Gifts of Mercy

Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high Luke 1:78

Mercy may seem like a small thing, to someone who is an outside observer, but to the one who is receiving it, Mercy is the most necessary thing on the planet!

While we are busy shopping, celebrating and giving gifts it is important to remind ourselves that the most important gifts are unlikely to be found in stores. The gifts of greatest value can only be given after our own hearts have been touched by God’s mercy. In Bethlehem’s manger God chose to come and visit us and for 33 years He stayed until the day when His blood was given as His sacrifice of mercy. Remembering that amazing gift, then what gifts of mercy can we give to others today?

A Gift of Mercy Can be

A pint of blood for someone we don’t know

A handful of tissues when tears start to flow

A silent embrace when someone’s world falls apart

A light at the door when we come home after dark

A kiss of acceptance from someone we’ve hurt

A check in the mail when we’ve been out of work

Angel songs in the night when we’re out in the field

And the Babe in the manger before whom we kneel!

1514032666931_image

Mary’s Christmas Song

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation            Luke 1:46-50

1514032666931_image

Christmas is about the song God gives. Mary sang her song when she heard the news of the Child who was to be born. God sent a song with angels for shepherds and light for people in darkness. God chose Bethlehem, the city of the shepherd David whose songs make up the book of Psalms.

I know a little of the darkness of barns and remember walking every morning to the barn across our dirt road long ago.  I would first light a little stub of a candle and put it on the beam near the stall. Then I would put a little corn and hay into the feed-trough and gently wash the cow with the warm water that I had brought over in the milk pail.

In a quiet and humble place just like that, our Lord Jesus was born among cattle and hay with maybe a barn cat or two to observe the scene. A young woman named Mary was giving birth in the stable with only her husband Joseph by her side. In that moment the air was pierced by the music of the cry of one child who came to give His life for our world. If we tune our ears we will find that we can still hear that song of hope from the stable of Bethlehem 2000 years ago.

Mary I Have News

Does it feel as if God calling for change in your life tonight? Mary faced one of the biggest decisions of all time when Gabriel brought her a message from God. Her choice set the stage for our Savior’s birth. Here is a little early Christmas greeting and song for my friends – especially my family at Allied Skilled Nursing. Missing you all here in Florida but God has brought some changes to us all this year and has Good News for us each this Christmas. Blessings!

Original Lyrics and Music by Peter Caligiuri 2017