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Respite For the Weary
Across America, and the world, has Christmas become just another reason to throw a seasonal party?
Christmas is upon us, and we're all getting ready for...what? Is there a purpose behind this preparation? Across America, and the world, has Christmas become just another reason to throw a seasonal party?
I asked this very question to myself as I hung my wreath on my own front door. Why the wreath? Does this circular object have meaning, or is it just "pretty" and "fitting" at Christmas? And along with that, why the greenery and red ribbons that wrap around so many door frames, staircases, and mantles? I love the festive look, but is that it? When I asked these heart-questions, the Lord gently reminded me of a passage of Scripture:
Each household is to take a lamb...your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old...the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the doorposts..." Exodus 12:3,5-7
When my mind settled on these verses, the crimson red ribbons that accompany the evergreen boughs at Christmas became much more than mere traditional decor found on the shelf at Michael's. I suddenly felt a beautiful connection to the Israelites of old. Their Savior is my Savior. I have a Protector over my household as well. He has come, and He lives within. The greenery with red ribbon reminds me to bow my heart in humbled worship.
Here's another thought: Could the circular wreath we hang on our doors represent God's matchless love that is complete because of the birth, death, and resurrection of His Son? In your mind's eye, trace your finger around a wreath from top, to bottom, to top while reading these all too familiar words:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
He came from heaven to earth to be with us, in order to bring us to heaven to be with him. The wreath proclaims eternal life all because of Immanuel!
So as the world celebrates, does the world know why? When you look at your wreath and the greenery at your door or on your mantle, celebrate your Savior. May the red ribbon remind you of His crimson blood shed for you and your household! Rejoice! His entry into the world has purchased your entry into heaven. This is what the world needs to know. Yes, may our homes and our hearts and our voices sing together, "Joy to the world, the Lord has come!"
Friday
Picture: Vessel (pouring out)
Scripture: 1 Kings 17:7-16; 2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Philippians 2:16-18
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Meditate on the act of someone pouring refreshing purified water from a pitcher into several different drinking glasses. This idea illustrates God’s beautiful work being manifested through us towards others. As a Christian (like Paul in the above verses), we have a continual life-long privilege of filling up and then pouring out.
What are differing factors that might keep you from being a life-giving vessels to others?
In what way is God using you to be His vessel of sacrificial love: in your family, in your job, in your witness to the lost?
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference:
Tuesday
Picture: Sheep (downcast, dispirited)
Scripture: Psalm 38:6-10; Matthew 9:36; Psalm 42:5-11
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Read and meditate on this excerpt from Daily Bread: “In his classic book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller gives a striking picture of the care and gentleness of a shepherd. In verse 3 when David says, “He restores my soul,” he uses language every shepherd would understand. Sheep are built in such a way that if they fall over on their side and then onto their back, it is very difficult for them to get up again. They flail their legs in the air, bleat, and cry. After a few hours on their backs, gas begins to collect in their stomachs, the stomach hardens, the air passage is cut off, and the sheep will eventually suffocate. This is referred to as a “cast down” position. When a shepherd restores a cast down sheep, he reassures it, massages its legs to restore circulation, gently turns the sheep over, lifts it up, and holds it so it can regain its equilibrium. What a picture of what God wants to do for us! When we are on our backs, flailing because of guilt, grief, or grudges, our loving Shepherd reassures us with His grace, lifts us up, and holds us until we’ve gained our spiritual equilibrium.”
Have you ever been, or are you currently, downcast or dispirited? Explain.
Do you know others who are downcast? Write their names here and pray for them, as well as consider writing them an encouraging note.
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
Thursday
Picture: House (Rebuilder/ Restorer)
Scripture: Isaiah 57:14-15; Isaiah 58:12; Isaiah 61:4; Jeremiah 31:3-4; Ezekiel 36:33-36
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Visualize for a minute a house either being built or remolded. With this picture in mind, a message of hope comes to us. Not only do we have a Builder, we also have a Rebuilder. Sometimes the chaos of sin or circumstance enters and reeks havoc in our lives; BUT, no mess is too big for our Savior. He can redeem anything, causing all things to be even more beautiful than before.
Is there something that God has placed on your heart “to build” that is based on His foundational truths?
Is there a time in your life that you have experienced “beauty from ashes” due to God’s redeeming love? Explain.
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
Monday
Picture: Sheep (the Good Shepherd)
Scripture: Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:11; 1 Peter 5:7
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Imagine a modern day shepherd tending to his sheep. See him leading, protecting, grooming, and feeding all his sheep. Just as this guardian has many roles in caring for his flock, so does our Good Shepherd concerning His people.
In Psalm 23, what verse speaks to you most concerning the Lord as your Shepherd?
In what ways do you personally feel the Lord’s care for you in your current life circumstances?
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
Wednesday
Picture: Sheep (going astray, scattered)
Scripture: Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 119:176; Matthew 26:31; Ezekiel 34:11-16; Matthew 18:10-13
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Close your eyes and envision a sheep wandering off far away from the flock only to get caught on a dangerous sloping hillside. Now see the Shepherd’s relentless pursuit in both finding and rescuing this lost sheep. So often, we get ourselves into our self-created messes, but thankfully our Savior comes to the rescue when we cry out with a repentant heart.
In what way have you felt your Shepherd come to you rescue you from a precarious situation?
After your rescue by your Good Shepherd, what was your reaction?
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
Friday
Picture: House (living with lights on!)
Scripture: Psalm 36:8-9; Psalm 40:8-10; Matthew 5:14-16; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Envision a house on a hilltop at night with all the lights on and many people visiting inside. Much like this picture, our faith in God is not only a strong refuge for us, but it is also a place for others to draw near so they can experience the light and love of Christ in the things we say and do.
What are reasons that might keep you from shining your light for Him (ex. busyness, fear, discomfort…)?
Who are some people in your daily life in which you want to shine your light for the Lord? Name them and write practical ways in which you can do so.
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways. 1 Corinthians 13:11
Dear Lord Jesus,
You tell us to be childlike in our faith, but you also implore us to grow up. Show us the difference! As we trust in you wholeheartedly, grow us in wisdom and knowledge, not just for intellectual purposes, but for maturity in our emotions and our actions. Help us to replace childish ways with Christlike ones. In your Name, Amen.