Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Psalm 42

“As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?” As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?” Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.”

It truly is beginning to look a lot like Christmas where I live. Beautiful snow everywhere, lights and trees, presents and bows, shopping hours early and late, but most importantly the anticipation of the birth of Jesus. Truly, Jesus is the reason for the holiday and the celebrations. I encourage all of your celebrating! If I may, I ask this one request of everyone reading this, please pause and remember that Jesus came for all of us. A beautiful life lesson is to recognize to whom Jesus was born and where he breathed His first breath of air in human form. The King of Kings, left the riches and splendor of heaven to be born in a lowly, dark, damp and smelly shed that was home for the animals. His mother, a young virgin, promised in marriage with little worldly possessions and his father a man of God, a carpenter by trade who trusted the angels and God to marry Mary and raise Jesus as his son. There were no royal trumps or royal flags waving or cheering crowds to welcome this new King into the world. I do know that heaven rejoiced along with the angels and believers at Jesus’ arrival in Bethlehem. Just as Jesus came to save the poor and marginalized, so too are we to continue that ministry and what better time than right now. Share and spread the love of Jesus everywhere you go, ignite Christmas where you are! Share the light of Jesus to those who need it most. This is not the season, nor is there ever a season for blinders, seek to see others as God sees them, with HOPE, PEACE and JOY!

Prayer:

Lord, help me to see as you see. Remind me of your presence with me, just as you promise to be with the forgotten and marginalized in my community. Let your light shine in me so that others will feel your love. ~Amen.

~Hope-Peace-Joy~

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/

My Soul Longs For You – Psalm 42:1

December 16, 2019

Well friends, I’m a day late but I trust you were able to communicate with God and observe some of the wonders of this season. We have snow where I live, about 4 inches on Sunday and another 4 on Monday. It will be nice if it stays for a white Christmas! I pray that no matter the weather or the day of the week it is, you feel the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the comfort of God and the presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

This week my church is focused on “JOY”. We have already lit the candles of Peace and Hope. Today’s reading concentrates of HOPE! The hope of Emmanuel coming. Hope for those afflicted and suffering. Hope indeed changes everything! And, JOY comes in the morning,

Isaiah 29:17-24

“Shall not Lebanon in a very little while become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be regarded as a forest? On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a scroll, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant shall be no more, and the scoffer shall cease to be; all those alert to do evil shall be cut off—those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit, who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate, and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right. Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: No longer shall Jacob be ashamed, no longer shall his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. And those who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction.”

Prayer:

Lord, you promised never to abandon your creation. While the darkness we experience may seem to be more than we can bear, your Light, wrapped in bands of cloth, tells us something different. Reveal your light to me. Reveal you light to all of creation, and in doing so, cast out the darkness where all hope seems to be lost. ~Amen.

God promised Israel a Savior, He delivered on that promise with Jesus born in Bethlehem. During this time of Advent we wait in anticipation of the birth of Jesus. Some of us might be in darkness or sadness this time of year, I say to you what the angels told the shepherds, “Fear not…” God’s promises are always kept and He loves you and will be with you through anything and everything, just ask Him!

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” ~Luke 2:10

The PEACE, HOPE and JOY of Emmanuel is coming!

I found this song, I think it’s beautiful…I hope you like it!

~Hope-Peace-Joy~

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/