Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:18-21
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Today’s Advent readings:
Crosswalk – A Prayer to Put Jesus First This Christmas Season
Meet Him At The Manger – A Time For Giving
I’m not a fan of praying other peoples’ prayers. But this Crosswalk message wasn’t just a prayer. The author talked about the busy-ness of the season and not having time for Jesus. I have often wondered why isn’t Jesus always there? Obviously people can’t put Him first in the “amount of time = priority” sense of the word. Though we have things going on in our lives to one degree or another…if Jesus is the common thread throughout all of them – if we keep Him present in our conscious thoughts and do our living through – as opposed to around – His Spirit, then we make Him top priority in the “having time with Him as I do all those lesser things sense of the word…right? In this case, my prayer would be very similar to the one posted here. Even if it is someone else’s prayer.
Then when I read A Time for Giving, it was about people whose lives revolved around the “first-ness” of God. Women who had babies (there’s nothing demanding of our time more than children!) as part of God’s plan – the ULTIMATE demand on our time, right moms? I wonder what their daily lives looked like back then? Did they have times of busy-ness at feast times and such? Did they worry about “making” enough time for Jesus? Or were they living their lives side-by-side with Him, making Him the One who got the biggest part of themselves, of their hearts and lives. I wonder.
I have a sense of what I’m trying to say and am muddying up my thoughts by trying to find the right words, but I’ll leave this here, maybe someone else with a muddled brain will speak my language, and understand what I’m trying to say.
“Because of his love for us, God helped us. Because he loved us, Christ died for us and now intercedes for us. We are beloved.” Barry Newton (This just a sample of the great writing of Mr. Newton – and others! – in the Forthright Magazine! Definitely worth the few minutes it will take to read it.)
Casting the demons into the herd of swine comes to mind. The people of the city came out and did they than God for getting the demons out of the man who was dangerous to others and himself?
Did they draw close to Jesus? No. They wanted Jesus to go away.
How many times do we ask Jesus to go away – not in words but in actions – by not praying or reading God’s Word but instead doing some we want to do or we feel has to be done (like let me go bury by father first as one man said to Jesus).
I am guilty of this and ask Jesus to forgive me and cast this sin as far away as the East is from the West. I will try to do better my Lord and King.