Devotion
Away in a manger
David Jacobs
It is not easy to always know which way God's path is heading. Sometimes we may feel as though we are lost; sometimes we might need a little push in the right direction; sometimes we might be blazing our own trail. In these verses, the shepherds and Mary could not fully grasp or understand what God had in store for them at this time. It would seem impossible that they could comprehend the gravity of the situation and react accordingly. Their actions in these verses, however, also indicate that they have been touched by God and understand His majesty and power, wanting to spread it to anyone that will listen.
Think of Mary and the shepherds as examples to aspire to: how do we spread the message of Christ to others in our lives? It is true that God and angels intervened in their situations, but have we not been touched by God in our own lives? You may have heard the phrase "pay it forward." A positive story shared with friends can have a profound effect on their life. They may, in turn, "pay it forward," sharing another positive story or deed with another person. The actions that day, away in a manger, have had an enormously positive effect on the entire world for thousands of years! The actions and words of Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds have helped generations live in a more positive and meaningful way. We should take all these things and ponder on them within our hearts, until their innate truth is revealed, until their prophecies are fulfilled before our very eyes. Then share it with all the world, hoping that they share their own truths as a result.
Prayer
Lord God in Heaven, thy kingdom has come, on Earth as it is in Heaven. I pray to you that you may sharpen my mind and tongue, so that I may reflect and share the meditations of my heart, O Lord. I pray that the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, my strength and my redeemer. As the shepherds shared their story, help me to share mine, so that we may help others to see your truths. I pray all this in your holy name, Amen.
Devotion
Don’t Judge
Frances Taylor
This is a pretty consistent theme in the New Testament. Jesus certainly makes it clear that judging is unacceptable. In more than one Gospel the message is clear: don't judge. We humans do it though! We judge for lots of reasons. One of the not so nice reasons is to make ourselves feel better. If we can judge someone to be worse than ourselves, it can make us feel superior. Often people caught doing something will turn and say that it's not as bad as what "so and so" does. Other times, we make a judgment and spread whatever we think we know about another's behavior as gossip. It gives us a sense of power to act like we "know" everything. And often we are wrong in our judgments. Spreading gossip can ruin a person's reputation often without any substance behind it. We also tend to make judgments based on color, race, gender, age, ethnicity, all sorts of things that bias us. If you were sick in a foreign country, would you trust the doctors? If you see...
Morning Prayer
Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Inspiration
Our victory, as believers, is not by our might or by the height of our intellect. Nothing in our own power can ever make us righteous. We are where we are, as children of God, as a result of the Spirit of God residing in us. The Spirit of God is able to reside in us so easily because Jesus Christ justified and sanctified us by his blood. Isn't that glorious?
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you that it is never by my might or power that I am saved and victorious in you. It is because of your son, Jesus Christ, that I am able to have access to the Holy Spirit who enables me to function as your child. Lord, may I always take heed to the guidance of your Spirit. In Jesus' name, I pray. ...
