The preparations of Advent continue but sometimes I feel like something is missing. I continue on with my Advent tasks, nevertheless. Today I unpacked my nativity and began arranging the various figures, putting them in their proper places to reflect the story the Nativity tells. I put the sheep with the shepherds, the camel with the Wise Men, the donkey in the stable, and Mary and Joseph next to the manger, with the angel at the top of the stable roof. At this point it became obvious to me what was missing – there was no baby Jesus figure in the manger.

How had I lost Jesus in the process of putting the Nativity together? He was here last Christmas, I know. I remember packing Him away along with all the other figures that are a part of this Advent story. What has happened? Have I not paid enough attention? Have I been careless in my handling of the Nativity?

As I ponder this mystery of my missing manger piece, baby Jesus, I realize that too often the real Jesus is missing from the Advent season. A popular phrase at this time of year, “He’s the reason for the season”, can be seen displayed on coffee mugs, dishtowels, ornaments and on all types of Christmas decorations. Of course, the “He” in this mantra is Jesus. And the words are true. Jesus’s birth, life, death, and resurrection are what we celebrate when we celebrate Christmas. If the manger is empty, my celebration is empty as well. I am missing the essential, notable Person, whose arrival on earth I am supposed to be commemorating.

Jesus’s Presence is essential to the observance of Advent. Am I forgetting to invite Him into every aspect of my Advent preparations? Am I excluding the guest of honor from the party planning and from the party itself? Jesus fills so much more than just the manger. Ephesians 1:22-23 explains,

“And God placed all things under His (Jesus) feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him (Jesus) who fills everything in every way.”

Yes, Jesus fills much more than the manger in the Nativity at Christmas. “The whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3) and “In Him I live and move and have my being.” (Acts 17:28) He fills all the empty spaces in my heart and in my soul. Apart from His presence, something is missing in me, not just during Advent, but every day of the year.

While a quick search revealed my missing manger piece, the baby Jesus, my overall sense that something is missing persists. I come to the realization that sometimes I pursue other paths which lead me away from God and I too often fill my life with other things, leaving little or no room for Jesus, essentially crowding Him out of my life. Then I end up feeling far from God. And even though I am filled with the things I have pursued in His place, I am empty. Something’s missing.

Advent is the perfect time for me to find my way back home, to empty out all the accumulated clutter that has crowded out Christ, make room for Him once again, and invite Him into my heart, my home and my life all over again. Jesus really is the reason for the Advent season. If the something missing is His presence, then Advent is incomplete. Actually, without Jesus’s presence, Advent does not take place at all. But praise God, the manger was not empty, only the tomb is!

“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

Remember the definition of advent? – “the arrival of a notable person, thing or event.” Christmas is the remembering and celebrating of a very notable event, the birth of a very notable person, namely Jesus. Christmas is celebrated around the world, across all countries and cultures. You could say Christmas is the biggest party earth throws every year. Like most parties, the celebration includes lots of good food, music, decorations, gifts and the fun of being together with others to celebrate the person and the event.

As Christmas lights go up on homes and stores, in parks, on city streets and in other public places, we began to feel a party atmosphere developing. And then the memories come flooding back – memories of parties past, that we were not invited to attend. Oh, we knew about them, maybe even read about them in the paper or saw them recounted on TV. But we were not on the guest list for any of these parties, maybe we were not even included on the guest list for work parties which were for some employees only or neighbors excluded us or even family did not invite us to a particular event.

Not so with the party that celebrates Christmas. The Father of the Christ Child, God Himself, is the host of the Christmas celebration, commemorating the birth of His Son, and God’s guest list for His Son’s birthday party is all inclusive. No one is excluded from this party. Every single person is invited! God overlooks no one. Psalm 145:9 affirms this saying,

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.”

That’s us! God has compassion on us and would never exclude us from the most important party of the universe. The only question is – will we accept or decline God’s invitation to know His Son and to celebrate His birth? The invitations have been issued and each one of us is a favored recipient of God’s generous offer. It is time for you and for me to R.S.V.P. Even though we may be slow to respond to God’s invite, He waits patiently for our answer, holding out hope that we will accept His invitation.

