Peace Comes

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please Him.
Luke 2:13-14 MSG

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 silence of the evening sky, Peace comes to earth.

We light the 1st candle of Advent this coming Sunday, December 3. During the Season of Advent I will post on Sunday instead of Thursday. Let’s gather each week during Advent and reflect more about God’s peace. - dho

Give Thanks to the LORD ~ Thanksgiving 2018

God is the LORD,

And He has given us light;

Bind the sacrifices with cords

to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise You;

You are my God, I will exalt You.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, 

for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 118:27-29 NKJV

As we pause to celebrate Thanksgiving, let us reflect upon the abundant blessings that fill the moments of life. The heart experiences immense gratitude from unexpected words that whisper love and inside surprises that shout joy and within unspoken thoughtfulness. In between the obvious and outside the margins, threads of possibility weave scenes of goodness and generosity and grace. While grand gestures and catastrophic calamities stand alone and unforgotten, these small and simple pleasures embrace the soul with wordless glimpses of heaven. As silence surrounds, we must bring these most sacred offerings to the His altar with abundant thanksgiving. Within these holy moments, God draws us deeper into His Presence. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. ~dho

Extravagant Gifts of Every Day - Gratitude

Loving God,

    

The night sky is filled with luminaries that

light the darkness. Angels whisper evening

songs to my weary soul. I do not notice.

As sleep gently calls, I forget that I have

breathed the morning air, listened to laughter,

seen the evening sky appear. Another day! 

Something disturbs the rhythm of my sleep, 

summons my soul. In these sleepless moments,

the Holy Spirit is waiting and listens for my

response. I whisper, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! 

Holy Father, when I fail to see the beauty of

Your day, remind me with a glorious morning

to take my breath away, a soul-laugh that only 

a listening heart can find, and a night sky 

crowded with stars like diamonds that demand

a lingering look. 

My heart bursts with unmeasured thankfulness!  

These are Your ordinary gifts! I simply miss them in my

hectic hours, my scheduled chaos, my saturated time.

Give my heart the desire to breathe,

listen, and see the ordinary with extraordinary 

intention. Grant my soul the desire to breathe,

listen, and see Your Extraordinary Gifts of

Love, Grace, and Joy! Let me seek Your

extravagant gifts in every day! 

Let me shout, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Refresh my spirit! Refine my faith! 

Restore my love! Renew my strength!  

Rebuild my trust! Reclaim my soul! 

To God be the glory! Amen.  ~dho   

God Moments

Affirmation of faith:
"We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is the Lord over life and death.
We believe that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. With His help we can remain faithful when tempted, peaceful when troubled, and loving when opposed. 
We believe that in all things we can be more than conquerors. For neither death nor life, neither the present nor the future, neither suffering nor trials can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen."

God's love finds us where we are whether we are suffering or shouting hallelujah's! Because God desires a relationship with us, He longs to share in our days, whether they are long and full or hurried and fragile or few and peaceful. God walks with us so closely that sometimes we can miss Him ~ especially when everything seems so easy, so good, so simple. I believe only God can make days like these.

From a familiar hymn, these words remind me to be aware of time:
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.*

In the week to come, whatever comes our way, I believe we can find God in our moments. Remain faithful and be aware of His presence! ~ dho
* hymn Take My Life, and Let It Be

One Thing!

One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple. Psalm 27:4 ESV

The world rumbles with distractions and disappointments and gives voice to self-focused agendas. Desire for approval and applause comes from every direction. More replaces need. In the chaos of so many possibilities, our ability to discern God's voice diminishes. Our minds become numb, and our deeds become rote. How do Christians live in the world and in God's presence?


The presence of God must become my dwelling place, the one thing, my heart's greatest desire. To dwell in God's presence brings peace even in troubled times, gives assurance in uncertain times, offers hope in all times. To "meditate" is to be in "constant communion". Without listening in prayer for His voice or being in study and contemplation of His word, we do not see God's beauty and overlook God's faithfulness.

Paul tells us in Philippians 3:13 that while he has not achieved complete success, "one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead." Reaching forward toward God's call through Christ is the goal, to be in constant communion, to dwell in God’s presence. Paul's words give voice to my efforts, my striving toward the goal, even when I fall short.

LORD, my soul needs constant communion with You. Help me nurture our relationship that I may dwell in Your Presence all the days of my life, to behold Your beauty and to meditate in Your Dwelling Place. ~dho

King of the World

Live like you believe God is Sovereign! -dho

                                       
                               King Of The World - by Natalie Grant  (link)