Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? Take a break.Step away and find a quiet place.
Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? Sit for a while. Ask for God’s presence.
Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? Be still. Close your eyes. Breathe. Relax.
Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? In the depths of your soul, reach as far down as you can.
Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? Sit for a while. Be open to God’s presence.
Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? Ask God to sit next to you and join you in your thoughts.
Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? Shh. Quiet. Hear God speak.
God says, Hello, precious child. “I knit you together in your mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:9) I am so happy to see you. I’ve been waiting for you to ask me to sit with you. Go ahead and tell me what is on your mind.
It’s okay. Speak your mind. Stay awhile in this sacred place.
Comfort and joy, Where can I find this comfort and joy? In this sacred space, may you find comfort and joy.
Whatever your religious beliefs are or are not, may this season of holidays, encourage you and bring you tidings of comfort and joy.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
*****
Inspired by the Christmas Song, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen… “Fear not,” then said the Angel, “let nothing you affright, This day is born a Saviour, Of pure Virgin bright, To free all those who trust in Him, From Satan’s power and might.” O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
Throughout this chapter of Isaiah, we have read about God’s returning the Israelites to Jerusalem. We have seen the power of God’s creation and how we are like grasshoppers.
Although we become disgruntled and weary, God’s energy and power are limitless.
In this passage, the central theme is hope and redemption. We have a choice. We can get crushed like a serpent or we can soar like an eagle.
What do you choose?
Let’s read this passage in Isaiah. Shall we?
1. New International Version 2. The Complete Jewish Bible.
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
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Isaiah 40:28-31 CJB
28 Haven’t you known, haven’t you heard that the everlasting God, Adonai, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not grow tired or weary? His understanding cannot be fathomed. 29 He invigorates the exhausted, he gives strength to the powerless. 30 Young men may grow tired and weary, even the fittest may stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in Adonai will renew their strength, they will soar aloft as with eagles’ wings; when they are running they won’t grow weary, when they are walking they won’t get tired.
Image Source: Created with AI using Soar Like an Eagle with the scripture above
Once we can wrap our heads around the fact that we can’t begin to fathom the greatness of God, we must rely on our faith.
If we believe that God is everywhere, the imagery of looking up in the sky reminds us of the vastness and limitlessness of our Divine Creator. Don’t you think?
Then, why do we often feel abandoned or overlooked by God?
Could it be in that very same vastness of the universe? We ask ourselves how God can possibly know our hearts when we seem so small in comparison. We feel lost. Lost in the vastness.
In this passage, the Creator of the heavens invites us to lift our eyes to heaven. Why? To show us how Each star in the universe is named, pointing to the fact that God knows every minute detail of ALL his creation, including us.
Let’s read this passage in Isaiah. Shall we?
1. New International Version 2. The Complete Jewish Bible.
25 “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”?
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Isaiah 40:25-27 CJB
25 “With whom, then, will you compare me? With whom am I equal?” asks the Holy One. 26 Turn your eyes to the heavens! See who created these? He brings out the army of them in sequence, summoning each by name. Through his great might and his massive strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you complain, Ya‘akov; why do you say, Isra’el, “My way is hidden from Adonai, my rights are ignored by my God”?
Image Created by AI using scripture reference and key words
Let’s prepare our hearts for Christmas over the next two weeks. Shall we?
Our journey will take us to Christmas, where we will find hope and redemption to renew our faith, whatever that faith may be.
We will be looking at Isaiah 40. But first, we start with Isaiah 7.
Ever wonder where the prophetic birth of Jesus comes from?
Immanuel
Prediction from the Old Testament to Recorded Event in the New Testament
Isaiah 7:14 NIV
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Matthew 1:23 NIV
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Isaiah 7:14 CJB
Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman* will become pregnant, bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us].
Matthew 1:23 CJB
20 But while he was thinking about this, an angel of Adonai appeared to him in a dream and said, “Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miryam home with you as your wife; for what has been conceived in her is from the Ruach HaKodesh. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [which means ‘Adonai saves,’] because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this happened in order to fulfill what Adonai had said through the prophet, 23 “The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him ‘Immanuel.” The name means, “God is with us.”)
Isaiah foretells the birth of Jesus.
It seems clear as a bell to me. Or is it?
We know two things: A woman will give birth. The baby will be named Immanuel.
In the NIV, the woman is a virgin and will conceive, and in the CJB, the woman is young and will become pregnant.
Now, this is where it gets fuzzy. As we know it, the Bible is not in chronological order, so it muddles our perception a bit.
