A Good Word for 2013

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. After all, they are God’s servants, and it is their duty to help you.     Romans 13:1-4 (CEV)

Teach these things and tell everyone to do what you say. Don’t let anyone make fun of you, just because you are young. Set an example for other followers by what you say and do, as well as by your love, faith, and purity.     1 Timothy 4:11-12 (CEV)

For those of you who have been with me in these devotions for a few years or more, you know that I rarely “get political.” It’s not that I don’t have an opinion – I have plenty of those! But I do not believe that a devotion or Bible study should be about political rhetoric. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I believe that my primary task when it comes to politics and world events is to obey Jesus by keeping those areas pretty compartmentalized – render to the governments their due and render to God – wait, God says it all belongs to Him, doesn’t He?

I’m going to refer you now to a blogpost that just came out yesterday from J. Lee Grady, former editor of Charisma and the director of The Mordecai Project. I hope you will take the Scriptures that I posted and Rev. Grady’s words and, with the Holy Spirit, give it some prayer time. May we all be hearers and doers of God’s Word. The post is The Word for 2013: Cry Out for a Youth Awakening.

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Home and Holidays

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from January 2010]

– Henry Neufeld

The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.        Psalm 145:13-16 (NIV)

‘Satisfy’. Now there is a word that may have come to mind as you pushed away from the table recently. Or ‘un – satisfy’ may have come to mind as you picked up the mountain of discarded paper and ribbons around noon on Christmas Day.

The Psalms must be THE book in the Bible that offers almost unlimited encouragement to our spirit: God is faithful to ALL His promises! He is loving to ALL He has made! God will hold me up when I fall and can’t stand again! God lifts me when I walk humbly with Him! God provides everything that I need to not only sustain me but cause me to grow at just the time I need it! In God’s hand is the answer to every desire that I have! WOW! Those 3 verses – I want them to run through my head all day – maybe even for several days – so that they take root and become a part of what I think and how I act and make decisions!

When my children and grandchildren come for a visit it seems like a holiday no matter what time of the year. I believe in God’s promises and His faithfulness. When family arrive, it seems like Christmas to me. I’m not talking about just a holiday – I am talking about ‘home’. Home is where those I love reside. With my family spread (literally) across the U.S. – I’m pretty fluid about where my home is located. There is a peace at home. There is faith at home. There is a strength at home. There is a place where I am satisfied. God is in each one that is coming – and so we are home. In the same location, we are aware of the tangible expression of ‘home’. When we are apart – we hold on to what we know is true – and STILL feel that sense of home.

Did I just suddenly wake up one morning and find myself filled with satisfaction? NO! I am human and so I LEAK! I MUST refill and refill and refill each day! I leak from the arrows of hurtful people and events in my life. I leak from poor choices I have made. I leak because of what I pour out as I reach out to others with the grace and mercy that God has given me. And so – I must refill!

Read Psalm 145 today. Let God lead you to another one tomorrow. Maybe write down 1 or 2 verses and put it in your pocket and pull it out today to remind you about God and how you are home and there is satisfaction in being home with your Father. This might be better than any New Year resolution you have tried!

Great is Thy Faithfulness written by Thomas O Chisholm & William M Runyan (1923) sung by Chris Rice

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Resolutions – Really?

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

The beginning of another year is when many make a decision to do something different, something better. It is a day to begin again. Do you have some ideas for yourself along those lines? Will this year be different than last year? For me the difference will be in my commitment.

I often tell God, tell myself, that I want to be closer to Him. I want to know Him more. But if I do not make any changes to go with that desire – the words are empty and will not produce any fruit. It takes a plan and actions that are moving in that plan to make it more than a good idea.

Inquire of God. Deciding to ask the Holy Spirit and move with His leading is a good idea – but it cannot stop with just that. I believe that the Holy Spirit has no problem sharing a plan and offering some good ideas while still maintaining His “rep” for being spontaneous. Take time to ask God what He wants me to do this year; how God wants to grow our relationship. And then write it down on a piece of paper or your tablet where you keep your eBible, where it is easily accessible.

