With holiday time in full swing, it’s interesting to consider the traditions associated with Christmas. What do decorated trees and wreaths, yule logs, Santa Claus, Christmas cookies, and jingle bells have to do with the birth of Christ? Answer: Nothing! What does December 25 have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ? Answer: Nothing! Research reveals that Jesus was actually born in the fall of the year. Almost all the customs of Christmas stem from ancient pagan festivals honoring other gods, and didn’t begin until some 300 years after Christ’s death. And although the Bible records details about the…
Last week I enjoyed an afternoon bike ride with my husband on a scenic rail trail in Pennsylvania. It was one of those October days in which the sun felt warm and the shade cool. Trees hinting yellow leaves lined both sides of the seemingly endless path, while the only sound was leaves crunching beneath bike tires. Robert Frost’s well-known poem “The Road Not Taken” came to mind—“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood . . . .” The poet expresses coming to a juncture and pondering which path to take—knowing all too well that as he starts down one…
Psalm 1 describes the person who doesn’t follow worldly methods and means, but who takes their greatest delight in the Lord. Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:1-3) Great joy, blessings, fruit, and prosperity follow this person. So how do I make the Lord…
Perhaps you’re familiar with the words to the hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness[1]: Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee, Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not, As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be. God doesn’t change. His compassions don’t fail. What He said was, was . . . What He says is, is . . . What He says will be, will be . . . Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, Sun,…
One of the highlights of my week is Tuesday mornings, when I talk and pray with my dear friend K. from Michigan. In prayer, we commit each of our loved ones to God’s care. We lay our concerns at His feet. And we always end the call encouraged in our faith and expecting great things from God. I love how K. begins her prayers by praising the awesome God of the universe—the One who created the stars, knows every hair upon our heads, and holds our lives in the palms of His hands. As together we turn our hearts to…
