters that make up the Cast of Christmas. Let us examine each with open hearts and minds and find in each of them a spiritual quality that will make us more like the person God wants us to be.
Our first member of the cast is Elizabeth….Mary’s barren relative that is now pregnant with child. I know many would question how we would include Elizabeth in the Christmas story; but, let’s examine closely and I think it will become quite clear that she is the beginning of the celebration of Christmas.
Now, after Mary is visited by the angel, she makes a bee line to the hill country to visit her relative, Elizabeth. She had been told by the angel that Elizabeth, although barren for years, was now 6 months pregnant. This was great and exciting news for this young hand maiden of the Lord and I’m sure she wanted to share with Elizabeth her glad tidings.
Scripture recounts their meeting in Luke 1:40-45, “and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary came to Elizabeth to share her Good News; but Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, already knew that the Lord was with her and she began to encourage her and to ask for her blessing in the days ahead ….asking that all that God had promised this young woman would come true.
Elizabeth was Mary’s encourager. I can just see the two of them sitting side by side, holding hands, hugging each other…basking in the warmth of the love of family, great news and God’s providence. Elizabeth was humbled that Mary would come to share such great news with her and she blessed Mary for her faith that God would accomplish his will in her life. Elizabeth was outspoken in her joy for Mary and for the bond that would now exist between them as expectant mothers.
Elizabeth was the beginning of the Christmas story because she exuded the joy of knowing that the Savior of the world would soon be born ….and it was her privilege to share that joy and encourage her young relative.
Maybe today, God is calling you to exude that joy and to encourage someone else with the knowledge that in a few more days, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior. We know that Jesus came to earth to live and die that we might know Him and have everlasting life….that alone should fill your heart with joy this Christmas season…and it should give you great cause to be an encourager to all you meet….
Be an Elizabeth today…be the first in your sphere of influence to be an encourager of Christmas …share the joy and the blessing of knowing the babe in the manager.
Let your heart leap for joy and let it over flow to all you encounter today….they will be blessed and so will you!!!!!
Counting the days to His Birth,
WPQ
Our first member of the cast is Elizabeth….Mary’s barren relative that is now pregnant with child. I know many would question how we would include Elizabeth in the Christmas story; but, let’s examine closely and I think it will become quite clear that she is the beginning of the celebration of Christmas.
Now, after Mary is visited by the angel, she makes a bee line to the hill country to visit her relative, Elizabeth. She had been told by the angel that Elizabeth, although barren for years, was now 6 months pregnant. This was great and exciting news for this young hand maiden of the Lord and I’m sure she wanted to share with Elizabeth her glad tidings.
Scripture recounts their meeting in Luke 1:40-45, “and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary came to Elizabeth to share her Good News; but Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, already knew that the Lord was with her and she began to encourage her and to ask for her blessing in the days ahead ….asking that all that God had promised this young woman would come true.
Elizabeth was Mary’s encourager. I can just see the two of them sitting side by side, holding hands, hugging each other…basking in the warmth of the love of family, great news and God’s providence. Elizabeth was humbled that Mary would come to share such great news with her and she blessed Mary for her faith that God would accomplish his will in her life. Elizabeth was outspoken in her joy for Mary and for the bond that would now exist between them as expectant mothers.
Elizabeth was the beginning of the Christmas story because she exuded the joy of knowing that the Savior of the world would soon be born ….and it was her privilege to share that joy and encourage her young relative.
Maybe today, God is calling you to exude that joy and to encourage someone else with the knowledge that in a few more days, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior. We know that Jesus came to earth to live and die that we might know Him and have everlasting life….that alone should fill your heart with joy this Christmas season…and it should give you great cause to be an encourager to all you meet….
Be an Elizabeth today…be the first in your sphere of influence to be an encourager of Christmas …share the joy and the blessing of knowing the babe in the manager.
Let your heart leap for joy and let it over flow to all you encounter today….they will be blessed and so will you!!!!!
Counting the days to His Birth,
WPQ
Monday, December 1, 2008
WHAT SEEMS TO BE
There’s the story of the small business owner that took a walk through his factory and was well pleased… until he happened upon a younger chap standing idly on the loading dock. He huffed up to the young man and opening his wallet, handed him a hundred dollar bill and said, “Here, go spend your time some where else.” Somewhat puzzled, the young man stared at the owner, took the money and left. Turning to the shop foreman, the owner asked, “How long has that guy been working for us?” Came the reply, “He doesn’t work for us; he was Joe’s ride home.”
Things are not always as they seem. Even the mirror on the passenger side of our car warns us that objects may be closer that they appear. Perception is not always reality. In fact, it is often far from it.
Take Noah…..his neighbors perceived that he was a nut….building an ark when there was no visible sign of water; however, their perception changed when the raindrops got big. Likewise, the children of Israel believed that all was lost as they stood on the banks of the Red Sea with the entire Egyptian army bearing down on them; however, their perception of doom changed to joy as the Lord parted the sea and they made their way across on dry land.
But my favorite change in perception was in the mighty prophet, Elijah, who had just defeated the prophets of Baal and was now in hot retreat from Jezebel and her oath to see him killed. In 1 Kings 9:14, we read, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, EVEN I ONLY, am left and they seek my life, to take it away.” Elijah, this great man of God, was the ONLY ONE LEFT to stand up for God in all of Israel...at least that was his perception. But, in verse 18 we hear God say, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed down to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
What seemed to be was not….God was already at work to protect Elijah from death, but moreover, He was raising up a multitude of others ready, willing and able to worship the Lord of Israel. He was not alone. His perception was NOT reality.
Next time it seems that everything and everyone seems to be against you, remember this story of Elijah…your God is already at work, often behind the scenes, changing the circumstances, altering the status quo, working on your behalf to change the outcome for your good and His Glory.
Walking His Way,
WPQ
Things are not always as they seem. Even the mirror on the passenger side of our car warns us that objects may be closer that they appear. Perception is not always reality. In fact, it is often far from it.
Take Noah…..his neighbors perceived that he was a nut….building an ark when there was no visible sign of water; however, their perception changed when the raindrops got big. Likewise, the children of Israel believed that all was lost as they stood on the banks of the Red Sea with the entire Egyptian army bearing down on them; however, their perception of doom changed to joy as the Lord parted the sea and they made their way across on dry land.
But my favorite change in perception was in the mighty prophet, Elijah, who had just defeated the prophets of Baal and was now in hot retreat from Jezebel and her oath to see him killed. In 1 Kings 9:14, we read, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, EVEN I ONLY, am left and they seek my life, to take it away.” Elijah, this great man of God, was the ONLY ONE LEFT to stand up for God in all of Israel...at least that was his perception. But, in verse 18 we hear God say, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed down to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
What seemed to be was not….God was already at work to protect Elijah from death, but moreover, He was raising up a multitude of others ready, willing and able to worship the Lord of Israel. He was not alone. His perception was NOT reality.
Next time it seems that everything and everyone seems to be against you, remember this story of Elijah…your God is already at work, often behind the scenes, changing the circumstances, altering the status quo, working on your behalf to change the outcome for your good and His Glory.
Walking His Way,
WPQ
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