love

a solitary sentry

Posted on by Grace Day

“Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street.” (Lamentations 2:19)

When my children were young, these words seemed ever before me as a constant imperative. Actually, as I write this I am convicted and reminded that this kind of prayer is a necessity no matter the age of my children. Have I grown weary in the carrying out of my sentry duties? Now these words come to mind –

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

I am definitely feeling weary and discouraged, but I don’t want these feelings to cause me to abandon my post, to forsake my sacred calling as a sentry. Like Habakkuk –

“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.” (Habakkuk 2:1)

A sentry is defined as “a guard or watchman whose job is to stand and keep watch to protect a place.” So I am to do two things as a sentry – stand and keep watch. Both of these actions, standing and watching, are more challenging than you might initially think. Both require much perseverance and endurance. In 1 Corinthians I am given these instructions –

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men (women) of courage; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

In Ephesians I am instructed with these words –

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then . . . And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:13 & 18)

Standing and praying, waiting and watching, guarding and protecting – the work of a sentry is the carrying out of a sacred assignment. In Matthew I read this –

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” (Matthew 24:42-44)

“Stand firm,” “keep watch,” “always keep on praying,” – this is my assignment as a sentry. I am waiting and watching always, ever vigilant at my post. Shepherds were the sentries of their day. They would stand at their posts, watching, guarding, protecting their sheep continuously. If they left their post at any time, a predator, such as a mountain lion, could enter in to steal, kill and destroy the sheep under their care.

Shepherds kept watch during the long nights in order to guard what God had entrusted to them from any enemy attack. They were solitary sentries, alone at their post, although there were other solitary sentries watching over other flocks on other hillsides. But the work of a sentry is done in solitude.

Today I am a solitary sentry – standing firm, watching expectantly, praying fervently – waiting for my Lord’s return. Shepherds, being the sentries of their day, were witness to the announcement of Jesus’s first appearance.

“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.’ ” (Luke 2:8-12)

This monumental announcement came to the sentries, those at their posts, waiting and watching faithfully, through many years of long, cold, dark nights. The reward of these faithful sentries?

“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.’ 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.’ ” (Luke 2:13-15)

Did you catch that? “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven”, meaning angels came to them, delivered miraculous, wonderful news to them personally. And not just a few angels either. The text says, “a great company of the heavenly host (aka angels) appeared.” They appeared to the sentries, those who were at their posts – standing, watching, waiting – just as they had done through the watches of many a night before this particular night when the heavens opened, filled with light, angels and music.

A praying sentry watches out for the bad, waits with hope for the promised good, believes that like the shepherds, they will eventually behold the beautiful if they stand firm at their post, praying without ceasing. This is my assignment, perhaps yours, too, dear readers? Actually, we each are needed at our post of prayer and watchfulness. It is a solitary calling, each one of us at our particular post on the wall, crying out to God, standing, watching, waiting. The sentry is the first to spot danger and sound the alarm, the first to receive good news and make it known.

This is an exciting time to be a sentry. We are waiting on Jesus’s return to earth, even though we do not know the day nor the hour. Which should make us all the more vigilant as sentries. My assignment as a sentry is described by Isaiah in this way –

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.” (Isaiah 62:6-7)

I am a weary, lonely sentry in a dark world full of deaf ears BUT the One who keeps watch over me, the One who knows when a sparrow falls, is the perfect sentry over all creation, a sentry who never slumbers nor sleeps. He will enable me to stand firm at my post as I call out to Him day and night –

“Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, let Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

Come Lord Jesus, come quickly!

sincerely, Grace Day

mom’s day memories

Posted on by Grace Day

Another Mother’s Day without Mom has come and gone. These days are always bittersweet for me. I used to spend them with my Mom, but now that’s not an option. Mother’s Day may be bitter because Mom is no longer here with us, but it is also sweet because the memories of her that keep me company, are good ones. Still, they are a poor substitute for the real thing – my mom. I have to say I feel cheated out of more time with her. There were things we wanted to do – a trip to her alma mater, a trip to our old vacation spot, a genealogy to research – so many questions I want to ask her now, but time has run out. I always thought there would be more time – more time to spend with her when things slowed down. But I was wrong. Life never slowed down, and time ran out.

