"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
What child is this who laid to rest... I've sang these words during the Christmas season since my childhood and not until this year have they taken on new meaning and revelation to me. We ask the question in this song of who this child is and because its a Christmas carol we know the answer is Christ the King, or do we? Some only refer to him as the Christ child. Some may refer to him as just another Jewish boy born to a woman and man. There still may be others that simply feel he is a character in a book that tells stories and means nothing. I know this child to mean the gift that was given to all, the gift of love and a gift of sacrifice, a gift that was full of grace and truth.
The question isn't just what child is this, but the question goes deeper. What child is this who laid to rest. This year I am thinking about the last few words of this question. When we talk today of one who has been laid to rest, it normally isn't about a newborn living, its about one who has died. This child that was born into flesh came only to teach us to love and die so that others may live. God gave us the greatest of gifts in a way that many can accept... through the innocence of a child. I'm sure in the early days Jesus was treated as any other infant son. He was nurtured, looked after, taught the basics just as many parents do but can you imagine being the mother of the savior of the world? That's a pretty big responsibility. As parents we aren't to treat one child better than the other, but come on... this was JESUS! Can you imagine being the sibling of Jesus? I could just hear it, "Heather, come on, why can't you be more like your brother Jesus? Why can't you walk on water?" I joke a little at that, but I can't imagine as a mother how Mary felt. I know with my own son I felt so inadequate at times in being his mother. Can you imagine how she must have felt? How many times she perhaps questioned how she was to raise the son of God? Can you imagine the incredible love that was between them? He wasn't just her little boy, he was her savior, her king. Jesus was the word that became flesh through her womb. I can't imagine this mother who bore this beautiful son, who fed him and cradled him and ran her fingers through his hair knowing that he was going to have to do more than she could ever begin to imagine to save a dark and sinful world. Her son was going to have to be the sacrifice needed, the lamb to be slaughtered so that others could live. I wonder if she knew while she held her newborn son that she would have to lay him to rest? I wonder if she ever asked God for him to choose someone else, not to take her son, not to make him the sacrifice? As a mother who laid to rest her own son, I can't tell you the pain that Mary had to feel knowing that her son was not only to die, but he was to suffer.
We all have a mission, a purpose to fulfill. No, nothing quite like Jesus had, but we have a mission none the less. As each of us is born, one could ask What child is this? What will your story be? Did you step out in faith and do as God the father has asked of you? What will be said when it is your time to be laid to rest? You may not have walked on water, but I pray that at some point you met the man who did and accepted him as your savior, as Christ your king.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Bind Us Together, Matthew 24:35
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
Bind us together with love.
Do you remember singing this song? Do you still sing this song or has this song lost its meaning somewhere along life's journey? I still sing it and probably even more today then when I first sang it as a child. Its a song that most Christian denominations sing in their churches and around church campfires and yet I'm not sure that many take the time to recognize the words being sung. Somewhere along the way we have begun to focus on what divides us versus what binds us together. I can't imagine God the father looking down at his children and being happy about the division that is taking place in the hearts of his precious ones.
I watch as insult after insult is flung across social media pages and by some I would have never expected to see them from. I don't sit in judgment but I sit in bewilderment because to me my Bible, God's word, is an incredible love story written for us to learn from and not repeat the mistakes of our people. Yet, here we are 2015 and we are doing the same things that caused such pain, chaos and destruction that we read about in the scripture. We fail to grasp the love that can bind us together and focus instead on all things that can tear us apart. I can differ in my opinions and beliefs from another and still love them for the heart that beats inside them. I don't have to agree or support someone's ideas or lifestyles to accept and love their heart and the part that they play in this life. God sits in the position of judge when each of us makes that journey home and I for one am thankful that I don't have that responsibility because we are a hot mess of a people.
1 Corinthians: 4-8; "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." These words are often shared at weddings as we turn our focus on the couple being "bound together in love" but these words apply to each and everyone of us in how we too ask God to bind us together in love. God's word IS love which is the whole point of the song we sing....bind us together Lord in your word, in your love. Its there where we find truth and answers for living life as Christ followers.
I encourage you this week to focus on what binds us all together and not on what tears apart. Instead of focusing on how you differ in your beliefs and thoughts, try to find common ground because its there we can begin to bridge hearts to bind our nation under God again. Its in our unity we find strength and in our division that our enemies find our weakness and exploit it. Let God be God and his word which will never pass away be our guide. I want to have a heart of love that others will seek out and ask about this God that I serve in love. I am to be his hands and feet but in order to do that, others have to see his heart in me...in you. Find again that love that binds us together with cords that cannot be broken.
