The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend.
He knows our need— to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!

O Holy Night, verse 2b

Have you ever heard a conversation like this: 

Person A: “Are you sure you can snowboard down this mountain blindfolded?

Person B:  “Are you kidding? I was born for this!” 

My guess is you have not heard that exact conversation, but people can be so confident when they are doing something they have enjoyed doing for a long time.  On a deeper level, when we see people moving in ways that they are uniquely gifted to, it is a sight to behold.

A few years ago, I was in the hospital after a snowboarding accident. Since I live in a small town, it was not surprising that my nurse was somebody who attended our 20-somethings Bible Study group.  I had just come out of major surgery on my leg, and I was in a lot of pain and in and out of consciousness all night.  I don’t remember much except the mercy and care I received that night from Jen.  Cooling cloths on my forehead, gentle words, and earnest bedside prayers when her evening rounds brought her to my bedside.  It was just amazing to be cared for by someone with natural gifts for mercy and compassion.

Hebrews 2:14 says, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil”

Jesus is born to experience life with us, so he knows how to free us from our weaknesses.  His birth and, ultimately, his death is exactly what we need.  The gift of the Christ child is laid before us, and all we need to do is bend a knee.

Scripture References

John 3:16 Hebrews 2:14

Action Step

What are some things you feel you were born to do? How does your understanding of this help you understand the mission of Jesus?

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle, we stand.

O Holy Night, verse 2a

We are constantly being led by something. In a consumer culture, we are constantly consuming information. It’s readily available at our fingertips. When I was little my mom would always say “input, output…what goes in is what comes out”. This idea is that whatever we consume, essentially will consume us. Our thoughts, our speech, our hearts, our mind, and our souls.

For example, if we consume too much social media, it has been shown scientifically to produce insecurity and fear, leading to depression and anxiety. If we consume a large amount of television news, it has been shown to have the same results as social media. Too much of either, social media or the news, can be a breeding ground for fear. In the same respect, if we spend time in the Word of God, prayer, praise, the fellowship of other believers, and thanksgiving it has been shown to cultivate a heart of love and security in Christ which leads to faith, peace, and joy.

Matthew 12:34b says, “for the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” We are connected by mind, body, and soul. Whatever we consume too much of will lead us in every aspect. What we input; we will output. What we consume will lead us.

I love this quote from Pastor Craig Groeschel: “Our life is always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. Most of life’s battles are won or lost in the mind.” 2 Corinthians 10:5, calls us to “take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.” An active call to do just as Colossians 3:2 says “to set out mind on things above.” When we do His perfect love casts out all fears. We are then led by love and able to “approach His cradle with glowing hearts led by the light of faith”.

Scripture References

1 John 4:18, 2 Corinthians 2:5, Colossians 3:2, Isaiah 26:3

Action Step

Reflect: What things are consuming you? What are you inputting the most, as a result, what are you outputting? What changes do you need to make so you are led by faith and love?

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

O Holy Night, verse 1b

The Oxford dictionary tells us the word “kneel” is a verb, or action word, which means to “be in or assume a position in which the body is supported by a knee or the knees, as when praying or showing submission.”  Such a posture humbly re-orients our bodies so that we are beneath something or someone else with greater authority than ourselves. 

Because God loved us so completely (God Himself is love), He has gifted us with free will.  We are free to return that love to Him or not.  Where would beauty be if God’s creations were all blindly compelled into submission and loyalty?  If we were forced to bow down as the royal subjects were to do with King Nebuchadnezzar and the golden statue in Daniel 3?  That is not the type of devotion our God wants from us.  He loves us far too much.  He desires that our devoted hearts willingly choose to love Him back in adoration; awe; and, yes, voluntary submission.

A leper, synagogue official, Simon Peter, and others fell at their knees in the presence of Jesus (Matthew 8:2, 9:18; Luke 5:8).  They understood who was in front of them and the reverence due to that person. That they each “fell” to their knees implies that they couldn’t help it.  The action was an impulsive reflex of sorts, out of response to the glory that stood before them.  They didn’t place themselves in a kneeling position as we might do when practicing yoga, playing with children, or fixing a leaky pipe.  They fell, and in no lesser ways should we respond after contemplating His vast love for us.  After all, God created a son so He could later be sacrificed to save us.  That is love. That alone should make us fall to our knees in worship and reciprocating love.

Scripture References

Philippians 2:10; 1 John 4:19

Action Step

Today, on your knees if you are able, spend a few minutes just worshiping our God.  Don’t ask Him for anything at this time.  Worship who He is and spend quiet time with just Him. 

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

 O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.

O Holy Night, verse 1

Let’s start our time together with a short exercise.  Take a moment to finish this sentence:

If only…. 

So how did you answer it?  There are myriad ways to fill in that blank, and each is unique and nuanced to your situation but surprisingly common among your fellow humans.  We share the idea that things could always be better.  Our current situation is not the end but simply a point from which things could change.  This is theological and is deeply rooted in the sinful nature of humanity. It’s a longing for wholeness that is felt to the very core of our being.  