At least the memories I have are good ones. It’s just that there are not nearly enough of them. I would have liked to have had more years of memories made, before I no longer had the opportunity to spend time with mom. But we don’t get to choose the number of our days. So I will be grateful for all the years I did have with mom, even as I continue to feel her absence keenly as the years come and go without her. I guess we never outgrow our need for our moms.

And time has a way of preserving the good memories and letting fade away any not so good memories – the typical mother/daughter struggles of the teenage years, for example. I am left with memories of her love and faithfulness and self-sacrificing service for her family and her friends, for her church and her community. A good role model but awfully big shoes to fill.

Yesterday, I chose to be grateful for the years I did have mom, even as I couldn’t help but grieve the years I’ve been without her. She left me a legacy of love that time will not erase. This is something that brings me joy every day, not just on Mother’s Day. I will honor mom’s legacy by trying to live a life of faithful service as she did. This is a challenge that will keep me fully engaged, one that is not for the faint of heart. Mom persevered through many tough trials and situations in life. She didn’t quit, she did not give up. And in the end, she was victorious over those situations that could have defeated her. And we were all the better for it.

As a recipient of Mom’s legacy, I want to honor her by carrying it forward. She was never a victim, always an overcomer. She overcame by staying the course, never giving up. In today’s culture we are all too ready to jump ship when things get tough. Consequently, we don’t experience the reward that awaits us at the end of our long, tough road. Reminds me of these words –

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Mom never gave up. She never gave up on anyone, her family or her friends. That’s a part of her legacy. Never give up hope. There is always hope for restoration, for reconciliation. Her faith believed these words of Jesus –

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

In one of the Ten Commandments we are told to “Honor your father and your mother,” – I want to continue to do that even though Mom is no longer here. I can honor her by living out the legacy she left to me – her legacy – a legacy of love, of hope and of faith. She gave my sisters and me so much in life. Upon reflection, it appears she gave us just as much or more in death.

Thanks, Mom. I think I’m still learning the lessons you tried so hard to teach me while you were still here. Your efforts were not in vain. They are making a difference daily in my life. Wish you were here with me, but your legacy and memory remain to guide and to keep me company on my way. Wish I would have told you these things before it was too late. Hope you know how much you are loved, Mom.

sincerely, Grace Day

HOA related PTSD – part two

Posted on by Grace Day

In my previous post I mentioned that I occasionally suffer from HOA inspired PTSD, usually triggered when I receive one of their “love letters” in the mail, which are always very formal and truly foreboding. My most recently received letter concerning an overgrowth of weeds in my turf, triggered memories of letters past, such as the one I received in the not so distant past (at least not distant enough to no longer be remembered) about my mailbox. Now my mailbox was and is regulation, meaning it meets HOA requirements, and was in good condition. The problem? The numbers and letters of my address on one side of the mailbox were somewhat faded by the sun and I guess this was unacceptable to my HOA.

This was a violation that needed to be corrected, hence the letter I received. I considered my options carefully. I could paint over the numbers and letters on the questionable side of the mailbox BUT what if the color didn’t match exactly the color on the other side? Would I receive another letter for noncompliance with mailbox rules? Ok, I could paint the letters and numbers on the other side of my mailbox at the same time, with the same color, so they would match, BUT what if this color didn’t match exactly the color on the mailboxes of my neighbors? Would I then get another foreboding love letter from my friendly HOA?

What to do? We are all required to purchase our mailboxes and the posts that hold them from the same vendor or company to ensure uniformity. There are no choices we have to make regarding color, shape, height of post, style of lettering and numbers, materials used, etc. There are no deviations allowed. Uniformity is key. My HOA obviously does not have a DEI officer on the board. I deduce this from the fact that there is no diversity, only uniformity when it comes to mailboxes and other rules such as no grass over four inches high, (see previous post) no dandelions etc.