Time. In this world we have a finite amount of time. If I am going to put some time in reading or praying with God then something else will be given up. It’s a good thing to recognize that and realize there will be less TV or whatever leisure activity or even sleep. I submit that God will more than repay me in feeling more rested or energized than I was when I was sleeping or watching TV instead of spending time with Him.

Make a change. Just like weight loss or getting healthy requires making a change in my eating or exercise habits, so will improving my spiritual health require a change in my life. If I am going to begin a Bible study then I am going to get with a group where I have some accountability. Maybe I am going to join a group that actually requires some outside reading on my part instead of just being “fed” by whatever the teacher says is true. One the best nights, a turning point in my life with Jesus, was when I was sitting listening to a learned man of God of whom I respected and loved his teaching and I turned to the Scripture he cited as the basis of his point and I questioned whether that Scripture meant what he said. So I made a note and later that night I went back to that and read the passage again and thought and prayed about it – nope, that is not what that passages was saying. The man’s point was good but that particular Scripture was taken out of context. I still love to listen to that man teach – but like any great baseball pitcher – you won’t always throw strikes! And it is a good thing to learn and think for myself with the Holy Spirit.

Evaluate and share. And that is part of evaluating and sharing the growth that Jesus brings into my life. This time next year, I should see the maturity that has come into my relationship with God. A relationship cannot be stagnant for it is a living thing. No growth = dying or dead. A sure sign of growth in my relationship with Jesus is the fruit (Galations 6:22) that should be apparent in my life, not just for blessing my life but for the outpouring into the lives of others. This outpouring should become as spontaneous as breathing and a beating heart is to my physical body.

Christ suffered here on earth. Now you must be ready to suffer as he did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning. It means you have turned from your own desires and want to obey God for the rest of your life. You have already lived long enough like people who don’t know God. You were immoral and followed your evil desires. You went around drinking and partying and carrying on. In fact, you even worshiped disgusting idols. Now your former friends wonder why you have stopped running around with them, and they curse you for it. But they will have to answer to God, who judges the living and the dead. The good news has even been preached to the dead, so that after they have been judged for what they have done in this life, their spirits will live with God.

Everything will soon come to an end. So be serious and be sensible enough to pray.
Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins. Welcome people into your home and don’t grumble about it.

Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. If you have the gift of speaking, preach God’s message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen.    1 Peter 4:1-11 (CEV)

Cry of My Heart written and sung by Terry Butler

 

 

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The Majesty and Glory of GOD’S Name

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

Then the Lord said to Moses,“Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:

May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’

Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”             Numbers 6:22-27 (NLT)

Lectionary texts for Watch Night (December 31): Numbers 6:22-27, Psalm 8, Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 2:15-21

The end of another year. Do you remember what you were thinking 12 months ago? Did you accomplish what you resolved to accomplish in 2012? More? Less?

I have made a conscious choice to end the last several years in prayer, asking God for His Spirit to come and speak to me about what opportunities He brought to me, those that I responded as He wanted and those that I did not. It has been a good conversation because it involves conviction by His Spirit, not condemnation.

This year these Scripture passages bring my mind to the name, or the character, of God. I hope that you will take the time to read these passages and also to listen to the song that is linked at the end of this devotion. It is a song that I sang many years ago in my church choir. I sang it with tears then and I listen to it now with overwhelming awe and tears again.

Whatever comes in 2013, we know that it will be about great trials and also great blessings. The mission and the road we have each been given in this life will have obstacles and potholes that will test our faith and our courage to trust our LORD. But we must remember Who it is that is with us.

Come near to God and He will come near to you.            James 4:8 (NIV)

We must live in God. We must make our time with Him a priority so that we are prepared for what is to come. We do not prepare in fear but we prepare in wisdom, following the example of Jesus to be about our Father’s work and so we sit at His feet and listen and learn. When we are so steeped in God, we know His name, His character and so when we speak His name, there is power because we are known by His Spirit and speak with His Spirit.

