Month: December 2024

unopened gifts of Advent

Posted on by Grace Day

Unclaimed inheritances – I hear about them all the time and I wonder, who would NOT claim a free gift that is their rightful inheritance? Yet I’ve read that many inheritances do go unclaimed because the recipients are unaware that someone, somewhere, has willed something to them. They don’t know that this inheritance is already theirs. They don’t know that nothing remains but for them to act. All they need to do is to show up and claim their inheritance.

Even so, many inheritances remain unclaimed still today. Unbelievable but true. I don’t want to be so foolish as to leave my God given inheritance unclaimed. His gift has been given. God sent me the gift of His Son. And contained in His gift is everything – I mean everything I could ever want or need. In Colossians, the apostle Paul says this about Jesus –

“namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. . . . For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:3 & 9-10)

Wow! You and I have been given fullness in Christ! Why would we not claim that inheritance? Moreover, in John we read what Jesus Himself said –

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Some translations say “and have it more abundantly” and the NLT translation reads “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Why would I leave this gift unopened, this inheritance unclaimed? It’s a pretty big inheritance. When I look into it, I discover more than I ever dreamed possible. For starters, I am definitely an heir. If not, then I couldn’t inherit anything. But I am and I can!

“But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:4-7)

There it is – I am an heir! This means there is an inheritance that is mine – all I need to do is to claim it. Why would I not want to receive all that God wants to give me? King David wrote in the psalms about our inheritance as God’s children and all that it contains –

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.” (Psalm 103:2-6)

Forgiveness, healing, redemption, rescue from my circumstances, love, compassion, renewed strength, and all those “good things” which are too numerous to name, probably because they are never ending, such as His mercies which “are new every morning” – why would I not claim my rightful inheritance as a child of God, created in His image? There is so much He wants to give me, if only I would humble myself and receive it. For example, peace – who doesn’t desire peace these days? Jesus says –

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Peace is one of God’s many good gifts, part of my inheritance in Jesus. In Philippians I am reminded this gift is mine. When I bring my needs and my fears to my Heavenly Father, He takes them and gives me His peace in their place.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

The good news about my inheritance in Jesus is that it is a sure thing. All I need do is accept God’s gift to me of His Son. Peter says of this gift –

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)

An inheritance that can “never perish, spoil or fade” – lose its value or be taken from me – that’s an inheritance I want to claim! It comes with so many good gifts – like God’s infinite grace.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

My inheritance starts and ends with the gift of the Giver’s Presence. When I claim my inheritance, I receive His promise – the same promise given to Joshua –

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

As this season of Advent draws to a close, I will be sure that I have not left unopened God’s gift to me. I will claim and receive my inheritance as His child with joy, gladness and gratefulness. It is a miraculous inheritance – an inheritance that should never go unclaimed by its rightful recipients. And who are the rightful recipients, the rightful heirs of God’s gift? It is none other than you and me and everyone and anyone who believes on the name of His Son, Jesus.

“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God -” (John 1:12)

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12)

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to leave my inheritance unclaimed. The gift has been given. The package has been delivered. It is time for me to reach out and receive it. It is time for me to open my door, bring my gift inside and make room for the gift of God’s Presence in my life on a daily basis. He has come to stay. My inheritance is eternal life. Yours too. Let’s not leave this gift of God unopened and unclaimed.

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

sincerely, Grace Day

pursuing their package

Posted on by Grace Day

Amazon delivered my package right to my front door. All I needed to do was to open my door and bring my package inside. It was literally waiting outside my door for me to open up and let it in. The shepherds had a similar experience with their gift delivery. The announcement of the arrival of their Savior came complete with instructions on how they could access their gift. The angel of the Lord told the shepherds,

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)

Their gift was waiting for them, not too far from where they were. BUT – with the Wise Men, or Magi, as they were called, it was different. The Magi received the announcement, not from an angel, but from a star appearing in the sky, letting them know that God’s gift had been given, that their gift had been delivered, however, not exactly to their front door. Far from it, actually.

