Christ

Light Shines in the Darkness

Have you experienced the aurora borealis, better known as the northern lights? These glowing lights appear in the clear skies of several northern countries. Alaska is the best place to view them in the US from late August through mid-April between 9:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

Most commonly, the light glows green or white, but may appear pink or red. I’ve seen pictures with yellow, blue, and purple too.

The aurora borealis shines light that may be seen in the darkest hours of the year, and Christ came to reveal God’s light to us in our darkest hours.

As I read the following verse earlier this week, I considered the birth of my Savior and Lord. The reference to light guides us through the story of our Lord’s birth.

Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
Psalm 112:4a, NLT

Shepherds kept watch over their sheep at night when an angel appeared.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
Luke 2:9, ESV

An angel brought them the good news that their Savior was born. The shepherds hurried to find this miracle baby.

Eight days later, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to be circumcised. A righteous man, Simeon, took the baby in his arms and praised God.

I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!
Luke 2:30-32, NLT 

Simeon prophesied Jesus was the light.

Also, light shone in the darkness and led the way for wise men from the east to follow a bright star for many miles to worship the King.

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Matthew 2:9b-10, ESV

Christ is the light who shines in the darkness. He led lowly shepherds and mighty wise men to Him by revealing His light. He continues to shine His light through us and leads us on our way.

Have you submitted your life to the Lord? If not, this Christmas could be your merriest one ever if you surrender yourself to Him.

Allow Christ to not only fill you with His light but with His hope, peace, joy and love.

Shine through us, Lord. May we honor You in what we say and do.

Merry Christmas!

God With Us

This week we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s birth. Our hope for eternity—God with us.

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”).

Matthew 1:23, NIV

Christ came to deliver us from our sin and offer us eternal life with Him. No greater gift can we receive. No greater love can be shown.

In thinking about the greatest gift I’ve received, not counting eternal life with Christ, I’d have to say my family. From my parents and siblings to my husband, three children and their spouses, and my three grandchildren. I treasure these gifts and am grateful.

I’ve contemplated what my life would look like if I hadn’t followed Christ. My husband, if I married, would have been someone else, which would have affected everything in my life. I imagine it would have been a life of wandering, searching for truth, enduring loneliness, and living in hopelessness.

But with Christ—God with us—I’ve found peace, joy, hope, and love. He came for those very reasons. He supplies my needs and holds me in His arms.

What greater love than the gift of life—eternal life with Christ?

The first verse I committed to memory after receiving Christ into my life was Joshua 1:9. Why this verse? Because Satan tried to steal my peace, joy, hope, and love with his lies and fear. I needed to know that the Lord was with me always, and the eternal life I received from Him was mine to keep.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

God offers to deliver us from our sin and give us an eternal hope when we believe and follow Him. He will be with us every step of the way.

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Romans 10:9-10, NIV

What a wonderful gift from our Lord! Have you received eternal life in Christ? Make this your best Christmas and put your hope in Immanuel—God with us.

Merry Christmas!

Photo by Phil Hearing - Unsplash

Leaving a Legacy

My parents were outstanding examples of two people in love with the Lord. They became active in their church and served together for 30 years until their health gave out. They left our family the legacy of their personal commitment and faithful service to the Lord.

Their devotion to the Lord came later in life. I grew up attending church on a not-so-regular basis. If my memory is correct, the church taught that if you became a member and took communion twice a year, you would go to heaven. Our family did the minimum; we wanted to make it into heaven. Unfortunately, our church was lifeless. My heart ached for more.

My mom, too, longed for more. She’d watch Billy Graham Crusades on television and share with me what she learned. We both decided we needed to search for the truth. We started attending a small church in our neighborhood. Friendly people welcomed us, and services were lively. We heard about accepting the Lord into our hearts and lives and developing a relationship with Him. We found Christ!

A year later, my dad accepted the Lord into his life. Our motto changed from, “Let’s just get into heaven” to, “What else can we do for our Lord?” My parents and I became involved and supported the church with our finances.

Years later, after moving 500 miles away, my husband and I stayed in my parents’ home when we visited. Their faithfulness touched my heart as I’d listen to them pray at their kitchen table and call out the names of their children, grandchildren, and former foster children to the Lord. They asked God to take care of their family and draw them close to Him.

I, too, wish to leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren. I want others to remember me as a person of faith who walked in the Spirit of Christ; a woman who loved the Lord with all her heart and found joy in worshipping Him and bringing Him glory; and a follower of Christ who loved her family, prayed for them and others daily, and believed God would move on their behalf with blessing upon blessing.

Who inspired you? A relative, pastor, Bible teacher, or someone else? What legacy are you hoping to leave?

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:20-21, ESV

Photo by Tyler Nix - Unsplash

My Story—Part Two

My story continues with part two—one year later. (See My Story—April 11, 2020.) My soon-to-be husband sang in a Southern Gospel quartet, and the group was singing at a church near our home one Saturday evening. My mom and I knew this would be a wonderful opportunity to invite Dad to church with us. We’d invited him several times over the year, but he believed it was nonsense to go to church so often. We felt certain he would want to hear Kenn sing, because Dad loved music. With all of us working hard to persuade him, he caved and agreed to go with us.

Dad and Lu wedding color red.png

Dad enjoyed the singing, but the rest of the service was too much for him. An older gentleman stood to preach a quick message and held up a newborn baby with one hand as he walked back and forth at the front of the church. I guess Dad thought the preacher might drop the baby.

“I will never go to church with you again,” my dad said after we arrived home. “Those people are crazy!” He meant it, too.

The Lord had other plans. Although Dad said he wouldn’t go again, the following morning he dressed for church and attended with Mom and me.

I’m not sure if he received the Lord into his life that day or later. But once Dad committed his life to the Lord, he didn’t stop attending church or serving the Lord daily. In fact, when he retired from his regular job, the church became the place where he spent his days volunteering, doing everything he could do to serve the Lord. He served as the church’s clerk and in other capacities for thirty years, and he took to heart Psalm 100:2.

Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.

My earliest memory of him was sitting in his lap as a young child combing his hair. As I grew older, I remember him dancing and singing around the house and acting silly. I’m sure I didn’t think he was all that funny as a teenager, but as an adult, I loved his enthusiasm for life. Last week, when my husband told me I’m as silly as my dad was, it brought a smile to my face. I am like him.

In his sixties he took part in a video skit with his church’s music department. Dad was not a talented singer, but he liked to have fun. The skit ended with four men singing a song called “Moving on up to Glory.” The song was beautiful! However, they weren’t singing; it was a recording of the Cathedral Quartet. Dad and the other men were only lip syncing, but it appeared that these four tone-deaf men had become an overnight success. It was this same song that played in the background when Dad took his last breath. He moved on up to Glory to dance and praise the Lord as I held his hand ten years ago. I miss you, Daddy!

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

Psalm 149:3, NIV

Father, I’m thankful for Christ’s death, resurrection, and new life in Him. I pray that each person who reads this blog post has received or will receive new life in Christ. Draw them to You, Lord. May each person surrender their hearts to You and make You the Lord of their lives. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Photo of Bible by Rod Long - Unsplash

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