Christ, Real LOVE

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13


Each year I read the Holy Scriptures that describe the promises of a Faithful God and consider the trusting heart of a young girl, a sign to announce the birth of the Messiah. Each year I ponder the glory that the angels proclaimed, contemplate the wonder of the shepherds, and reflect on the gifts of worship from the magi. Each year I listen to these ancient words that tell the story of Perfect Love.

With these familiar words, God weaves a beautiful tapestry with divine threads of faithful promises and a trusting heart, proclamations of angels and the wonder of shepherds, worshiping magi and Holy Love. He binds these together to reveal His Plan for us, the plans formed long ago. While the Scriptures reveal Perfect Love, we begin to experience Perfect Love and the fullness of God's Glory - at the cross. It is through Christ, the Living Hope, that we experience this most amazing grace!

And me? I know the ancient words but desire to experience the words. Now as then, God's wonders and promises continue, as do my traditional celebrations of Christmas, but unlike me, He is perfect faithfulness and never changes. Beyond the familiar readings and recitations, I experience Grace in a promised fulfilled. As the angels and shepherds did, I experience telling the Good News. Like the magi, I experience the joy of worshiping Christ the King! These ancient words become living words when I experience Christ, when I experience Real LOVE! ~dho

4th Sunday in Advent ~ Love

Lighting the candle of love ~

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given, . . .
And He will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6-7

Traditions unfold every year at Christmas, like treasures unwrapped with great care. Each holds special significance and reminds the heart. Our traditions mark time as we revisit old pictures and retell the stories, as we carefully place cherished ornaments on this year's tree, as we bake the Christmas cookies once more. Traditions exist in the repetition of experiences but live in the moments of the heart.

In the moments when we know love, laughter, tears, change, joy or peace, time lives. In between, time passes. During this holy season, as you unwrap your traditions, reflect on the true moments of living, the grace-full gifts, the bountiful blessings God gives. This is the Lord's tradition ~ to bless those who are faithful to Him.

The greatest tradition of Christmas is celebrating the reason for remembering! May we once again unfold the Promise of Immanuel, God with us. May we know Perfect Love and Extravagant Grace ~ the generosity of His Gift ~ the holiness of His peace. Every time we unwrap this treasure and retell His story, time lives! May this tradition remind us of Christ ~ remind us that He is with us always ~ remind us that He lives! ~dho

Word of Everlasting JOY

Joy to the World

Joy to the world! the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heav'n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ,

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love.

Joy to the World is one of the most published Christmas hymns. Written in 1719 by Issac Watts, English hymn writer and theologian, the hymn was part of a series he wrote based on the Psalms. This particular hymn was written based on Psalm 98, its words glorifying Christ's triumphant return.

Although we often sing this hymn to celebrate Christ's birth, to rejoice like the angels, shepherds, and wise men, singing this hymn is in keeping with the complete spirit of Advent. For during Advent we celebrate the birth of  Christ and joyfully anticipate the return of Christ. When Christ returns to earth, there will be rejoicing! Only from, in, and through Christ can we know deep, abiding spiritual joy! This Christmas, rejoice and be glad and give Him glory, for to know Christ is to know everlasting joy! ~dho

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!" Revelation 19:6-7a NIV

Christ, Real JOY

With joy you will draw water from wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted. Sing praises to the LORD, for He has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."
Isaiah 12:3-5 ESV

According to Jewish tradition during the Feast of Tabernacles, in celebration of joy and thanksgiving for God's provision while in the wilderness, a golden pitcher was filled with water from the pool of Siloam and along with wine was poured over the sacrifice on the altar. The act of pouring out the water was a symbol of repentance. Another act involved lighted torches which the Hebrew people carried around the temple. The purpose of this was to symbolize that "the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles." [Mary Fairchild, Feast of Tabernacles]

In the New Testament, reading in John 7:37-38, "On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" At this Feast of Tabernacles Jesus describes himself as Living Water, poured out for us. The next day, "while the torches were still burning" [Fairchild], Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." [John 8:12] 

"The inevitable result of genuine salvation is joy! The joy found in Christ is like an inexhaustible well, satisfying the most desperate thirst." [Blackaby Study Bible Notes] As you journey through this Christmas season, are you finding Real JOY? If not, perhaps you are looking in the wrong places. You don't have to wander alone in the dry, dark places. The Holy One is here! Christ is Real JOY! ~dho

3rd Sunday in Advent ~ Joy

Lighting the candle of joy ~

After seeing [Jesus], the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished  Luke 2:17-18 NLT

In this third Sunday in Advent we light the candle of JOY! The Christmas season is full of reasons to have joy -- to celebrate -- to praise God for such extravagant generosity. Images of angels and choirs of angels awaken our imaginations. Words like Glory and Hallelujah echo the sounds of trumpet and tympani. Church bells and hand bells ring with joy. Our hearts stir and our souls smile as we listen to both story and song. 

This world attempts to steal our joy at every corner. Poverty and plenty contradict while tragedy and truth challenge each other. Within our desire for joy, sadness competes for attention. So how do we keep joy-full when angels and choirs and music are silenced by tragedy? Our church is singing this chorus during the Advent season: Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God incarnate, here to dwell. Emmanuel, Emmanuel, Praise His name, Emmanuel. God is with us ~ and that alone is reason for JOY! ~ dho

Word of Everlasting PEACE

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . . and be thankful.
Colossians 3:15 ESV

'Peace on the earth, good will to men,

from Heaven's all-gracious King':

The world in solemn stillness lay,

To hear the angels sing.*

"Peace of God" is often challenged by a world full of anxieties and chaos, doubts and uncertainties, but there is an inner peace the soul knows when faith in Christ leads one to "peace with God." Perfect peace is a gift God gives to the faithful ones who trust in Him.

When peace shall over all the earth

It's ancient splendor fling,

And the whole world send back the song

Which now the angels sing.*

"Peace on earth" is the promise of His everlasting peace which is still to come. For now, each of us is called to embrace peace offered by the Author of peace, measured by the Prince of peace, and revealed by the Spirit. During this Holy season, let the Prince of Peace be born again in us. May Christ's peace be the ornament that decorates our hearts at Christmas and throughout the coming year. ~dho

* lyrics to "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" written by Edmund Sears, 1849