No, in order to receive their gift, the Wise Men would have to travel. They would have to embark on a journey without knowing how far or how long they would be traveling. But the Magi, or Wise Men, really wanted to receive God’s gift to them. They were willing to go to great lengths to see for themselves God’s gift to the world, His Son, Jesus. To this end, they traveled from the east to Jerusalem, following the star in pursuit of God’s gift –

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:’ (Matthew 2:1-5-)

The Wise Men then continued on their quest, leaving Jerusalem and heading to Bethlehem, determined to find, to receive and to worship God’s gift to the world, His one and only Son. Their story continues –

“After they (the Wise Men) had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 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 and of incense and of myrrh.” (Matthew 2:9-11)

The Magi really had to go out of their way to behold and to receive God’s gift to them personally. Theirs was a long and costly journey, taking them far from the familiar comfort of their homes. But they did not take God’s gift for granted. They followed the star God provided and pursued the package which had been delivered on that glorious night when the heavens opened up to the shepherds and the world received its much needed, long awaited Rescuer.

The Magi weren’t content just to hear about the One who had been born King of the Jews, they wanted to actually meet this child personally and have the opportunity to worship Him. After all, this child had been given to them, too, even though they lived in a land which was a great distance from where God’s gift was delivered. Remember what the angel told the shepherds –

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.’ ” (Luke 2:10-11)

The angel said the good news was for “all the people.” That means the good news and the accompanying great joy were intended for the Magi as well as for everyone else. God’s gift to each and every one of us had been delivered and no one was left out. Some just had to travel a little further than others to receive their gift from God.

Now that the gift has been given, each of us has to decide what we will do with God’s gift to us of His one and only Son. The Magi went way out of their way to track down and to receive the gift that God had delivered to the world. But not everyone was as delighted with God’s gift nor as determined to receive it. John says this about Jesus’s arrival –

“He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:11)

Jesus was delivered to their front porch, but they did not open the door. They did not even attempt to invite Him in or to make room for Him. Jesus was relegated to a stable. Even so, there were those like the Magi who were watching and waiting for God’s gift. When they saw God’s birth announcement in the sky, they left everything behind and set out in pursuit of their package, determined to receive what God so graciously had given.

When the Magi finally found their already delivered gift, Jesus, they celebrated, they worshiped and they bowed down in gratitude to God. Today, as I put away my Christmas gifts, I have to ask myself – what am I doing with God’s gift to me? Am I truly celebrating that my package has been delivered? Am I truly thankful to receive this unmatchable gift from God? Am I truly worshiping my Savior and my Lord, like the Magi did when they finally found their gift?

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12)

The gift has been given. The package has been delivered. Time for you and for me to pursue our package. Today I will celebrate, I will worship and I will thank God for His gift to me.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

This is not a package I want to leave on my front porch. This is a package worth pursuing at all costs, just like the Magi did.

sincerely, Grace Day

your package has been delivered!

Posted on by Grace Day

Those are the exact words of the email I received from Amazon just yesterday, “your package has been delivered”, letting me know that my long-awaited purchase is finally here. My anticipation is finally over. Now all that remains is for me to open my front door, bring my package inside and open it. Or I could just let it sit out there on the front porch, ignoring it indefinitely.

If I do open it, will I be disappointed? Or will it live up to my expectations? Seems like the longer I wait for something, the more it gets built up in my mind, increasing the likelihood that it will not live up to my expectations and I will inevitably be disappointed.

This morning you and I, along with the whole world, are waking up to the same message – “your package has been delivered!” This is good news. This is great news. But how we respond to this announcement makes all the difference in the world. Our package has been delivered. Our promised Messiah, Savior and Deliverer has been born. He has come as God promised. Will we receive Him?

The shepherds were the original responders to this news, because they were the first recipients of the “your package has been delivered” message. The shepherds, however, did not receive their notice via something so mundane as an email from Amazon. No, the shepherds were informed that “your package has been delivered” by an angel, accompanied by a whole host of angels. Imagine their surprise. The shepherds hadn’t ordered anything, and yet they were being informed they had just been given a miraculous, priceless gift!

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.’ ” (Luke 2:8-14)

What was the shepherds’ response to their “your package has been delivered” announcement? They could have ignored the news or put it off to deal with at a later time. (although angels are harder to ignore than an email) But the shepherds took immediate action. They were ready to receive God’s gift.

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. . . . The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2:15-20)

I like that the shepherds “hurried off” in pursuit of God’s gift and I like that after the shepherds saw God’s gift to them, Jesus, lying in the manger as they had been told, the shepherds then became announcers to the world of the message “your package has been delivered.” Luke says, “when they had seen Him, they spread the word.” Good News is hard to contain – it begs to be spread so that everyone can share in the joy. Reminds me of the Christmas song – “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere . . . that Jesus Christ is born!”

