The First Noel

Matthew 1:21 (ESV)

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Then let us all with one accord

Sing praises to our heavenly Lord

That hath made Heaven and earth of naught

And with his blood mankind has bought.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

Born is the King of Israel!

It is widely known that noël is the French word for Christmas, but do you know the origin of the word? Noël comes from the Latin word natalis, meaning “birth.” Therefore, the title of the hymn, fully translated, is “The First Birth.” This song is about the nativity story, the birth of Jesus as we read in the Bible. Angels came to Joseph and Mary, telling them, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Jesus came to save us from our sins. That is what this season is about for us: the remembrance of the birth, and the life of Jesus. He was born here, lived here, died here, and was raised again here, all so that we would have a new way to have a relationship with God. This song reminds us of the hope of salvation that came with the birth of Jesus. We celebrate not only the newness of His life, but also the opportunity of new birth offered to each one of us. The King is born! His blood will make us new!

Whatever sin, whatever shortcoming, whatever failure, whatever weakness you have, a child was born, and he has come to save you.

How could His birth change the lives of people you know this holiday season? What will you do about it?

Dear Lord, thank You for coming to Earth that first Christmas. Thank you for the change it has made for us. Help us to share the good news with all those around us this Christmas. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Christmas Song

Isaiah 57:15 (ESV)

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,

    who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place,

    and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly,

    and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,

Jack Frost nipping at your nose,

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,

And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

If there’s one song that has the “Christmas Spirit” it’s this one. It makes us think of a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. Or maybe we imagine carolers coming to our doors while we offer them some tasty, apple cider fresh off the stove. We attend parties at friends’ houses and services at church. Let’s not forget about being all bundled up on Christmas morning with our families while the most beautiful snowflakes fall to the ground.

And then in the midst of our Christmas illusions, our children storm into the room yelling “Mom!” or “Dad!” because someone hit them, or because one of them use the other’s pellet gun without asking, or because one of the neighbors took their basketball away, or because they fell off the zip line. Oh, for the love of all that is good and right in the world, can we not stay in our little piece of Christmas paradise just a tad bit longer?

That’s life, isn’t it? No matter how perfect we try to paint the canvas of our lives, there will always be something extra put on it that wasn’t in our minds when we dreamed it. Something that cramps our perfect picture. Something that breaks our heart.

A relationship that ended.

A loved one who died prematurely.

The betrayal of a friend.

God isn’t surprised by the interruptions in our lives? In fact, nothing surprises Him. Don’t mistake bad things happening in your life as His loss of control. No, this is not about His ability but about His sovereignty.

While we may wish that bad things would never happen in our lives, they will happen. Jesus said we’d have trouble (John 16:33), but He also promised that He’d calm us in the midst of it (John 14:16). So, no matter where we are in life, whether we expected to be on the path we are on or not, rest assured, that our God can make broken things beautiful.

Friends, we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who’ve been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Press on and trust in the One who will never let you down.

How have you seen God in control in the midst of life’s interruptions?

Dear Lord, we thank You that even in the disasters around us we can rest in the fact that You are in control and weren’t surprised by the situations that we are going through.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Still, Still, Still

Psalm 46:10 (ESV)

“Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth!”

Still, still, still, One can hear the falling snow.

For all is hushed, The world is sleeping

Holy Star its vigil keeping

Still, still, still, One can hear the falling snow.

Still, still, still… These words do not seem to have a place in the hustle and bustle of a busy life, especially at Christmas time. Parties, presents, and projects usually have us in a frantic frenzy as we rush from one event to the next. Often, before we know it, Christmas day has come and gone. Only then do we realize that, despite our good intentions, we never experienced the peace that comes from truly relishing in God’s amazing love for us.

Isn’t it interesting that God commands us to “Be still”? Do you think it’s because He knows we sometimes have a hard time doing it on our own?

What happens when we actually take time to be still? The answer lies in Psalm 46:10…”Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth”. When you are still before God, you better understand that whatever you are facing, whatever your day has been like, you can completely rest in the fact that God is God. He’s awesome and amazing and sovereign. He loves us more than we can imagine and He’s got things under control.

Spend time today purposely pursuing stillness in different moments. Perhaps you could wrap up in a blanket & head outside for a peek at the stars, wondering what that holy star looked like, the one that signaled Christ’s birth many years ago. Maybe take a minute to watch your young child sleep and wonder as you gaze at that sweet face, what Mary and Joseph thought of their newborn son. Open your Bible, read a favorite Scripture…then sit and wait.

What truths resonate in your soul about Christ as you take time to be still before Him?

Dear Lord, help is to be still and listen for Your voice. Thank You so many years ago for coming to Earth to show us the way. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Mild He lays His glory by;

Born that man no more may die.

Born to raise the sons of earth;

Born to give them second birth.

It’s fun to look at a tiny baby and imagine what he will grow up to become. It could be anything – a pilot, a policeman, a chef, an astronaut, a pastor, or a million other options. The future is wide open and full of possibilities.

Jesus was born with one purpose. As it says in the carol, he was “born that man no more may die.” His birth was all about our new birth. In 1 Peter 1:3, Peter praises God for the “new birth into a living hope” – and all that is possible because Jesus laid aside his glory and offered Himself in our place, taking the punishment of death we deserved for our sins. His death and resurrection gives us new life. As you go about your business and your busyness of the season, intentionally take a few moments to slow down and remember that Jesus was born to give YOU a second birth. What a reason to praise Him!

