"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
The supper is over, the hearth is swept, And in the wood-fire's glow, The children cluster to hear a tale Of the time so long ago.
When Grandmamma's hair was golden brown And the warm blood came and went O'er the face that could scarce have been sweeter then Than now, in its rich content.
The face is wrinkled and careworn now, And the golden hair is gray, But the light that shone in the young girl's eyes Has never gone away.
And her needles catch the firelight As in and out they go, With the clicking music that Grandma loves, Shaping the stocking toe.
And the waking children love it, too, For they know the stocking song Brings many a tale to Grandma's mind Which they shall hear ere long.
But it brings no story of olden times To Grandma's heart to-night; Only a ditty, quaint and short, Is sung by the needles bright.
"Life is a stocking," Grandma says, "And yours is just begun; And I am knitting the toe of mine, And my work is almost done.
"With merry hearts we begin to knit, And the ribbing is almost play; Some are gay colors and some are white, And some are ashen gray;
"But most are made of many a hue, With many a stitch set wrong, And many a row to be sadly ripped Ere the whole is fair and strong.
"There are long plain spaces, without a break, That in youth are hard to bear, And many a weary tear is dropped As we fashion the heel with care.
"But the saddest, happiest time is that We court and yet we shun, When our Heavenly Father breaks the thread And says that our work is done."
The children came to say good-night, With tears in their bright young eyes, While in Grandma's lap, with a broken thread, The finished stocking lies.
~ ~ ~
"Get up from your seats before the white-haired, and give honour to the old, and let the fear of your God be before you: I am the Lord."
~Leviticus 19:32 (BBE)~
"I will be your God throughout your lifetime -- until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you."
"Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps?" ~Job 31:4~
"I have often been led to do something without knowing exactly why. When we choose to take the hand of Jesus even though we may not know where He's leading, He has a certain destination in mind, and it will be a delightful surprise to our souls." ~Kathy Troccoli, in Falling in Love with Jesus~
Recently I came across the idea that life should be like dancing with Jesus and letting Him lead. Around the same time, I read a devotion which ends with the following prayer: "Sovereign Lord, turn me to You." As it turns out, this devotion is based on Isaiah 30:15: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." In this verse, the element that comes first is repentance. In the Bible, the word "repent" means to "turn away from sin and turn to God"....
"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out." ~Acts 3:19~
Salvation requires this repentance, but we should also be continually turning away from sin and toward Him throughout our lives, while also resting in His arms. Music has notes and rests, and we can let Him lead us through the song of life.
"Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children." ~Ephesians 5:1 (NLT)~
"...you should follow His steps..." ~1 Peter 2:21 (NKJV)~
"God asks us to repent. As a matter of fact, His desire for us is that we live in a state of perpetual repentance. We blow it all the time--and when we do, He wants us to stop and do a U-turn." ~Dee Brestin, in Falling in Love with Jesus~
We need to follow Jesus' leading, as opposed to overtaking Him--striking out on our own or trying to be in control. Let's not step on our Dance Partner's toes!
"Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path." ~Psalm 119:105 (NCV)~
During the time period this verse was written, lamps shone only enough to make the next couple of steps manageable. Likewise, we don't have to fret over the entire Dance and worry about which sequence we'll be led through next. All He asks is that we stay in step with Him and try our best to master the part of the Dance through which He's leading us. Each of us gets to take a Master Class with a Dance Teacher who also rules the universe. If He can make the planets spin in perfect measure, don't you think He knows how to help us do the same?
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." ~James 4:8 (NKJV)~
By clinging to our Dance Partner and trying to move through life in a way that is pleasing to Him, we are better able to avoid the sin which clings so closely to us (Hebrews 12:1). I would like to become more and more graceful as Jesus leads me in His holy Dance, rather than to stumble along, entangled by and with sin--that would really be an example of having "two left feet!"
In the verse above, sinners are described as being "double-minded." In other words, sometimes an attempt is being made to live God's way, but at other times, actions and behaviors are worldly. In the Bible, another meaning of the word "repent" is "to change one's mind." When you have decided to repent and to put your faith in Christ, a complete and permanent heart change must occur. Moreover, you shouldn't keep changing your mind again and again about how you are going to live your life--about the choices you are going to make on a day-to-day basis. In fact, that's a good way to become dizzy and to fall. Imagine what it would be like to try and execute two different dances to two different songs, at the same time--it would be impossible! You would have to keep switching back and forth from one to the other. That is why one must single-mindedly pursue Christ's way and refuse to revert back to the disjointed, earthly dances in which one shouldn't be taking part anyway (1 Kings 18:21).
