Worship for the Weekday
Enough
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2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
My friend, Lisa, sent this to me. I wish you each a New Year filled with "enough".
Here's the story:
Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough". The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".
They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?".
Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?"
"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.
"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?" She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone".
She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said, 'I wish you enough', we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
She then began to cry and walked away.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but then an entire life to forget them.
To all my friends and loved ones,
I WISH YOU ENOUGH.......
Mary
Labels: gain, happiness, joy, loss, pain
Emmanuel – God With Us
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"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33
I lean often on the words from John. I rely heavily on their reassurance. We know and trust the validity of the words because of the resurrection. At the time Isaiah made his declaration the people still had thousands of years to wait for the Messiah! Yet, there is hope even his words. He found his strength in one promise – yet to be fulfilled. We find ours in the ultimate fulfillment.
There are many, many names for God. In scripture, in the Old Testament especially, we find a name assigned to Him for just about every occasion. God, my ______. You can fill in the blank. This morning, I worship God, my provision. After a wonderful Christmas holiday, I have much about to joyful.
God can also be God, my support or God, my strength. God, my victory and on and on. Regardless of the situational assignment of a name, he is ever Emmanuel – God with us. That means that no matter where we find ourselves in our faith journey, no matter what situation we are in the midst of , no matter how turned around and confused and alone we may feel – we need not fear. God is with us.
My prayer today is that your call out “Emmanuel” as you go through your day. He will provide whatever you need to make it through your day. And He will be with you when you rejoice in the promise won for us on the Cross.
Mary
Labels: Counselor, Emmanuel, Father, God, Prince of Peace, Wonderful
All I Want for Christmas
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1 John 2:16,17 NASB
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Romans 8:14-19 NLT
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family - calling him "Father, dear Father." For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Did you get what you had hoped for this Christmas? I am blessed to say I had a marvelous Christmas this year. I had my family with me; we had our annual Christmas Eve open house, went to the late service at church and stayed up much, much too late talking and enjoying being together. Christmas day we opened gifts, hung out, hung out some more and ultimately spent the day moving from couch to chair, to another couch, another chair, upstairs, downstairs . . . well, I think you get the point. It was relaxing and very enjoyable. Christmas night we drove around to look at all the Christmas lights – a Moss family tradition. Richmond is apparently in the top ten cities in the country for their tacky light display—and we could certainly understand why!
What is the point? How do my Christmas weekend and Christmas day experiences relate to these passages? This year my husband and I found ourselves wanting to do more for the less fortunate in the area and make Christmas less about us and our family. While we are far from wealthy we feel abundantly blessed in our lives. We are already thinking of next year, and what we can do to make Christmas meaningful for others who don’t have the blessing of family and love, peace and joy for Christmas.
What these verses tell us is that as God’s children, we already have everything—and more—we could ever want or need. We ‘re also reminded that the treasures of this world are fleeting and will last only until we go to the grave. The accumulation of worldly wealth doesn’t mean anything in God’s eyes. What is in our hearts and souls are what are important to Him. What we do with our wealth – financial, spiritual or otherwise – is how we are judged by the One who is the source or everything we have.
As God’s adopted children, we are saved from this world and its sin and shame. We rejoice in the one final and ultimate sacrifice that saved us. Yesterday we celebrated the birth of a tiny baby who slept in a manger trough 2000 years ago. The gift of his life and ultimate death on the Cross is one that never fades, breaks or wears out. I already had everything I wanted for Christmas. The gifts and time with my family were a bonus.
My prayer today is that you remember no matter what you got (or not!) for Christmas, you were already given the greatest gift of all. And that you share that gift with everyone you know.
Mary
Labels: Christmas, gift, Holy Spirit, present, wealth
Augustus Decreed A Census by Jon Walker
I can 't think of a better commentary on the "Christmas spirit" that we should carry with us all year long. This is a devotional by Jon Walker that he shared on 12/13/07. (Reprinted by permission)
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. … All returned to their own towns to register for this census. (Luke 2:1, 3 NLT)
Can you believe it's almost Christmas? Praise God for the gift of his Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, who was born as a baby in Bethlehem!
