Unexpected Joy

Val welcomed us with open arms to their pot luck dinner on the twelfth day of Christmas. Guests comfortably milled around and I got acquainted with my sister’s friends. I discovered two women who were writers also, which started an interesting conversation.

Later over soup and salmon I reconnected with them, heard more of their stories, and we exchanged suggestions and emails. We even snapped pictures of our newly formed threesome. I hated to disband when we were invited to the fire pit in the back, not realizing something precious was in store.

Our host suggested that, as we threw each Christmas tree twig into the fire, we could prayerfully name a wish for the New Year. The format was “Let there be….”

One by one we shared our desires. “Let there be more trust and compassion in this world.” -- “Let my work flow out of a greater intimacy with Christ.” -- “Let there be more passion in marriages built around Christ.” -- “Let there be more fathering.” -- “Let there be more clarity, courage, and discipline in my life.” – “Let me be willing to give up whatever God shows me.” – “Surrender.”

We watched the fire swirl uniquely around each twig, soaring, curling the stems, making the leaves glow. This visual of the Holy Spirit consuming what had died, bringing light and power, burned brightly.

I thanked my friends as I left, aware that new friendships and flaming prayers had brought me joy – a marker of Christ's presence. What a way to walk into this New Year!

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence (Psalm 16:11, NIV).

What social experiences help you encounter God’s joy? Why?
What prayerful wish would you have added to the fire?

Christmas Blessings

Our daughters have arrived, cranberry biscotti is dwindling in the jar, and we sometimes have thoughtful discussions around coffee and our Advent readings from Regent College-- all great blessings in my books.

I'm not always consistent about Advent readings, but this year's have stirred my thoughts and brought many insights. Regardless of what we face this Advent, whether we have loved ones close by or not, I pray we will encounter Immanuel. Today.

"God with us" is precious. Whether we ponder God's coming to us through the vulnerability of a newborn or the need of a homeless person, whether in a loved one's passing or memories that make us long for old relationships, all our situations are opportunities to discover that God, indeed, is with us. Even when life is messy.

The reality of embracing Immanuel transforms our lives.

Immanuel draws us like the Baby filled with the God of love. As sojourners longing for glimpses of Home, we can be happy that God comes to make His home, now. In our arms.

Come, Lord Jesus! We welcome You!

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/c/ocomocom.htm


Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
("O Come, O Come Emmanuel," Author unknown)

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Where would you like to encounter Immnanuel in your life?

Where do you need His love, and to whom will you take His love?

CONFIDENT SUPPLICATION

Most of us major on supplication, represented by the last letter of the ACTS prayer acrostic (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication).

While supplication or petition is effective because God is kind, it's the caboose that can’t get very far unless it is coupled with the rest of the train.

Celebrating and describing God’s glory (adoration) ushers us into the Almighty’s presence, the engine room. There we find our high priest Jesus Christ, a savvy engineer, able to forgive the sins we confess. This propels us into new intimacy and thanksgiving comes easily from our freshly cleaned heart. Plus, in hard times, instead of whining or gritting our teeth, focusing on God and giving thanks speeds us away out of a dark night into the sunrise.

When adoration, confession and thanksgiving happen, we bring our requests with confidence. No mere wishful thinking. We’ve been in the presence of our powerful Lord. We've been forgiven. Guilt can no longer keep us away. Any false guilt or false notion – like bothering a “busy” God or evaluating our need as “unworthy” - gets escorted off the train like an apprehended terrorist.

Confidence settles into the seat next to us and introduces us to a new passenger: God’s peace.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5: 14-15).

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

“Rejoice in the Lord always.… Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).

Identify any terrorists aboard your prayer train. Confidently ask your Engineer to bind and remove them.

Spend some time rejoicing in God’s promises. Let your anxieties be escorted away, replaced by a new travel mate, God’s peace.

Thanksgiving in Advent

The "T" of the ACTS prayer acrostic (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication), giving thanks, is never out of season and packs benefits of its own.

At any season, taking time to look for things to be thankful for miraculously shifts your perspective. Though your income may be choking or your health questionable, thanksgiving is a choice that flips your surroundings right side up. Fault finding stands us on our heads seeing all that could potentially bring discomfort or even terrorize us.

During Advent, and any other season, giving God thanks seems to release that pressure and stand us on our feet again. Thanksgiving refocusses us on the big picture in which our kind and merciful heavenly Father daily provides for our needs.

"Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us every day" (Psalm 68:19, NCV). "Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms" (Psalm 68:19, NLT).

God is our Savior --ready to help us as we call. Immanuel, "God with us," enjoys our gratitude, rewarding us with a happier heart and feet replanted and on the ground.



FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

When pressure has you thinking only about your problems, will you choose to give thanks for the good gifts your Savior gives you?

What will it take for you to flip right side up?

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

In case you haven't seen this.
Watch. And share the joy!

Confession

If you're like me, confession does not come easily.

It's painful to take a look at attitudes you'd rather not acknowledge. A simple thing like mild annoyance that rises when you don't get your own way or full grown anger that flares when you have been crossed are signals for confession. Other signs could be fear crawling in the shadows or insecurity leading to uneven ground away from the Rock of Ages.

Confession, the "C" of the ACTs model of prayer, is hard. But it is like presenting yourself to the doctor, revealing the infection in your body, and waiting for the prognosis and the cure. Sometimes it is quick and painless. Sometimes it calls for a deeper incision than you would choose, but it allows you to rid your body of the poison that the Creator never intended for you to absorb.

Telling the Great Physician your discovery sits you in His office. There you can listen for His instructions on how to get whole.


FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts" ( John 1:8-10, New Living Translation).

Examine your life with the Great Physician's help. Is there any attitude or habit that you need to confess?

Old Faith Recipe

I savor the food old saints serve. It's obvious that they've learned some good recipes in God's kitchen.

My devotions got me mulling over how God teaches fresh faith. An occasional stint in His kitchen won't do it. To live by faith, we need regular practice. It seems like sometimes God changes ingredients on us, so we have to carefully listen, daily, to His instructions.

We learn how to mix the ingredients then wait for them to cook. Finally we get to taste, chew and swallow. Then digestion, a slow process, benefits our whole body feeding muscle, bone, and brain.

Listen to one of A. B. Simpson’s recipes.
"God is looking for people on whom He can place the weight of His entire love, power, and faithful promises. And His engines are strong enough to pull any weight we may attach to them. Unfortunately, the cable we fasten to the engine is often too weak to handle the weight of our prayers. Therefore God continues to train and discipline us in His school of stability and certainty in the life of faith. May we learn our lessons well and then stand firm."
(Streams in the Desert, L. B. Cowman, Updated by Jim Reimann, 1997, Zonderman, p. 426.)

Simpson used a metaphor of his day to describe an ageless principle: circumstances that test our limits are opportunities to prove God’s limitless supply. Even when our faith is scant, we can use the little we have and get into God’s kitchen. There we will discover resources and recipes that will deliver an uncommonly satisfying meal.


FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Might you trust that your short faith supply is really an opportunity to discover God's ‘love, power, and faithful promises?’

"Not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed" (Joshua 23:14, NIV).

Try reading this verse out loud three times. Listen for the Holy Spirit’s promptings after each reading. Jot down your impressions.