To keep it simple, remember: Isaiah was written after Hosea and Amos. Thereby making it the third oldest sacred text. The Gospel of Mark was written before the Gospel of Matthew. Even though Matthew is listed as the first book in the New Testament.
In Matthew, the author records the birth as a fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah. We see an 8th-century writing predicting an event recorded in 80 AD.
Let’s continue to prepare our hearts for Christmas. Shall we?
Our journey will take us to Christmas, where we will find hope and redemption to renew our faith, whatever that faith may be.
In the previous post, we knawed on the prophetic words that predicted Jesus’ birth.
Today, we will reveal…
How Christmas Really Began
The Roots of Christmas
Remember that Christianity didn’t really spread until the 300-400s when Constantine declared Christianity as Rome’s religion. Before that time, there were other religions involving many gods and goddesses.
The Roman Catholic Church is believed to have chosen December 25 to celebrate Christ’s birth due to its ties with the winter solstice and the festival of Saturnalia, a time of feasting and gift-giving. Adapting these existing celebrations facilitated the transition to Christianity.
The winter solstice symbolized the sun’s “rebirth,” which aligns directly with the theme of Jesus, the “Light of the World.” Doesn’t it?
This strategy helped convert pagans by integrating already established traditions into Christian practices. Pretty straightforward.
Does It Really Matter?
Ultimately, the significance of Jesus’ birth is to celebrate the Son of God taking on human form. This miraculous event is one of the cornerstones of Christianity. And giving gifts honors the age-old story of the wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. So, does it really matter that it is December 25?
No, it doesn’t matter at all. What matters is that a Savior was born, and He is Christ the King.
As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, remember we are on a transformative journey from darkness into light, from prophecy to fulfillment.
In our next post, we will dig deeper into the gifts the wise men presented to baby Jesus.
Penny is hardly described as a political person, which is ironic since she holds a master’s degree in public administration. She took several government courses and found them interesting at the time. But that is another story.
Today, Penny wants to write about how she is dealing with the polarization of political views where she lives. It could be scary to some.
An Alien in a Foreign Land
Yet, for Penny…She is not of this world. She is an alien in a foreign land. At least, that is how she has felt since the day she was born.
Penny’s hope is in her faith. Her faith drives her to calmness. To hopefulness. To gratitude.
How Awesome is the Universe?
She can’t imagine how any human can question how the universe was formed. It didn’t just happen. Did it?
Penny spent many waking hours wondering how the universe was formed. How the stars got to be in the sky, and why the sun doesn’t fall out of the sky.
For Penny, the universe is how it is. It is awesome, as is nature itself.
Penny had a few experiences that made her think twice about coincidences. Like when she was in a car accident, and the car flipped over three times. She and her two friends walked away with minor scrapes and bruises.
Or when she had $3 and change and didn’t know how she would buy groceries. She had to decide: “Do I pay my bills or eat?” Then, a $200 check arrived in the mail, which was the exact amount to cover the difference between her inflows and outflows. For two years! The check came each month, and she could buy fresh food for dinner for her and her youngest child. Her older child chose to live with his father and not speak to her for over a decade.
So, you may ask, how could Penny have faith when her kid didn’t talk to her?
Or that her marriage failed her after repeatedly praying that it wouldn’t?
Good questions!
Life is Funny
Life is funny that way.
It doesn’t always go the way you expected. And there lies the rub.
Penny believes we must place our whole selves into the hands of our Creator and follow the inner voice in our hearts. It’s pretty simple. Although it took her a long time to figure it out.
Penny’s prayer went like this in 2015: “Almighty God, I have tried to find a job to no avail. I fully surrender to your will. I will expand my job search to a national level and go where you lead.”
A few months later, she was on her way to a foreign land. (the midwest)
Now, let’s get back to the day at hand. The day after the Election of 2024.
Just like any other day. A day where Penny will put her trust in the Almighty God and go where she is led.
Today, her prayer is: “Almighty Creator of the Universe, You define the trajectory of the world. I fully surrender to your will. I will go where you lead. I trust you will give me the strength and energy for what lies ahead.”
I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.
George Washington Carver
Our last post discussed the imperative need to rest and recharge. Today, we will explore the concept of finding rest in nature.
Camping as a Kid
When I was a kid, my family went camping every summer. It was something my dad looked forward to each year. Me, not so much. But, when you are a kid, you learn to grin and bear it.