"We must cling desperately to the One who is crazy about us, to the One who has promised us wholeness, to the One who has promised to never let us go." ~Kathy Troccoli, in Falling in Love with Jesus~
Let us not turn in circles, but rather turn to Him and with Him, whether the times are happy or trying. And let us not skip too many beats before doing so. One day I was sitting outside with my Bible. I glanced down at it, and it was turned to Ecclesiastes 3. I thought of the song I've spoken of above, and the lyrics, "to everything turn, turn, turn; there is a season turn, turn, turn," were running through my head as I lifted my eyes from the page. Right at that second, a large bird of prey (it appeared to be a hawk), shot straight up into the sky from seemingly nowhere. It didn't fly forward or to the side--it immediately did a 180-degree turn and started flying in the opposite direction. Let us be like that bird...
"Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him." ~Matthew 4:21-22 (NIV)~
~ ~ ~
I happened to stumble upon a sermon that is online and that was given at a church I have visited. It's entitled, "Rhythm." In it, the pastor speaks of how we can't tell if something is out of rhythm or off-key until we're exposed to something that is perfectly syncopated and perfectly pitched. Christ is the litmus test whereby we can discover if we are out of step or out of tune with God's design--with how He would like our lives and characters to be. That is why we must try to keep in step with Him and to follow Him
~ ~ ~
In the book, Falling in Love with Jesus, Kathy Troccoli recounts how both she and a speaker at a church retreat had a similar vision within a week of each other. They both saw Kathy dancing with Jesus, and He was wearing a tuxedo. The speaker described her vision to Kathy:
"You're in a gigantic ballroom and at the edge of the dance floor are principalities and powers. Jesus is parading you around every corner, saying, 'This is my trophy.'"
This vision inspired Kathy to write the following song:
"Dancing Me Through This Life"
Sailing on the waves of Your love
Gently move me closer to Your shore
Looking down at Your footprints in the sand Lord, I'm safe held in Your tender arms
I see angels sway on the wind
I hear You invite me to join in
Knowing that each day Knowing that each night You'll keep dancing me through this life
Flying over clouds in the night
Stars shine With your color Burning white
You can pierce through the darkness of the sky Like You do into this heart of mine
Heaven plays the music of Your grace
Spinning round and round in Your embrace Knowing that each day Knowing that each night You'll keep dancing me through this life
Take me in Your arms Lift me high above the world Never end this song And forever--dance me on...
It's not a Christian song, but it has some good things to say. I've place Bible verses in with the lyrics below...
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Deuterononmy 10:21
You get your fill to eat
"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.'" John 6:35
But always keep that hunger
"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Revelation 2:4
May you never take one single breath for granted
"For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
"As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:9
I hope you still feel small
When you stand beside the ocean
"The sound of the water is loud; the ocean waves are powerful, but the Lord above is much greater." Psalm 93:4
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
"He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
"How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3a
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
"Praise his name with dancing." Psalm 149:3a
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
"He said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?'" Mark 4:40
Never settle for the path of least resistance
"I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved." Psalm 16:8
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13
Don't let some hell-bent heart
Leave you bitter
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." Matthew 5:44
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
"A good person who gives in to evil is like a muddy spring or a dirty well." Proverbs 25:26
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance
"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance...
with Jesus, that is!
And if you're supposed to sit out on a dance or two (or more), He'll let you know!
sometimes He says no
sometimes He says grow
sometimes He says slow
sometimes He says go
And, we must try to discern if His answer to us is "yes, no, or wait."
~ ~ ~
I recently read another devotion which talks about the origin of the phrase, "face the music." The author then relates the concept to the Christian life:
"God reminds us that one day each of us will have to 'face the music.' We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. And because of our sinfulness, we do not deserve to inherit the kingdom of God. Yet, for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, we have Someone who faced the music for us. On the cross, Jesus took our place. He suffered our punishment for our sins...Dear Jesus, thank You for facing the music for me and taking away my sins."
I don't see how anyone could find a better Dance Partner than Him! He is waiting for us to turn to Him in faith so the Celebration can begin...
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing." ~Luke 15: 21-25~
"...the eternal dance 'makes heaven drowsy with the harmony.' All pains and pleasures we have known on earth are early initiations in the movements of that dance: but the dance itself is strictly incomparable with the sufferings of this present time. As we draw nearer to its uncreated rhythm, pain and pleasure sink almost out of sight. There is joy in the dance, but it does not exist for the sake of joy. It does not even exist for the sake of good, or of love. It is Love Himself, and Good Himself, and therefore happy. It does not exist for us, but we for it..." ~C.S. Lewis~
~ ~ ~
*The first devotion I quoted was written by David H. Benke and and second one by Luther C. Brunette. They are both included in a book entitled, Best-Loved Passages of the Bible: A Devotional.
*Here is information by John Piper about the translation of the word "repent."
It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.
For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing.
It was a fun, low-pressure gig--I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s to the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.
After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked.
"No," I replied. "We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?" To my delight, she accepted my invitation.
"You choose," I said. "What are you in the mood to sing?"
"Well... Do you know any hymns?" Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look.
"Name one."
"Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one."
"Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?" My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one."
She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing.
Why should I be discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.
I sing because I'm happy;
I sing because I'm free.
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin' to drink, just like you!" But the ovation continued. I embraced my new friend.
"You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!"
"Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said.