This morning you and I can celebrate with the shepherds that “our package has been delivered!” A couple of days before this, I got an email telling me, “your package has shipped.” I guess Amazon wanted to give me a head’s up, so I could be on the lookout for my package. Amazon didn’t want me to miss it’s arrival. Long before Jesus’s arrival, Isaiah gave the world a pretty clear head’s up about God’s future gift to the world when he said –

“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. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

There were lots of prophesies or “your gift is being prepared” notices along the way but the “your package has been delivered” notice comes right on time, so that you and I don’t miss what God wants to give us.

“But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

God wants to adopt you and me into His family forever! What a gift! I don’t want to leave this gift unopened or unused or discarded or disdained or unclaimed. This gift of God is meant for me, it has my name on it. It has your name on it, too, dear readers. Let us celebrate and receive this gift together – this gift that makes us brothers and sisters, this gift that gives us a place in an eternal family!

The joy of Christmas morning – our package has been delivered! It has not been delayed, backordered, lost, delivered to the wrong address or misplaced. Our package, our Deliverer, has been delivered to us, to you and to me right on time. Let’s open the door and bring it in. Let’s make room to receive what we’ve been given. A Savior, a Rescuer, a protector, a provider, a shepherd, a Deliverer from death to eternal life. Best gift ever! Today I will open the door and let Him in!

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

God’s gift has been given – my package has been delivered! Your package has been delivered too! Celebrate and give thanks to God.

sincerely, Grace Day

gifts – giving, getting and re-gifting

Posted on by Grace Day

In this season of gift giving, we are once again faced with the question of what we do with the gifts we receive. Would we ever not open a gift given to us? If nothing else, wouldn’t curiosity win out? I don’t think I could leave a present unopened – I would want to know what’s inside. But what does actually happen to my Christmas gifts?

Do some get set aside to be opened later when I have more time? Does the gift then get buried under various other things and end up forgotten and unopened due to being out of sight? Or do I determine that I know what it is by its shape and size, decide I don’t want what I think it is and therefore don’t open it for that reason. How many gifts every year are given, received and never opened?

Or having opened my gift, do I reject it for whatever reason? Do I throw it away, give it away, (re-gifting is the appropriate term) or do I relegate said gift to storage in an attic, basement or closet, never to be seen or thought about again. Or maybe I am happy to receive the gift and have plans to put it to good use, whatever that might be. But I never take it out of the box and actually use it or wear it or enjoy it. I let my gift sit on the shelf taking up space and collecting dust.

When I overlook, under appreciate or refuse to receive a gift, do I realize what I am doing to my relationship with the giver of the gift? Maybe I am not aware of the time, effort or sacrifice the giver of the gift put into his present. I wonder if that’s how my Heavenly Father feels about my reaction to His gift to me, the gift of His Son. Certainly this gift required quite a bit of sacrifice on God’s part. In fact, it is a very costly gift that you and I have been given. I tend to forget just how much was required of Jesus –

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

God provided the sacrifice for my sin. That’s God’s free gift to me, given in the form of a baby in a manger, a baby who would grow up to be the Christ on the cross. God gave me a Savior, a Redeemer, Someone to rescue me from certain death and instead give me eternal life! This gift of Jesus is exactly what I need and exponentially more than I deserve. Why would I not receive this gift with joy and gratitude?

I don’t want to overlook God’s gift of His Son. I don’t want to reject Jesus or to refuse to make room for Him in my life. I don’t want to relegate Jesus to a place on a shelf in a closet somewhere out of sight and therefore out of mind. No, Advent is about me preparing a place of honor and prominence in my heart and in my life for the coming King, God’s gift to me and to this weary world. Advent is about me realizing and remembering what this gift cost God. It cost Him everything. God gave us Himself. His Presence with us.

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel – which means ‘God with us.’ ” (Matthew 1:23)

Advent is here. Time for me to clear away the clutter of lesser things and to make room to receive the King of Kings who is my King, my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Shepherd – God’s gift, given to me so that I might live.

“I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

May I make room to receive God’s gift all over again this Advent season .