My dad worked in an environment where noise prevented him from hearing others speak. The air was filled with dust, metal shavings, and oil substances. Gears churned within the walls, and motors whistled, so it was no wonder he wanted to escape to the woods.It was his happy place.
Image Source: publicdomainpictures dot net
As much as I didn’t like camping, I remember nature’s sounds: the potatoes wrapped in foil crackling in the fire, the crickets chirping, and the owls hooting at night. And then the stars. I remember looking up at the vast sky and seeing millions of stars I had never seen before—or perhaps didn’t choose to stop and appreciate at home. One thing I learned while camping was the closeness I felt to God. I saw God everywhere.
Reflect on Your Past
To better understand your relationship with nature, consider the following:
Did your childhood teach you how to connect with nature? Were you able to explore the outdoors on your own or in groups? How did your parents feel about nature?
Action: Spend a few minutes reflecting on your past experiences with nature. Write down one memorable experience and how it made you feel. Use this reflection to connect with your current relationship with the outdoors.
The Gift of Creation
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Genesis 2:2-3
Nature reflects God’s beauty and provides a sanctuary for rest. Signs of nature are everywhere, from the tiny tadpoles near a stream to the crabs crawling on a beach. If you choose to notice.
Action:Promise yourself to spend time outdoors. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a hike, or simply sitting on your patio, go be in nature. Quiet yourself as you hear the birds and experience the nature around you. Start with short, mindful moments of rest. Rest for your mental and physical well-being. Gradually increase your time spent outdoors.
Connecting with nature opens up the opportunity to connect with Spirit, which allows you to communicate with the Creator of all nature. In God, rest and rejuvenation are found. Like the woman at the well in the Gospel of John 4:10, God offers each one of us living water. It is this water that brings us eternal rest.
Today, we will examine the questions we might ask ourselves when tragedy attacks.
In the face of such pain, people find themselves grappling with profound questions such as:
“Where was God?” and “Why did this have to happen?”
Every day, lives and dreams disappear in the twinkling of an eye. In Part 1, we saw how they disappeared the moment the O-rings failed following the launch of the Challenger space shuttle.
Life is truly short.
We turn now to the Old Testament.
The Story of Cain and Abel
Two brothers. One jealous. One not. One life. One death.
In the fourth chapter of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we learn of the tragic tale of Adam and Eve’s family. They have two sons, Cain and Abel. Then, one day, in a fit of jealousy, Cain kills his brother Abel.
Let’s read a few verses.
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Genesis 4:3-5
“Where was God?” and “Why did this have to happen?”
We really don’t know. Cain may have felt God’s absence, which may have fueled the fire. Yet, there is no doubt that Cain was angry. But we don’t know how furious he was or what type of anger management issues he may have had.
Which brings us more questions than answers.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”
Genesis 4:9-10
After God asks Cain what he has done, Cain lies. God banishes Cain from his presence and makes him a wanderer. And that is the end of the story.
So, these questions remain:
Where was God when Cain killed Abel? Why did God let this happen? Where is the sacredness in this story?
Like in all tragedy, God is there. Right? I tend to think, yes. Yet, many people may feel that God is no where to be found during difficult times. This theme will be woven throughout this series. In this Story of Cain and Abel, God was in the midst. Smack in the middle! As we see in the dialogue between God and Cain.
Another compelling question to consider, not listed above, in the Cain and Abel story is: “What made one offering more acceptable to God than the other?” This question might get at the heart of the matter, “Why did God let this happen?” Perhaps God’s favoritism toward Abel was the trigger for his murder.
Favoritism
If you ask siblings if their parents had a favorite, I’m pretty sure most of the time, a sibling would be able to “name” the favorite. It could be the oldest, the youngest, or the one who was the most “obedient” child. But let’s flip this a bit. How would you feel if you weren’t the favorite? Pause and think about it.
Before we leave the hot topic of “favorites,” consider this: How would you feel if God favored someone over you? This situation seems to take it up a notch, doesn’t it? And, in a roundabout way, it brings us back to one of the initial questions.
A Tricky Question
“Why did God let this happen?” A tricky question, for sure. Why does God let any tragedy happen? Cain could have been pissed off at God. He didn’t have to kill his brother, did he? It’s complicated. Clearly, we don’t have all the facts.
In the next few posts, we will continue to search for the sacredness that is either in or emerges from tragedy. Hang in there, dear reader, Part 3 will shed more light. I promise.
I and Thou Reflections 