This Christmas Eve . . .
Christmas is joy!
Joy to the world! The Lord has come!
When I was a little girl,
Christmas was fun! Sleigh bells rang in the dark. Santa’s sleigh tracks were found in the middle of the yard. Early Christmas morning, we three kids woke early, wrapped ourselves in warm bathrobes, and quietly stepped down the big stairway to the living room where we were welcomed by the brightly lit tree enveloped with big, cone-shaped electric bulbs of red, blue, green, orange, and white. Sleepy Mommy and Daddy met us by the tree and then made our day so special! The true meaning of Christmas was imbedded in each fun tradition.
Christmas was fun! And Christmas was joy!
When I was the young mother of little children,
Christmas was fun! Santa ate the cookies and drank the milk the children had set out. On Christmas Eve, Daddy read the Christmas story from his Bible. Matt, Kristen, and Amber slept in their warm flannels and fleece, on the floor, their heads on pillows under the tree lights. They never heard Santa place the Detroit Lions football helmet, Cabbage Patch dolls, 4-wheeler Big Foot, or Care Bears under the tree, just inches from their sweet, sleeping bodies. One Christmas, when Daddy was out of work and the money was scarce, he made a 4-wheeler track for Matt and a horse stable for the girls.
Christmas was fun! And Christmas was joy!
After the children were grown,
Christmas was not as much fun any more. And Christmas was not filled with as much joy.
Family gatherings, once a vital part of the season, now had empty spots, once held by special grandpas, grandmas, aunts, or uncles.
Songs and carols, once heard on the old, blonde 78-rpm player or later on the cassette tape, now brought a lump to my throat and an emptiness to my heart.
Now Christmas was only as fun as I made it for the brief time the children came home. And Christmas was joy only when I forced myself to find joy during those times.
But today,nearing the end of the most difficult year of my life, I am reminded through my devotions that Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord always!
(Philippians 4:4)
He prayed for the Colossians to be strengthened with all might, according to God’s glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness!
(Colossians 1:11)
Paul, a man who had suffered terribly, knew the link between joy and strength. We are strengthened with all might and joyfulness.
I need to be strengthened. And I want joy! The new covenant (testament) continues the same promise as the old covenant (testament) — the joy of the Lord is our strength!
(Nehemiah 8:10)
So this Christmas season, I will find the joy that the Lord promises,
and I will let it strengthen me!
I will find joy in remembering my Daddy and Mama and the legacy they left me.
I will find joy in the arms of my faithful husband.
I will find joy in my grown children who love and honor God.
I will find joy in eleven beautiful grandchildren–one wrapped in the healing hands of God and one still in his mama’s protective care, awaiting his March delivery.
And I will find joy in a God who loves me and has granted me unmerited grace, increasing faith, and abundant hope through this year.
I will sing, “Joy to the world!”
And I’ll find that joy when I remember that “The Lord is come!”
I will “receive” my “King!”
I will “prepare Him room” in my heart.
And I will fill that room with the joy He promises in His Word!
“Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her King!
Let every heart ~~ prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and hea~ven and hea~ven and nature sing!”
Sing with joy and be strengthened!
He will yet deliver Luke . . .
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
2 Cor. 1:10-11
Indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves,
but in God . . . 2 Cor. 1:9
And we do trust in God.
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole wide world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
He’s got little tiny Luke in His hands,
He’s got the Mommy and the Daddy in His hands,
He’s got all the Greene children in His hands,
He’s got the whole world in His hands.
And how safe is that!! To be in the hands of God, the Father–to rest in the unmerited, undeserved favor of God! Kristen and Josh are resting in the unmerited, undeserved favor of God! Our entire family is resting in the unmerited, undeserved favor of God!
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Cor. 1:20
Will you speak the “Amen” with us? Will you agree in Luke’s healing? To the glory of God. Then we will join to give thanks . . . for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Thankful for a Future Hope!
“There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off”
Proverbs 23:18
Thanksgiving! Turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie! Sounds wonderful! Our family usually gathers around the table, and before asking the blessing, one by one, we tell what we are thankful for. But this year was different. We didn’t gather. One family went to Decker, Michigan ; one family went to Richland, Michigan; and one family was separated by . . . well, if you have been reading my posts, you already know.
So on this Thanksgiving, Ron and I didn’t feel like sitting around the table.
But we are still thankful!
We are thankful that our children and their spouses love and honor God.
We are thankful for our nine grandchildren and for the two baby boys on the way.
We are thankful that God continues to be our refuge through our most difficult year ever.
We are thankful that we have hope and a future.
And we are thankful that next year we will once again sit around the table, and before asking the blessing, will all tell what we are thankful for.
Further Reading: Jeremiah 29: 10-14
We have this treasure . . .
