All Things New

New Year's Day is just around the corner. We are often led to believe that with the new year comes new beginnings. Time for new diets, new ways of behaving, new higher thoughts.

May I suggest we keep the old ...

God is, as a friend would put it, "Older than dirt." ... I definitely need to keep Him in my thoughts.
Jesus was born over 2000 years ago ... I want to keep Him in my heart.
Several years ago, I began a scheduled Quiet Time of reading the Bible, praying, journaling, going through motivational (Christian) readings. In doing so, I have grown a more personal relationship with God ... I plan to keep this as well!

Perhaps in keeping the old, I will at least contemplate the new:
New diet of mediations; newer, refreshing of my prayer life; renewed thoughts of praise, and delving further in how I intend to please Him.

And another old thought:  May I wish you a most blessed New Year!!

What Is It About?

What is it about this babe in the hay

That we should love Him so?

I ask, “Is He just an innocent Child,

Or does He mean so much more?”


What is it about this man on the road,

That others should flock to Him?

I ask, “Is it just the healing He does,

Or is it the words He speaks?”


What is it about that man on the cross,

That others despise Him so?

I ask, “Is He just the King of the Jews,

Or is He the Son of God?”

Psalm of Gratitude

Hear, O God of all nations,

Hear as we sing of your glory.

We praise you, O Lord.

Your river of grace overflows our banks.

In gratitude we sing to you.

In gratitude we praise you, O Lord.          Selah!

 



Though all life is not peaceful

Still we thank you for pockets of peace.

Though anxious thoughts press upon us

Still we know you are in ultimate control.

Though beset with problems at every turn

Still we praise you, our Rock, and our Redeemer.

Because of you we live,

We breathe,

We have our being.

Because of you our souls rejoice.       Selah!


Blessed are those

Who acknowledge their dependence

On the God of all nations.

May our gratitude rise to you

On the incense of our actions.

Are You the One

      (to the tune of Finlandia)
Are You the One, or shall we seek another?
Are You the One, or just a holy man?
How will we know, how we can love each other?
How can we now prepare ourselves for Thee?
O Lord, our God, the nations, ever warring,
Refuse to know what we, ourselves, can’t see,
How can we help the nations see their weakness
When all they think is “self“, and never Thee?


When You return, O Lord, in pow’r and Glory,
There’ll be no time to ask it then of Thee.
Are You the One, the One we’ve been expecting?
And how shall we prepare ourselves for Thee?
If you’re the One, we seek Thy tender mercies.
But, dare we ask, when we refuse to see,
When yet we know how sinful we are being;
When all we think is “self” and never Thee!

Prepare

A favorite song of this Advent season goes:

 

A Voice cries out,

prepare the way of the Lord.

Make straight the highway of our God."

 

 

John the Baptist cried out, "Repent! He is near!"

Two thousand years ago, most Jews believed His coming would transform the political situation by overthrowing oppression.  But, Christ arrived, desiring to transform US!  He came to free the prisoner ... not from jail, but from sin. He came to heal the brokenness ... not of bones, but of spirit. He came to change lives ... from self-centeredness to a focus on helping others. He cam to overthrow the oppression of the soul!

 

Does His advent still speak to today's world?  A resounding, YES!

Again, not politically, but as release from anything that binds us, keeping us from fullness of life.

 

We are called to "make straight all the crooked places." The nearness of God's reign still brings healing to broken lives. We are called to repent, and to stop waiting. Be God's transforming agent of healing in the world. The word "follow" is an active verb.

 

As Wm. Barclay wrote: "Keep us from everything that would make us difficult to live with today."

 

Prepare! He is coming! Watch for Him!