So at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down,
those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!”       Philippians 2:10-11 (CEV)

We bow down to worship our LORD. We also sit down to talk to this same LORD. And we are held and comforted by this same LORD. Will we, like the shepherds of that night long ago, tell others what we have seen? Will we speak about what we know because we have spent time in His Presence? Will the Bread of Life that we offer to others be fresh Bread? Not stale from last year but freshly given to us that very day! Will the Living Water that flows through us be clear and clean, giving all the glory and honor and praise to God?

This is a night of many celebrations. Let the first and best celebration be with Jesus. Tomorrow: His Resolutions for Me

Psalm 8: The Majesty and Glory of Your Name written by Tom Fettke & Linda Lee Johnson

 

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Ordinary People – Extraordinary God

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:8-14 (NLT)

Christmas. The birth of the Christ is all about God, Infinite, All-Powerful, Creator, Jehovah, and LORD of Lords who came to earth to save and establish a personal, intimate relationship with His finite, imperfect, weak, and created children. And the many different ways of how He has done that – is what these devotionals and the stories of others are all about. They are the vehicle that we use to express, in practical and personal ways, the Good News of Jesus.

Thirty plus years ago, I became a mom. Maybe like most people, as the time came near I became more nervous. Sure I was a nurse but I didn’t work with children. I seriously avoided that! But I also had done some terrible things in my life and I heard this whispery voice in my head that kept telling me that I would be punished for these things – that the sins of the mother would be visited upon the child! I told God I was sorry and asked that He forgive me. But I wasn’t forgiving myself and so this voice had a open invitation to just keep beating me up all through this pregnancy. And then I went into labor and gave birth to a beautiful, dark-haired girl. She was perfect! But wait! Much to everyone’s surprise (including the doctor’s!) there was another baby that was never seen on any ultrasound! Hidden away like a gift waiting for Christmas! And so I had a beautiful, golden-haired boy! Did God know how to send a Forgiveness Message?!! The Good News of Jesus Christ?!!

This is just one of many stories this ordinary woman could tell about the extraordinary God that she has come to know. Like the shepherds in the field that night, I was so very clueless about my Creator. He had tried to show me His glory in sunrises and sunsets, in the laughter of a child, or the worn hand of a grandparent – but I was either too busy or too full of my own importance and intelligence to see. And so one night – He sent a “host of glory” to get my attention, just like He did the shepherds.

I cry every Christmas. I weep with joy, humbled by what our LORD has done; awed by His glory that I see in the faces of those two miracles that are grown now – and in the sunrises and sunsets, the laughter of children and my own worn hand. I see His glory now everywhere!

For most people, the next two days will be busy, maybe even crazy busy! Please, my friends, let us not miss the glory of this time. Spend some time late at night or early in the morning just being quiet. Listen for the sound of God’s presence. See Him in your spirit. Feel Him with every part of yourself. Shhh. There. Here. Now.

O Holy Night written by Adolphe Adam (1847) and now sung by Josh Groban

Lectionary texts for this week: I Samuel 2:18-20, 26, Psalm 148, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:41-52

I will see you back here next Monday.

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The Promises

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine …

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!     Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (NLT)

There is something just beautiful and powerful about these words spoken by the prophet Isaiah.

Light will overcome the darkness. We walk in a world of darkness. There is evil in this world. Isaiah spoke God’s promise and Jesus reminded us again just before He died (John 16). No matter what I see with my physical eyes, God has already won the war between Him and evil. Satan’s time grows shorter every day. Maybe that is why he is becoming more and more overt, trying to get in some final licks.

A Gift. The Light, Jesus, was given to us. Just as a child receives a present on Christmas without having to pay for it or earn it, we are given the gift of Jesus’ redemption. This isn’t a weak gift but a gift that cannot be compared to anything or anyone else. It is the gift of eternal – forever and ever – life.

