Month: September 2021

Before Your First Sunrise

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Before you saw your first sunrise
Or took that first breath of air
Before your first cry or you opened your eyes 
God knew that you were there

While He knit you together God chose your name
As He fashioned your hands and feet
And He wrote your story in His book of life
As your tiny heart started to beat

Before Your First Sunrise 
by Peter Caligiuri © 2021 - All rights reserved
Photo by Amina Filkins on Pexels.com
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
 You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:13-16 NLT

“A person’s a person no matter how small” Theodore Seuss Geisel ( Dr. Seuss )

Appointment With a Thief

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Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. Matthew 27:38 KJV

The day Jesus was crucified was the most horrible day of our Savior’s life. He had prayed and released Himself to the Father’s will, now, soldiers, guards and corrupt leaders seemingly were in control. Yet before He was led away, Jesus wanted to make one thing clear to His disciples:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. John 10:17‭-‬18a ESV

Jesus knew exactly what He was doing and He knew who He would meet that day. He was keeping an appointment with a thief. Neither nails nor a crown of thorns stopped the thief from seeing who Jesus was. Where soldiers saw a victim and the other thief pitiful person worthy of mockery, he saw a merciful King. Because of his faith and his humble appeal to be remembered, the thief received a guarantee of heaven better that anyone else in the Bible “Today you will be with Me. In paradise!”

Are you feeling defeated and forgotten by God? Has tragedy or failure unexpectedly struck your life leaving you helpless to respond? Do not give up or give in to despair. Nothing happens to us by accident and we are never beyond the reach of the hands of Jesus. If He willingly took the nails, and the cross to reach one thief He will not abandon you today. He is near and willing to receive you if you are ready to keep your appointment with the Savior today!

God’s Promises in a Covid World

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Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Matthew 2:19 ESV

Somedays we may wonder if and when we will ever emerge from the Covid-19 world. Some may be looking forward with the hope that Christmas will not be cancelled again. The rest of us are just longing for the good old days when a world-wide epidemic was simply the subject of science fiction. But the reality is that forces were trying to cancel God’s promises and destroy Christmas long before King Herod’s murderous plot and the wise men’s journey to Bethlehem.

As the sweet baby Jesus lay in the manger surrounded by shepherds, Joseph and Mary knew little of the dangers that lay ahead. They went to sleep that night trusting God just as they had always done. Then while they slept God sent His angel to warn them and direct them on their journey to safety.

So, as we face our dangers spelled out by daily new case counts, death rates and fears, remember that God also has a plan for us. Just as He kept Christmas alive in spite of Herod’s plans, so He will keep both Christmas and his plan for you and me alive no matter what comes. Even if our malls and restaurants close again or if we are unable to light candles together at church on Christmas Eve, God will keep His promise alive in our hearts forever if we will only trust in Him!