Steve Hartman tells a story of a police officer who changed the life of a young lady. He didn’t give her a ticket, but he listened and then gave her some advice… Watch what happens….
Listen to Anne Wilson and Josh Turner sing….
By Rhonda Sassano
Song of Songs 2:8-14 MSG
“Look! Listen! There’s my love! Do you see him coming? Vaulting the mountains, leaping the hills. My Savior is like a gazelle, graceful; like a young stag, powerful and effective. Look at him waiting for me, in our secret place, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes—ready! My Savior is speaking to me! He says, Arise, my dear one, fair and winsome —come to me! leave your seclusion behind. come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your face is beautiful and your voice is music to my heart..”
Sweet Savior. After all you have endured for me, the least I can do is offer praise today. My heart is bursting with renewed devotion and deep, stirring worship. I cannot imagine the extreme difficulty of your physical sacrifice for me. I cannot fathom that, your thoughts of me while you were enduring the cross, were precious to You! You are so precious to ME! I never want to let one finger or one toe, even, outside Your presence. You hold me so tenderly. Your gaze of fierce but gentle love overwhelms me! Your love is like a rollercoaster, taking me to soaring heights and then plunging me deep into secret places I’ve only dreamed about exploring… but with You, all things are possible. I trust your faithfulness. You bring me provision You bring me health You bring me wholeness in mind, in body, and in spirit. Everything I need I find in You. My heart is ready to receive Your instruction today. With great joy and honor, I anticipate Your Presence in my every day increasing as my obedience increases. In Jesus name.
“God is not looking for those who can but those who will.”
Dr. David Jeremiah shares some wisdom. I am thankful for him and his wisdom. ENJOY!
By Ashlie Miller
Were you among those waiting for Mariah Carey to “thaw” and ring in the Christmas season with her “All I Want for Christmas”? Perhaps you like to stick to Christmas carols reminiscent of Charles Dickens, or maybe you prefer to stick to true Christmas hymns.
I love songs that build upon the timeline of Christ’s arrival. Some artists have entire projects dedicated to the Advent season. In the last couple of years, I have added two songs to my playlist I would not have cherished in my earlier years. Artists Andrew Peterson and the group Poor Bishop Hooper each have songs based on Matthew 1 – Christ’s genealogy. Lyrics to Peterson’s “Matthew’s Begats” and Poor Bishop Hooper’s “Christ” may read like very boring songs to kick off the Christmas season, but for a true Advent season, they appropriately begin December.
Today, in our modern experience, genealogies are intriguing to explore on websites like Ancestry.com and perhaps fun to watch unfolding on shows like PBS’s Finding Your Roots, but other than to fill in our family history, we do not do much with them. However, the gospel of Matthew begins by showing the significance of preserving genealogies for the Jewish people. This disciple of Christ establishes His legitimacy to claim the throne of David, fulfilling the prophecy of the “anointed one” and the promise of the long-standing covenant with Israel as His chosen vessel. God was sending Jesus to bless the entire world through Abraham’s descendants.
But let’s zero in on some of the individuals mentioned in Matthew 1. I encourage you to take time to get acquainted with them. Consider a son of Jacob (Judah), who had, in his youth, sold another brother into slavery. God humbled him when he failed to care for a neglected widow in his family, an error he inadvertently corrected, leading to a transformation in his heart. Next on the list is this widow (Tamar) who had to resort to deception to gain her rights to be cared for and provided for. We see Rahab, the prostitute, who knew the Israelites had access to the God she wanted to know. She is the mother to Boaz, who is the kinsman redeemer to Ruth, a Moabite woman – a forbidden people – representing people God was making a way to forgive and include by sending Jesus. Then, we see “the wife of Uriah” – such a mark on the family legacy; it is almost too much to mention her (even though it is David who marred her name). If we saw these people at a family gathering for nobility, we would question – “Who invited them?”
We see several kings listed and come to Jechoniah – a wicked king, so sinful that his family was cursed. It would seem all hope was lost for fulfilling the prophecy of an “anointed one” to come from a cursed, evil ancestry, even if it came from the line of David. Yet, God’s sovereignty is not limited to those who would seemingly put an end to His plans.
Wow, what an overwhelming thought – God’s devotion to Himself and His plans at which He is always working; His unfailing love for humanity! Can you make that personal at the dawn of this Advent season? Look at your life and character choices over your lifetime, over the last year, or perhaps even the previous week. How has God shown you unfailing, steadfast love? Can you see your inability to gain or earn His love and promises? Take a look at Matthew 1, maybe listen to the songs, and begin your Advent season with humble reflection and worship.
Ashlie Miller and her family live in Concord, NC. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.