Christmas – Be Still…

John 1:1-18 – This is Him!

Was your mind blown just a little bit by this reading? We’re starting the Gospel of John, and right away we meet Jesus. But Jesus’ name is not directly mentioned here. He’s first introduced to us as the “Word.” Before he was known as Jesus, He was the Word. He has always been God.

How fitting that God would choose an earthly relative of Jesus to be the one preparing the way. John the Baptist wasn’t any random person, but Jesus’ own cousin. We’re told this messenger spoke of Jesus as the “light.” Jesus wasn’t just any light coming from a lamp or a lightbulb. Remember, there was no electricity at that time, so the idea of light would have been much different. Continue reading “John 1:1-18 – This is Him!”

Numbers 2:1-34 – Keep God in the Center

Read Numbers 2:1-34

With so many of God’s people roaming around in the wilderness, it makes sense that God would command them to be orderly. I can just imagine the chaos of establishing a highly mobile residence in a desert-like region like that if each tribe didn’t have their assigned space.

When it came time to move, there was also an order for leaving established for the clan leadership to follow. I had a flashback to being in school, choosing line leaders, and lining up at the designated time to walk the halls. Classrooms also had their dismissal order to follow. Having an orderly progression helped us students know when and where to move. For the Israelites’, God thought of everything! Continue reading “Numbers 2:1-34 – Keep God in the Center”

Christmas ? John 1:1-14 – Word

Read John 1:1-14

Our Christmas reading selections would not be complete without this passage from John’s gospel. There are no smelly stables or glowing angels in this story, only powerful messages about who Jesus is! We often forget that Jesus played an instrumental role in creation. He is also the Word bringing light to everyone.

Jesus is the “true light” available to all. Yet there are many people who reject the light of Christ in their lives. Either they don’t know the joy of Jesus’ saving grace, have never heard about Jesus, or have decided they don’t need Jesus because everything is “good.” How do you get across to this dark world that life can be so much better than “good” with Jesus in it?

Christmas ? Galatians 4:4-7 – Freedom

Read Galatians 4:4-7

The Christmas season continues as we celebrate Jesus’ coming into this world. We have been reflecting on how this little baby brought truth, wisdom, and faith. Paul is describing for us how our inheritance of faith works in today’s reading. Paul had been talking about how until Jesus, people had been like slaves to the law. Jesus’ coming changed that for us when he brought freedom.

There are some great nuggets we don’t want to miss in this reading. The first one is that Jesus came at just the right time. God’s timing is always perfect. We may wish for things to happen on our timeline, but when we can let go and let God, that’s when the miracles happen. Is there something you need to let go of so God can step in without you being in the way?

Christmas ? Isaiah 7:14 – Immanuel

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel
(which means ‘God is with us’). “ (Isaiah 7:14)

I love that the name Immanuel means “God is with us.” What a perfect name for Jesus. He came into the dark world he loved so much to be with us, to be one of us. Knowing Jesus is with us gives us hope for tomorrow and makes the world a little brighter.

It’s interesting to know the back story of this prophecy from Isaiah. Right before this, Isaiah had been speaking with King Ahaz. You may recall Ahaz was one of those wicked kings that did detestable things. (2 Kings 16) It was during his 16-year reign that Ahaz feared a takeover by Israel and it’s ally, Assyria. God’s message through Isaiah had been that no invasion would take place.