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

“Let every heart prepare Him room”

sincerely, Grace Day

dandelions understand Advent

Posted on by Grace Day

People, including myself, are always trying to kill dandelions. Dandelions aren’t paranoid. People are actually out to get them. I know this because I used to be one of those people. I have paid big bucks in the past to have dandelions eradicated from my yard. In other words, I am guilty of hiring a hit man to take out my dandelions. (without success as you now know from previous posts) BUT – in an unforeseen plot twist – what if dandelions are actually the good guys, not the bad guys, aka dangerous weeds. There are those who want us to believe that dandelions are damaging and therefore dangerous.

BUT – this is far from the truth. As it turns out, dandelions have been undeservedly given a bad name. In fact, in my previous research, I discovered that dandelions are actually good for the soil in which they grow. They break up compacted soil and their presence invites other vegetation in which is good.

Specifically, here’s how dandelions boost soil health. Their deep tap roots aerate the soil, making channels for air and water, which make it easier for other plants to grow along with them. Dandelions are food for beneficial bugs and pollinators like bees and butterflies. Dandelions are also edible and have medicinal uses for humans. Dandelions are rich in potassium which helps many other plants and their deep roots pull other nutrients to the soil’s surface, which benefits and attracts other plants. Because of their deep roots, dandelions also help to prevent erosion.

I could go on and on, but this is an Advent post, not a gardening post or a save the dandelion’s post. So what’s the connection to Advent? Well, one could say dandelions are a gift from God. They are beautiful, good for the earth and good for humans. But we reject this gift from God. We even try to kill His gift of dandelions. Are you seeing any similarities to other gifts we receive, or refuse to receive, as the case may be, from God?

This is particularly apparent in the case of God’s most personal, most precious gift to us of His only Son, Jesus. To say that Jesus was not well received is kind of an understatement. The world made no room at all to receive God’s gift, which is why Jesus was born in a stable surrounded by animals. Why wasn’t God’s gift received with the joy, thankfulness and celebration that normally accompany the advent or arrival of a long-desired gift?

Could it be the “packaging” and the “delivery” (pun intended) of the gift weren’t what the Israelites had hoped for, weren’t what they expected and definitely weren’t what they wanted. They had been promised a Messiah, a Deliverer, a Savior – one who would set them free. The Israelites were currently enslaved and oppressed under Roman rule. So they were expecting a person with worldly status and power, a rich ruler/military type person of high rank, a king, a prince, to be the one God would send to rescue them from their current plight.

So you can see why no one paid any attention to a child born to a poor young couple in an obscure village. They were expecting God’s gift to be delivered in a palace with much pomp and fanfare among the political and religious rulers of the day announcing the arrival of God’s gift. Actually, there was much fanfare on the night of Jesus’s birth. But the important, powerful people of the day were not involved. The elite were not the ones who received the good news nor the ones who made the birth announcement to the world.

That honor went to the angels, who did the announcing and to the shepherds who did the receiving of this long-awaited gift from God. The birth announcement occurred on the hillsides surrounding Bethlehem, where the shepherds were watching over their sheep, far from the places and the palaces of power and influence. All of heaven was rejoicing that the gift had been given, but earth was having a little trouble receiving God’s gift.

“He (Jesus) came to that which was HIs own, but His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:11)

Jesus, like the dandelions of today, was not received with enthusiasm and thankfulness, and often was outright rejected.

“The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:22)

But simply rejecting Jesus, refusing God’s gift, wasn’t enough for some people. There were those who wanted Jesus killed.

” . . . an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child (Jesus) and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ . . . When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.” (Matthew 2:13 & 16)

Now you see why I think dandelions definitely understand Advent and all the intrigue that accompanied Jesus’s arrival or Advent here on earth. Herod may have been the first to try to kill Jesus, but he wasn’t the last. The religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, were constantly out to get Jesus. Just like the dandelions of today, people wanted Jesus dead.

And there came a time when they thought they had succeeded. They crucified Jesus and laid Him in a tomb. It appeared they had destroyed God’s gift. BUT – three days later the tomb was empty and Jesus was once more with His disciples. Jesus had come back to life! That is just like my dandelions, who keep returning even after I not only reject them but openly persecute them and try to kill them. The miracle of new life, eternal life – that is the gift of God, given to you and to me in the person of His Son, Jesus.

“And this is the testimony; God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12)

Why would I not accept God’s gift of Jesus, along with all of God’s other good gifts such as forgiveness, peace, hope, joy, redemption, salvation, His Holy Spirit presence and on and on – the list is long.

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:2-5)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Jesus, the first and foremost of all God’s good and perfect gifts, has been given. Advent – the time to celebrate God’s gift with thanksgiving!