Psalm 84:2 says, “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” That word “yearn” is soul-wrenching.  Whenever I read it, I feel a pulling in my chest, crying out for something more.  As we navigate life, we observe so many loveless actions, and in our depths, our soul cries out for the living God.  We want something or someone to love in such a powerful way that it brings us to life and fulfills our hopes.

The unmatchable love of God does this.  As that baby is born in the straw, it signals that the time of “pining,”  the time of “yearning,” is over.  The soul felt its worth in the advent of Jesus.  The Apostle Paul drives this home by saying, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive.”

Our souls are infinitely valuable to God; Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection prove that.  He has proven repeatedly that he will do whatever it takes to help your soul feel its worth.

Scripture References

Psalm 84:2 1 Corinthians 15:22

Action Step

Bring your “If only…” to God today. Make time to let your soul rest in the truth that Jesus’ birth brings life-giving love.

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

Today, we light the Candle of Love. God is love, and He loves us completely; flaws and imperfections included.  We need not do anything to earn this love; we need only to accept it! How can we know this for sure?  Christmas and Easter are proof, both occasions perfectly complementing one another to reinforce God’s perfect love for us and His desire for us to enter into a personal relationship with him for all of eternity.  

This week we will continue to focus on love as we explore the lyrics of the classic Christmas hymn, Oh, Holy Night.  We will delve into many aspects of love this week: God’s love for us, our love for God, and our love for one another. 

For added context, the lyrics for were penned during mid-18th-century France.  After it was created by a poet and a Jewish musician, it was banned in France.  Nonetheless, against all odds, the song made its way overseas where an American abolitionist was a vessel of new life for the controversial hymn. He was particularly taken by the 3rd verse which proclaims equality among humans and chains breaking. As such, due to his efforts and the previously noted notoriety of the hymn, it was revived and sung throughout the world on Christmas Eve. 

Scripture References

Luke 2:7-16;  Matthew 2:1-12; 1 John 4:7

Action Step

Today, open your bible or click here and locate the scriptures above.  As you read, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what God would like you to to know about Him and His character as written in those Scriptures.  Praise Him for what He reveals and that the Holy Spirit revealed it to you!

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

–

Now to the Lord sing praises,
all you within this place,
and in true love and fellowship
each other now embrace;
this holy tide of Christmas
is filled with heav’nly grace.

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen verse 4

Pause. Prayerfully and slowly reread those verse lyrics one more time. When I read this for the first time, I needed to read the lyrics again because of the depths of what is being sung here. Taking the time to break this down, we see this beautiful call to love God and love others. I love this!

Christmas brings us many opportunities to love God and love others. However, it can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Our to-do lists seem to get bigger every year. We are pulled in a million directions, school functions, shopping, baking, family get-togethers, church gatherings… it can be quite overwhelming and honestly lacking peace. Ironically enough during the Christmas season, a season meant to love God and love others as we celebrate love coming down to earth in the form of a baby, it can actually be quite hard to love God and love others well.

 I often remind myself that it’s ok to say no. It’s in saying no that I can give my best yes. I practice the pause before I commit to something. I pray and ask God “is this something you are calling me to?” as I prayerfully make sure I have a margin for this. It’s in the honest surrender of our time to what God is calling us to that we can love God and love others most effectively and well. Operating from a healthy place, that is out of an overflow and is Holy Spirit-led.  

Scripture References

Psalm 90:12, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 22:36-40

Action Step

Take an honest look at your schedule. Are you over-committed? Ask God to give you a heart of wisdom as you trust Him to direct your path.

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

–

From God our heav’nly Father
a blessed angel came
and unto certain shepherds
brought tidings of the same,
how that in Bethlehem was born
the son of God by name. 

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, verse 2

If one compiled a Luke 2:1-20 highlight reel to a rhyme scheme and catchy melody, we would have today’s verse.  It chronicles when an angel appeared to the shepherds, but this vision follows several other visions and is incredibly important. 

Previously, angels appeared to Mary and Joseph to foretell the virgin birth.  Although they believed and answered the call to usher the Messiah into the world, it was the shepherds who confirmed the callings, both theirs and of the newborn baby laying in the manger.  Take a minute to read Luke’s account above to see what I mean.

Until then, Mary and Joseph acted in faith based upon what their angels had revealed, but now they received outside confirmation as well…and from shepherds no less.  King David, from whom the Messiah is descended from, was also a shepherd called in from the fields at one time (so that he could be anointed King).  All throughout scripture we see our God using His people, as unlikely as they may be, to advance His plans and purposes. 

I find an amazing peace in knowing God can use anyone at any time.  Maybe it’s a brother or sister in Christ coming to my rescue or perhaps God will use me to do the same for someone else.  Perhaps those He has placed in my path will provide confirmation of His calling on my life, or perhaps I can be fortunate enough to provide that discerning confirmation to another. 

However our lives unfold or how God uses us, we can have a peace knowing He has it all under control, just like the night in Bethlehem two thousand years ago.  He’s got this.

Scripture Reference

1 Peter 4:10; 2 Corinthians 12:9a

Action Step

Today, tell God you are willing for Him to use you to advance His purposes and His plans.  Then, today and moving forward, keep your eyes and heart open to where you can join God in His work.

