According to…

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:22-40, NRSV)

As a new parent, or even on the third child, if someone came up to us and took our child from us, and we did not know them, I have to admit I would probably be like, “What do you think you are doing, give me my child back…”

And then to be told that this child is destined for the falling and rising of many in my nation and a sword will pierce my soul too, then I would really freak out!

But Mary and Joseph seem to take Simeon and Anna in stride. I mean after being visited by angels to announce Jesus’ coming, Simeon and Anna were just another proof to them that God was upholding His promises.

Christ had come and according to God the promises would be fulfilled, and Mary and Joseph get to be a wonderful part of the in breaking of the Kingdom of God.

Would you be as ready? Because you are a part of the in breaking of the Kingdom of God!

Allow Him to shine through your life!

Faithful

I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome above all that are around him? O LORD God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O LORD? Your faithfulness surrounds you. (Psalm 89:1-8, NRSV)

I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations!

I will forever sing of your wonderful love and proclaim it from the mountain tops!

God made a covenant with His people, and He has kept it!

We can praise the heavens and the faithfulness of our God. For He is steadfast and trustworthy to the promises He has made to us His people.

So praise God and make sure everyone knows that He is faithful, and worthy of our love!

Grace

wpid-20140314_113229-1.jpgFor the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14, NRSV)

Grace has appeared!

He has brought salvation with Him!

The baby in the manger has brought us salvation and grace, and He will show us through His life how to renounce impiety and worldly passions. He will teach us to love God and to follow the commandments. Not the letter of the Law, but the meaning of what God intended for our lives.

To live lives that show the love that God has for all of creation.

As we await His return, let us follow His example and live by grace!

witnesses

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:8-20, NRSV)

The shepherds in Jesus’ day were the poor people. They were the lowest of the low, and God chose them. He chose them to see the messiah, Jesus Christ. God didn’t call any celebrities. He didn’t call any stars. He didn’t call any kings (except the wise men, but that’s a different story). He called the shepherds; the lowest of the low to come celebrate the birth of the King of Kings. Come celebrate with the shepherds, and rejoice that Jesus was born to the lowly for the lowly. Come celebrate on the ground with the lowly, and sing the praise that you are the lowly. The lowly were chosen because they were so far down, all they could do was look up. Get down off your high horse, and see that you are the lowly. You don’t have to be ashamed; just see that you are lowly, and you are beautiful. JUST LIKE THE SHEPHERDS!

(This devotional was written by my oldest daughter. This makes a father proud!)

No place…

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7, NRSV)

We all know this story. The one of our Savior born in a manger because there was no room for the family in the Inn.

We all assume it was because Joseph was a typical man who assumed he could get a room and did not make reservations.

Or that they were so late because as we all know traveling with a woman who is 9 months pregnant is not always the quickest undertaking…

But the thing we fail to notice or see is that Bethlehem was the town of Joseph’s family. That is why he had to go there. So the Inn they were turned away from was more than likely a family home that didn’t want the disgrace of having the baby born that would not have been Joseph’s…

And isn’t this really the truth today?

Do we really have room for the in breaking of the Kingdom of God?

To allow God to have control and a space in our lives is scary. To say He is totally welcome to come and do with our lives as He wishes, is scary.

Are we really ready for the baby that is to be born this night?

Do you really have a place for Him?

History brought to life

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1:67-80, NRSV)

The oath the blessed Lord swore to Abraham has been remembered and is being shown forth here today!

What a wonderful gift to see that the promises we have been told and hold dear are things we can truly rely on!

God has sent His messenger to prepare the way for the coming King!

Light will break forth in the darkness and we will have a path set before us and a guide for our feet in this world!

The spirit will lead John the Baptist and us on our journey with God as we see history in the promises of God brought to life in the baby in the manger!