“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. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Dandelions understand what it is to be an underappreciated, rejected, persecuted gift. That’s probably why they understand Advent so well. This Advent season, I want to be sure I am truly grateful for the miracle gift from God of His Son, Jesus. Miracles are always worth celebrating. May this Advent be a season of celebration!

sincerely, Grace Day

dandelions declare victory!

Posted on by Grace Day

Dandelions are my heroes! Long live dandelions! Never thought I’d say that, but I’m saying it now. We have had below freezing temperatures here and even some snow BUT – I was again picking both yellow and silver fuzz dandelions out of my front yard yesterday – in December! Do dandelions ever die? I thought the cold weather would kill them but apparently it’s had no effect whatsoever. It must be the dandelion’s deep roots that sustain them during these decidedly adverse conditions of winter.

That’s why dandelions are my new heroes. Dandelions persevere. They don’t give up. Dandelions not only defy death, but they continue to multiply even when other plants have gone dormant. Just when I think I’ve won the war, just when I think it’s over, the dandelions make a comeback. That’s what’s happened in my yard. I thought I had defeated the dandelions, but they are proving me wrong day after day with their new yellow blooms and silver fluff balls continuing to mysteriously appear in my yard as if by magic.

At this point in the war, I am not only willing to call a truce, I am willing to concede my loss and declare the dandelions are the victors. And not only the victors but as I said, perhaps my new role models. If the dandelions can survive and thrive in their adverse conditions, then certainly I can too. I just need to take a lesson from their playbook – I need to have really deep roots, so when tough times come bringing drought, depression, despair, darkness, doubt – I won’t be shaken. My faith will remain not only intact, but strong and growing. Jeremiah describes exactly this kind of person –

“But blessed is the man who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

I think Jeremiah could have said – “He will be like a dandelion” and it would still ring true! Another description of those with deep roots is given to us by the psalmist when he said –

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.’ ” (Psalm 92:12-15)

It’s all about how deep the roots go, I guess. Roots are beneath the surface. You don’t see them but when the time is right, they produce something visible, something beautiful when you least expect it, when you believed everything to be beyond hope because you believed it to be dead.

The Israelites endured four hundred years of God’s silence. After the last of God’s prophets passed on, there was no one left to speak a new word to God’s people. There was only silence. No new word from God. Only the echo of the old words, the old promises made, promises still unfulfilled, promises of a Messiah, of a Savior who would arise out of seeming nothingness to rescue His people from their desperate plight. Isaiah alluded to this hope saying –

“A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and He will delight in the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:1-3)

Did you catch that? – from roots will come a fruit bearing Branch. Fruit bearing means life giving. Paul quotes Isaiah in Romans saying this about “God’s root” –

“And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in Him.’ ” (Romans 15:12)

These prophesies are talking about the birth of Jesus, who is a descendant of Jesse, who is the father of David. Roots remain and give life. After four hundred years of silence and darkness, this root gave rise to the promised new life of the Messiah – Jesus. (and you thought this wasn’t an Advent post) When roots remain, new life will come again. That’s what we are celebrating at Christmas – that in the middle of the darkness, when everything appeared dead- when the Israelites were doubting God, thinking He had forgotten His promise to send them a Savior – new life entered in.

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ ” (John 8:12)

That’s the message of Advent – the root has come to life and has given life to you and to me and to all who will receive God’s gift – the Root of Jesse – Jesus Christ.

“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. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

sincerely, Grace Day

Abraham’s Advent

Posted on by Grace Day

Abraham had an Advent experience that foreshadowed what would actually take place centuries later, the advent or arrival of God’s Son here on earth. Abraham’s experience occurred when God gave Abraham these very specific instructions –

“Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.’ ” (Genesis 22:2)

Abraham obeyed God. He and Isaac set out on their journey toward the appointed place. As they got closer to their destination, this conversation took place between father and son,

” ‘The fire and the wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham answered, ‘God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together.” (Genesis 22:7-8)

Abraham trusted God to provide what was needed – a lamb for the necessary sacrifice. And God did just that. Abraham was preparing to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as God had told him to do but –

“But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ ‘Here I am,’ he replied. ‘Do not lay a hand on the boy,’ he said. ‘Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son.’ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.’ ” (Genesis 22:11-14)