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

–

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our savior 
was born on Christmas Day
To save us us all from Satan’s power 
when we were gone astray.

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, verse 1

Gas prices are rising. Let nothing you dismay.

Relationships are constantly shifting and there is so much conflict. Let nothing you dismay.

But, politics. Let nothing you dismay.

The world is changing so fast. Let nothing you dismay.

I can’t “afford” Christmas. Let nothing you dismay.

(insert your worry here).  Let nothing you dismay.

Have you ever told somebody to calm down?  Or better yet, has anyone ever told you to calm down?  How’d that go?  If your experience is anything like mine then you will note that no calming happened in response to that command.  Often the exact opposite happens because our present calamity has a stronger voice than our future serenity.  Take heart and know that you are not alone in this.  

In Luke 1:11-15 Zechariah is told, do not be afraid (let nothing you dismay) because his barren wife was going to bear a son and he would be amazing. Luke 2:30-33 Mary is told, do not be afraid (let nothing you dismay) because her son would be the Savior of the world. Then in Matthew 2:20-21 Joseph is told, you guessed it, do not be afraid (let nothing you dismay) because his fiancee’s pregannacy is the Messiah of God.  The trend has everything to do with events surrounding the birth of Jesus.

We are entrenched in realities that could bring us to debilitating fear-or we can remember.  We can allow the truth of Jesus’ birth to be our core thought, our guiding principal.  When we trust that Jesus came to defeat sin and death then we have no reason to be afraid.  Jesus has saved us from the curse of shame and death.  When are taken by our fear we lose sight of our peace.  

Christ our Savior is our peace.  Christmas means we don’t have to be afraid.  Let nothing you dismay.

Scripture Reference

Luke 1:11-15, Luke 1:30-33, Matthew 1:20-21

Action Step

What is causing you to be afraid?  Reinforce the truth that Christ is your peace.

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!

O Come, All Ye Faithful, refrain

I have been walking through a difficult season. I mean completely life-altering. My life as I knew it drastically changed as I found myself walking through a divorce after years of a difficult, unreconcilable marriage. At one of my counseling sessions, my counselor and I evaluated the last 6 months. As we sat in together reconciling the difference between my heartache and journey in comparison to many others who have walked this unspeakably painful path, we could only attribute the growth, the peace, and sheer thriving to one source: God.

I had nothing left to give, completely poured out and so unsure how to move forward. I had many nights where I sat alone completely broken, weeping, and deeply hurting. While battling heartache, anxiety, and physical pain the only comfort I could find was to listen and sing worship music: to adore Him. 

As I worshipped, I journaled my prayers. One prayer I wrote was completely praising God with adoration, claiming every name that I had ever intimately known. This is what honestly saved my life and got me through this incredibly difficult season.

The truth is we are never truly alone. We can run to the Father, clinging to the hem of His garment, safe within the palm of His hands. I found peace as I praised Him because peace is not the absence of problems, peace is found in the presence of God. It is because our hearts are made to adore Him and reciprocate God’s love. We were made for an intimate love relationship with God in the highs and the lows. What we receive as we adore Him is peace as we experience His deep-abiding love for us. It is such a gift!

Scripture Reference

Psalm 95:1-7

Action Step

Reflect on a time you walked through a difficult situation, maybe it’s right now. What is your initial response? If you’re not sitting in His presence, worshiping Him in the difficult places, ask Him to help you adore Him. Then, praise Him in the broken places.

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!

–

God from true God, and
Light from Light eternal,
born of a virgin, to earth he comes!
Only-begotten Son of God the Father

O Come, All Ye Faithful, verse 2

This verse may sound familiar: they hark back to the oft-recited Nicene Creed and incredibly similar Apostles Creed, two staples in many “traditional” Christian church services.  The former is a bit longer than the latter and has some additional theology (what we believe about God) in it.  It’s that difference that we find here in these lyrics: the establishment of Jesus and God as one. 

The Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is incredibly essential to the beliefs we maintain as Christians: if Jesus was not one with the Father, inseparable as light is from light, then that would make Him a lesser God…but then our roots in monotheism (the belief of one God as opposed to many Gods as the Egyptians believed in, for example) would become uprooted, and Jesus becomes a “lesser” God than his father.  No.  Jesus and God are one, along with the Holy Spirit.  They have existed in perfect harmony with one another since before creation. They exist in perfect peace in relationship to one another.

Going even further back than the Creation accounts in Genesis, we see that the first true example of us living in community is exemplified in the Triune God, Himself.  We were made in His image and once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in us, too.  As such, within ourselves and within the Trinity, we have a microcosm of living in community with others.

God never asks us to do something which He didn’t already do Himself and which He didn’t already craft a way for achieving.  Let Him be the prime exemplar of how we should peacefully exist and interact with others today.

Scripture References

Ephesians 4:2-3; Romans 12:16-18

Action Step

Today, in prayer, ask God to reveal where you could benefit from greater community in your life.  Is it within your marriage?  With parents or grandparents? In your church? Once revealed, commit to taking a step toward community in that area before the day is done.  

---

Missed a day? We got you! Access here!