Who can you reach out to this week in love instead of judgment? Who can you share the heart of Christ with instead of the darkness of hate and condemnation? Can Jesus count on you today to show his love or have you become a resounding gong or clanging cymbal as talked about in 1 Corinthians 13:1? You can be Christ's mouthpiece, but that means you must do so through his love.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken
Bind us together, Lord, bind us together
Bind us together with love.
Do you remember singing this song? Do you still sing this song or has this song lost its meaning somewhere along life's journey? I still sing it and probably even more today then when I first sang it as a child. Its a song that most Christian denominations sing in their churches and around church campfires and yet I'm not sure that many take the time to recognize the words being sung. Somewhere along the way we have begun to focus on what divides us versus what binds us together. I can't imagine God the father looking down at his children and being happy about the division that is taking place in the hearts of his precious ones.
I watch as insult after insult is flung across social media pages and by some I would have never expected to see them from. I don't sit in judgment but I sit in bewilderment because to me my Bible, God's word, is an incredible love story written for us to learn from and not repeat the mistakes of our people. Yet, here we are 2015 and we are doing the same things that caused such pain, chaos and destruction that we read about in the scripture. We fail to grasp the love that can bind us together and focus instead on all things that can tear us apart. I can differ in my opinions and beliefs from another and still love them for the heart that beats inside them. I don't have to agree or support someone's ideas or lifestyles to accept and love their heart and the part that they play in this life. God sits in the position of judge when each of us makes that journey home and I for one am thankful that I don't have that responsibility because we are a hot mess of a people.
1 Corinthians: 4-8; "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." These words are often shared at weddings as we turn our focus on the couple being "bound together in love" but these words apply to each and everyone of us in how we too ask God to bind us together in love. God's word IS love which is the whole point of the song we sing....bind us together Lord in your word, in your love. Its there where we find truth and answers for living life as Christ followers.
I encourage you this week to focus on what binds us all together and not on what tears apart. Instead of focusing on how you differ in your beliefs and thoughts, try to find common ground because its there we can begin to bridge hearts to bind our nation under God again. Its in our unity we find strength and in our division that our enemies find our weakness and exploit it. Let God be God and his word which will never pass away be our guide. I want to have a heart of love that others will seek out and ask about this God that I serve in love. I am to be his hands and feet but in order to do that, others have to see his heart in me...in you. Find again that love that binds us together with cords that cannot be broken.
Who can you reach out to this week in love instead of judgment? Who can you share the heart of Christ with instead of the darkness of hate and condemnation? Can Jesus count on you today to show his love or have you become a resounding gong or clanging cymbal as talked about in 1 Corinthians 13:1? You can be Christ's mouthpiece, but that means you must do so through his love.
Under His Wings,
Heather
Friday, May 15, 2015
In The Silence, Job 6:24
"Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong."
There is so much that can be learned while being silent, while being still. Its often one of the hardest things for me to do but its also the time where I learn the most of what God is calling me out of or into. Stop what you are doing right now, stop everything and just sit in total silence for 60 seconds...longer if you can. Was it difficult for you to just sit still and be quiet? I know some of you are like me and its a daunting task to simply be quiet. For those that know me personally, I am a pretty outgoing chatty chick. Yes, I said it and admit that I can be a little on the noisy side. But, when I need to recharge or need to find peace you will find I am the first person to retreat to solitude and shut out all the noise around me.
This past year has been a challenging year, one that has shown me much about myself and one where God has quieted me purposefully to remind me of who he is and who I am. Too often we can get ourselves so busy and so self-important that we begin to take our creator for granted just as we do in relationships. We get so comfortable that we forget to take the time to sit at his feet as Mary did, listening. I think the first clue that something is amiss is when we hear ourselves doing a whole lot of "I" talking and less talking about the father. When we begin to call ministries our own, when we begin to try to take on saving the world instead of taking care of our own family, when we fail to give credit to the very one who placed us in the position that we are in... all signs that we are starting down a very dangerous path. When our health begins to fail and our stress levels surmount to levels greater than we can handle and the doctor wants to medicate you just to reel you back in... signs pointing out that we are beginning to work less from the spirit and more from the flesh. Its these moments that we need to be silent and allow God to minister to our spirits. Life is full of challenges, heartache and events that are beyond our control. It is also full of joy and times of celebration but who or what are you celebrating?