As we read about the birth of Christ, can you see how God used circumstances to guide his Holy plan and how he uses circumstances to speak to us even now?
Jesus was born in Bethlehem because God decreed it so. His birth in Bethlehem was foretold by the ancient prophets. But what would compel Joseph and Mary to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, especially late in a pregnancy?
How would they – just as human as you and I, and still looking through the glass darkly – know they were to go to Bethlehem for Jesus to be born?
In Luke 2, we see God used a bureaucratic announcement made by a secular authority to guide Joseph and Mary. Augustus said the population should be counted, and that meant everyone was required to return to the “ancestral home.” Joseph was a descendant of King David, so he headed toward David’s ancient home – Bethlehem. (Luke 2:4-5)
What does this mean?
· God knows you – You were born at the right place and at the right time. God was not surprised by your birth, the circumstances of your birth, or where you were born. He spoke you into your mother’s womb, and he knows you by name.
· You’re free to see – Knowing that God is working through your circumstances, you are free to take your eyes off the circumstances and to look around and look above. Peter took his eyes off the circumstances and walked across the water toward Jesus; only when he looked back at his circumstances did he begin to sink!
· You can be active; not passive in circumstances – Instead of saying, “Why me, God?”, you can ask, “What’s up, God?” God is working all things out. Look for where he is at work.
· Christmas question – How would you view the circumstances of this Christmas season differently if you were certain God was working in your circumstances? “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
Labels: Christmas, circumstances, God, hope, plans
Grace Gives Righteousness
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Jeremiah 23:5-65.
"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: `The Lord is our righteousness.'
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
20. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
I looked up the word righteousness at dictionary.com. For the word righteous I found, “morally upright; without guilt or sin; adhering to moral principles.” For moral I found, “founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities” Synonyms or the word moral include upright, honest, straightforward, open, virtuous and honorable. If my admittedly limited grammar recall is correct, righteousness is the embodiment of all of these qualities. It is the state of being morally upright, adhering to moral principles, honest, straightforward, open, virtuous and honorable.
Becoming the righteousness of God, then, seems like a pretty tall order. Actually, it is as tall order! I don’t know about any of you, but I struggle with any individual quality listed, let alone living is a way that is all-encompassing. Fortunately for us, The Lord is our righteousness. Christ is righteousness on our behalf, in our stead. God’s grace made that provision for us over 2000 years ago. Christ also serves as the example for us. Since he was righteousness itself, we only need to read the Bible to discover the qualities God demands of his children.
It would be so easy to become discouraged or dismayed at the prospect of trying to achieve this state of being. I’m more prone to “righteous indignation” that I am to righteousness! But we have hope! Freegrace.net states, “In the matter of justification Christ is all (Acts 13:38-39). His work, only his work, without any contribution whatsoever from us, makes us righteous in the sight of God. God looks upon all who believe as though the life which Christ lived had been lived by us. He graciously accepts, blesses, and rewards us as though all that Christ has done had been done by us, his believing people. God so perfectly imputes the righteousness of Christ to us that we are called by this very name (Jer. 33:15-16).”
As ambassadors for Christ we are to attempt to live righteously. Even though at first glance the world is far from moral, virtuous, honorable, upright and Christ-like, our faith tells us otherwise. We are to reconcile ourselves to God by admitting, accepting, acknowledging our sinfulness. In that way we allow the Holy Spirit to enter us and aid us in our effort to live righteously. We all have a long way to go—some of us have farther than others. We need not live without hope though, because Christ has already done the hard work to achieve perfection on our behalf.
Clearly grace is tied intricately and inseparably with righteousness.
My prayer today is that you make one small change in your life that moves you closer to true righteousness through Christ. And that you rejoice in God’s grace, which saves us in our failed efforts to do so.