Although, I must admit they are getting the equity part down pretty well. We purchase our mailboxes from the same place, getting the same thing. No upgrades or additions are allowed. All our mailboxes are the same and therefore they are all equal. No mailbox is fancier, prettier, or more interesting by virtue of being a different color or design or decorated differently so as to stand out from the other mailboxes. This effectively eliminates “mailbox envy syndrome” which, if left untreated, can lead to discord, unrest and potentially worse in the neighborhood.

So, my HOA is just looking out for me and my neighbors by eliminating sources of competition and envy among us before they can occur. I will have to find other ways of expressing my individuality, since I can’t do it through my mailbox choices. HOAs tend to favor compliance over creativity. No ostentatious yard displays of any kind permitted. Tasteful landscaping is preferred for all and HOA rules apply equally to everyone. (well, except in the case of my neighbor’s plentiful dandelions, as it appears they were not included in the “excessive weeds in turf” letters) I’m sure it was just an oversight because my HOA is nothing if not inclusive. I’m certain they did not mean to exclude my neighbors from the mailing of the “weed” letters. It was just an unfortunate oversight.

Sometimes my HOA related PTSD is worse than at other times. Usually triggered by the receipt of one of their “corrective” letters, it can then linger as I anticipate with dread when the next letter might come. It’s not good to live one’s life “waiting for the other shoe to drop” or for the next HOA letter to arrive. There’s got to be a better way or a better place. Well, maybe not in this life, but there is hope for a future free from PTSD of any kind. I read about this in Revelation where it is described in these words –

“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 21:3-4)

This sounds like a place where I want to live! No HOA needed. Nothing to cause me or anyone else “mailbox envy syndrome” or any form of PTSD. The grass probably just maintains itself at the proper, approved height. No warning letters need ever be sent out to the residents who dwell with God. And I don’t have to wonder if they’ll be a place for me when I get there. I have Jesus’s promise on this. He told His disciples –

“In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3)

This is great news! There is a place waiting for me in eternity. I will not be alone either. Jesus said specifically, “that you may be where I am.” And you know what I think? I bet my Heavenly Father will let me decorate my place that He is preparing just for me, any way I want. It won’t have to look like my neighbors’ places. There will be no HOA in heaven! No more vaguely threatening legal letters striking fear into my heart. There will be diversity of design and of decor!

Just by looking around at the infinite varieties of flowers or of trees or of birds or of animals in general, I can know that our Creator loves diversity and creativity and individuality. And since we are created in His image, we too naturally crave creativity, individuality and the diversity that naturally results from our individual, creative pursuits. And it’s an all inclusive place that’s being prepared for you and me, dear readers. No HOA rules or regulations to exclude us from our eternal residence in our eternal neighborhood. God’s invitation is open to all!

“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)

The place that is being prepared for me sounds like a really great place – a place where I am included, a place where I can be myself, the person God created me to be. Actually, I’ll be the best version of myself since God’s corrective and creative work in me will be completed when I move into my new place. Paul reminded the Philippians of this in his letter when he said –

“being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

So my HOA related PTSD will no longer exist when I at last inherit and inhabit the place my Heavenly Father is preparing for me even now. I bet they don’t even have mailboxes there – no need for them. And I won’t have to worry about what will happen to me in fifteen days if my compliance with the current HOA letter’s concern is not complete. Beyond that, I truly can’t imagine just how good is the place my Heavenly Father is preparing for me, although I am given this heads up –

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

I can’t wait! BUT – in the meantime, you will be relieved to know that I did purchase a new mailbox, rather than attempt painting over the address on my current, perfectly good mailbox. Hopefully, I am now in good standing with my HOA, and I pray this continues. But one never knows when the next foreboding letter informing one of gross dereliction and of the resulting dire consequences will arrive in my now HOA compliant mailbox. Soon, just going to the mailbox will trigger my PTSD. BUT I have hope. I am looking forward to the fulfillment of this promise from God –

“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in My people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.” (Isaiah 65:17-19)

looking forward to my new address,

sincerely, Grace Day

waiting on a word

Posted on by Grace Day

Ever feel like God is silent and you’re stuck, afraid to make a move while waiting to hear a word from Him – any word, any word would do. You desire God’s guidance and direction, but you’re not receiving the clear message from Him that you are longing to hear. Elijah was desperate to hear God’s voice. Elijah was on the run, fearing for his life and he ended up hiding in a cave. It was then that –