One of my favorite devotionals is "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. I've read through it a few years now. This coming Sunday she writes (God has such amazing timing to remind us of his message for our lives):
"As you sit quietly in My presence, remember that I am a God of abundance. I will never run out of resources; My capacity to bless you is unlimited. You live in a world of supply and demand, where necessary things are often scarce. Even if you personally have enough, you see poverty in the world around you. It is impossible for you to comprehend the lavishness of my provisions: the fullness of my glorious riches.
Through spending time in my presence, you gain glimpses of my overflowing vastness. These glimpses are tiny foretastes of what you will experience eternally in heaven. Even now you have access to as much of me as you have faith to receive. Rejoice in my abundance---living by faith, not by sight."
When we begin to think about God's abundance and how limitless his gifts are to us in meeting our every need it can begin to overwhelm us. Instead of being overwhelmed, perhaps its time to just sit at his feet in silence and soak in the blessings of his goodness for our lives. Maybe its time for us to quiet our busy lives for a few moments and focus on the important things and begin to weed out those that are just robbing us of our joy and peace of mind.
Is Jesus calling you to be quiet, to be still, to be patient or to simply be patient? Are you resisting because you have a desire to be needed, to be important or simply to avoid the hard task of letting go of what you need to let go of or cling to something you need to keep hold of? Jesus is calling you into the silence to hear his voice, are you willing to be still and know that he is God and you are his beloved?
Under His Wings,
Heather
There is so much that can be learned while being silent, while being still. Its often one of the hardest things for me to do but its also the time where I learn the most of what God is calling me out of or into. Stop what you are doing right now, stop everything and just sit in total silence for 60 seconds...longer if you can. Was it difficult for you to just sit still and be quiet? I know some of you are like me and its a daunting task to simply be quiet. For those that know me personally, I am a pretty outgoing chatty chick. Yes, I said it and admit that I can be a little on the noisy side. But, when I need to recharge or need to find peace you will find I am the first person to retreat to solitude and shut out all the noise around me.
This past year has been a challenging year, one that has shown me much about myself and one where God has quieted me purposefully to remind me of who he is and who I am. Too often we can get ourselves so busy and so self-important that we begin to take our creator for granted just as we do in relationships. We get so comfortable that we forget to take the time to sit at his feet as Mary did, listening. I think the first clue that something is amiss is when we hear ourselves doing a whole lot of "I" talking and less talking about the father. When we begin to call ministries our own, when we begin to try to take on saving the world instead of taking care of our own family, when we fail to give credit to the very one who placed us in the position that we are in... all signs that we are starting down a very dangerous path. When our health begins to fail and our stress levels surmount to levels greater than we can handle and the doctor wants to medicate you just to reel you back in... signs pointing out that we are beginning to work less from the spirit and more from the flesh. Its these moments that we need to be silent and allow God to minister to our spirits. Life is full of challenges, heartache and events that are beyond our control. It is also full of joy and times of celebration but who or what are you celebrating?
One of my favorite devotionals is "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. I've read through it a few years now. This coming Sunday she writes (God has such amazing timing to remind us of his message for our lives):
"As you sit quietly in My presence, remember that I am a God of abundance. I will never run out of resources; My capacity to bless you is unlimited. You live in a world of supply and demand, where necessary things are often scarce. Even if you personally have enough, you see poverty in the world around you. It is impossible for you to comprehend the lavishness of my provisions: the fullness of my glorious riches.
Through spending time in my presence, you gain glimpses of my overflowing vastness. These glimpses are tiny foretastes of what you will experience eternally in heaven. Even now you have access to as much of me as you have faith to receive. Rejoice in my abundance---living by faith, not by sight."
When we begin to think about God's abundance and how limitless his gifts are to us in meeting our every need it can begin to overwhelm us. Instead of being overwhelmed, perhaps its time to just sit at his feet in silence and soak in the blessings of his goodness for our lives. Maybe its time for us to quiet our busy lives for a few moments and focus on the important things and begin to weed out those that are just robbing us of our joy and peace of mind.
Is Jesus calling you to be quiet, to be still, to be patient or to simply be patient? Are you resisting because you have a desire to be needed, to be important or simply to avoid the hard task of letting go of what you need to let go of or cling to something you need to keep hold of? Jesus is calling you into the silence to hear his voice, are you willing to be still and know that he is God and you are his beloved?
Under His Wings,
Heather
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