Today's Word
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Our Lord is so good, He grants us many blessings. We can see Him in the daily course of events, in our homes, our jobs, our lives. I pray that these words help you to grow in your faith and recognize His hand in even the most mundane circumstances.
The picture to the right is of a Celtic Chapel located in Cornwall England. This building is approximately 1700 years old, and contains a holy well known for its healing powers.
(Click for enlarged)
“Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work. As it is written, ‘He has scattered abroad. He has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.’ Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-11, WEB
Modern technology changes so quickly that we often replace pieces before they stop working. That’s what we did a few years ago with a television. The old one was great, but it did not have the proper inputs for the other equipment we wanted to use with it. So, I posted the old one on a recycling/sharing list. Someone was looking for a television, so I contacted the person and offered it to them. We made arrangements to meet, I rescheduled my week, and Bruce took the time on a busy day to take down the old television and put up the new one. I was excited that I could share with someone who needed help.
Then things started to get a little strange. When you make this kind of exchange on a recycling/sharing list, it is important to be careful. The list members are regularly reminded to meet in public places and to never give too much personal information. It would be nice if we lived in a world where we would not have to take these kinds of precautions, but you just don’t know. I’ve watched enough court television to know that you can’t trust everyone you meet on the Internet.
At first, she was willing to meet me after 2:00, which was a little later than I would have liked, but I was willing to accommodate her. I suggested 2:30. She told me she could try to be there by then, but she’d definitely make it by 3:30. Quite frankly, I was not willing to sit in a parking lot for an hour to give her a free television, so I asked her to narrow the time period. She came back with an apology because she’d read her schedule wrong and she wasn’t available that late in the afternoon. “Why don’t I just come to your house to pick it up when I can work it in?”
I am a cheerful giver; I like to share my blessings with people who need help. However, that email stopped me in my tracks. I wrote back that I was uncomfortable with that idea, could we please try to do it earlier in the day. Despite several more emails and texts, I never heard from her again. I sent her one more message, telling her that I was going to visit the store where we would meet and that I’d be there between certain times. If she could make it, she should text me and I would leave my shopping to transfer the television. I finished my shopping and waited in my car until well after the time I promised, but she never came.
It all might have been innocent; after all she seemed sincerely interested in getting a television, any television. She may have told this same story from the point of view that I needed to be more gracious and accommodating because she was having a tough time. Maybe I should have; I had the freedom and flexibility that she did not have. That didn’t mean that I had hours to waste. I was willing to accommodate; all I asked was a commitment to a specific time. Let's be honest, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was trustworthy when she stopped communicating after I refused to give her my home address.
My frustration and uncertainty were overturned, however, when I drove into the Goodwill donation station. The man waiting there was excited to see me, and extremely thankful for the television. He greeted me with a huge smile and happily received the television as if I were giving him a great gift. He thanked me and wished me a very merry Christmas as he waved me off for the rest of my day. In the end, the giving became a joyful experience.
We don’t need the recipients of our gifts to be cheerful for us to be cheerful givers. As a matter of fact, most people who are in need are burdened in ways that make even thankfulness difficult. We are blessed to be a blessing, but we are also blessed to be good stewards. Paul reminds us that it is God who makes the grace abound in us. Sometimes, perhaps even in this example, God took away the joy from one opportunity and restored it in the right one.
Sadly, too many people have experiences like this and will stop being generous altogether. Out of the frustration and uncertainty they will learn that they can’t trust the people who are asking for help. The lesson we should learn from this, however, is that God makes the grace abound in us and we will experience the joy of cheerful giving when we are being obedient to His purpose in our life. He will always make everything right, even when we fail, so that the world will be blessed by our blessings.
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“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another; not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.” Romans 12:9-16, WEB
I don’t love snow, which is why I am very happy to live in Texas. Of course, there is something about the American traditions of snow-covered paths and snowmen. We are all dreaming of a white Christmas, right? I grew up in the Northeast, and though it wasn’t always white on Christmas, it was far more likely than many places around the country. I lamented the lack of snow at my first Christmas in California, though I did not expect it. Imagine our surprise when we woke up to snow on December 26th! We visited Austria for our last Christmas in Europe, and we looked forward to the snow-covered mountains after four years in England where it rarely snowed. The children were very excited about the trip, although I think they were most excited to be able to throw snowballs at their dad.
It is interesting that we have that image of a white Christmas despite living in the American south. There are plenty of snowmen around our neighborhood (we have four in our yard!) and large lighted snowflakes. Some towns have Christmas festivals with ice skating rinks and snowfields made with fake snow. These snowy images are seen around the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Europe. The images of Christmas are much different in the Southern Hemisphere, however. It is winter for us, but those in the southern hemisphere are just beginning summer. We tend to celebrate the holidays with cozy fireside parties drinking eggnog, the people in the Southern Hemisphere are planning barbecues and trips to the beach.
It is doubtful that Mary and Joseph saw any snow on that first Christmas two thousand years ago. The Holy Land rarely sees snow. Jesus’ birth did not actually happen on the 25th of December, and the gospel writers give us few clues as to the actual date. The festival of Christmas was established hundreds of years after the fact, and is simply a day when we commemorate an event that has great meaning to those of us who love and follow the Lord Jesus.
It is a topsy-turvy world. Many people who celebrate Christmas are not even aware of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. They see the Nativity and think of the birth as a nice story, but not a real event. They give gifts like the wise men, but often do it out of duty rather than with a desire to give back to God in thanksgiving for His great gift to the world. They sing Christmas carols, not realizing the importance those songs have to Christians as we share God’s love.
For Christians, Christmas is not simply a secular holiday to party and give gifts. It is a time for us to reflect on Jesus’ birth and to look forward to the moment when we will be face to face with Him forever. The world made Christmas about snowy scenes and Santa Claus, but we can keep His birth in the proper perspective as we live our life. Not only should our Christmas celebrations be different that the world’s, but our whole life should reflect our upside-down attitude.
Many people are surprised to discover that Mary and Joseph did not travel along snow covered paths when they went to Bethlehem. They do not realize that the stable was not covered with snow. Even more so, they do not understand the Christian lifestyle because it is so different than their expectations for the holiday season. The words Paul wrote in this chapter of Romans are difficult. We are to bless our enemies? Associate with the humble? These commands go against everything we desire in the flesh, but it is the life we are called to live. It is the life we can live when we trust in God’s grace.
The following links provide some specially chosen scripture that tell the stories of the Birth and Passion of our Lord as Saviour Jesus Christ, as well as a fictional perspective of the Crucifixion. Spend time in God's Word, read about His life and learn of the wonderful gifts He has for you. Know Jesus Christ and honour Him today. Thanks be to God.
The Story of our Saviour's Passion
The Crucifixion, a fictional perspective
When researching, I use several versions of the bible, including the New International Version and English Standard Version. Due to copyright restrictions, I have not included quotes for the scriptures on some of the archives, but highly encourage you to open your own bibles to read the scripture passages for yourselves. Where scripture is quoted, it is usually the American Standard Version or World English Bible which belong to the public domain. Any other versions used in quotes are identified.
The devotion posted on Wednesday is based on the Lectionary texts used by millions of Christians each Sunday. The Lectionary consists of four texts: an Old Testament passage, a Psalm, a passage from one of the Epistles and a Gospel text and follows the church calendar. Archives for these writings are found at Midweek Oasis.
You are welcome to use these words to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Please remember to give credit to the Author who has given you these gifts, and keep in remembrance the vessel which He used to bring them to you. We pray that this site may be a blessing to you and anyone with whom you've shared it. Peggy Hoppes
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