BEST GIFT EVER!

We spend time and money searching for the perfect Christmas gift.

We fret. We fume--often for naught.

Immanuel--God with us.

For the best gift, share Jesus.

He's the true gift. The "best yet."

He keeps on giving.

PONDERING PERTINENT PREPOSITIONS

Two days, ago as I awaited my hubby's outpatient cataract surgery, I opened the DTS Advent story sent by Allen Bible Church. 

It was just what I needed. Of course it was!

Dr. Charles W. Dickens, DTS Professor had me at the timely title.

"IT MIGHT BE THE BEST OF TIMES OR THE WORST OF TIMES BUT GOD IS WITH US."

Doesn't that sound like 2020!

After the title, prepositions along the line of "with-ness" theology started jumping out at me.

• WITH is more than near or close. God's people understand this "with-ness. 
• A "with-us" quality of God that is a believer's indicator OF hope FOR the future. 
• Think, "VICTORY IN JESUS" and FOR hope of survival during these difficult times.

Emmanuel, God with us is the One who gives us a future and a hope! (Colossians 1:27)

WITH GOD

With---a four letter preposition "with" a BIG life in scripture. A "function" word. Accompanied by. Possessing as a feature of accompaniment. On the side of. 

Together comes to my mind.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10, emphasis mine)

With-ness is key---if that's even a word. Lately, I have been "with God" early in my day praying from Psalm 143:8. Setting my agenda before Him asking his direction in the way I should go. You see, I want to go with Him. I want Him with me as I face the "tyranny" of the urgent along with fears that haunt me and minutiae that distracts me.

I need to quit "straining at a gnat." (Matthew 23:24) My focus is on the small things, which blind me from seeing the big picture of God's faithfulness. His word reminds me, "it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6, emphasis mine)

I need Emmanuel---"God with us", with me all the time.

Chair of Discomfort at the Table of Life

It is the holiday season---a joyous celebration for Christians throughout the world.

However, Christmas does not exempt believers from hard places----deep hurts----struggles and longings as they face Christmas without their loved ones. The best reminder is that Emmanuel is "God with us!" (Matthew 1:23)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God......(1 Corinthians 1:3-4)

That's what friends of the faith do----reach out to others to comfort them, even when they are suffering themselves.

That's what Jerrie did----she invited me to lunch. She shared her bounty and served me in a glass that reminded me, "Don't get tangled in the tinsel."

Such an act helped me refocus----enabling me to cut through the Gordian knots of life. Fear, sadness and disappointments being chief among them. Kindness can aid in disentangling those "impossible" knots that too easily surface this time of year.

Intuitively, my hostess listened to me "unload" from my chair of discomfort and made the table of life seem a lot more palatable. Just sitting at her table made me smile!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us") 

(Matthew 1:23, NIV)

All of our grandkids will have Santa this morning....but my continual prayer is that eventually they will all come to know Emmanuel/Immanuel---who is "God with us." A cuppa eventual-TEA which will bring them to accepting Christ as Savior.

"God with us" is the cuppa life and He is enough!

E is for Emmanuel

12/7/09 As we approach the Christmas season that “E” word probably seems like a given---but I didn’t think of it. But God…I sat down to write this blog not having a clue of an “E” word---one that rang clear. I had some alpha bits floating in my head---eternal came to mind but not much else.

Then, I remembered a book that had the names of Jesus in it and I even remembered where it was. GLORY! At the Name of Jesus was on the bottom shelf of the lawyers’ chest in the living room. On the flyleaf I had written: From Allan and Carolyn Bowden on my 40th birthday. This “little” book has ministered to me over the years but especially that year, 1986-87. The underlines and the marginalia are reminders of His very real Presence in my life as I was struggling with two very necessary losses in my life. Naïveté and unreal expectations----those things one often has to give up in order to grow up. Also in the book was a cross-stitched “Dotsy” bookmark given to me by my former Longreen neighbor, Cheryl Mc.--it was stitched by her mother, Nancy G. It too was a reminder of God’s Presence in both our lives during another difficult season.

He was and is my Emmanuel---God with me in all my seasons.

“Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Em-manu-el, which being interpreted is God with us." (Matthew 1:23, KJV)

Ponder that.