December 3

It’s Tuesday as Hope has come. Are you an early shopper? I usually start early, have great intentions but than I shop right up until time to open gifts. This year however, I had most everything bought a few months early. Now the biggest problem with that is (if you know me you can finish this sentence) is remembering where I hid them! Alas, this year was no exception. Over the years, I found shoes for Tal after he had outgrown them, I found sweaters in June, and everytime we would move, all sorts of little stocking stuffers. The kida thought it was hilarious. But this year, I’ve been proactive and I’ve been searching early and so far, I think I have found it all. 


I’ve spent the last couple of days reading Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Clearly this little girl gets it. She understands that God is getting ready to do something huge here—alter the course of mankind. It has always amazed me that a simple, child really, grasps what is happening here yet thirty years later, when it all unfolds, brilliant scholars have no clue. Maybe that’s why our omnipotent, omnipresent God at this moment in time, when the trajectory is about to bend, is spending time with little Mary. A lowly, young Jewish girl, not much more than a baby herself, in an obscure village. He’s also investing special time with her cousin, an old, barren woman. Yet both are humble and listening to God when He speaks. 


“Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? ...You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:43, 45‬ ‭NLT‬‬


“Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:46-49‬ ‭NLT‬‬


Really, the only people who can truly praise and magnify the Lord are people like Mary and Elizabety—people who are humble and listening for the direction of God, people who understand who God is and that He alone is worthy of worship. When we acknowledge that we are sinners saved by grace, and God is holy and we become overwhelmed by His glory, we like Mary and Elizabeth can begin to understand the magnificence of God. We can find the present, the Hope or maybe...we just need to remember. 


Oh Lord, our soul magnifies you and our spirit rejoices in you our Savior. For you who are holy have done great things and holy is your name. Your mercy is for those who fear you from generation to generation. You have shown strength with your arm. We pray you would speak to us and teach us to be your hands and feet. We seek to hear your voice and to share the Hope you have brought with those around us. We know that because you have come once you will come again. Let this Advent season be a time is reflection and surrender and joyful anticipation in the time we spend with you. How we love you Lord! Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 17, 2020

Happy Friday. It’s the end of another week and we have had more opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us and sometimes that takes quite a bit of effort. I don’t know about you, but I’m not always anxious to embrace others and really listen to them or share with them (especially those who I don’t know well). Sometimes, I just look at them and think “Are you for real?” I don’t always agree with people over politics, sports or of course, religion. And let’s face it, we’d rather spend time with people we like and mostly agree.  And then I read my Bible. God hasn’t called us to sit in our little groups with only those we naturally gravitate towards, but to love people—all people, even those who aren’t necessarily loveable. In this passage, Paul writing to the people of Colosse remarks on how wonderful it is that they truly love others. That love must have really been something over and above the normal and he tells them that it is evident that it comes from the Holy Sp
Read more

January 15, 2020

Happy Wednesday to you. I hope your week is going well. Yesterday, I went to Sams. I was out of things like trash bags, toilet paper, and chicken, so off I went. I like going to Sams because there is always lots to look at and the isles are nice and wide. Everytime I’m there, I am amazed at how much stuff and everything from diapers to TVs to mangos to beds. It just seems incredible that so many things in such quantities are all under one roof.  King David never saw a store with as much stuff aa Sams of course, but he did see countless miracles and understand that God has plans. He knew from creation and history that he was serving a God of miracles and he know that God loved him and his people and would take care of them. He was amazed and awe-struck by the fact that a God who had done such great and mighty things not only cared about his people but that He loved them with such a great love.  “Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can co
Read more

January 9, 2020

It’s Thursday and I woke up to the blowing wind! Lots of it—I’m dreading Boomer waking up and having to go outside with him. That harsh, bitter wind seems cruel and almost evil. But I’ll wrap myself up with a fe layers and boots and brave it all.  Sometimes I think we try to do that with things we know aren’t right—things that are evil. We try to wrap ourselves up and just wade into it, but Paul tells us we should reject it—stay away from it. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:20-24‬ NIV When he wrote this he’d been in Berea and the Christians there diligently searched the scriptures to make sure everything Paul said was in line. Paul here is encouraging the Thessalonians to
Read more