Month: December 2016

No Room

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And brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

While there is some question as to what an inn might have been in ancient Bethlehem there is no doubt that it was a place where they could stay. The urgent need of Mary to give birth was less urgent than the needs of others on that night.

Not much has changed in our 21st century world of push and hurry. Everyone seems to have an immediate demand for time attention and most importantly, money. But in the storm of wishes and wants it seems that even in His own church there is often no room for his birth. We are so involved in a thousand activities that quiet safety for newborn faith is turned out in the cold.

Thank God for his plan to call shepherds angels and strange Wiseman to we welcome God’s Son to Bethlehem.

Compared to the wonderful preparations of the Father the inn can be a cold and lonely place. Let’s go out to the barn, listen to Angel choirs and kneel beside the Magi and worship Christ the Lord!

There’s Still More

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The gospel account of Matthew and John differ slightly in the story of Jesus being anointed at Bethany. Matthew tells us that a woman with an alabaster box anointed his head as kings and priests were anointed in the Old Testament. In her choice of anointing this costly gift gave Jesus the highest honor and glory.

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table Matthew 26:6-7

But the story in the book of John tells us that she anointed Jesus feet.and wiped them with her hair.

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil          John 12:3

This anointing was more personal in that she saw his need to have his feet washed and her choice to lavish the perfumed oil on his feet was her act of grateful worship and an expression of pure love.

While thinking over the story of Mary’s act of giving I imagined how she might have begun with anointing Jesus’ head then seeing she still had much remaining in her jar, knelt and lavished all that remained on his feet. The momentary shock of the crowd gave way to harsh and pointed criticism. Her act of worship seemed such a waste of resources for such to them. Why there were certainly more weighty problems among the poor which could have been aided by the value of what she had in that jar.

The picture of  Mary simply waiting on her Master’s response captured my imagination and heart. Many of you may feel as Mary did, that you have given your best to glorify Him only to be shunned or criticized. Yet rather than becoming bitter or defensive you look and see that you still have more to give. He will be the one to both receive your lavish gift of worship and to defend you in His own way.  I present this simple song tonight in hopes that He will continue to be glorified through our lives and that many will be encouraged to give Him more!

 

Listening in the Construction Zone

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Have you ever noticed that the construction zone and the destruction zone seem very much alike? Maybe that’s because both involve some smashing down and some digging up that are equally painful. Recently we experienced lots of digging up, filling in and then digging up and filling in again of several large pipes under our street. The issues were complex and the rerouting didn’t work the first second or even third time. One night they were smashing and pounding till 11 o’clock. My response to waking up to the racket was to put my jacket on over my pj’s  and march indignantly down the street to complain.

The tired foreman of the job took off his hardhat and politely answered that they couldn’t wait to go home either but they had to finish before they were allowed to quit. Sheepishly I went home realizing that I was not the only one who wished the work was done.  In Joseph’s life he also passed through a construction zone when he was unjustly thrown into prison.  Unlike me, Joseph was patient and continued to listen rather than complain. The heavy construction that God was doing in his life became a season of blessing and growth because Joseph chose to listen.

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.                 Genesis 39:21-22 kimg0748

On those occasions where I have followed Joseph’s ex
ample and tuned my ears to listen I have discovered as he did that it is God who is at work digging and pounding and He can’t stop till He has finished! God’s promises are real. He hasn’t abandoned us or forgotten the dream which He sent. In fact the painful circumstances which we are in today are what God is using to build the spiritual dream home which He has prepared for us for all eternity!