Devotions

An app on Facebook keeps asking me to play a game … it wants to tell me what 2024 will hold for me. Part of me thinks I would love to know what 2024 holds. Another part of me knows that if I knew what was about to happen I would either worry about it if it was bad or try to make it happen earlier if it was good. Either way would not be good.

Add to that what the past few years have been like and what the political climate has been lately for the 2024 presidential election, and I am sure I do not want to know!

A recent verse of the day reminded me, however, that I do know something about 2024 … and 2025 … and 2026 … and ….

“Then the angel told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” [Luke 1:30-33 HCSB]

God’s emissary, the Angel Gabriel, proclaimed to Mary something we tend to forget, or perhaps just overlook at times. Not only would Mary bring forth a son who would be great and would be called the Son of the Most High … He also would be given a throne.  AND a Kingdom. AND that Kingdom will have no end.

No matter what 2024 holds for me or for the nation, the kingdoms of this world will bow to the eternal, everlasting, mighty Kingdom of the Lord God Most High. That may be in 2024, or 2025, or …? But it will happen! Amen & Hallelujah!

Luke 17 contains one of my favorite events in the life of Jesus. Verses 11-19 tell the story of the ten lepers who came to Jesus asking to be healed. They stood at a distance and cried out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” [vs13]

Jesus told them to do what was prescribed in the law and go show themselves to the priests. That is what they did and along the way they discovered that they were “cleansed.” Their skin disease (likely leprosy) was gone.

One of them, however, upon finding out that he was cleansed, made a U-turn. He came back to Jesus and fell at His feet, giving glory to God and thanking Him. Only one? Only one – and even more remarkable, this only one was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked where the other nine were who were also cleansed. Then He turned to the only one at His feet and added a remarkable blessing, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.” [vs19 HCSB]

That word for “well” is sózó. It means to save, rescue, preserve. It means to deliver out of danger and into safety, and in the Scriptures, it is used primarily of God rescuing believers from the penalty and power of sin.

Only one returned and gave thanks and glory to God. Only one received a further blessing. Not just one healing of the body but also a healing of the soul.

How often have I noted that I am blessed – and I am. God has given me grace, mercy, redemption, love, peace, and a future. Yes, I am blessed.

Being blessed by God is wonderful, but there is an accompanying responsibility that we are also to be a blessing to others. “Others” incorporates both fellow believers and non-believers – even those who are hostile to us.

Peter wrote of this in his first letter. “Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.” [3:8-9 HCSB]

As Christians we are born again into God’s loving family. As His children we are to live in harmony, love, and humility among other Christians. Those are not natural qualities but are born of the grace God has lavished upon us.

But Peter notes, there is more than just loving family. There is also the way we are to respond to hostility and turmoil. Christians are to respond to evil with blessing.  They are not to retaliate or respond in kind to insults.

“On the contrary” Peter says, they are to give a blessing.

That is not easy, but oh, it is so necessary. First, it is a matter of obedience – God calls us to respond in this way. In addition, it appears that “giving a blessing” is crucial to “inherit a blessing.”

Father, thank you for the blessings you heap upon us. Help us to now be a blessing to all! Amen.

One of my favorite Christ-mas carols is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. While I love the words expressed in the many verses, I love the small “chorus” that comes at the end of each. “O Tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, oh tidings of comfort and joy.”

 I love that word comfort.  God is our comfort.  David expressed that wonderful truth in that most blessed Psalm 23. “I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” [vs 4]

I was a Hospice Chaplain in California before coming to Idaho. I conducted a lot of funerals. Too often, the elderly were unable to attend church and as churches changed pastors or congregations, they lost touch. I did some for others also who just never made a church connection. I tried to make each service as personal as possible, but I almost always recited Psalm 23 just prior to the closing prayer.

Our LORD is our comfort. Jesus identified Himself as the Great Shepherd. Because He is, we can fear no evil. He is always with us. His rod to protect and correct, His staff to lead and guide bring comfort to our souls.

Comfort. During the holidays we often reflect as much on what we have lost as what we have gained. Many have lost loved ones, family, or friends. Some have lost income, or experienced divorce. Children have grown up and perhaps left home. Christ-mas reminds us that what we used to have may not be ours anymore.

That is when we need those “tidings of comfort and joy” that flow from the Nativity. God has come to comfort us. We have a LORD who knows what it is to experience loss and pain with us, who mourns with us, who weeps with us. In that I find the greatest of “comfort.”

Who’s Talking Now? That’s a great question! The answer seems to be “Everyone!”

We are in one of the most bitter and vicious presidential elections I have ever experienced in my seventy-seven years. Presidential candidates are constantly attacking each other. Everyone is talking. And not just talking. They are shouting, swearing, pointing fingers, name-calling, and even challenging each other to physically fight.

