The Beauty of Scripture

This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters ~ Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19 A New Year is dawning, a new future looming on the horizon. What will it bring us? What good news, bad news, or relieving news will come to us after this year we have waded through. We look to the future to bring us into a better place than what we left behind, to find health and financial success on the other side of a pandemic which has left many bereft of their livelihood and health. Many place their hope in the world to change, to bring the relief they so desperately need. They place their hope in the material, in what they can see, touch, and smell, and these are the things which will bring them aid. But the world lets us down, the material does not bring joy or love, and what can be seen, touched and smelled is sometimes sour and decayed. Only in Christ is there hope, only in Christ is there a way through the sea. Only in Christ is there protection from all tha...

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” ~ John 16:33 Jesus wants to give his disciples a “heads up” here, as he has been doing for awhile now. The time is drawing close to the day of crucifixion as it looms ever closer. Every step they take together means that soon one of them will be walking alone to his death on a cross. Things the disciples cannot at this point imagine will soon happen, and still, they do not really understand. Still after three years of miracles and happenings they just now say they believe in him. We wonder at the stumbling minds of these men, but really, we are no different. All that was to come in the following days for Jesus and the disciples was to be earth shaking in its cruelty and hatred. People who had followed, seeking the bread and water of Jesus would turn on him with screams of “Crucify him!”. Trouble upon trouble would come upon the disciples as ...

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4 Most often we read these words in relation to a wedding celebration, recited to instruct how the husband and wife are to treat each other to ensure a lasting marriage and a long, loving relationship. Paul was in fact, talking to a church that had been facing inner turmoil, so it really has broader wisdom than for a marriage. It effectively states how we should always treat and look out for each other. Love has a force of its own, which reaches out in profitable ways beyond what one can know. People have been changed through the power of love from feeling rejected and alone, to one who blossoms in the new-found belonging brought about by love. People damaged by mistreatment are emotionally healed by the power of love, for love looks for the best and overlooks the worst. A loving person draws people toward them like a magnet, almost calling others into her warmth. The great love fro...

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” ~ Matthew 11:28 These days, months, of COVID-19 have wearied us, sometimes to breaking point. We were not meant to be separated from each other, and our world has had to do a lot of separating. The onset of the vaccine has given many people hope, but even that will take many months before all are protected, and there is a worry for those countries which are too poor to order much of it for their people. We are weary and burdened by financial issues, job losses, rent and mortgage payments which are overdue for some due to the effects of COVID-19. Many may have overburdened themselves with gift giving this Christmas and think of how they may pay off their debt for that on top of all they may owe. Then when we look around at those that become sick with this disease, and the rise of infections, as well as now the new strain of COVID-19, how can anyone find rest for the weight they carry in burdensome worry? Yet, h...

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits ~ Psalm 103:1, 2 The day of Christmas may be over for another year, but for Christians, the Christmas Story is a year long event. The Gospel of John spells it out as the “Word became flesh”, and this is the story woven throughout the whole of the Bible. God has been revealed to us in a new way, and it is this which gives our soul excitement from which to praise Him. We are not condemned by the event of Christmas, for John again writes God sent his Son not to condemn the world, but to save the world. And my inmost being jumps for joy at these words. We are saved by the grace of Christmas Day and raised anew by Easter Sunday! Life everlasting, and our life here on earth are both raised by Jesus who set you and me free in his truth, we are set free from sin and condemnation in his sacrifice. A Christian praises God from his or her inmost being at these truths, a...

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” ~ Joshua 1:9 The baby Jesus may have been a toddler by the time the angel came to Joseph to warn him to flee to Egypt for safety. It was a dangerous time once more for the little family. First it had been the 100 mile trip to Bethlehem to register the family for the Roman census. It was a long trip for a pregnant young woman to make, with many dangers along the way. Now, the family had to hurry and leave Bethlehem in fear of Herod the Great. His jealousy was to leave many women “weeping for their children” (Jeremiah 31:15). The protection of the Lord was upon this little family, for this was the Son of God. I often hear from people that when God does an amazing thing through them, they find the enemy of their soul launches an attack. They begin to wonder if they have done something wrong, or ask why God is allowing this to happen? We mu...

 " For to us a child is born,     to us a son is given,     and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" ~ Isaiah 9:6   Hallelujah! Our Saviour lives! Christ is born in Bethlehem! Glory to the King of kings, Lord of lords! Jesus, our Immanuel!

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh ~ Matthew 2:10, 11 This past year on December 21 st , 2020, we had the phenomenon of two planets orbiting close enough to each other that they could be seen in the night sky. It was an amazing view, and they were dubbed as “the Christmas star”. We cannot know for certain what planet the Maji saw at the time of Jesus’ birth, but what they saw led them to the Christ child. We know it was something they had been watching for, and waiting for, as it had been prophesied by writers of old. Their subsequent journey would have taken many months from the time of setting out until the arrival at the home of the Christ child. They did not know exactly where they were heading, but obediently and with faith, they followed. What they did know was the child th...

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” ~ Luke 2:14 This is the angel’s song, resonating over an audience of shepherds, hills, and flocks of sheep. It is the song of heaven. The sky was brightened by their presence, the hills echoed their words, the shepherds crouched in fear, and the angels sang. “Glory to God!”, they sang. The Son of God was born, the Lord incarnate had come, the one who was the Conqueror of Satan, the Saviour of the human race had arrived. The long-awaited Messiah had made his entrance from the heavens into the earthly realm in bodily form. Peace on earth was their blessing, an encouragement even today that all anger and animosity must cease. There is only peace in heaven, and peace on earth is granted to those in whom the Spirit of God rests. Can we do anything but sing this song with the angels? Glory to God we sing in the midst of a pandemic, for His way is above all ways! Glory to God we sing as we fight the di...

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth ~ John 1:14 In the Old Testament, God met with his people inside a tent, or a tabernacle. Priests would enter in and make sacrifices and would hear from God. A few had the Holy Spirit come upon them in certain times and they would speak out, or do what God commanded, and the people followed along. Christ now “tabernacled” as in a tent as he lived on earth and was the meeting place between God and his people. Through him, a righteous God could meet the sinner. Just as the people of the Old Testament often travelled from place to place, so too Christ had “no place to lay his head”, no home to set up his ministry from. Christ was utterly dependent upon others for his rest and food. Never did he complain, but always pushed on so others could be healed, ministered to, come face to face with God. He is the faithful revelation of ...