“He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Now coming to repentance may not appear synonymous with coming to a party, but it is the former that allows the latter to be possible. God invites us to come – will we accept? Come! He says –

” ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17)

” ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.’ For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 1:18-20)

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The invitation has been issued and it is for everyone! It is like the angel said to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born –

“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 the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ ” (Luke 2:9-12)

Did you catch that, dear readers? “great joy that will be for all the people.” No one is excluded from receiving God’s good gift to all mankind – His Son, Jesus.

the invitations have been issued – the advent of Advent is here – time to R.S.V.P.! God bids us come!

“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)

O Come, let us adore Him!

sincerely, Grace Day

As I slipped into my seat in the pew this morning while a Christmas carol played, I was struck by the beauty of this familiar sanctuary, now dressed up for Advent, in preparation for the coming of the Christ child. Every day is an adventful day in this month of December and today is no exception. During this morning’s church service we participated in the Lord’s Supper or Communion – truly an act of Advent if ever there was one.

When Jesus ate the last supper with His disciples, He instructed them saying as He broke the bread,

” ‘Take, eat, this is My body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me.’ Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins; this do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lords’ death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-26 & Matthew 26:27-28)

Receiving the Lord’s Supper is both the act of remembering and acknowledging the Notable event of Christ’s death on the cross and of looking forward to the fulfillment of His promise to return one day to earth. I am doing both things simultaneously, every time I participate in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – remembering and looking forward. This is just as true with the Advent of Christmas. I am remembering and celebrating the past event of Christ’s birth all the while looking forward to and preparing for the Notable event yet to come – His return.

That will be one unforgettable event – Jesus’s return to earth. Preparations for this event have been ongoing for centuries. That might seem a bit improbable until you consider what needs to be done in order to be ready for this event. Isaiah 40:3-5 describes some of the preparations that need to take place-

“A voice of one calling in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ ”

Every valley raised up? every mountain and hill made low? a highway through the wilderness? Preparation for the Advent yet to come is definitely pretty labor intensive. (sounds like a lot of infrastructure work, doesn’t it?) Nevertheless, ongoing preparations are always taking place. God’s creation is preparing for His return and we as His people should join in that effort.

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. . . . We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:19, 22-23)

That day is coming. We are currently in a season of Advent preparing for that day – maybe by moving mountains with our prayers or by smoothing rough places in order that other sojourners might find their way to Christ more easily, or by building bridges to provide safe passage over chasms of division among peoples God loves, or by untangling lies in the wilderness, allowing Truth to make straight highways through the deserts of deception to the Creator of us all.

And on that day a Notable event will take place, described here in these words –

“Therefore God exalted Him (Jesus) to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, 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 2:9-11)

thank You, Heavenly Father, for another adventful day in this season of Advent,

sincerely, Grace Day

Today I set the Santa Christmas plate in its holder above the kitchen sink. Seems like it was only yesterday that I did this, or was it a lifetime ago? A lot happens in a year, even if the time does pass in the blink of an eye, like the melting of the morning mist or the fading of the light at sunset. Nevertheless, unpacking Christmas decorations is like reconnecting with old, familiar friends. It is good to see them again and they come with many memories attached.

This particular Santa plate is no exception. It was purchased on the occasion of my oldest daughter’s first Christmas for a very special purpose – it is the plate upon which we placed cookies for Santa Claus, which we leave by the fireplace, awaiting his late night arrival. The plate is no longer needed for that very important purpose, so now it is a decoration – complete with memories of Christmases past.