“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ “ (1 Kings 19:11) The story continues –

“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ “ (1 Kings 19:11-13) 

In Elijah’s experience, God’s voice wasn’t loud. God didn’t shout above the howling of the wind or over the chaos of the earthquake or over the roaring of the fire. But in the quiet following those events, Elijah heard God’s gentle whisper speaking to him personally. Maybe that’s why I am told to –

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

I need to come away from all the noise, busyness and chaos that often surround me during my days, in order to hear God’s voice. It’s not that He isn’t speaking, it’s that I’m not in a place where I can hear Him. Perhaps that’s why Psalm 23 says –

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:2)

God is calling me to come away to a quiet place where I can be alone with Him, a place where I can hear His voice, a place where His voice is the only voice. But ironically, surrounded by the din of everyday life, I don’t hear His call, so I don’t heed His call. I don’t respond to His kind invitation to come away to those green pastures and quiet waters where I can be still and know Him because I never received the invite in the first place.  

For me, it is not gale force winds, nor earthquakes, nor fires that prevent me from hearing God’s voice. No, it’s more likely to be the busyness surrounding me at work, or the chaos of the crowd’s multiple voices at whatever event I am attending, (including church sometimes?) that keep me from hearing God’s still, gentle yet urgent whisper. When I am alone, it is likely to be the conversations coming from my TV or the music from my radio that intrude upon what otherwise would be some solitude, providing me that much needed break from a constant barrage of voices. So why do I turn on the TV or the radio if it’s God’s voice I am longing to hear?

God is asking me to come away and to be still. But I am so busy complaining about His silence, that I’m not listening, so of course I don’t hear Him. At the same time, I am desperately desiring to receive a word from Him. Time to admit it’s me, not God, after all. Time for me to make some changes. God did say,

” ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14)

“And those who diligently seek Me will find Me.” (Proverbs 8:17)

“This is what the Lord says, . . . ’Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ “ (Jeremiah 33:3)

And the Psalmist said this –

“I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.” (Psalm 116:1-2)

I have God’s promise. I have His Word that He hears me and that He will answer me. Maybe it’s time I turned off the TV, silenced my cell phone, shut off the radio and spent some time in His word or walking out in His world. God always hears my voice when I cry out to Him. But I don’t reciprocate by always listening for and hearing His voice. Too often, I let many other voices drown out the one voice I really want to hear and need to hear – the gentle whisper voice that Elijah heard after the wind, the earthquake and the fire. 

Sometimes it’s the voices in my head that are the loud ones. They can be louder than the voices that surround me in the world. There are a lot of voices competing for my attention, but the voice I want to hear and to follow is the voice of the Good Shepherd, because He’s the one who leads me into green pastures and beside still waters. Jesus said this –

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28)

Listening to the voice of my Shepherd and Savior – that’s the voice that leads me down the path to eternal life. Jesus said “they follow Me. I give them eternal life.” I can’t follow His voice if I don’t hear it. And I can’t hear His voice if I don’t listen for and to His voice above all the other voices vying for my attention and allegiance in this life. I have to choose to “be still and know” – I have to choose whose voice I will follow and obey. The voices in this world can be both loud and alluring. The voices in my head are often louder still. They can be more cajoling, more enticing, more deceptive, more damaging, more destructive, more accusatory even than the world’s voices because they originate with the enemy of my soul – the accuser of the brethren. Proverbs explains it this way - 

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25)

That’s right. These words occur twice in the book of Proverbs. Must be a pretty important message and the Author, God, wants to be sure we are listening. Listening to other people’s voices will not lead me where I want to go. It is God’s voice alone that will lead me through the valley of the shadow of death, (preparing a feast for me right in front of my enemies) through the desert, (delivering fresh manna every morning) through the flood (Noah listened to God’s voice telling him to build a really big boat even though it had never rained) – through every circumstance, it is God’s guidance, by His voice alone, that will lead me along the path He has prepared for me. His voice will lead me into eternal life with Him.