Mary
Labels: grace, righteous, righteousness
The Long and Winding Road
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Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Micah 6:8
He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
I read these passages considering my own path in life and the numerous twists, curves and u-turns I’ve made in my life. God’s grace was surely with me as I navigated the journey. His grace is the only explanation for how I am able to even know scripture at all, to understand a small portion of its meaning and to examine my life through the lens of the Bible.
God has truly showed us what is good. He also has told man – that includes us – ad infinitum that if we will trust Him, we will make our path straight. Um, I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve been exposed! The harsh glare of the truth is never pleasant, but thinking of an eternity apart from God is even worse. That’s why we are to attempt to live out the instructions of Micah.
I admit freely, though with great remorse and even downright shame, that I have not relied upon God often enough or sincerely enough in my life. Even in the last decade and a half, when I claim to have come to know Christ, I have wandered off course more times than I can count.
Again, my own life and my testimony are evidence of God’s mercy and grace. Human tendency is to act, respond, move, do something! I tend to be more Type A than anything else which means I tend am likely rush in, take over, and “get it done.” This tendency applies to business situations, volunteer leadership roles, and especially in my personal life. Rather than allow God to reveal the “straight path” to me, I chart my own course. That’s often when the doubling back occurs.
The world can seem so out of control and our lives can be so busy and overwhelming it is easy to forget that God’s got it all covered! If we will take a few minutes out of our exhaustingly frantic lives, He will remind us of that truth and show us the straight path to the peace which surpasses understanding.
My prayer today is that you will turn over one decision, one task, one activity to God’s direction and control. And that you trust in God with all your heart that He will walk with you all your days.
Mary
Labels: life, trust, understanding
Comfort and Peace
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Joshua 1:8-10
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Psalm 31:24
24 Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.
John 16:33
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
I’m not really sure why I am focused on courage today. In fact, this is the topic I was thinking about yesterday and really didn’t have the time to gather my thoughts. When I looked up courage at dictionary.com I found this: Courage permits one to face extreme dangers and difficulties without fear; n. The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.
No, I’m not feeling as if I’m in danger. I’m not even particularly afraid of anything that I can think of—at least nothing new! So I asked myself Why do I need courage? What is the message here? Well, I’m not sure of the personal application at this point, but I have learned that when God gives us a message, a word, a thought, we are to follow through until we understand what He wants us to know.
The verse from John is one of my “hallmark” verses. If you notice, it’s on the banner of this site. I take a deep breath and relax a little every time I read it. Somehow Jesus telling us to take heart is very comforting. The meaning is very close to being of good courage, and don’t be discouraged. As I reflect on these passages I realize sometimes there is no particular situation or circumstance that causes us to become discouraged or to lose heart. Sometimes life just bogs us down.
It’s so easy to get to the point where we feel as if we’re spinning our wheels, isn’t it? Add on the extra tasks and duties of the holiday season, and one can get pretty overwhelmed. God wants us to know that we are not alone in our journey, in our struggles. He is there with us every inch of the way. The way we can be assured of that is to meditate upon the Book of the Law day and night.
Jesus has overcome the world. Because of him, we can face anything. But we don’t face it alone.
My prayer today is that you take heart and be of good courage. And that you remember the one who is the source of all comfort and peace.
Mary
Labels: comfort, courage, discouragement, hope
Belief or Unbelief
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This is not the topic I was thinking about, but since I could not find scripture upon which to elaborate, I decided to share this. Notice Abraham was not called "righteous" but rather "righteousness." One refers to action, the other to a state of being. Anyway, enjoy this.
TGIF Today God Is First by Os HillmanWednesday, December 05
2007
..."Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." - Romans 4:3
You can be a believer yet act as though there is no God. Whenever you fret over life circumstances, you immediately demonstrate unbelief. Whenever you move out of fear or anxiety, you believe a lie about God's nature.Each day your actions affirm or convict you of your belief system. It reveals who the central focus of your life really is - you or God. It reveals who you place your ultimate trust in - you or God. It is one of the great paradoxes for believers. One day we can believe Him to move mountains. The next day we can question His very existence.