Growing up, my sisters and I took great care in choosing which treats would be left out for Santa Claus by the fireplace. Santa was important, we wanted to leave him what we thought to be the best of the sweet treats. Nothing less would do. We also wanted to be sure the fire was out before we went to sleep, fearing that Santa wouldn’t come down the chimney if there was a roaring fire waiting for him. (guess we thought Santa’s magic only extended so far – he could handle round the world travel in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer, but not fire – after all, Santa’s only human)

I wonder if the three Kings spent as much time agonizing over what gifts they would bring to baby Jesus as my sisters and I did in deciding which cookies would make the final cut and end up on Santa’s plate? I wonder if we gave any thought to what gifts we might give to Jesus? It is His birthday, after all, not Santa’s. But what do you give to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator of the universe? The cattle on a thousand hills are His – what could I give to Him? Psalm 51:17 tells me,

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Micah 6:8 and Hosea 6:6 also help me understand what gifts I could give to Jesus and His Father, God –

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Seems like Jesus wants my heart. There is no substitute gift that will do. My favorite Christmas story, “The Littlest Angel”, deals with this age old gift giving dilemma. In this story, a very young boy angel needs a gift for Jesus because the angels in heaven are celebrating Christmas, which is Jesus’s birthday, by giving Jesus gifts. The other gifts are all so splendid. But the littlest angel has nothing but a rough box full of his earthly treasures, all he has left to remind him of his short life on earth. At last, the littlest angel decides to part with his treasure box and present it to Jesus. It is not splendid and extravagant like all the other gifts assembled there. But God not only accepted but praised the littlest angel’s gift, because he had parted with his dearest treasure, he had given from his heart. He had indeed given Jesus his heart.

I so identify with the littlest angel. What could I possibly give to God this Advent season? I have nothing of value to offer – or am I judging by the world’s standard of value rather than by God’s standard? Romans 12:1 instructs me –

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

I don’t have gold, frankincense or myrrh to give, like the three Kings did on that first Christmas. But God doesn’t want those things, He wants my heart – so I had better be getting my heart ready now, in this season of Advent – ready to receive Him – ready to give Him all of it, full access. Let every heart prepare Him room!

“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)

give Jesus the gift of letting Him in this Advent season! He is the King of glory!

sincerely, Grace Day

There is no snow here yet. Nothing says Christmas to me like snow does, although in most of the world there is never snow on Christmas day or on any other day of the year either, for that matter. Snow, it turns out, is not a required prerequisite for the celebration of Christmas. Christmas music, though, is a must for me. I love the old Christmas carols which we still sing today. One particular carol is already playing in my head as I begin another day in this Advent season. It is “Joy to the World.”

This song has stood the test of time. Written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, the words proclaim – Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing . . .” This is definitely a song written by someone who understood the importance of Advent. Watts wrote about preparing to receive this Notable Person by making room for Him in our hearts! I guess the problem of an overcrowded heart, full of worldly desires and concerns, or perhaps filled with greed, envy, strife, unforgiveness, anger, pain, the busyness of good deeds etc. is not a circumstance new to our present day.

When Jesus came here two-thousand twenty-one years ago, people’s hearts and lives were already full – full of themselves – full of the Law they tried in vain to keep – full of rules and regulations that left them exhausted and empty. And yet they had no room for Jesus. They had not even attempted to prepare a place for Him. But in their defense, they were caught off guard. They had been waiting such a long time that they had ceased being watchful for or even expecting, for that matter, the arrival of the Messiah whom God had promised to send to them.

Advent is watching for, expecting, preparing, waiting, hoping, believing – all these are a part of the Advent experience. This reminds me of something Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24:42-44 when He said,

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. . . . So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” Then Jesus told the story of a master who went away on a long trip and put his servants in charge of his household in his absence until such time as he returned. Would the servants faithfully carry out their master’s business while he was away, or would they do their own thing, neglecting the tasks he entrusted to them? Then Jesus says this,

“It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” (Matthew 24:46)

“doing so” – in this story refers to being about the business that the owner of the house had charged them with doing. The servants were to be watching for, expecting, preparing for, waiting for, hoping for the return of the owner of the house – who was their provider and protector. They were in a season of Advent, if you will, until the owner should return. (which would be a notable event)