Names. Just in case I am unsure about the complexity and vastness of my gift, here are some of the characteristic names of my LORD. And as I read these four names I see again the Trinity that is my LORD. He is the Counselor, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He is Mighty Father God. He is my Prince of the Peace that passes all my understanding.

The prophecy will happen. And Christ will come again. His Kingdom will forever rule. The evil will be destroyed by the King who has already won the war. It is this assurance that gives hope, peace, courage, and persistence for every day. Here in this passage Isaiah calls God the LORD of the His Armies. It is a prophecy of a child to be born but it also telling about the Mighty God who cannot be defeated but has, in fact, already defeated His enemies.

I am the Lord your God.
I am holding your hand, so don’t be afraid.
I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:13 (NCV)

Bethlehem Morning written by Morris Chapman and sung by Silvie Paladino

 

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Mary, A Girl

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was confused by the angel’s words and wondered what they meant. Then the angel told Mary, “Don’t be afraid! God is pleased with you, and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”        Luke 1:26-33 (CEV)

Mary was not a person in the Bible that I could identify with as I was growing up. She was represented to me as submissive, quietly assured of God’s benevolence, and just a young, sweet girl. None of those characteristics would have been applied to me by people who knew me. But then I actually read the Bible for myself and that is not the Mary that I found there. I read some history and Mary became someone I could learn and grow in my own relationship with God. In my mind I sat down with Mary and asked her about what happened to her after she received this great honor of being called by God to give birth to His Son, the Messiah. Glorious in Kingdom terms but pretty harsh in the world she lived in.

I had plans. Mary was engaged to a man, Joseph. To be engaged in her time was like being married. The contract was signed and all that was left was the celebration and the consummation. To break the contract was a reallybig deal. And coming up pregnant was a reason to break the contract – especially if the groom wasn’t part of the pregnancy!

Mary had plans. Like most of us, preparing for the wedding celebration and a new household is a frantic time but it is the best time! You have dreams about how wonderful it is all going to be. And then this stranger (an angel?) suddenly appears and shatters all those dreams that you had, to tell you that God has a different plan for you. It’s an overwhelming plan. It is more than you could have asked or imagined and yes, you are humbled by His call. And then the reality of that plan begins to take shape.

Family are the first to judge with my church a close second. And so Mary goes to her parents and to Joseph and tells them she is pregnant – by God. I wonder who she told first. There is no record of Mary’s parents’ reaction but in that time in history and in the culture it is doubtful that they were calm and understanding. We know that Joseph had decided to divorce her quietly. I’m not sure how “quietly” that could be done in a small town and synagogue (Matthew 1:18-25). And a possible response to a girl who would have sexual relations outside of marriage was to stone her to death, and this was done by the good and ‘righteous’ church people!

When the ‘chips are down’, I was surprised who was with me. And so Mary is saved from a possible stoning because Joseph receives a dream from God, explaining that Mary was telling the truth and that he, Joseph, was to be the earthly father to Immanuel. And Joseph steps up and takes on the responsibility of his pregnant wife. I bet Nazareth was like any other town in that it had ‘busybodies’ who were quick to start doing the math and determining whether Mary was pregnant before the wedding. People like that love to snicker and whisper behind your back when they see you at the market and as they sit near you in the church.

And then the night of labor comes and Mary is far from home, far from family. She isn’t in her clean bed but in a stable, lying on a dirt floor. She doesn’t have a midwife to be there for this first birth. Had she ever been in attendance herself when someone had given birth? Joseph’s experience would have been with farm animals. And so Mary labors alone with her husband and gives birth to – the Messiah – in a stable with their donkey and maybe a cow present. And just as she may have dozed in exhaustion, the door to the stable is filled with shepherds who say they have heard about the baby from a chorus of angels. It is an extraordinary night! This may have been the first time that God shows us again that “family” isn’t about blood relations but about God-relations, those who do His will are our family (Mark 3:31-35).

