Month: December 2017

Mary’s Christmas Carol

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And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,  Luke 1:46-47

From the very beginning Christmas seems to be intertwined with music and song. In the Biblical story leading up to the birth of Jesus everyone seems to be singing. Elizabeth sings, angels sing, and even Mary herself has a song. How many of the Christmas carols can you sing by heart without even a glance at a song sheet? Whether it is one or a thousand, each song had to take a journey from the lips of your mother, a church choir or a group of carolers outside your door, till it took up residence in your heart. In some mysterious way those carols have become your songs.

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For the young Virgin Mary her song had traveled the journey from the moment she heard the greeting of the angel Gabriel, till the first cry of Jesus in the manger. With each passing day she was learning new verses, hearing deeper harmonies and sensing more fully its tempo. In the same way we who have Christ living in us are learning day by day a little more of His song in our lives. If we are straining to hear we will hear his melody in the voice of the needs of others. When we are listening we will hear the gentle rhythm of those by our side blending with the harmony of God’s grace carrying us through hardships. If we are willing then note by note, and one measure at a time the Christmas song of heaven will become our own.

 

 

Beautiful Feet

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How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isaiah 52:7 ESV

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Joseph’s strong feet traveled many miles guiding Mary’s donkey on toward Bethlehem. She must have felt little feet kicking within her. “Maybe just a little faster Joseph!” she might have urged as she sensed the time drawing near for her time to give birth. Later the feet of shepherds loudly slapped at the entrance to a stable where they found the baby Jesus and the air rang with their telling the exciting news of angels. Mary could not even have yet imagined that far away over dark roads came the clop of camel’s feet as they carried wise men with gifts for her child.  All of these were beautiful feet. But then see the tiny feet of Jesus being kissed by Mary as she quietly laid him into the manger. They looked just like any other baby’s feet but she knew, even on that first night, that some new path lay ahead for them. His were feet that would one day be pierced by nails at the end of His journey here on earth. Jesus’ feet were the most beautiful of all because they brought the good news of peace, joy and salvation as He stepped out of this life to take His place on heaven’s throne. Today as those beautiful feet are standing in heaven we need to remember that while He was still here on earth He commanded us to wash one another’s!

The Longest Journey – Part 2

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For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16 NKJV

After the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the wise men returned to their country, the shepherds to their fields and Mary and Joseph to Nazareth. But the journey of Jesus was only half completed on that night. The first leg of His journey brought Jesus to our world. But from His first cry in the manger to His last breath on Calvary’s cross Jesus traveled the second mile to take away our sins.

Bethlehem’s story is only half told if we leave the side of the manger with soft warm feelings. If we are simply amazed at how God could have allowed Himself be born as a fragile baby boy we only know the half of Jesus’ journey.

 

The path from Bethlehem’s stable to Golgotha’s hill was farther even than from heaven to earth. Jesus had no one for comfortKIMG2589 but the Holy Spirit, no one to understand but His Father in heaven and no one to suffer with Him but two thieves crucified by His side. Yet in the garden He prayed for us, from the cross He forgave us, prayed for us and by His final breath, gave His life for our sins. In thankful astonishment let’s remember His long journey then fall in step behind our Lord to see what journey He has chosen for us this Christmas.