We, too, dear readers, are in a season of Advent in addition to our annual Christmas Advent. This earth belongs to our Heavenly Father. He created it and left us in charge of His creation until such time as, like the homeowner in Jesus’s story, He returns. When He comes back, will He find me busy with my own affairs or will He find me faithfully following and carrying out His instructions? In this Advent season, as I prepare to celebrate the anniversary of Jesus’s first coming to earth; I am mindful that there is another Advent (or notable event) yet to come. Jesus will return to earth one day. I am given a head’s up about this event in Acts 1:10-11 –

“They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.’ ” Then I read these words –

“For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) And Luke 21:27 tells me –

“At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

It will be impossible to miss this big event. But will I be ready? It is hard to prepare for because –

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. . . . If He comes suddenly, do not let Him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!” (Mark 13:32-37)

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)

To participate in Advent is to keep watch – It is to celebrate Jesus’s first coming while preparing for His second. Israel was not prepared to receive Jesus at His first coming. Hopefully, we will be better prepared to receive Jesus when He comes again. I pray He may find me waiting, watching, expecting, preparing, hoping, believing – with my home, my heart and my life open to receive His presence because I have made room 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)

Come Lord Jesus, enter in, fill every space in my home, my heart, and my life –

sincerely, Grace Day

I have turned the page of my wall calendar, thereby officially acknowledging Advent’s arrival with the month of December. I have switched out my stained-glass pumpkin hanging in the window for a stained-glass candy cane. Not much of a start, but it’s something visual to remind me that Advent has begun. So much to do! A lot of clutter needs to be cleared if I am to make room enough for Christmas decorations. It feels like an overwhelming task at present.

I’m glad God is not overwhelmed by the prospect of all the cleaning that needs to be done in my heart. My Heavenly Father is undaunted by the needs of my heart, which only He can meet anyway. Without God’s constant care, my heart grows hard and needs His softening touch to remove accumulated stones. On its own, my heart grows cold and indifferent. Only God can restore warmth and caring to my heart. But my heart (like the Inn in the Christmas story) is too often already full of other things, thus denying God access, preventing Him from entering in to do His lifesaving work in my heart.

Ironically, that’s a part of the Christmas story I remember well, having been taught as a child – “there was no room in the Inn for Mary and Joseph” – meaning, there was no room for Jesus anywhere in Bethlehem. That’s why He ended up being born in a stable. No one would make room for Mary and Joseph even though they could see she was clearly ready to give birth. Joseph knocked on a lot of doors that cold winter night, but no one would make room for this young couple and the baby they were about to bring into the world. They were all too busy going about their lives. Sound familiar?

Today, Jesus is still knocking on doors, asking for entrance into our lives – the very lives that we received from Him in the first place. Jesus’s words in Revelation and in John make this clear when He says,

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

“Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’ ” (John 14:23)

Jesus is knocking at my door today. Am I too busy with Advent activities to answer? (how ironic) Have I prepared for His arrival? Am I ready to receive Him? Have I made enough room for Him in my home and in my heart? Or have I filled my days and my life with other pursuits, leaving no room and no time for Jesus? Isn’t that what Advent is all about? – making room for this notable Person, Jesus, to come in and make His home with me, just as He promised He would do – and making time to spend with Him.

Advent is about making space – space for God in my life. Today as I clean my home to create space for Christmas decorations, I will also clear my calendar to create space in which to spend time with this Notable Person whose birth I am preparing to celebrate.

On how many Christmases since that first Christmas has there been no room for the guest of honor? I do not want that to be true of my home, my heart or of my life this Christmas. Today, this second day of Advent, is a good day for me to,

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

Today I will accept the invitation which Jesus extended to His apostles in Mark 6:31,

“Jesus said to them, ‘Come away with Me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for awhile.’ “

Jesus extends this same invitation to me and to you, today, dear readers. Now is the time for us to make room in our busy schedules and accept His invitation. This is the invitation of Advent – to invite the guest of honor in and to spend time with Him. What great joy there is in His presence!

sincerely, Grace Day

I take down the Indian corn from the front porch and put away my fall “thankful” decorations. That’s the first step, clearing space, making room. Isn’t that what Advent is all about? Advent is a time of preparation, a time to clear away the clutter so carelessly accumulated in order that I might make room for something or someone long expected. A definition of Advent says, “the arrival of a notable person or event.” Jesus Christ is that notable person. His birth in Bethlehem, a baby son born to Mary and Joseph, two-thousand twenty-one years ago, is the notable event.

