by George | Dec 25, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Christ Really Came!
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
It’s Christmas time again. Somehow those words don’t excite us this year. 2020 has been a rough year.
The late Tom Petty seemed to echo our sentiments in “Christmas All Over Again.”
“Well it’s Christmas time again
Decorations pearl hung by the fire
Everybody’s singing
All the bells are ringing out
And it’s Christmas all over again, yeah again.”
The next refrain seems relevant for the 2020 social distancing thing:
“Long distance relatives
Haven’t seen them in a long, long time
Yeah, I kind of missed them
I just don’t want to kiss them, no
And it’s Christmas all over again, yeah again.”
In spite of our feelings, and the inevitable stress and hurriedness of the holiday season… One central truth remains:
Christ, the Son of God, really did come to this Earth!
Read today’s verse again, this time with feeling.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
If we could hear John say these words, we would hear an exuberance in his voice! John not only states that Jesus came, he also stated that He dwelt among us. He lived here, and became like us, only without sin.
John said “…we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John saw Christ’s glory!
What about us? We’ve read this verse so many times that the significance of it has diminished for us.
Let’s try to keep out the distractions of the season for a moment. Read over the verse slowly and carefully as though we have never read these words before… Read it several times… Meditate on it…
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
Christ really came!
Merry CHRISTmas!!!
by George | Dec 3, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
A Final Request
“And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.””
II Kings 13:19
Elisha is dying. His time is short. Joash the king came to visit him.
“Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”
II Kings 13:14
Joash is expressing his sorrow over the fact that Elisha, a mighty prophet of God, is sick and is about to die.
Elisha doesn’t focus on himself. He had not retired from being a prophet. Elisha knew that Syria was an enemy of Israel. He instructs Joash:
“And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them. ” Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped.”
II Kings 13:15-18
Why did Joash stop after only shooting 3 arrows? David Jeremiah suggests that Joash was not “all in” as far as his commitment is concerned.
You would think that he would have jumped at the chance to see his enemy finally defeated.
Elisha was furious. He told the king that he would only get to strike the enemy 3 times.
Elisha was dying.
This was Elisha’s final request of the king. His dying wish, if you will.
I’ve been a hospice Chaplain for many years.
In hospice, we minister to patients who are dying.
Whatever you do in life, think about this.
Do I use the “Joash” approach, or do I give my all to make their quality of life as good as I can? I may not be able to fulfill all their requests, but I can do something.
by George | Nov 23, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Wait On the LORD
“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!”
Psalms 27:13-14
I went to get blood work done the other morning. Getting there early is my goal, so I can be on time for work. To my dismay, several others got there ahead of me.
I hate to wait!
Honestly, I was going to try and do some writing as I waited, but I find it hard to think when I get frustrated.
It seems 2020 is a year of waiting.
We have had to wait, while sheltering in place, to be able to eat in a restaurant, attend sporting events and go to the movie theater, just to name a few.
We have also been waiting for the end of the of the Corona Virus.
Sometimes it can be discouraging.
The psalmist nearly lost heart, but he believed that he “would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.”
Then the psalmist urges us to wait on the LORD.
He also says to “Be of good courage.”
We could live in fear if we dwell on all the bad things happening around us.
The LORD reminded Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
Finally, when we wait on the LORD and take courage in Him, He will strengthen our heart.
Isaiah tells us:
“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31
Remember that “… The joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
So, while we wait on the LORD, continue to pray that the LORD will vanish the Corona Virus.
Keep in mind the psalmist’s hope that he “would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
A better day is coming.
Don’t be afraid.
He will strengthen us.
May the joy and peace of God be yours today.