Who in your life doesn’t yet realize the true reason for Jesus’ birth? What will you do to share it with them?

Dear Lord, open our eyes this Christmas Season to those around us. Help us to share the true meaning of Christmas with them. I the Name of Jesus, Amen.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Philippians 3:20 (ESV)

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light gleams

I’ll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams

The term home is simply defined as this: Where one resides; a familiar setting; a place of origin. Where’s our home?

Our home is the place where we spent most of our years growing up and making memories. It’s where we took our first steps. It’s where we learned to drive a car. It’s where we had our first crush. It’s the place where we graduated high school and college and maybe even met our spouse. A place where we’ve grown into the people we are now. Home for us is where we feel at ease with those we love the most. It’s the place where we can be ourselves and not worry about the world outside.

Or is it? According to Webster, our home is where we reside, it’s our place of origin, our familiar setting. But according to the 1 Peter 2:11, our home isn’t in this world:

"Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul."

There is nothing wrong with enjoying places on earth. We have wonderful memories and experiences in different places throughout our lives. But we weren’t meant to be 100% at home here. Our home is with our Jesus in Heaven. Until He says it’s time to be with Him, we’ll stay here. And as much as we love our earthly homes, we’ll never be fully satisfied. Think of what songwriter Laura Story says in her famous song, Blessings:

"What if my greatest disappointments or the aching in this life is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy."

Only Christ can satisfy. Only His presence and peace can bring us pure, unadulterated joy. Only His comfort can truly take us off the ledge of disappointment and disaster. One day we will truly be home with Him. Not just for Christmas but for eternity.

And what a day of rejoicing that will be.

How can you allow Christ to satisfy you and to fulfill your every need this Christmas season, instead of relying on what the world can give?

Dear Lord, thank You that You can satisfy our needs. Thank You for Your presence and the peace it can bring us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Do You Hear What I Hear

Mark 16:15-16 (ESV)

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy

Do you hear what I hear?

Ringing thru the sky, shepherd boy

Do you hear what I hear?

Over 2000 years ago, the Savior of the world was born. Have you ever stopped to think about how people found out about His birth? After all there was no Facebook and no cell phones.  The song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” gives us an example of how the news of His birth might have spread.

The song starts with the Holy Spirit asking the lamb, “Do you see what I see?” The Lamb then goes to the shepherd and asks, “Do you hear what I hear?” The Shepherd immediately goes to the King and asks “Do you know what I know?” When they shared what God had told them, an entire nation heard about the birth of their Savior, Jesus, and what His birth meant for the entire world.

Here’s the great news: this too is our calling as followers of Christ - to share with others what we have been told! God reveals Himself to all of us in different ways, depending on our personalities and gifts. For some, He shows us visible things about Himself, like a star in the sky. Others may grow closer to Him best through reading scriptures, some through singing praises to Him. The question is what are we doing with what God gives us? We have to realize that God will use us to bring people to Him through what He has revealed to us individually.

In this song, God chose a shepherd boy’s voice to tell others about what he had heard and, as a result, an entire nation heard about Jesus’ birth. What about today? If we want people to know about a Savior that has been born, we have to take the time to share with others what He is revealing to us. Lives are changed when we tell the people in our lives what God has shown and done for us.

What has God shown or told you lately that you should be sharing with others?

Dear Lord, help us to take what we have heard and know and share it with others. We pray lives will be changed because of what we share. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Ding Dong! Merrily On High

1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV)

11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.

Ding dong! Merrily on high

In heav’n the bells are ringing:

Ding dong! Verily the sky

Is riv’n with Angel singing.

We have so many bells and chimes and rings in our lives. Whether the microwave is letting us know that the “homemade” chicken nuggets are ready, or our car is beeping to tell us that our seatbelt is unbuckled, or that super annoying “Aaaeee! Aaaeee! Aaaeee!” coming from our alarm clock is piercing through the dark bedroom to jolt us from our slumber; our lives are surrounded by noises and alarms. These alarms can mean so many different things.

From this classic, beautiful Christmas carol we are drawn a picture of the celebrating chimes from heaven. It’s almost as if the author of this song is describing the way we might hear a call from heaven. In several different passages, scripture describes how someone heard from God. In some instances, it was a booming sound like thunder and in others a still, small voice.

Have you ever heard that gentle whisper calling you like Elijah heard in 1 Kings 19:12? God can call us in many different ways. But what he calls each of us to is unique. He may be calling you to minister to a friend going through a tough holiday season. He may be calling you to a new profession. God can use medical doctors to serve those who cannot afford treatment, contractors to build a school in a poverty stricken country, or a lawn care worker to cut the grass of an elderly widow in the neighborhood. Whatever your talent might be, God can use it to bless others. The important thing is for you to listen to His voice, just like the beautiful chimes from heaven. He is calling you to be a light in someone’s life this Christmas.

So, go ahead and hit that snooze on your alarm clock, but answer the call of the Father on your life.

What is God calling you to do for someone else this Christmas season?

Dear Lord, help us to answer the call to help someone in need not only this Christmas Season but throughout the year. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.