When reading, thinking about a super familiar passage, sometimes it is difficult to lay the familiarity aside to allow the passage to speak to us. Our pastor preached on Luke 2:1-21 last week. I’ve been thinking about this passage all week. Three ideas stick with me. While [Mary and Joseph] were there, the time came…
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.And they shall dwell secure,…
I’ve been thinking about the shepherds in the Christmas story today. Why did the angels share the announcement of the birth of Christ with the shepherds? Have you noticed how often shepherds are mentioned in Scripture? (Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David, Amos … Jesus!) Could it be that God chose to announce the birth to the…
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:25-26) In the early morning hours, our house is quiet and dark. I turn on the Christmas lights, and the darkness is pushed out of the room. I pause for…