From Old to New

Here it is the end of December and we are just getting our first winter storm of the season!  We were taken by surprise when torrential rains glazed everything in ice overnight.  Birds suffer in such sudden changes – the empty bird feeder is frozen shut so I do my best to scatter seed ahead of the snow accumulation.  I am reminded of the futility of making plans at this time of year.

Perhaps, like many of us, you are assessing the waning year and making resolutions for the New Year ahead?  Magazines feature extended articles on getting organized.  Sporting goods stores tempt us with exercise equipment that promises to have you in “the best shape of your life”.  We tend to get drawn in to the, ”This is the year I would like to…” attitude of the world.  Instead we need to remember God’s warnings in James 4:13-16:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."  As it is, you boast and brag.  All such boasting is evil.

There is one kind of resolution we could make for the New Year that might be pleasing to God.  That is the goal of gaining the “higher ground” of knowing and following Christ better this year than last.  If we can mark spiritually progress for ourselves in 2011, we can be encouraged to move forward and upward in 2012!

“But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him.  Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”                   1 John 2:5-6

“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.”  2 Timothy 2:15, Amp.

Love as always,  Elaine (hitting The Book)

Light in the Dark

The shortest day of the year is approaching and daylight here is little more than early evening; the sun sits so low on the southern horizon.  Although this is probably not the time of His actual birth, it's especially appropriate that we celebrate God's Eternal Light given to us when we are most in the dark.

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8

In this cold, dark time we have chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ Who was sent to be our Savior.  What a glorious spark in a season of darkness!  His birth changed the course of history!  Not only was man's relationship to God going to be different, but his relationship to his fellow man changed, too.  Now we view the worth of each soul as God sees it.  Our focus is eternal instead of temporal.  

Our hope hangs on this undeniable historical event -- God as man born in a manger.  God poured the Light of His Glory into our dark world so that we could at last walk in that Light: 

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."  Isaiah 9:2

Indeed the Light has dawned, bringing love and hope to the whole world!  Let's share that love and embrace the hope that Christ lived and died to bring us.  We pray that Christ will be the Light in your Christmas celebrations this season.

Love as always,  Elaine (lighting candles in the dark)

Nativity Reminders

I look forward every Christmas season to unwrapping my ever growing collection of nativities.  I’ve a tiny but elegant one from Italy, an old fashioned cardboard stable with the chipped figures glued inside, Richard’s figurines from a childhood set but the most elaborate has belonged to my family since I was born!  It continues to thrill me to find Baby Jesus safely nestled in the manger.  Who isn’t touched by the birth of a baby?  But He was not just any baby!  Even while Mary carried Him in her womb, His worth could not be hidden!

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"  Luke 1:41-45

Even the roughest, simplest of my crèche collection gives me a shiver of excitement when I think of those who actually witnessed the most important night of man’s fallen history!  I’m reminded of one dark night some of our church friends stopped by to alert us that the Northern Lights were visible.  I was so excited I nearly stepped on a skunk when I charged out the back door in my pajamas!  The lights were amazing -- like big searchlights reaching up into the sky.  Then they shifted and shimmered like a rippling curtain of light, silent but ever changing.  Such special effects should be accompanied by majestic praise music.  Were such heavenly lights background to the angelic messenger who startled the shepherds?

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  Luke 2:8-14

Does ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ take you back to that celebration?  May the glory of Christ’s birthday thrill you anew as you unpack your Christmas treasures.

Love as always,  Elaine (decking the halls!)