Incarnation!

"I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother hungry or cold, 

when you saw a sister without friends, 

when you saw the least of these and ignored their suffering, 

you ignored Me."

Matthew 25:45 The Voice

"Do You Have Room?"     by  Shawna Edwards

Advent Haiku

Perfect Love, Holy

One, Grace and Truth, Infinite

and Incarnate, dwell...

Donna Oswalt

2nd Sunday of Advent ~ Incarnation

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, 

and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, 

full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 

The season of Advent, meaning "to come," finds us waiting to celebrate - once again - the arrival of the baby Jesus on Christmas. This promise of the Messiah spans generations, but when He does arrive, the first Advent, it changes everything. Tender manger scenes contrast the glorious angels singing. From the moment Truth enters human history, the story celebrated becomes Jesus loving us with compassion and tenderness while all of heaven celebrates Perfect Love. We light the second candle today to celebrate with all of heaven that salvation for mankind comes into the world, comes for us. From before time until time to come, God envelops us with love.

Incarnation describes God's glory dwelling with His people. In the Old Testament, God's Glory, His shekinah, represents His presence in the tabernacle. John introduces Jesus as the Word that becomes flesh and dwells with the people. He is both holy and human, infinite and incarnate. Jesus manifests God's Glory on earth and desires an everlasting relationship with us. Grace comes through Jesus Christ, chooses us, calls us, completes us. 

Throughout this week, let your spiritual celebration retrace the Incarnation. When Jesus becomes human and makes His home among us, remember the Bethlehem crowds leave no room for Jesus. After all those years of waiting for the Messiah, into the hurried, overflowing, populous Bethlehem, Grace simply comes. Today's world is no less hectic, occupied or crammed with busy. Does your life leave room for Jesus? Have you found Jesus in your Bethlehem? Know the unmeasured Grace and faithfulness of Perfect Love when you invite Jesus to dwell in your tabernacle. It changes everything! Love! ~dho

Expectation!

There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David,

another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile,

and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ.

Matthew 1:17 The Message

Advent Haiku

Expecting, waiting
Infinite love, embrace me,
Emmanuel, come. . .  

Donna Oswalt

1st Sunday of Advent ~ Expectation

For to us a Child is born,

to us a Son is given;

and the government shall be upon His shoulder,

and His name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Advent offers us time to refocus on the promise, birth, redemption, and return of Christ. The Christmas season brings lights and gifts, love and joy; it retells the stories of prophets and angels, shepherds and magi, Mary and Jesus. All the wonders of Christmas open our imaginations to promises and possibilities. From before time until time to come, God embraces us with hope.

During Advent, we light four candles, one each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Some say they symbolize the four centuries of waiting, of silence between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. Some name them hope, love, joy, and peace, while others remember prophets, Bethlehem, shepherds, and angels. What we call them is not so important. How we spend these four weeks IS! This journey of spiritual celebration begins with understanding God's infinite love and His desire for each one to experience everlasting life.

This week celebrate expectation as you consider God's magnificent plan to bring reconciliation to His people. After God creates mankind, the history of rebellion begins. From the beginning, God recognizes the spiritual needs of people and promises Jesus. Prophets foretell of His coming throughout the Old Testament. In the New Testament, John the Baptist fulfills OT prophecy and introduces Jesus.  Remember the thousands of years of endings and new beginnings, the thousands of years of waiting, the thousands of years of hope. Begin today, to seek the possibilities of God, to see endings as opportunities for God to bring new beginnings. Hope! ~ dho

Promises of Thanksgiving ~ Creator, Deliverer, Redeemer ~ Part 2

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures forever.  Psalm 136:1

Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Revelation 19:6

While Hallelujah occurs many times in the Old Testament, according to Bible scholars, "Hallelujah" is used only 4 times in the New Testament and all can be found in Revelation chapter 19. Over the many centuries, time and time again, God's love replenishes His people. References to God as "Almighty" appear 9 times in the book of Revelation. The Hebrew title for God, El Shaddai, God Almighty, reminds us that God is sovereign, all-sufficient and all powerful. To the Creator: Give thanks to the God of heaven; His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:26)

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast 

of rich foods for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - 

the best of meats and the finest of wines.

Isaiah 25:6

The words of the Great Hallel (Psalm 136), which the Jewish people traditionally sing at Passover, likely fill the Upper Room at the Last Supper. With Jesus' obedience to death in Crucifixion and power over death in Resurrection, Grace rebirths us, gives us new life in Christ. No longer does homelessness or injustice define our destiny; rather, our inheritance comes from God Almighty - the One who remembers us, who chooses us. Christ, our Deliverer, invites each of us to the wedding supper, to His feast, to a future in Him. Give thanks to the God of heaven; His love endures forever.   

... Blessed are those who are invited to 

the wedding supper of the Lamb! 

Revelation 19:9

God Almighty reigns! This feast will begin the celebration of Christ's Promise to return for His people. Hallelujahs rise! Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! From prophecy to testimony, Jesus reveals God's plan of eternal redemption. Our Redeemer lives! Perhaps as Christians gather around the banquet table at the wedding supper of the Lamb, we, too, will sing the Great Hallel and in unison respond: His love endures forever. 

This Thanksgiving, let our celebrations sing Hallelujah! In one chapter of his book Finding God in Unexpected Places, Philip Yancey contrasts Genesis with Revelation, the garden with the New Jerusalem, and he writes, "We live out our days between memory and foretaste." In our hallelujahs we linger in remembrance of God's indescribable gift and wait with joy for the wedding supper of the Lamb! RSVP @ Romans 10:9-12. Infinite Love never ends! ~ dho

Promises of Thanksgiving ~ Creator, Deliverer, Redeemer ~ Part 1

Give thanks to the LORD, because He is good. His faithful love endures forever. 

 Psalm 136:1

Most of the Psalms were composed for times of worship, for singing and praising God. Psalm 136, called the Great Hallel, highlights the history of God as Creator of the world and Redeemer of Israel in the Old Testament. Traditionally, this Psalm is read at the end of the Passover supper, with its repetitive responses acknowledging God's power and protection, affirming God's promise and provision. His faithful love endures forever. 

As Creator, Deliverer, and Redeemer, God's faithfulness captures the focus of the people of Israel. Jehovah deserves hallelujahs. His power throughout creation marvels, His protection throughout uncertainty conquers, His promise throughout generations remains, His provision throughout eternity reigns. Surrounded by God's goodness, the people find their hearts overflowing with praise to God. His faithful love endures forever. 

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let's remember God's goodness. The beauty of creation and the certainty of God calls us to our knees. The Bread of Life sustains us now and prepares us for the wedding supper of the Lamb. Redeemed by grace, our hearts explode with hallelujahs! Infinite love never ends. ~ dho

[hallel, Hebrew for 'praise']