God provided the ram for the sacrifice required of Abraham at that time. Centuries later God would again provide what was needed, what we needed, just as He had done for Abraham. This time God provided a lamb for the sacrifice for our sin, mine and yours. BUT – the Lamb that God provided was the perfect sacrifice, good for all people for all time. No further sacrifice for sin will ever be needed again. This perfect, spotless Lamb necessary for the required sacrifice for our sin was none other than God’s own Son, Jesus. We read in John –

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ ” (John 1:29)

Abraham told his son, “God Himself will provide the lamb”, and God has provided the lamb, His own Lamb, His one and only Lamb, to be the sacrifice for my sin, the only acceptable sacrifice for my sin. His name is Jesus. This is why Jesus’s birth is worthy of celebration – we rejoice that God has at last provided the Lamb who is able to pay our sin price in full, allowing us to be reconciled to our Creator God.

“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

Abraham experienced God’s perfect provision for his need at just the right time, which saved Isaac’s life in God’s perfect timing. Likewise, God’s provision of Jesus to all of humankind, to you and to me, is also in God’s perfect timing and saves our lives from an otherwise certain and eternal death.

“But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

“God sent His Son, born of a woman . . .” – that’s what we are celebrating at Christmas – God’s provision of His Lamb for the atonement of our sin! The best gift ever! That’s the Good News of Advent – God Himself has provided the Lamb!

“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. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

God provided the sacrifice for Abraham. God has also provided the sacrifice for my sin and for your sin, dear readers. That’s the Good News – the Atonement of Advent. The angel proclaimed this news to the shepherds saying –

” ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.’ ” (Luke 2:10-14)

I needed a Savior and God provided One for me – His One and only Son, Jesus! The angel confirmed this to Joseph saying –

“She (Mary) 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)

The Atonement of Advent – the sacrificial Lamb of God – who in a breath-taking plot twist is also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords –

“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

Abraham’s Advent experience is my Advent experience today – the Lord has provided the necessary sacrifice for my sin. Thank You Heavenly Father for Your provision, the birth of Your Son, Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

sincerely, Grace Day

no room in my inn

Posted on by Grace Day

Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger because there was no room for Mary and Joseph at the inn.

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:4-7)

God was giving the world a gift, a precious gift, His Son. But the world couldn’t be bothered to make room to receive God’s gift. Unbelievable!

“He (Jesus) came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:11)

But is the situation any different with us today? God is still offering the gift of His Son to each and to every one of us. But is there anyone willing to receive what God is offering? Is anyone preparing a place for Jesus, so Jesus won’t be relegated to sharing space with animals in their shelter. Is anyone preparing to receive Jesus and give Him a place of honor and prominence in their lives? Am I preparing a place for Him? John says this about those of us who do receive God’s gift –

“Yet to all who received Him, (Jesus) to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13)

God has given mankind a wonderful, merciful, life changing, life giving gift – His Son, Jesus. And included in this gift is the opportunity to become part of an eternal family, to become His children. John explains it this way –

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3)

What a gift God has given us in His Son, Jesus! If you and I choose to receive this gift from God, we receive unspeakable riches. We are adopted into His family, we become beloved children for eternity.

“For those God foreknew, He also predestined, to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:29)

And as God’s dearly loved children, you and I are given hope – hope that we will see Him and we will be like Him when He appears. That’s the hope of the second Advent, or second coming. We are gifted this hope even as we now celebrate Christ’s first Advent, Christ’s first appearance on earth as a baby born in a lowly stable.

That first Christmas there was no room in the inn. God’s people were unprepared to receive the Messiah they had been promised, the Messiah they had been waiting for, the Messiah they had been desiring for so many centuries.

This advent season, I have to again examine myself, to see if indeed I am prepared to receive God’s gift. Is there room in the inn of my life, to receive God’s gift of the Christ child all over again – because this gift truly is a continuing gift – “His mercies are new every morning.” Or have my heart and my life become so overcrowded, so filled with lesser things that there is no room left for God’s gift of Himself?

No wonder a popular Christmas carol says, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” That’s what I need to be doing during this time of Advent – making room to receive God’s gift – preparing a place for the Christ Child to make His home, because He came to stay. He came to abide, to dwell, to enter into my life and into the life of anyone who will receive Him as God’s gift.