-- Peter believed God and walked on water.
-- A sick woman touched the hem of His garment and was healed.
-- A Canaanite woman believed and freed her daughter from demon-possession.
In what circumstances do you act as an "unbeliever"? Ask God to increase your level of trust so that your actions match up with one who believes every day.
Hope and Good Courage
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Psalms 146:1-6
Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, [nor] in the son of man, in whom [there is] no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy [is he] that [hath] the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope [is] in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein [is]: which keepeth truth for ever:
Deuteronomy 31:6-8
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he [it is] that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. The Lord God goes before us. I’ve come to terms with this truth recently in a rather surprising way! Our son has dealt with some undiagnosed learning disabilities his entire life. At 19 (this year) we finally received a valid diagnosis, and so are able to acquire some services that will allow him to live a full and productive life. My initial response to the situation was not one of joy, though. I was angry and sad—in fact, I was both outraged and devastated that he did not receive the help he should have had while in the school system.
Last week, I met one of my dear brothers in Christ for our annual Christmas “meet at the book store coffee shop” to get caught up on the year past and share plans for the upcoming year. While we were talking I had the revelation that I was being quite sinful in that I was limiting God and his power and doubting his wisdom. I had shared that I was so sad and angry that my son might not have the life he “could have” had if he had of received more help during his school years. Then I posed (to myself as much as my friend), “Who am I to question God?” Further, I shared, “How do I know that God did not intend the exact path for my son that he was on throughout his life?”
Even if the path was not the one “originally” planned for him, God surely will use everything my son has experienced and struggled with and celebrated and use it for his good and bountiful future! I wasn’t looking at all the wonderful qualities my son has, at all the ways he sees the world as a godly and faithful young man. I was discounting God’s ability and desire to overcome whatever obstacles man puts in our way and to turn it into something more, even better, than it might have been otherwise.
These verses tell us not to “trust in man” or to rely upon the wisdom or inherent goodness of human kind. We are rather to lean upon God and his understanding, wisdom, power and will. His knowledge is perfect. His wisdom is without flaw. His understanding far surpasses anything the human mind can comprehend. My son’s hope has always been in the Lord. It is my hope that has faltered and been overshadowed by doubt and fear.
God not only prepares us for our future, he sustains us in our present and transforms our past to equip us to do His good will. If that is not reason for hope and good courage, I don’t know what is. I’ll say it again: God not only prepares us for our future, he sustains us in our present and transforms our past to equip us to do His good will.
My prayer today is that you will Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid. And that you will sing praises unto your God while you have any being.
Mary
Labels: courage, faith, fear, future, hope
As Quiet As A Childby Jon Walker
This has been waiting for me in my email since early November. I say that because I hadn't opened it until this morning. Somehow, the timeliness is not a surprise to me. I tend to be a worrier and if you've listened to even a few minutes of the national and international news lately, there seems to be plenty about which to worry. Even just considering the day-to-day "worries" of our lives, we can get pretty bogged down and downright dejected. When I feel that myself getting bogged down, I do try to turn to scripture to refocus and redirect my thoughts. Negativity draws to us negativity. Positive, fruitful thoughts draw to us fruitfulness and more positive energy, after all.
Here's the devotional:I don't concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me. But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother. Yes, like a small child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD— now and always. Psalms 131:1b-3 (NLT)
Today’s devotional actually comes from my sister, a godly woman and serious prayer warrior. She emailed this morning, saying she’d been thinking the peace of God that passes all understanding.
She said she’d spent some time meditating on Psalm 131 –
· Verse 1b – “… I don't concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me …” We are free to live out our purpose when we relinquish control of the things that don’t belong to us in the first place. Such as -- worry about things over which we have no control; or trying to control something we have no business trying to control.
· Verse 2 – “But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother ….” I trust, even when the out come seems a long way away. A nursing child wants attention NOW, but weaned child trusts and is content to wait.