So I had better learn to listen and to listen well. As I become still, a favorite hymn from childhood fills my mind. Its music becomes the voice I hear in my head, a voice singing – “This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears, all nature sings and round me rings, the music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world, in the rustling grass, I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.” I think I was a better listener when I was a child. Maybe there were not so many voices surrounding me then, including social media? 

At any rate, today and everyday, I will purpose to pray the prayer Samuel prayed as a child. Then I will endeavor to “be still.”

“Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9) 

listening and longing to hear Your loving, leading, life-giving voice above all other voices,

sincerely,  Grace Day     

   

 

  

songs of the season

Posted on by Grace Day

They are inescapable in this advent season, these Christmas songs. No matter what radio station I turn on while driving in my car, Christmas tunes are playing nonstop. Stores and even my church have Christmas music playing in the background continuously during these days. It’s no wonder my thoughts are filled with the words to these songs, causing me to hum and sing various versions of these songs randomly throughout my day.

Today’s tune has been “Hark the Herald Angels Sing!” You know the one, right? “Hark the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn king! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.’ Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies. With the angelic host proclaim: ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’ ”

I’ve sung this old Christmas carol for many years, which may be why I find myself today singing this song without really being aware of the words that I am singing and of their deep meaning in telling the true story of Christmas. From the very first line truth is proclaimed. The angels are singing “Glory to the newborn king” – which is the baby Jesus. This song proclaims Jesus identity as King, even though the world would not recognize nor receive Him as such at that time.

The song continues “God and sinners reconciled.” That’s the reason why we celebrate Jesus’s birth. Jesus came to live among us in order to reconcile us to God. He did this by taking on our human form, walking miles in our shoes and then dying in our place, for our sins so that we could be reconciled to our Creator, God. God is holy, we are sinners. We needed someone to bridge that unbridgeable gap between us. We couldn’t do it. But God could and He did. He came here in the person of Jesus Christ to make reconciliation possible! That’s why we celebrate His birth.

Something else occurs to me as I hum these tunes and sing these songs of the season. I only seem to know the first verse of these carols. But the words of the third verse are just as inspiring and truth filled as the first verse. This carol continues – “Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace!”

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, . . . And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

The song continues, “Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings.” The words of this song confirm what we read in God’s word about Jesus being the light of the world.

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)

“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)

The next words of this old Christmas carol are truly extraordinary – “risen with healing in His wings”. This is a song celebrating Jesus’s birth and yet here are words referring to His death and resurrection – the reason He came, to die and to rise again leaving an empty tomb behind and the promise of eternal life before each one of us who believe in His name. This Christmas carol celebrates the whole story, from Jesus’s birth to His sacrificial death to His miraculous resurrection. The third verse continues with these words –

“Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth, Hark the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!’ ”

This Christmas carol, in these words, gives us the reason for Jesus’s birth – “born that man no more may die” – no wonder we celebrate Christmas! No wonder we sing! That’s really good news – no more death! In just a few years, Jesus would explain this to Martha saying –

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

When I sing the words “Mild He lays His glory by “, I am reminded of the cost to Jesus, an extraordinary, unfathomable cost, a price Jesus willingly paid in order to come here, to take on our human form in order to rescue and to redeem each one of us. Philippians explains it this way –

“Christ 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! Therefore God exalted Him 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 2:6-11)

When I sing “Mild He lays His glory by”, I am reminded that when He laid down His glory, He took up something much heavier and much harder in its place.

“Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, . . . He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Sound familiar? “Risen with healing in His wings.” Jesus came to heal us, to heal our broken relationship with God, our Creator. Sing it with me – “God and sinners reconciled!” This Christmas carol ends with the words – “Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!’ ” The carol recalls the night of Jesus’s birth, when the angels did indeed sing, proclaiming the good news of Jesus’s birth to the shepherds in the fields and to the waiting world. The angels knew this newborn baby Jesus was indeed the King who had just left His home in glory to come and make His home among us for a little while. The time has come for us to make room for Him, to receive Him, to 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)

sincerely, Grace Day