Another less than uplifting prophecy. Jesus is presented at the Temple for circumcision and dedication as the first born son, as is tradition. A priest, Simeon has, like all of God’s people, been waiting for the promised Messiah. God reveals to Simeon that this child is the One he has been waiting for. After so many generations, what an extraordinary blessing to Simeon! And then he delivers another message from God to Mary –

Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”     Luke 2:34-35 (NLT)

Have you ever had a sword pierce your soul or your heart? I believe I have. A message from God is often not uplifting but convicting so that God’s people will turn to God’s will.

Then there were the cries of all those babies. Soon after the birth, Mary and Joseph learn that crazy King Herod is so afraid that this rumored Messiah-king will threaten his little kingdom that he orders all, all the boys two years and younger who lived in Bethlehem and its vicinity to be killed. So the soldiers came, burst into homes or snatched them up on the streets or out of their mother’s arms and ran them through with a sword! Mary and Joseph escaped the massacre, again because of a dream, but you know they were aware of what was happening and they knew the ‘why’ of it. What a terrible journey to Egypt that must have been. No one to care and support them.  (Jeremiah 31:15)

God and I. And so when all this is read and discussed, I see how God faithfully walked with Mary every step of her life. From the announcement of her pregnancy to her son’s horrific death and departure back to the glory from which He came, God never left this fragile woman. He wrapped her in His strength and so she completed the mission she had been given.

Power of Your Love written by Geoff Bullock and sung by Hillsong Worship Team

 

 

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Joseph: An Obedient Quiet Man

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from December 3, 2010]

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.     Matthew 1:24 (NLT)

A teacher, author, and friend of mine, Dr. Alden Thompson, talks a lot about the unanswered questions and information that we do not have explicitly written in the Bible that may appear in the “white spaces”– between the words.  He’s right.  There are many unanswered questions especially about the people and their lives and their relationship with God.  We see them in print like looking through knothole in a fence…just a part, not the whole picture.

Joseph has always been of great interest to me.  I always felt a connection since my name was – a nickname – of his name.  There is very little written about him except for this first chapter in Matthew, in chapter 2 when he is told to return the family to Nazareth, and then Luke in chapter gives the birth story and ends with Jesus’ trip to the temple at age 12.  Joseph is never mentioned again and so we conclude that he died before Jesus was 30 and began His ministry.  Joseph would have been maybe in his 50’s, which was average for the day.

I would think that Joseph would have many questions for God regarding the circumstances surrounding the birth of the Messiah and especially the setting for His entrance into the world.  He is shown to be an honorable man who, despite the Law that said he could ‘divorce’ or break his marriage to Mary when she is pregnant before they have had a physical relationship, did not want to expose Mary to a possible stoning for adultery. He is visited in a dream and told that Mary is carrying the Messiah. I wonder how many of us would have accepted that news without question? And then the birth comes when they are far from home and family.

Where are the midwives and temple priests and even our family?” “Why didn’t Mary go into labor before we left home where at least she would have a bed and clean linens?” “Who is going to celebrate with us?”

I, too, have many questions about the circumstances that God leads me through.  “Why this way?  Why not another way?” “God, are You sure You know what You are doing?”

And yet, like Joseph, I love my Lord and I trust Him because I am His child but also because – what else can I do? He has been there for me so many times and led me through the darkest of valleys. Maybe Joseph had some experiences earlier in his life and now, in that place where he really knows something – he knows that he has heard God in his dream. And so he goes against all that may seem logical and follows God.

Yes, I have many questions but my perspective changes when I remember that He is God!  He is Sovereign! Jesus is alive! And He loves me!

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-4 (NLT)

Joseph’s Song written and sung by Michael Card

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Joseph, God’s Man

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from October 29, 2008]

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly …

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.     Matthew 1:18-19, 24 (NIV)

Matthew begins his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus. Most of us who are modern American Christians have probably not read the first 16 verses of Matthew’s gospel very often. We skip it as something unimportant. How many of us know our own genealogy? How many of us care? I think Matthew states this history for me so that I can see that Joseph came from the line of Abraham, Isaac, and King David. He was a craftsman, a carpenter, in his village of Nazareth, not wealthy but respected in his community. He is engaged to a ‘good girl’ from a ‘good family’. And then she comes up pregnant. Matthew says that Joseph is a righteous man. He is moral, just, and honorable. He does not want to see this girl stoned to death for her ‘mistake’. What to do?

