LIGHT

Light is a word used when used in different ways may introduce a heavy subject.  The first  heavy dose of light obliterated darkness as God spoke His light into darkness when He created the world.  His light shone brightly until man desired darkness of soul and mind by responding to the call of Satan in disobeying the command of God eating the forbidden fruit.  Now as night turns to day and day into night we experience a cyclical reminder of our status before God.  We wish for daylight, but often long for darkness in which feel the comfort of hiding the deep desires of our heart hoping that light will not reveal the darkness of our soul.  Scripture indicates to us that God is light and as we live in that light we will delight in God and in one another.  However, if we shun the light and go our own way we disrupt the fellowship with God and others.  His desire is that we owe up to our sinful ways and let him know that we need his forgiveness as we confess our sinful ways to Him.  

As we fellowship with God we can be light hearted enjoying the laughter of one another as we express the joy God Christ’s forgiveness as a result of God’s grace and mercy.  We now begin a new year in which we can lay the heaviness of burdens in Christ who will lighten and enlighten our hearts and minds.

ADOLESCENTS

What will the adolescent years of our new millennium and decade bring?  Early adolescents focus sharply when their desire is strong, but adolescents are equally distracted when they lack interest.  In early adolescence primordial abstract thinking equates with a sort of abstract toddlerhood.  The freshness of abstract thought brings a new perspective to the growing mind.  I wonder if we as humans before God appear to be adolescents experimenting with abstract thinking in the spiritual realm.  We who think we are mature often because of human state appear as adolescents in God’s eyes.  Professing in our hearts to be wise we appear as fools when we function as if there is no God.  So with the minimal amount of wisdom as abstract toddlers we reflect on the year that has past and look towards the next new year.  Let us look to God so that our past concerns may fade as we reflect on His glory.  Let pray that adolescent  questioning -What if,  Will I,  Won’t they and Why did they do it that way-, will fade as we seek the one who 2000 years ago replaced the former way of approaching God with the new life of a resurrected Jesus.  We now bask in God’s grace and mercy.  We find things with which to worry our minds and hearts, but in the big scope of life most of our concerns will fade in the future as we look towards our unending life in Christ.

CHRISTMAS

Cheerfully

Happily

Rejoicing

In

Salvation

Transforming

Man’s

Alienated

State

Christ came to earth in a lowly state born in a place no one noticed until the announcement of His birth by the angel’s to the lowly shepherds near Bethlehem.  

Last Sunday we attended a Christmas celebration in a thatched roof structure with bamboo  woven walls.  Most in attendance were children who three years ago had not heard the name of Jesus.  Now over 100 people sang praise to the true and living God.  Only the local families knew of this place of worship.  No big announcement in a local or national new outlet.  As God moves in the hearts and minds of these children time will reveal the full meaning of this time of worship.  As they mature in every way they will become leaders in their small community and possibly beyond.