When the promised Messiah comes to make His home with me, I don’t want Him to find that there is no room for Him in my inn. I want Him to find that all the clutter has been cleared out. I want Him to find the doors open wide in welcoming anticipation of His arrival, so that He may freely enter in to my inn and make His home with me. I echo the psalmist words –

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

sincerely, Grace Day

my wish list

Posted on by Grace Day

It’s that time of year again – time to create wish lists for Santa. I don’t actually do this anymore, but as a young child you can be sure I put a lot of thought and effort into compiling a list of items I desired so that I would be prepared for my yearly meeting with Santa. I didn’t expect to receive every toy on my list, but I felt Santa needed some guidance in order to know the wishes of my heart. I never received all of the items on my wish list, BUT I always received toys, books, games, clothes etc. that I hadn’t thought to ask for, which nevertheless showed up under the Christmas tree anyway on Christmas morning. As it turns out, I enjoyed my surprise gifts as much or more than my requested gifts. Santa proved to be smarter and to know me better than I ever gave him credit for.

I have to admit though, my wish lists over the years haven’t been only for Santa Clause. My prayer life is often filled with “wish lists” for my Heavenly Father. Of course, He is wise enough not to give me everything I ask Him for, and He gives me many surprise gifts that I did not even think to ask Him for. It seems with my Heavenly Father, I ask too little, not too much. After all,

“He is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within me,” (Ephesians 3:20)

And I never have to worry about what kind of gifts God will give me. I already know –

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

God gives only good and perfect gifts. He is the ultimate gift giver. As my Heavenly Father, He knows me perfectly inside and out. He knows what I need and what is best for me. That’s why He is the ultimate gift giver, always giving the perfect gift.

As a giver of gifts myself, especially at Christmas time, I am always searching for that perfect gift for each person on my list. It can be an agonizing task, as I always second guess myself and wonder if the recipient of my gift will like it or not. It is fitting that I find myself pondering gift giving and gifts at this Advent time of year. Jesus was God’s ultimate “good and perfect gift” to humankind on that first Christmas. With the gift of His Son, God set the gift giving bar pretty high. There’s been no gift since as life altering as God’s gift of His Son.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

A gift that rescues me from death and gives me eternal life – that’s a life changing, life giving, good and perfect gift!

But Jesus wasn’t God’s first life altering gift. I am reminded of Abraham’s encounter with God when God told Abraham this –

“After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.’ ” (Genesis 15:1)

God Himself was Abraham’s reward or gift, “an exceeding great reward” to be exact. God’s Presence is the reward, always. It is not the things that I want God to give me. It is God’s Presence abiding with me that is the gift – the ultimate gift – the perfect gift – a gift that never runs out, wears out, gets broken, becomes outdated, is the wrong size, style or color, is useless or unwanted. No God’s presence is a gift that always fits perfectly and fills all the longings of my heart that I didn’t even know existed. God’s presence brings His peace, His comfort, His hope, His mercies, His joy, His provision, His protection, His guidance and wisdom and so much more. It is an infinite list because He is an infinite God. His Presence is a never-ending gift from a never-ending God.

God’s presence was with Adam and Eve in the garden, where God walked with them until their sin caused a separation, forcing them to leave the garden. Even so, God did not give up on relationship with us, we who are created in His image. He came to Abraham and called him out, saying –

“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)

God’s Presence went with Abraham on the journey. Likewise, God was present with His people, the Israelites, while they wandered in the desert and Moses refused to continue that journey without God’s presence.

“Then Moses said to Him (the Lord), ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’ ” (Genesis 33:15-16)

What else indeed? It is God’s Presence that distinguishes His people, even today. Jesus knew this. Jesus said this to His disciples shortly before He was to leave earth and return to His place at the right hand of the Father.

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see Me anymore, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.” (John 14:16-20)

That’s the gift of God’s Presence! Jesus is promising His disciples the gift of His Holy Spirit after He leaves. Jesus reaffirmed this again saying –

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

This sounds so familiar. Why? Perhaps it’s because Moses spoke similar words to Joshua about God’s Presence, saying-

“”Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8)

God’s all important, all sustaining, all sufficient Presence has been with us from the beginning. He was in creation and in the garden. He was there in the flood, in the desert, in the furnace, in the lion’s den, in the burning bush, in the parting sea, on the mountain top, in the valley, at the cross, at Pentecost. God’s gift to us is Himself – over and over and over again. He is our very great reward! Yours and mine.

