It was almost like the excitement of Christmas morning!! (Actually, it was still dark but it was Christmas morning in the birth narrative of the Christ Child.) The angel, probably giddy with excitement like a toddler couldn’t even wait for sunrise, rushes to wake up and proclaim to the shepherds there’s a seriously amazing gift […]
I wonder how angels feel about the task of sharing news that doesn’t impact them and they don’t even understand. “A Savior has been born to you.” Why to people and not to angels, too? (The angels might ask, “What about us?”) Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I […]
Luke 1:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. I don’t know what would be more terrifying: an angel of the Lord or the glory of the Lord shining all around my location. Both would be completely out of the ordinary […]
Conflicts between one’s work and one’s spiritual life are nothing new. They’re as old as the Garden of Eden. Adam was put in the Garden to work it, but the competing voice to be one’s own master called out, “You will be like God.” How is it possible to protect yourself from letting your work […]
Luke 2:6 “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 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.” For women who have given birth, we know that […]
As we continue our look at Still Christmas (Advent Devotionals 2017) and the earthly assaults upon spiritual stillness, I’d like to look at the birth of Christ from two different vantage points: Joseph’s and Mary’s. The Bible doesn’t say that any other human being was there for Jesus’ birth. No midwife. No mother of Mary. […]
Luke 2:5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. Joseph and Mary plod along, days on the journey to Bethlehem. Let’s continue our look at Still Christmas (Advent Devotionals for 2017) and let the Bible’s Christmas narrative be transparent and totally real […]
Luke 2:4 So 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. Nazareth to Bethlehem. That’s 98 miles. Google says it takes 1 hr 53 minutes with light traffic on this low traffic road. That’s […]
Government. How often do we feel like our lives would be better without it? Rules, regulations, and checklists. Demands, division, diversion, and deception. Ugh. So much of government seems to be for its convenience, enrichment, and exertion of power. But it doesn’t really seem to be for our benefit much of the time. This is […]
Wisdom is often shown in knowing when to speak and when to be silent. *** Zechariah had foolishly asked for proof of God’s blessing and he was forced to be silent while God brought it about. He’d learned to be silent and learned to Be Still. Then just as suddenly as he was rendered […]
