December 25, 2009 – Goodness and Light
Scripture: Ephesians 5: 8-10 (CEV)
You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord.
Devotion:
Are you afraid of the dark? Have you toured a cavern and been in total darkness? Have you seen how little light it takes to break the darkness?
The Scripture tell us that we were once living in darkness – like full-time residents of the darkest cave. But now we are “people of the light” and we are told to “make our light shine”. How? Well, start by being good, honest and truthful. Just as only a single match can seem so bright in the dark caves, so the light of one of the “people of the light” can seem so bright in the darkness of this world. You don't have to a super-star or a four D-Cell super MagLite, you just let the light of Christ shine out. You will be amazed at how much the darkness is turned back.
May you be blessed people of the Light! May the Grace of the Father, the Mercy of the Son and the Peace of the Holy Spirit be yours both to have and to give. Be blessed and be a blessing to all those you meet!
Father, come into our hearts today. Shine in us so we may shine in the darkness. Remind us of our place as people of the light as we enjoy the lights of our Christmas trees and decorations. You sent Jesus to chase away the darkness of sin and show us the way back to You. Let our little lights shine, let them shine, and may we show others the way to You also. In the Name of Him Who is Light, our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Amen.
December 24, 2009 – Sleeping in the Night
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Devotion:
I don't know about you but I have problems sleeping on Christmas Eve. I still get excited about Christmas and often I am the first one up – whether we are at our house, with Kathy's or my family. All the preparation for Christmas will come to its completion in just a short time.
When we sing “Silent Night”, I wonder if Mary really got to have this quiet moment with the Baby Jesus. So much excitement and all the preparation for this first Christmas will come to its completion in all too short a time – and in ways that Mary never planned.
We are told that Mary pondered these matters in her heart. I'm sure that were details that she could not have told the disciples or the gospel writers if they asked – not that she had forgotten them but because they were too special and dear; something only a mother could understand. For only Mary cradled the King of Kings in her arms; she sang Him to sleep. She looked down on Him and saw Him as Holy and as Infant. She had much to ponder.
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, Son of God, Love's Pure Light, may the radiant beams from Thy holy face, shine into my heart and there dawn again thy redeeming grace. Amen.
December 23, 2009 – The Child, The Child
Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
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, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Devotion:
In Genesis, God tells Abraham that He will bless Sarah and she will bear Abraham a son. Not only that but God will bless her so that she will be the mother of many nations.
And how does Abraham respond? He fell on his face, laughing. He couldn't believe that he and Sarah, as old as they were, could have their own child. I'm not certain how the people at the time of that first Christmas understood the verse from Isaiah quoted above, but I'm fairly certain that if you told that that the Messiah was coming as a child, they would follow the example of Abraham – they would be rolling on the floor laughing.
Here is God doing the unexpected again. Instead of the warrior king coming in on horseback to show the Romans a thing or three, God shows up as a wailing child (well, he did have an angel chorus as a warm-up act but we have to accept the word of those smelly shepherds). Instead of giving a “quick fix”, God offers a permanent solution.
The words from Isaiah echo forth this season – we hear them in the performance of Handel's Messiah and they echo from many a pulpit as a reminder of the ancient promise fulfilled. They remind us of how God's ways are not like ours. They remind us that the Child is born to us, He is given to us, and the government, the control of everything in the universe, is His.
Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, born to us and given to us as a child, as a son. Take control. We tend to make a mess of things and we need you to establish Your government in our lives. Do the unexpected. You reign forever and ever and ever. Amen.