Joseph has a dream. An angel appears to him and tells him just how Mary’s pregnancy came about. The angel says that God’s Spirit – God Himself – impregnated Mary! I cannot imagine what ran through Joseph’s mind as he awoke that morning! Did he just sit in stunned disbelief? Did he slowly get up and begin his day’s work, giving his hands something real and familiar to do while his mind, his heart, attempted to accept this phenomenal news?! Did he wake up with the conviction that “Yes. God said this to me and so I will do this!” or did he struggle to obey? To obey would mean that whatever respect he had in the community was going to vanish. Matthew implies that Joseph woke up with obedience. Joseph had an obedient heart.

Matthew is the only gospel writer to mentions Joseph. In chapter 2, Joseph once again shows that obedient heart and receives God’s instructions to take his family to Egypt, protecting them from the insane behavior of King Herod. Joseph brings the family safely back to Nazareth and that is the last we read of Joseph’s life in the Bible.

Joseph found himself caught in the middle between what his world, his religion, and even his family and friends thought he should do and what God was telling him to do. Have you ever been in the place? Joseph chose God’s path. Joseph listened to God’s voice and responded in obedience. He was a man with a heart for God.

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth;
Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love for me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.    Psalm 86:11-13 (NIV)

A Strange Way to Save the World written and sung by 4Him

 

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Once For All – with Tears of Joy

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Jody Neufeld

O Lord God Almighty, how long will your anger smolder against the prayers of your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.
You have made us a source of contention to our neighbors,
and our enemies mock us.

Restore us, O God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.    Psalm 80:4-7 (NIV)

Lectionary texts: 4th Sunday of Advent – Micah 5:2-5, Psalm 80:1-7, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-55

As I write this, Christmas is just one short week away. As I write this, most of us are still stunned by the deaths of 20 children and 8 adults in an elementary school in Connecticut. If you haven’t seen the memorial service that was done on Sunday at Newtown, I hope you will consider watching it on one of the news sites. It was just such a blessing to hear all the different clergy come together and seek the comfort of God. I did not understand the Hebrew song by the rabbi or the one from the Muslim boy but my spirit understood the cries to God.

The lectionary texts this week speak to my heart about the faithfulness of God. Each of the books that the passages are taken are a reminder of God speaking and standing intimately with His children. It is a lie of Satan that God is disinterested or arbitrarily chooses to whom He makes His love known.

The passage from Luke includes a beautiful prayer from Mary that echoes the prayer from my heart today. “You have remembered me, LORD, though I am so weak. Your great love and forgiveness is extended to me and to all who truly know You. I know that You have wonderful plans for me.”

We live in a fallen world. We live in a world that has great evil in it. Jesus said that we would be light and salt in this world (Matthew 5:13-16). He told us not to worry, not to fear and to be encouraged (take heart!) and live in peace because He has overcome the world (John 16). We must accept that terrible, horrific things are going to happen. We cannot legislate it all away. We cannot isolate ourselves so that no evil touches us – or our children. We must stand in the knowledge and truth and armor of God (Ephesians 6). We must teach our children by our words and our lives the way of God (Psalm 78). They need to grow up to know that Jesus is always there with them. He is their strength. He is their shield.

Jesus made the sacrifice (His life) once for all and so I have the assurance that there is nothing more needed. Because of Him, fear has no part of my life. Because of Jesus, I do not fear what any person can do to me or my children or my grandchildren. I will shed tears as this world is characterized with suffering and pain. I will turn my face toward God and offer those tears to Him and bring my questions and my pain to Him. Because it is in Jesus that I find my comfort and strength to go on toward the goal that has been promised to me (Philippians 3:13-14).

In the Presence of Jehovah written by Geron and Becky Davis and sung by Vicki Yohe

 

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