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Posts Tagged ‘Advent’

Ah, it’s over?

Posted in Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on December 29, 2014| 1 Comment »

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????For the past two years I have treated myself and a few others to an online, animated Advent calendar. Daily, I’d click on the icon and a new puzzle, decoration or story would emerge. Each morning was different. Some days  I made my own ornaments, snowflakes, or wreaths. Some were puzzles to conquer. Others, I learned a lot about traditions all over Europe by  just watching the daily animated video. It was a special way to start each day….until December 26th.

Then, there were no more “windows” to open. I’d done all 25 of them. What a let down.

I realized as I stared at my computer screen with a protruding lower lip that my attitude needed adjusting. Each morning I have the privilege, as a professed child of the King, of opening a new and exciting day that has been orchestrated by my Heavenly Father for His glory. I have no idea what will unfold. I may have to do something, or sit back and simply watch. Some will be more thrilling and “hands on” than others. A few will be “let down” days. But like the animator of this Advent calendar, My Heavenly Lord has created each day meticulously for me to inspire me, instruct me or draw me closer.

No matter what happens throughout the day, I am confident that God is there. Just as the little Advent calendar icon sat on the bottom of my computer screen reminding me I had a surprise awaiting me, so are my Lord’s comfort, mercies and blessings hovering there in the corners of my day. I just need to click on them and bring them up them through prayer instead of computer mouse.

Tragedy can sideswipe us at any given time.I had one of those days this holiday season. I woke up and all was well, until…WHAM. But through it all, I knew whose day it was and that He would always be right there to walk through it with me. Each day when I arise, I can open my heart to God, and He will respond. That is no surprise, and until I am taken into Heaven to sit at the foot of His throne, it will never be over, be it December 26th or any other day of the year.

Each day I can find God in it, if I choose to look. So can you.

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Surely…I was unaware

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , on December 10, 2014| 4 Comments »

As part of my Advent devotionals, I read the account in Genesis of Jacob’s ladder. One verse jumped out at me:

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”  (28:16)

How often are we not aware that God is in this place – be it church, the shopping mall, our work place, our homes or standing in a long, long line when we are rushed for time? We get so caught up in the pressing issues of now, we fail to see the eternal.  Yet Our Lord Is always present.  We just need the faith-eyes to find Him.

580569_667084729976622_1695637681_n. It may not be this obvious – as some of these photos floating around Facebook indicate.

god in the clouds

But HE is present in our lives —

through us, near us, in us.

It reminds me of a hymn we used to sing often in another church I attended- Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place by Lanny Wolfe …http://www.sharefaith.com/guide/Christian-Music/Hymns/Presence-of-the-lord.html

270 blog entries ago I started to point out where I found God in my life. I hope it has encouraged you to seek Him in yours.

This holiday season is in full gear with shopping, parties and cooking. It can become stressful.Trite as it may sound, I pray that each day you find the “reason for the season.”  But even more, I pray you will point others to that as well through your attitudes, words and smiles. May others think after their encounter with you, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I was unaware…until now.”

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Come

Posted in Devotional, tagged , , , , on December 3, 2014| 2 Comments »

Advent is here– the season where we prepare for Jesus’ coming. In fact, adventus means just that- come.   

 ID-10057677As a babe, God in human form. One analogy is the watchmaker became a watch.  HE came to show us a better way. HE came to guide us into Truth. And HE was born who HE could die- for each of us.

 

 

As the eternal jujudgedge at the end of the ages when HE returns for his own. Often referred to as the Second Coming, this is when HE will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the shaft, the faithful from those who have yet to believe. But HE is also our advocate, who offers up our defense before the throne of Heaven. Since we know not when this age will pass away or when Our Savior will return, we must be prepared. Advent reminds us to both be the voice crying in the wilderness for others to repent, and also to prepare our own hearts and souls.

 

 

Woman MeditatingThirdly, His Spirit comes into our hearts, dwells in us and through us. Advent is the beginning of the Christian Year, and it is our time to make resolutions. Are we diligently praying? Do we carve out time for reading HIS word and reflecting upon it? Are we disciplining ourselves with good habits and sloughing off the old ones that lead to sin?  When others look at us and to us. does Christ shine through?

 

 

 ADVENT is more than preparing for Christmas – it is preparing for eternity.  This is something we should do each and every day – Advent is a reminder to look for God’s  shoulder-tapping in your life, and to ask Him to come into your heart, your day and your life.

                       MARANATHA – Come Lord Jesus 

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Are You Prepared?

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on December 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »

NEWSFLASH:

00436172Despite all the jinglely commercials, the glistening decorations, and the seasonal music playing on the radio…

IT IS NOT CHRISTMAS!

Not yet. The 12 days of Christmas start on December 25th.

This is the season of Advent. “Advent” means preparing. We are on the verge of something grand and wonderful that will soon happen. Like a bride who prepares for her wedding day, we are to prepare our hearts for Christ.

Okay, you say, I thought I did that when I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. Yes, you did. Just as the bride said, “Yes, I will” when her love asked her to marry him. And, as you proclaimed it at your baptism and asked the Holy Spirit to dwell in you, so the bride  and groom proclaim to the world, “I do” and take each other’s ring as a token of their vows of love, cherishing and fidelity.

But it doesn’t stop there. Each day, that husband and wife should renew their vow to each other. “Today, I again choose to keep fulfilling my promise to love, cherish and be faithful to you.” And perhaps, their upcoming anniversary serves as a reminder they should be doing that. So it is with Advent for the Christian.

We should daily renew our vow to Christ, because, let’s face it, we are tempted each and every day to slip back into the worldly view. We still need a Savior. We still need forgiveness, Like Paul, we still do the things we know we shouldn’t do.

???????????????????????????????????????Advent is a time of re-examination. It is a time to prepare, and perhaps repair, the manager of our souls in which Christ lays. The reminder that He came to earth in human form for our sake should spur us to look deep into our own lives and see if we are shining His light into the world just as that star shone that announced His birthing.

As Jesus humbled Himself to be born as an infant who dwelt in his mother’s womb, so we should be reminded that we are to humble ourselves so He can dwell in us – each and every day. We are now His light shining into the dark world- and has there ever been a time more dark than this secular age?

Advent is the time to rub the soot of the world off our lamps so they can again shine brightly as a beacon of hope, love and peace.

Matthew 5:16     In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

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