We can add incendiary media to that mix. The left-leaning media is culling out the most hurtful words and actions from the right-leaning candidates and displaying them on the national media. The right-leaning media is doing the same thing in reverse. It is ugly.

Who’s talking now? Everyone! BUT … Who is actually saying something worth listening to? Only One.

“Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son [Christ Jesus]. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” [Hebrews 1:1-4 HCSB]

Christ Jesus is talking now. He’s telling us He is Creator, Redeemer, Savior, LORD. He is declaring that He is our hope, our peace, our future. He reminds us that His Presence in our lives gives strength, courage, love, victory. He is our anchor in this storm, our anchor beyond the veil.

The great question is not, “Who’s talking now?” The great question is “Whom are we listening to?”

I did several things on my birthday last week. I met with a young woman in the afternoon who recently lost a child. Then Bob and I went to dinner at Cracker Barrel and afterwards drove through a living nativity scene.

It was very well done with Roman Soldiers, pilgrims heading to Bethlehem, wise men, shepherds and their flocks, prophets, an angel and choir, and finally Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child. As we drove through there were signs with verses from Luke Chapters 1 and 2.

There was also something that had me laughing when I noticed one group of pilgrims heading toward Bethlehem accompanied by a labradoodle. He was having a great time greeting all the other pilgrims along the way.

As I drove through this living nativity I was deeply touched by its portrayal of Christ’s birth. My heart had been heavy most of the day as I thought about those experiencing loss and grief. Driving through the living nativity I saw a living example of what Christ-mas is all about – the Joy of Hope.

Christ came. As a babe. Destined for an ignoble cross. Through His resurrection, He became our Living Hope that this life, with all its sorrows and tears and partings, is not all there is.

“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” [1Peter 1:3 HCSB]

My daughter and son-in-love blessed my heart for my birthday this year. They ordered angels to add to my outdoor nativity set. They were shipped from Orlando, Florida. They were supposed to be here by December 1.

They were delayed to December 2. Then I was notified they were in Colorado and would be here on December 4. On the 4^th, they were in Salt Lake City and would arrive on December 5. (Bob said they could have flown here faster.)

They finally got here December 5, five days late, and were immediately added to the nativity scene.

It led me to think about the real angels that glorious night. When Jesus was born, an angel suddenly appeared to Shepherds with a wonderful message. “Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

Then a multitude of heavenly hosts joined the angel praising and saying: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!” [Luke 2]

That first Christ-mas morning, the angel and heavenly hosts arrived right on time. Just as God always does.

Don’t you love children’s letters to Santa.  One little boy wrote, “Santa if you brining presents with batteries bring the batteries.” That sounds like a child who has had to wait in the past for his parents to do a rush trip to a store before he could play with his toys.

One little girl wrote, “You better bring my pony this year. Or there will be consequensis.” She even drew the pony and everything so Santa could get it right.

But my favorite is one I read a few years ago and shared with The Way congregation at the time. “Dear Santa, there are three little boys who live at our house. There is Jeffrey; he is 2. There is David. He is 4. And there is Norman; he is 7. Jeffrey is good some of the time. David is good some of the time. But Norman is good all of the time. I am Norman.”

 Norman is good all the time. I have never been a ‘Norman.’ In fact, I have almost always been a ‘Norman-opposite.’ I have seldom been good. Growing up I was the one who was in trouble all the time. My younger brother, Mike, was more a ‘Norman’ than I was. That did not always serve him well since it often drove me to get him in trouble or blame him for what I had done.  (Thankfully, he still loves me, and I was able to make up for some of the things I did to him long ago!)

One day, I will stand before God. And I will give an account of my life. “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” [Romans 14:12 HCSB]

When that moment happens, I will not be able to claim I am a ‘Norman,’ who is ‘good all the time.’ Neither will I be able to “make up” some of the bad stuff with good stuff like I did with my brother.

But I will be able to claim something even more remarkable … I have placed my trust in Jesus!  Hallelujah! Amen!

Psalm 3 is a song written by David as he was fleeing from the rebellion instigated by his son Absalom. It is in two parts. In the first part, David beseeches God on account of his enemies. In the second part, David expresses his confidence in God’s deliverance and protection.

It is all about finding peace amid storms. You can hear David’s confidence in God throughout the song, but my favorite verse, the one I repeat when I am in the midst of a storm, is verse 3.

“But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.” [HCSB]

Whatever the storm, we can boldly say … “But You, LORD ….” 

No matter how great the storm, we can boldly say … “But You, LORD, are a shield around me….”

No matter how strong the enemy facing us, we can boldly say … “But You, LORD, are … my glory ….”

No matter how much life and the enemy of our soul wants to bury us with discouragement and distress, we can boldly say, “But You, LORD, are … the One who lifts up my head.”

The Christ-mas season is oft a time of struggle for many. But no struggle, no matter how great, is greater than our LORD. He will be strong on our behalf if we but call upon Him and trust Him.