Ironically, this world was not prepared for the very first Advent. They were not prepared for the notable person nor for the notable event – the event that would mark His entrance into the world He had created so many millenniums ago. Mankind was not ready to receive this notable person, Jesus, nor were they prepared for the event of His birth.

I wonder if we are any better prepared today to receive this notable person, Jesus? Are we any better prepared now to celebrate this most notable of all events, the event of His birth on earth? Sometimes I think not. And we have the Book! We know the story. We really have no excuse not to be prepared. But two-thousand twenty-one years ago, things were different. A Messiah had been promised to the people of Israel, but they had grown weary with the waiting for the promise to be fulfilled. Years passed, generations came and went, still no Savior. Perhaps they had given up hope and were no longer looking, no longer expecting the prophesies and the promises of God to be fulfilled. And so they were caught off guard and unprepared.

So great was their lack of preparation, that there was no room for Jesus. A place had not even been prepared for His birth. (the notable event) How telling that the world He created did not make room to receive Him when He came. And so Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, and even that was full with the animals who took shelter there. John 1:11 tells me the sad truth of Jesus’s first coming,

“He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.”

I hope I can do better this Advent season than the Israelites (and the rest of the world for that matter), did on that first Christmas. I want to prepare for this notable event, the arrival of this notable person. I need to prepare my home and my heart – both need cleaning. How did I let things accumulate that crowded out or covered up the essential elements of a Christ following life? Time to let the light in and clean out the cobwebs. But this I cannot do by myself. I need my Heavenly Father’s help. So today, I think my first Advent prayer will be,

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

I can clean my house, but only God can clean up my heart and make it ready to receive Him again and anew –

sincerely, Grace Day

Today I am pondering (among other things) the words, the pen is mightier than the sword. I am thinking this era of rampant, unchecked censorship does not bode well for the word, written (which would be the pen) or otherwise. With the pen thus silenced, the sword wins every time. We are witnesses to this outcome as we watch buildings burn and people attempting to defend their property, like David Dorn, lose their lives. My own city has just set a record for homicides due to gun violence and the year is not over yet. With the pen currently banned from the battlefield, put in its place and held captive there by censorship, the sword is having a heyday being virtually unopposed.

The sword is often used to silence the pen, or sometimes just the threat of the sword is enough to eliminate the pen from the playing field of the current society. Books are banned from libraries, schools, stores, even Amazon. Newspapers will not print certain points of view and social media accounts are cancelled based on their penned content. Apparently, physical violence is preferable to the untold dangers of free speech and uncensored ideas. If it is not the approved narrative, it is forbidden.

Today, many wonder if the penned words of our Declaration of Independence and of our Constitution will stand the test of time. Will these words of hope and law, which have provided a sure foundation upon which to build a free country, prove mightier than the swords that would slay them, bringing an end to freedom and democracy? Time will tell.

At this point in my ponder, it occurs to me that there are words penned that have stood the test of time and will continue to stand, long after time itself ceases to exist. I read Jesus’s words in Matthew 24:35,

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

God’s written word, the Bible, is mightier than the sword. But in an ironic twist, I am told that God’s word is a sword. In fact, it is the ultimate sword as I learn in Ephesians 6:17,

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

God’s word is both the pen and the sword! It protects me from the lies and deceits of the enemy because it is truth. It is described this way in Hebrews 4:12-13,

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

So God’s pen is a mighty sharp, double-edged sword! It has stood the test of time and being a living word, will survive man’s attempts at censorship, though many have tried in the past and continue to this day to silence God’s word. The bible is banned in countries such as China, North Korea, Iran and other communist countries where free speech and thought are not tolerated. However, God’s message of love and salvation for all of mankind is not silenced by mere men. In Luke 19:40 I read what Jesus said to the Pharisees when they ordered Him to silence His disciples,

” ‘I tell you,’ He (Jesus) replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’ ” Indeed,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. . . . Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)

God’s truth will not be censored, silenced, bound nor hidden from those on this earth for whom His living words were penned. We can know the truth and the truth will set us free.

“Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures.” (Psalm 119:89-90)

His word is mightier than the sword – His word is our sword. In Isaiah 55:11, the Lord declares,

“so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

guess the power of the pen resides with the author, and in this case the author is the Creator, Sustainer of the entire universe – needless to say, He wields a mighty pen –

sincerely, Grace Day

It is time. I know it is. There are more leaves on the ground now than there are leaves on the trees. My favorite (although forgotten) holiday of family, food, football, fun and being grateful has come and gone. It is time. I am not ready, but then I am rarely ready for change. I have grown accustomed to my fall decorations, including the “give thanks” artwork hanging in my entryway, the wooden maple leaf and the ceramic tea light holder – both bearing the word “thankful” on them. With these decorations packed away, out of sight, will I forget to be thankful each and every day for all the good gifts God gives? Seeing them each day, reminds me to truly be thankful.

Fall is naturally a season of gratitude, maybe because it is traditionally a time of harvest and of bounty. I would hate to think this season of giving thanks ends with Thanksgiving Day, just as we are entering into the season of Advent. Thankfulness is a key component of the Advent season. Could be that the Thanksgiving holiday is just a warm up, immersing my heart in gratitude, preparing my heart to receive the greatest gift ever given with humility and gratitude. And wonder. The miracle of the Christ child’s birth will always be beyond my human comprehension. I can only wonder at the inscrutable ways of God and give Him thanks.

Which brings me back to where I started – it is time for me to transition. Actually, I have two days left in my month of thanksgiving. I will enjoy my autumn decor and the beautiful colors of what leaves are still on the trees to the fullest before I turn my attention to the coming month and all that is ushered in with the advent of Advent. But one thing I will not lose during my time of transition. Rather I will hold it close, protect it and carry it with me into the coming Advent season. This is the spirit of thanksgiving, which is gratitude, the thank offerings of a grateful heart – these I will bring with me into Advent. I will not pack gratitude away with the autumn decorations. After all, thankfulness is an attitude and an action for all seasons.

“Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19-20)

“Let me give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men. Let me sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy.” (Psalm 107:21-22)

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1)

sincerely, Grace Day

“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy.” (Psalm 107:21-22)

“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)

Seems like one day out of three-hundred and sixty-five isn’t nearly enough to set aside for being thankful and for acknowledging the One from whom all these gifts, including life itself, come. Nevertheless, that is what we have designated, one day. That day has come and gone and perhaps we have already turned our attention away from gratitude and set our sights on acquiring all that we feel we currently lack. Ironic isn’t it? The day after the day dedicated to being thankful for all we have, (Thanksgiving), is dedicated to shopping for more stuff! It would seem thankfulness has a short shelf life.

We would not want every day to be Christmas day – that would not be sustainable. But if every day were a day to be intentionally thankful, that wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. I am told to “sacrifice thank offerings to God” since He is the giver of “every good and perfect gift.” And I am told to “give thanks in all circumstances.”

Maybe this was an especially difficult Thanksgiving for some of you? Changes in circumstances, job losses, personal losses etc. – these have been more than challenging times. I think Habakkuk understood what it was to experience circumstances that did not lead one toward thankfulness. And yet he intentionally declared his intentions with these beautiful words,

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Habakkuk, this Old Testament prophet, was definitely following the New Testament direction to give thanks to God in all circumstances. Maybe some of us feel like Habakkuk this Thanksgiving – our outlook is pretty bleak at the moment. Habakkuk’s present and future looked grim, yet he continued to rejoice in and be joyful in God his Savior.

When times are tough, I think of Habakkuk and attempt to follow his example of trusting God and being thankful in all circumstances. I will make every day a day of Thanksgiving by following the words of an old hymn which says,

“count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings, see what God has done, count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

sincerely, Grace Day