by Sharon O | Dec 28, 2013 | Uncategorized
Luke 2:
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.
But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
In more than one writing we are told that Mary ‘treasured all the things she heard and saw’ in her heart.
We can’t really blame her for storing these precious memories so close.
Imagine the first meeting with the Angel.
Out of no where a bright angel comes into the room and announces to her she will carry a child and she will always be important in the kingdom of God.
She was a young teen anticipating a life with Joseph and perhaps someday children but as she listened the angel said ‘right now’ a baby is expected to show up and you are the mother chosen.
Imagine her thoughts when the angel said “it will be a son and his name will be Jesus”.
Mary knew Hebrew and she knew the name of the one who would come someday.
She treasured in her heart the words and the visit by this heavenly visitor.
Have you ever had a ‘profound’ conversation with someone and after the fact
you play and replay it back in your mind and spirit many times over?
I am sure Mary did the same.
The words of the shepherds later on as they spoke of this ‘great one’ they needed to see.
The words of the wise men and the special gifts given to Jesus.
Imagine with me as she would hold this precious new born baby.
She became more aware with each passing moment that her baby would be different.
Treasured in heart memories are a part of all new mom’s as we look at our newborns.
As we study their faces with the wispy hair, tender soft cheeks and dimpled fingers and toes.
Mary had many things to treasure.
Many words and many experiences that only ‘she’ would see and be a part of.
Imagine what it would have been like to feed him.
Help him crawl and walk.
Teach him to talk and memorize scripture.
I find it interesting that the word said ‘he grew in wisdom’, he was God in flesh
did he lose the all knowing ability then regain it later when he performed miracles?
He grew in stature and in favor with God and man and it says he was obedient.
Interesting words for me.
I can’t even imagine Jesus the child becoming disobedient.
Mary had many facts and experiences to store deep in her heart
all of them life changing and life altering which brings us back to an original question of mine.
Are we ready to receive when we are given the choice to follow a new direction for our lives.
It is definitely something for us to think about.
by Sharon O | Dec 24, 2013 | Uncategorized
When it came time for them to dedicate their son to the Lord as was the custom back then.
Joseph and Mary made the journey to the temple to not only circumcise him on the eighth day but also dedicate him with his chosen name.
The name given to them and him by the angels.
They both remembered the words given,
“You shall call his name Jesus.”
In the temple there was man named Simeon who had waited for the chosen child for years to arrive.
Luke 2:
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.
When the parents brought in the child ‘Jesus’ to do for him what the custom of the law required,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying:
“Soverign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the nations: a light for the revelation to the gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:
“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Can you even imagine what Joseph and Mary was thinking about?
this was a dedication anticipated for many years.
I can’t even think of the thoughts they must have had when hearing this news from someone they had never met.
by Sharon O | Dec 21, 2013 | Uncategorized
More people were brought into the ‘story’ for Mary and Joseph and they were continually amazed at the prophetic words from the old testament to the time set before them.
They realized and knew their baby was unique and different.
The angels had told them he would be named Jesus.
The angels announced to the shepherds to go see.
Later on the wise men would go see also this chosen baby.
Mary would hide within her heart and store the lessons she learned about her tiny baby.
Every new mom spends hours and hours looking at her precious little new one.
Marveling at the tiny toes and tiny fingers.
Soft sweet cheeks and tender curls of hair.
I wonder how it was for her heart to know this was a very special chosen child.
I wonder if she knew ahead of time that her heart would break many times over as she would have accepted the calling on her life to be his ‘mother’.
Forever changed.
Forever new and different.
Remember those life changing, life altering moments.
Our choice is to accept them or resist.
I think in this setting and in this time Mary accepted all that she saw and all that she experienced with an open heart and a willing spirit.
Her baby was born in a town called Bethlehem and she would love like she had never loved before.
It is a special kind of love between a mom and her baby.
A child is born and captivates the hearts of so many who knew him.
It was a special kind of love.
by Sharon O | Dec 20, 2013 | Uncategorized
There is great contrast between the Shepherds and the Magi ‘or wise men.
When the Shepherd’s heard the news they quickly went to go see the new baby.
(Doesn’t that remind us a little of some fishermen later on who left everything to ‘go be with him?’)
They left their flocks and went to see for themselves leaving no safety for their sheep left behind.
The wise men had to travel quite a distance to see for themselves and also follow the star leading them.
The Shepherd’s were led to a stable. A barn.
Something they were very familiar with being near.
The wise men were led to a home. A house.
Similar to a palace that they were familiar with too.
Their journeys so different yet so very much the same.
Both travelling to the same place in different ways.
Both to see this baby they had heard about.
Each were fundamentally necessary to the story.
Each unique.
When the Shepherd’s saw they left to announce.
The wise men announced then they went to go see.
The contrast for each were all a part of their separate journeys.
The Shepherd’s had a here and now perspective.
The wise men had a there and then perspective.
They were interpreters of dreams and trusted by many.
The Shepherd’s had traditions to follow and lean on.
The wise men had superstitions and practices.
Both the Shepherd’s and the wise men had powerful stories to tell and others believed and were amazed when they heard them.
Remember God often used special revelations to get His point across.
Moses had a burning bush talk to him.
Balaam had a donkey.
Sometimes when God approaches us we want angels to help us but no star to guide us.
Sometimes we want the singing and the awesome approach from God but we don’t want the brightness of the moment to reveal to us our ‘unbelief’.
The question for us is ‘how do we see God in our familiar settings?’
What kind of a journey are we on and are we willing to go ‘see’ where he is leading us or showing us.
(some of this came from notes last Sunday in our church service.)
by Sharon O | Dec 20, 2013 | Uncategorized
In sharing the Christmas story we are reminded that God used not only simple people but also those who were not so simple.
He used opposites to declare the story.
Shepherds were lowly and not paid attention or noticed.
The magi or ‘wise men’ were noted as royalty and important.
Well known in the region and credible in word and in behavior.
God used both sets of ‘people’ to complete the story.
Both were doing their jobs and He invaded their space and changed the direction they were going.
Both were amazed and after seeing went away and told others.
Two different groups of people to prove that God can change lives no matter who we are.
Both were interrupted and approached by the supernatural side of God.
Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, and he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were over joyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrhh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
God interrupts our lives and often gets our attention so we can see a new direction.
Just as He did with them.
He can do that for us too as the story continues.
