Our Hope, Our Intercessor

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,


firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind


the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us,


has entered on our behalf. He has become


a high priest forever. . . .” Hebrews 6:19-20



There it is, in print. We have this hope. We need not despair. Our Hope is Jesus. He makes all things bearable.

We waste a lot of time and energy when we worry. Most issues we fret over usually fall into two categories those occurrences that might not ever come to pass and conditions that are not ours, they belong to another person and aren’t for us to get upset over. Yes, we can show Christian compassion and love as long as we rely on God to care for the needs of those we hold dear.

An antidote to worry is a combination of hope and faith. We have to believe God has whatever vexes us in His hands. We have to trust He will resolve the problem in His time.

As I write this I think of three families who face multiple health issues. In each case members of the family have either a chronic disorder, a form of Cancer, or are facing surgery or a surgical procedure. One family has to trust God for the outcome of a member’s untreatable condition. These families believe in God and have experienced His goodness many times.

When we face impossible circumstances, we need to look for the Lord to guide us through the difficult steps laid out before us.

We have this hope because Jesus Christ sits at the Father’s right hand and intercedes for us.

Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus

“ ‘ Glory to God in the highest, .

and on earth ,peace, goodwill to men!’ ’’

Luke 2:14 (NKJV)





Several years ago, my mother brought me a collection of recipes she purchased at a craft sale. In looking thorough the pages, I found the following:



“In all the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas, we may forget we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To help our children place the right importance on the Christmas holiday, we can explain what the birth of this special

Baby means to us. Make a birthday cake for Jesus, a “Jesus Cake.” All little children know the importance of birthdays and birthday cakes. The cake symbolizes His love for us.



Make a round cake. (Chocolate to symbolize our sins)

Cover with white frosting (His purity coves our sins)

Top with a yellow star (A guide to those searching for the new born King)

Put an angel on top (Bearer of the first glad tidings)

Place 12 (Christ our light through12 months of the year) RED (for his shed blood for us) birthday candles on top.

Encircle the cake with evergreens. (Symbolizes everlasting life.)

________________

In the mid 1980s I made several of these cakes one Christmas to give to people at the church we attended. One of the families who received one thought it was very meaningful. When my husband and I started going to another church almost eight years ago, the mom and dad of that family attend there. The mom worked at a craft sale one fall. She shared with me that they still used this recipe and the thoughts in their Christmas observance.

That year, I put the print out in Christmas cards of families with kids or grandkids at that new church. Last year,I shared it with the board members of the ministry with which I volunteer.

Prepare

“A voice of one calling,’ . . .

prepare the way for the Lord; . . . . ‘”

Isaiah 40:3 (NIV)



In one of my favorite Christmas carols, Joy To The World we sing: “Let every heart prepare Him room”. I wonder what would happen if we were to practice the words of the song.

We prepare to go on vacation. We plan to go to the grocery store. We ponder our steps through our days, if we can.

Our relationship with Jesus is the most important one we have in life. Do we take the time to get to know Him, prepare ourselves to work for Him or plan to spend time with Him, to pray, to study His Word? We will find out how effective our prayers and preparations were when we go to meet Him.

Do we choose to consult Him before we begin to do something and allow Him to take control? Or do we wait until things are in one big mess before we access God and His power?

As we participate in this season of Advent, let us learn more of Christ. Let Him fill our hearts with His love. Love for Him and for others.

We Wait for You, Jesus

“And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier

than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not

worthy to stoop down and unloose.” Mark 1:7 (KJV)

Dear Lord:

We wait for your arrival to rule our world. We know you will come again. The events of our time signal your arrival could be at any moment.

Only Your Father knows the exact time. God’s Holy Word tells us to be ready. We strive to prepare our hearts for that meeting. Is there anything we have yet to do before that long-awaited day?

We understand You have given our world time to allow those who don’t know You to get right with You. Please guide us to do just that.

While we wait for You to return, let us praise and worship You. Let us display Your love for others and allow us to lift You up.

In the name of Jesus, I pray.

Amen

Praise for the Small Things

“Let them praise the name of the Lord;

for his name alone is excellent;

his glory is above the earth and heaven.”

Psalm 148:13 (KJV)

Our capacity to praise God comes from deep inside our hearts. We all have something for which to praise Him. The smallest or most insignificant thing in our lives deserves our giving thanks for it.

We have times when we have to look for the silver lining. We sometimes have to ask God to bring something good out of a situation that seems bleak. No matter how small the kindness He does for us. We should give Him praise.

Simeon’s Prayer

“‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared

in the sight of all the people, a light to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’”

Luke 2:29-32 (NIV)

Simeon, a man filled with the Holy Spirit, saw God’s son and praised God. The Holy Spirit had disclosed Simeon would see the Lord’s Child before he died. Stirred by the Holy Spirit, Simeon entered temple courts and saw the ultimate promise of God.

How would we have acted if the Holy Spirit had told us we would see God incarnate before we left this earth? Would we feel honored or would we think we were being tricked?

For me, it would depend on where I stood with God. If I wasn’t living for Him, I would be scared. But then, I might not be told this because I wasn’t doing what pleased the Lord God. If I was in His will, I would feel honored and very blessed to be told this great news.

I don’t believe I would have told anyone else because they might think I was boasting. I would keep it between God, the Holy Spirit and myself.

What If I Had Been There?

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths

and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:6-7 (NIV)





I often wonder what my life would have been like had I lived in another era. This is what I think of when I think of my life at the time of Jesus’ birth.



If I had been in Bethlehem at the time Jesus was born, would I have paid Him honor? Would I have noticed the star shining so bright? Would my family have gotten the last room available?

Would my husband have been the innkeeper who offered the weary travelers the cave behind the inn?

Would my husband and our son have been among the shepherds that heard the angel’s announcement?

Or would my family have been one of those who were unable to find any place to sleep except the in doorways, in the yards, or along the city streets?

On the other hand, would my family have disbelieved what they saw and heard and ignored the event? Would we have shrugged our shoulders and said, “Oh, well “? Or would we have visited out of curiosity and then said things to discourage our neighbors from worshipping the newborn King?

Or might my family have happened upon the shepherds and listened to their story of the angel, the angel chorus, and about finding the baby born a Savior?

Whoever was in Bethlehem on that night so long ago was very much a part of God’s plan.