And God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts . . .
2 Corinthians 4: 6
Friends, Tuesday morning, after a heartbreaking Monday, after telling our grandchildren that Mommy and Daddy were in jail, and after a miserable night, I opened my Bible to Joshua 5:14b, to ask the Lord the question I have been trying to remember to ask him every day, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” (Me!) Was I expecting something new? Something dramatic? Something unusual? As I flipped through the pages of my Bible, my eyes fell upon highlighted passages, post-it notes, and ink writings, smeared by time and wear. I read His promises–the same promises I’d been given in His Word before Monday’s sentencing–were true for me on Tuesday. The same God who loved me (and Ron and Amber and Jesse and . . .) before Monday’s sentencing loved me on Tuesday. And loves me today. And will love me tomorrow . . . and . . .
Do you see?
He doesn’t change.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Ron and I are heartbroken. But He is here with us.
Amber is hurting and lonely. But he is there with her.
Jesse is humiliated and broken. But he is there with him.
He will never leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5
You see, we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God . . . We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Why? Because we always carry around . . . Jesus!
2 Corintians 4: 7-9
So, grab your jars of clay and go fill them with His treasures.
More to come . . .
I Dig Deep
“Summon your power, O God;show us your strength, O God,as you have done before. . . Rebuke the beast.”
Psalm 68: 28, 30
Bad news is frightening. The enemy tries to make me forget the Lord’s faithfulness to me in the past and His promises of faithfulness in the present. Bad news pierces like a knife into my stomach. The enemy twists and turns the knife. I’m suddenly nauseous. Discouraged. The outlook is uncertain. Depressing. Fears enter my tired, worn mind.
I dig deep into my heart. Dig deep to remember my heritage–to remember the heritage of my family–the heritage that belongs to my children. I dig deep and I find the Word – the Word, which is near me. It is in my heart. It was placed there when the righteousness came by faith.
“‘The Word is near you.; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is the word of faith we are proclaiming.”
Romans 10:8
And once again, I know the strength He gives – the strength not to fear. I remember the strength He has given me before, I remember His faithfulness, and I remember His promise of my heritage and that of my children:
“All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children’s peace.In righteousness you will be established. Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear.Terror will be far removed;it will not come near you.If anyone does attack you,it will not be my doing;whoever attacks you will surrender to you.See it is I who created the blacksmith . . . who . . . forges a weapon. . .And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;no weapon forged against you will prevail,and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD.”
Isaiah 54: 13-17
The Word reminds me that because my children have been established in righteousness, they will not experience tyranny and terror, nor will I. The attack is not from God; in fact, any who attacks will have to surrender to us. God created the one who forges the weapon. Their weapons will not prevail. Only what God wants will prevail. There is peace in His Word – in His promises. I am desperate for Him at this time. And as I have done a thousand times before, I pray His Word, trusting Him to complete it:“Summon your power, O God;show us your strength, O God,as you have done before. . . Rebuke the beast.”
What’s greater?
“He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes” (Psalm 112:7,8).
What’s greater – my fears or God’s promises?
My fears or His Word?
My fears or my God?
Six days until the sentencing. My daughter. My son in law. My family.
I face my fears. I bring them to the light. The Word tells me to trust in the Lord, to keep my heart steadfast, immovable, firm in belief. The Word tells me to keep my heart secure, safe from the enemy. And so I list my fears. And I list His promises–to see which is greater. I know the answer before my pen touches the paper. My fears are many, but they don’t compare to His many promises!
“My foes are many; they rise against me, but I will hold my ground!
I will not fear the war; I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way; my help is on the way.
Oh, my God; He will not delay- my refuge and strength always.
I will not fear; His promise is true; my God will come through – always – always.
Trouble surrounds me – chaos abounding – my soul will rest in you.
I will not fear the war; I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way; my help is on the way.
I lift my eyes up; my help comes from the Lord.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb4VvNq8WEM
(Kristian Stanfill – “Always” – From Psalm 121, Psalm 46, and other passages from God’s Holy Word!)
Now I ask again,
What’s greater – my fears or God’s promises?
My fears or His Word?
My fears or my God?
The answer is, of course, found in the Word. “My dear child, you are from God. Your fears are not from God. You have overcome your fears because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (I John 4:4)
Six days until the sentencing. My daughter. My son in law. My family.
And so, I will have no fear of bad news; my heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. My heart is secure, I will have no fear; in the end I will look in triumph on his foes.
Why? Because my God is greater.
A Glorious Day
Day Four am – April 4, 2012
Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright (Ps. 112). Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great. (Lam. 3:22, 23) Today, the sun is shining – it is a new day – and it will be a glorious new day for my mama.
Closer to the arms of Jesus
Day 2 – April 2, 2012