DECEMBER 27, 2024

   “For the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth - that Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.” 

― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

ZECHARIAH 4-6

 12Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 13It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he^e will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14The crown will be given to Heldai,^f Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen^g son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. 15Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.”(6:12-15)

REVELATION 18

“ ‘Come out of her, my people,’^b

so that you will not share in her sins,

so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

5for her sins are piled up to heaven,

and God has remembered her crimes.

JOURNAL 

Time...it moves forward...day upon day. As I begin to look back and reflect on this past year, I can think back to what I learned but I can't change the past. It is locked in and now part of history. Yet the gift I am given is that of today and the ability to change my responses, my actions. What do I want them to be? What do I want these last few days of the year to contain. Some things I can control while others are beyond me.

The question is...what to do? The challenge is to channel them into actions that are purposeful and intentional. To do that well I must seek and obey God. That's precisely what God wants, for me to seek him with all my heart and give to him all of who I am in exchange for purpose, hope, joy and the bounty of his love. It is the only sure way that I get out of my own head, out of my own selfishness and consider life from the larger view. 

This will ensure that I make the most of today, tomorrow and whatever life I am given to live. Reality is it's all a gift and it is experienced and used best when acknowledged as such. Thank you Father for the reminder, thank you for another day, thank you for letting me be part of your world and your story.

What a life, what a world and how amazing God's grace!

13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

ROMANS 15:13

DECEMBER 26, 2024

  “The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

ZECHARIAH 1-3

7“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

8“ ‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes^b on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

10“ ‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”(3:7-10)

REVELATION 17

 14They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

JOURNAL 

Regardless of the ominous daunting scripture there is always hope sewn into each chapter. Sometimes it is hard to find but it is always there. That is one of the things I have grown to love about the Bible. It is harsh at times and can be a bit scary but there is always hope.

That parallels our lives as well. Looking back on last year there are always times and moments when God seems to be absent. The news is filled with stories and even in our own community, tragedy and heartache seems to be lingering just around the corner. Sometimes it makes me wonder what God is up to...yet I don't have to look any further than scripture to know that we are far from alone in our despair and heartache. 

That is just part of living this life...but so also are the blessings. There are always blessings and there is always hope within every chapter of our lives. Sometimes you have to really search to find it but it's always there. 

11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

JEREMIAH 29:11

DECEMBER 25, 2024

  “...talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.” 

― Patrick Süskind

HAGGAI

 4But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’(2:4-5)

REVELATION 16

9They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

JOURNAL 

To be "strong" and "work" and to not "fear". These are the commands God had of the Israelites and I believe it the same commands he has for us today. For to be bold and strong  and diligent and to do so without fear is something that can only be accomplished in humility and in serving a God of love. 

To serve God in this way is only accomplished if my heart is fully surrendered to him in devotion and love. That only can happen when I fully believe that God loves me, cares for me and is worthy to follow.

This is the importance of the birth of Christ. This is why the essence of God being born into a low, humble, messy existence is so significant. God became one of us, so that we would love him, trust him and follow him through the low, humble circumstances of our own lives. We can identify and see that he does not ask us to follow some platitude that he himself has not experienced. He knows...he gets it. Therefore he asks us to trust him as we live the life that he has given us to live.

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

LUKE 2:4-11 

DECEMBER 24, 2024

   “Life is a long lesson in humility.” 

― J.M. Barrie, The Little Minister

ZEPHANIAH

I will remove from you

your arrogant boasters.

Never again will you be haughty

on my holy hill.

12But I will leave within you

the meek and humble.

The remnant of Israel

will trust in the name of the Lord.(3:11-12)

REVELATION 15

“Great and marvelous are your deeds,

Lord God Almighty.

Just and true are your ways,

King of the nations.^a

4Who will not fear you, Lord,

and bring glory to your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship before you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.”^b

JOURNAL 

Christmas Eve! Oh this day has been one of my favorites! When I was young it was so magical because of the anticipation of Christmas Day and all that it entailed. As a parent it continued to be magical because of the same anticipation in my children's hope and excitement. But the reality is that as the years pass I realize that the true joy is found because of family, friends and time spent together.  Of all the Christmas movies I watch every year the one that always without fail is A Christmas Carol...specifically the one with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge. It is a reminder that God is greater than our bitterness, our greed, our anger, frustration and problems. 

So what is all of this business about God's desire for us to to be humble and meek. What does that really mean exactly? I think humility and meekness does not mean weakness but rather honest strength. It is an awareness of reality. It is not being more than I am or not needing or desiring to be something I am not. 

When I am humble, I understand that I am simply one of 7 billion living human beings. Whose life span would be 100 years at best and who is one of billions and billions of people that have lived before me and if God willing billions that will come after me. 

Yet it is also being aware that I am unique in that I am the only one who lives my life in my way for this period of time. That is an amazing gift of which I am a recipient. I did not author my existence, I received it. Therefore I am to live humbly and meekly in honor of God the creator and all those beautiful souls that have left their mark on this world and all those that are to come. 

This is humbling and a great honor. No matter what the day may come, no matter the joys or heartaches...the gift is life and that gift is from God. So because of that fact...each day that I am alive is Christmas Day. I honor that gift by living in that awareness and the joy of God's gift and my own existence. 

13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

JAMES 3:13

DECEMBER 23, 2024

 “One of the main ways we move from abstract knowledge about God to a personal encounter with him as a living reality is through the furnace of affliction.” 

― Timothy J. Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering

HABAKKUK

17Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

18yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

he enables me to tread on the heights.(3:17-19)

REVELATION 14

There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” 12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

JOURNAL 

A few years back we were coming off of a period in our lives where the where we did not understand what God was doing. Doors closed that seemed like they should open, often it felt like we were headed off a cliff and at times, things seemed so messy and negative that it was hard to find a greater purpose. Reading through Habakkuk I can fully identify with the sentiment of the book. "God what in the world are you doing?" I am sure Mary and Joseph also had those thoughts as they traveled the road to Bethlehem and it seemed that doors were closing, not opening. Yet we know that in the end, the answers came and for us ultimately God revealed a path that made more sense and helped us understand the years of doubt and uncertainty. 

Following God in the midst of suffering and uncertainty is what produces courage, love, faith and joy. The temptation often is to run from pain and uncertainty...to avoid them at all cost. Yet doing so will be a path away from God rather than to him.  This is one of the great paradoxes of life...accepting the hard path often produces the greatest rewards. The point though is not to seek the harder path just for the sake of getting a better reward, but seeking God because I believe, love and trust God. 

In the end all things from God will produce a greater work in us, when we follow him in faith, believing that each day, each moment, hold great opportunity and are part of his EPIC story. To fully embrace that we are a critical part of God's plan can turn days and moments that otherwise seem insignificant into EPIC battles and victories for the kingdom. 

12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

ROMANS 12:12-13