the gift of the wait has come.
the gift of Christmas
the birth of Jesus
the gift of hope
the gift lives on.
Christmas gifts have come
in all shapes and sizes and colors.
the most precious gifts have come
not in wrapping or ribbons or bows.
the most precious gifts have come
in the form of love and laughter and
family and dreams and prayers prayed
by many a momma's heart have been
answered.
and always the gift lies not in
what you have or where you are
but rather in those surrounding you,
for Christmas is all in the heart.
and even hearts aching and
shattered and lonely can
rest in the hope of
the gift of Christmas.
and that hope never fades
for the gift of Christmas lives on.
always. there. is. hope.
"the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in Thee tonight!"
in the light of the moon
on that night so silent
so holy
a baby is born.
the light so gentle
illuminates His face
and casts a reflection
on His mother's face.
for always the moon reflects
the Son.
in the light of the moon
she holds Him...
the created holding
the Creator.
the saved holding
the Savior.
oh the beauty of this picture!
God's love reached down that
night so long ago with the very
breath of heaven!
spend time tonight
in the light of moon.
kneel at the manger.
allow His glory
to embrace
your heart.
"oh come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
there is room in my heart for Thee."
"for the mountains may move
and the hills disappear
but even then My faithful love for you will
remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be
broken,"
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
Isaiah 54:10
the love of God bridged the
gap between heaven and earth
the night Jesus was born
for in sending His Son
He was restoring us to Himself.
He was giving us the gift so precious
of intimacy with Himself.
He was showing
us who He is by showing
us how deep His love is.
and the depth of that love
is so far beyond what this
mind and heart can begin
to comprehend.
He loves me.
God loves me.
somehow it seems easier
to sing "Jesus loves me"
than to live "God loves me"
for somehow are we not
convinced that we must
earn that love?
or at least contribute in some way.
yet where in that line of thought does
grace fit in? for no middle ground exists
when it comes to grace.
either grace is or grace isn't.
and because of that baby born
so long ago in the town of Bethlehem,
grace is.
and through that grace we are able
to see the Father!
to know the Father!
for He is our Abba
and because He is our Abba
His love embraces
His love encircles us
His love presses into us.
and because of Jesus we are
participants in the greatest love story
ever told! we are in that love story!
and absolutely nothing will ever cause
Abba to unlove us for He is love and
love cannot not love.
His love is faithful and enduring.
you can rest in that promise on this
eve before Christmas Eve.
you are His child.
"...the Sun of Righteousness will
rise with healing in his wings."
Malachi 4:2
slowly the dawn pushes the dark
of night away.
that darkness so black
deepens as dawn
approaches with its
first hint of light.
colors subtle soon
overtake leading to
colors brighter and
colors radiant and
colors blazing.
and the darkness is shattered
with fragments of shimmering light
falling all around.
"Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light
shine for all to see.
For the glory of the Lord rises to shine
on you."
Isaiah 60:1
and with a baby's first cry,
the Light rose as the sun rises
in the east.
the Sun of Righteousness
had risen
with healing in
His wings.
and as a bird stretches
its wings across the sky,
Jesus stretches Himself
over this world so broken and lost.
He offers healing and hope and
peace in the storm and
light in the darkness and
anyone ever experiencing
the dark night of the soul
understands the beauty stunning
of light.
of dawn.
of sunrise.
of healing and hope
and peace and joy everlasting.
so as Christmas approaches remember
the invitation of that baby born so long ago.
come sit at the manger...
allow His healing
to wash over you as a flood,
His hope to gently rain down on you,
and His arms to securely hold you.
your light has come.
He promises a gift.
He promises a gift will rise
from the ruins.
from my ruins.
from your ruins.
from all creation's ruins.
and are there not
many ruins?
one need not
look far to find
something or
someone in
what at least
appears to be ruins.
and the promise?
"for a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
the government will be on his shoulders.
and he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
absolutely no ruin exists
that God cannot redeem.
and that redemption came
through this very
Wonderful Counselor
Might God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace.
the grace of the manger
turned cross is a gift so
astonishing.
and that grace gift continues
to fall in drops of mercy and love.
it falls on hearts feeling ruined and
on lives feeling ruined and
and on every ruin ever
to exist.
and the baby in the manger
is bigger than any ruin you or I
have had or ever will experience.
even those things which plunge
the heart into despair and grief,
for He is not helpless in our ruins.
and He invites us to simply come.
come kneel at the manger.
come sit in the stillness.
come hear His call.
simply come.
so that moment when the heart
beating in perfect rhythm suddenly
drops
with just a few words.
words so unexpected.
words perhaps whispered in
fear so intense.
or words drenched with
sorrow all consuming.
words to take your very
breath away.
and have we all not been there?
and what does the heart do when
these words are whispered just
days before the day for which
that heart has been waiting
with anticipation?
Christmas.
how does heartache intense
fit into the manger scene
and angels singing and
shepherds worshiping
and the baby who
was undiminished
deity wrapped in
complete humanity?
oh but in reality how perfectly it fits!
allow the eyes of your heart
to step into that town of
Bethlehem for just
a moment...
Mary and Joseph huddled
over a manger in a stable meager
on the edge of town.
a baby wrapped in strips of cloth
was lying in that manger.
they knew.
they knew they were gazing at
the very Son of God.
shepherds silently slip
through stable's door and
kneel at the manger.
they knew.
they knew they were gazing at
the Savior of the world.
I wonder if Mary saw the shadow.
the shadow of a cross
falling across the manger.
I wonder if she knew the 'how'
of how her baby boy would
one day save His people
from their sins.
a hush blanketed the stable.
a sense of awe and wonder
illuminated the darkness.
for the Light had been born.
and darkness was pierced
forever
because of the shadow
which was cast over
the manger that night.
the cross.
and because of the cross
we have hope.
hope in the dark times.
hope in the fearful times.
hope is the grieving times.
hope in the shadow of
the cross.