As I enter again into another season of Advent, I am reminded all over again that this is the message of Christmas. Christ came, God’s gift to you and to me. Jesus came to give me and you the gift of Himself, born to die in my place and in your place, then gift me and you His Holy Spirit Presence, so that you and I will never be alone. God’s Holy Spirit carries out His promise to us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

God’s good and perfect gift is the giving of Himself – “I am your very great reward.” God’s Presence with me – that’s what I’m celebrating this Advent season.

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

God wants to be with me and with you, dear readers. I find that kind of astonishing really. But His word confirms this, so I know it is true. From the very beginning, our Creator has desired to have relationship with us. He created us in His image for this purpose. To this end, He gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus, whose birth we are preparing now to celebrate once again.

As I prepare to celebrate Christ’s first Advent, God is preparing me even now for His second Advent yet to come. And like the first Christmas, the second Advent, too, is all about the gift of God’s Presence – the gift of Himself.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, . . . Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1 & 3-4)

God’s Presence is His gift to me, my very great reward. Am I prepared to receive His gift this Advent season? Have I prepared a place for Him to enter in?

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

sincerely, Grace Day

most ironic post ever

Posted on by Grace Day

The other possible title for this post is “how I saved Thanksgiving” – but that seems a bit presumptuous if not outright unbelievable, so I went with the first title. Me, saving Thanksgiving? – that is definitely presumptuous, unbelievable and ironic all at the same time, because I am not, nor do I claim to be, any kind of a cook. And of course, Thanksgiving is all about the food. (although in Thanksgivings past, I have contributed the not too bad broccoli-rice casserole) Still, I would not come to mind even as a last resort to be the one to call upon to save someone’s Thanksgiving celebration.

Yet, just yesterday, I was someone’s last resort and I did save Thanksgiving, or so they said. Of course, there is a backstory which explains this weird yet true tale. It all started with a phone call very late on Thanksgiving Eve. It was my neighbors across the street. Their oven was not working and they were preparing their Thanksgiving feast for the following day. Their stove and all other appliances were working normally. It was just their oven that had quit working without warning, without giving advance notice that it would be taking the holiday off. (and of course their oven made this decision well after service businesses were closed for the night and for the holiday the following day)

So my neighbors called me, not in search of a cook, but of an oven available on the day when most ovens are working overtime. Not my oven, however. My oven was not booked. I was not cooking. I was traveling south to be with family on Thanksgiving Day. Therefore, I was more than happy to volunteer my oven’s services to my neighbors for the day. And so I did. I must say, when I returned that evening, my house smelled really good, still filled with all the good food smells of what had been baked in my oven during the day. I also received the bonus of a plate of food the next day. Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving leftovers?

My neighbors were grateful, saying I had saved their Thanksgiving. Who doesn’t like to be the hero from time to time? Having had a previous incident with their oven within the past year, my neighbors felt their oven was trying to steal their Thanksgiving, much like the Grinch, who attempted to steal Christmas from the Whos. However, it was really my oven that saved their Thanksgiving, not me.

Because I am not much of a cook, me saving anyone’s Thanksgiving is the height of irony. But here’s the greater irony of me writing this particular post. This post follows a post I wrote just mere days ago – “the joy of left hand/right hand living.” Now the message of that post is basically – do your good deeds on the down low, nobody else needs to know. And yet here I am sharing a good deed story with you all in my very next post? Now that’s irony that can’t go unnoticed nor unmentioned! Oh, how fickle the human heart!

So often others, including these neighbors, have come to my rescue. Often, others are the answer to my prayers of need. Therefore, it is a privilege when I get to be the answer to someone else’s prayer of need. It’s a joy and sometimes the joy just overflows and needs to be shared. I am grateful to have the opportunity to live out God’s instructions –

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4)

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16)

“If anyone has material possessions ad sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18)

This oven lending wasn’t exactly a top-secret mission anyway. It was just an unexpected opportunity that presented itself. The Grinch wasn’t able to steal Christmas and my neighbor’s untrustworthy oven wasn’t able to succeed in stealing their Thanksgiving. Crisis averted. Holiday saved! It was fun and a joy to be a part of this rescue mission that saved Thanksgiving.

But now I must return to the left hand/right hand life of the everyday. I will take up invisibility and anonymity once again, as I go out in search of my next undercover assignment. But don’t expect to hear about it from me. I vow to maintain secrecy at all times in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! May you find plenty of reasons to be thankful, as gratitude is the perfect heart preparation for the upcoming season of Advent.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)

sincerely, Grace Day