"Why is that?"
"Well ..." she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite song."
"Really!" I exclaimed.
"Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual. "She was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week."
I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence. "Are you going to be okay?"
She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing His songs, and everything's gonna be just fine." She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.
Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I refuse to believe it.
God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to imagine that He could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting Him and singing His songs, everything's gonna be okay.
Sometimes you have to speak victory during the test.
And no matter how you feel,
Speak the word and you will be healed;
Speak over yourself,
Encourage yourself in the Lord.
Sometimes you have to speak the word over yourself,
The pressure is all around,
But God is present help.
The enemy created walls,
But remember giants, they do fall;
Speak over yourself,
Encourage yourself in the Lord.
As I minister to you, I minister to myself,
Life can hurt you so,
'Til you feel there's nothing left.
(No matter how you feel),
(Speak the word and you will be healed).
Speak over yourself.
I'm encouraged.
I'm encouraged.
I'm encouraged.
I'm encouraged.
~ ~ ~
"And the people, that is, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and again formed the battle line at the place where they had put themselves in array on the first day."
~Judges 20:22, NKJV~
"And David was greatly distressed...but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."
~1 Samuel 30:6, KJV~
"Then everyone was encouraged..."
~Acts 27:36, NLT~
"I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds."
~2 Corinthians 7:4b, NIV~
"Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."
~2 Corinthians 13:11, HCSB~
"So we who have found safety with him are greatly encouraged to hold firmly to the hope placed before us."
I've been enjoying reading the Living Proof Ministries blog lately. In case you didn't know, not only does the amazing Beth Moore post there, but her two daughters are blogging as well.
Melissa has recently received her second master's degree; check out her fascinating and impressive post about the translation of a Greek word from the New Testament.
Read Amanda's poignant and equally impressive posts about her trip to Guatemala on behalf of Compassion Internationalhere and here. You may also want to visit her own personal blog, Baby Bangs; the meaning of the blog's title is so neat and can be found on the blog's home page.
In my last post I wrote about visiting at a church. At the beginning of the service, a girl got up on stage to share. I was really touched by what she had to say and by her compassionate and kind presence. I don't recall the anecdote she related word-by-word, but I'll try my best to relate it...
She had recently been to a poetry reading at a coffee shop in downtown Raleigh. Instead of sharing a poem, one attendee talked about a dream he'd had. He would touch the wall, and it would turn red. Then he'd touch the ceiling, and it would turn purple. His touch caused beautiful colors to appear. He touched the ground, and flowers sprang up. The young woman went on to say that this dream reminded her of what Christ does in our lives. To me, she was saying that He takes our lives and fills them with His light and life, making regular things beautiful. She said that we all "have our own darkness," whether it be a job we don't like, or an illness, or whatever it may be that is an affliction to us. However, Christ is there for His people to help them through the darkness. This sweet anecdote really brightened my morning, and I thank her for sharing it.
From reading Scripture and from observing the world around us, we know that sometimes Christ removes afflictions entirely, but if not (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), He will help us to handle them and to cope with them. Moreover, He'll help us to handle them in a way that is pleasing to Him.
I can't help but think of a story I've recently read. It's a story of amazing faith that reminds me to keep problems in perspective and to refrain from making mountains out of molehills. It also teaches us that God can bring good out of anything. In fact, some of our most beautiful gifts will be the result of trying times (Romans 5:1-5 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)...
A young girl of twenty years was afflicted with spinal meningitis. She knew that her case was incurable, and that her life would be one of chronic invalidism. A friend, calling on her, seemed to see the dark side only, and remarked in a commiserating tone, "Affliction colors everything in one's life." "Yes," the young girl replied brightly, "but I choose the colors."
I'm also reminded of part of a song by Kenny Rogers entitled, "You Decorated My Life."It's most likely a song about what another person can do in one's life. We all know people and things can inspire us and enrich our lives. However,when I heard the song, it made me think of what the Lord (the true Artist) can do in our lives...
Like a rhyme with no reason
In an unfinished song
There was no harmony
Life meant nothing to me
Until you came along
And you brought out the colors
What a gentle surprise
Now I'm able to see
All the things life can be
Shining soft in your eyes
And you decorated my life
Created a world where dreams are a part
And you decorated my life
By painting your love all over my heart
You decorated my life
~ ~ ~
The Lord adorns the sky with rainbows in order to remind us of His covenant with the earth (Genesis 9:11-17). Likewise, His touch infuses each of our lives with beautiful colors, reminding us that He has overcome the world (John 16:33), that He is with us (Matthew 28:20b), and that all good things come from Him (James 1:17).
~ ~ ~
"You lifted him high and bright as a cumulus cloud, then dressed him in rainbow colors." ~Psalm 21:5, MSG~
"He has made everything beautiful in its time."
~Ecclesiastes 3:11a, NIV~
"We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out for the long haul--not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is the strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us."
~Colossians 1:11-12, MSG~
"And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald." ~Revelation 4:3, NKJV~