· Verse 3 – “… Put your hope in the LORD— now and always.” We hope in the Lord with confident expectation. In other words, we truly believe that he will answer our prayers, that he will respond, that he will get us through. You can declare confidently that the Lord will pave you way and walk with you and keep your feet from stumbling. He’s done it before and He’ll do it again!
Praise God for His peace! It is through His peace that we can do all things - and endure so much. It is a peace that passes all understanding.
What now?
· Overly Concerned – Is your peace undermined because you’re concerned about matters that are not even your responsibility? Or, matter that you have absolutely no control over? Ask God what should be on your ‘responsibility’ list; ask him what items you should remove from your ‘responsibility’ list. Psalm 131:1b – “I don't concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me.”
· Prayer, but Delayed Gratification – Are you at peace because you have learned to trust God and wait? If not, ask God to reveal what makes you demand an immediate answer from him, and talk to him about what he reveals. Ask God to help you learn to trust him – and to wait. Psalm 131:2 – “But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother. Yes, like a small child is my soul within me.”
· Confident Expectation – When you say you hope in the Lord, really hope in the Lord. Expect him to come through for you – at just the right time in just the right way. Psalm 131:3 – “O Israel, put your hope in the LORD— now and always.”
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
Labels: hope, prayer, worry
Take Courage, Fear Not
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Isaiah 35:3,4 NASB
They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God. Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble. Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you."
Are you feeling exhausted and feeble? All of us get to the point sometimes where we just feel spent. Especially around the holiday season, we can get run down and lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. All the added activity and increased number of tasks can absolutely overwhelm us.
It’s important to remember, though, that no matter what we are going through, no matter how hard life may be at any given point in time, we can have hope. That hope is not borne of desperation or of childish beliefs. It is a hope borne of a magnanimous and omnipotent God and His promise to us.
The broken hearted and those who rejoice have the same promise and the same hope because they worship the same God. Sometimes, that hope is the only way we can make it through the day. Sometimes that hope compels us to go an extra mile, to try a little harder, to endure one more hour. God’s words to Isaiah are words for all time, not just for the people of that day. “Take courage, fear not.”
This is short and sweet today. I don’t think there is much I need to add. The words from Isaiah speak volumes all on their own.
My prayer today is that you take courage in the promise and the hope of a good and loving God. And that you remember that he has worked throughout history to uplift and sustain his children.
Mary
Labels: courage, fear, hope
He Has Prepared a Place for You
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Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him." Isaiah 62:11 RSV
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:10-12 NASB
The shepherds are the “them” in this passage from Luke. I would want reassurance if I looked up and saw a host of angels, too! They were the first to hear the good news! The shepherds in the field were told before any others! Of course, Jesus was descended from shepherds so it somehow seems fitting. Knowing what we know now about Jesus and his life and message, it’s not surprising his life and mission on earth would begin surrounded by the least and the lowliest.
These shepherds would have been very familiar with the verse from Isaiah, too. In some accounts they left their sheep and ran – ran – to find the baby in the manger. Shepherds never left their sheep unguarded—never. But then there were the angels . . . and of course the thousands of years of waiting for the Savior promised them in Isaiah . . .
What is the message for us today? The baby has been born. He’s already lived and died and risen into heaven. So what is the message for us today? The message is exactly the same! Behold! We still have the good news, but ours is even better than what the shepherds heard that night 2000 years ago!
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. [John 14:1-3 NIV]
Behold, Christ has prepared a place for us! That is the real reason we celebrate Christmas—not only to remember the birth of God made man, but to recall the promise of the man/God on the Cross. “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Sort of sounds like, “Do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid; do not let your hearts be troubled. The risen Christ waits in heaven for you. He has a special place for you, right next to Him.
Nothing on this earth can change that truth. Do not let your heart be troubled.
My prayer today is that you rest in the assurance that Christ has prepared a place for you in heaven. And that you will not allow your heart to be troubled while you wait for Christ’s coming.
Mary
Labels: Christ, do not be afraid, Isaiah, Luke, salvation, Savior
