Merry Christmas - may you unwrap love, joy, peace and hope

A tiny little fist grasps onto a finger...four miniature fingers and a thumb wrapping round with a tight grip...holding on.  That hand grows in size, in strength, in power, in might...as the One who came as a babe shares the love, joy, and hope of His Father in heaven.

That hand now holds you in a grip of grace that imparts strength and peace, as well.

Merry Christmas to all of you.  May the greatest gift you unwrap this season be the one that opens your heart and mind to the wonders of faith in the One God who loves you more than you could ever imagine.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.   John 3:16

31 Days - Psalm 30:5 - Joy in the Morning

So, how was your day? Pretty good...or not?  Did you have a rotten day today?  Did you fail today?  Did you holler at the kids, lose your patience in the long line in the store, snap at your husband, or think nasty thoughts about that other driver?  Did everything you do turn out "wrong" and you felt like nothing got accomplished?  Did your sins today feel so heavy and bad that surely even God is shaking His head at you?  Did you hear the lies in your head that say..."You are not enough"  or "You are a rotten mother/friend/wife, worker" or "You should just crawl in that hole and never come out again because obviously you can't do anything right"?

Take a look at this verse...ponder it for a moment....
 
Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

God IS gracious.  God IS forgiving.  God IS loving.  He is a God of second chances and starting over.  

Lamentations 3:21-23 
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

These are words worth memorizing.  Great love, compassion...they are there for us every day.  Even when it feels like we have failed too many times.  Even when it feels like the sin is too great.  Even when it feels like the voice of lies is the loudest thing we hear. 

God is there...He is waiting, strong and patient, with love...to hear your confessions, to wrap you up in forgiveness, to change your heart and make it new.  He is a God of justice, yes, but also a God of compassion. 

He is faithful.  He is merciful.  He is joy. 

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.


 

31 Days - Joy in hope

My daughter and I went to Panda Express for dinner tonight - I just love their string bean chicken and black pepper chicken.  After eating, I cracked open my fortune cookie.  I always get a chuckle out of the fortunes inside.  But tonight, when I opened my cookie....it was empty.  No little slip of paper.  How disappointing.  I even posted a status about it on Facebook.  Later in the evening after having to drive four hours to rescue one of my sons, I read all the comments left on that status.  Humorous little bits like "Good luck.  It was nice knowing you." and "You get to decide your own future." and "Aawww."  And then this one...."AAACK! That's okay. The Big Guy already knows your fortune."

Ah, yes.  The Big Guy does.  

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   Jeremiah 29:11


Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?   Matthew 6:25-27

And then, this one:

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.   Lamentation 3:25

Now, I wasn't REALLY worried about the fortune in my cookie.  But, I do know where my true hope and fortune lies...right smack in the middle of God's hands...not some fortune cookie.  God knows me.  God knows my entire future.  He knows the moment I will die and pass from this human life. 

I may not know what's in my future.  I didn't know this morning that I was going to have to drive to a town two hours away to help my son get home.  I don't know how God will use me next week or what will happen next month.  But I know the One who does.  He gives me all the hope I need.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.    Romans 15:13