Christmas in a manger

Luke 2: 15

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

This has been an atypical Christmas.

I had no caroling to busy and tire myself. However, I also didn't get to hear a Christmas message and was busy fighting fire and personal frustrations given the chaotic time attempting to settle the children program of Christmas day. It's amazing how the church can have members who have spent so many years in church but are still so ugly in behaviour that they are just plain rude and a pain to have. I simply couldn't believe that I spent the entire time of the Christmas service forcing myself to smile, be nicer to the kids and not lash out at the adults who came my way to infuriate me. 

Honestly, for a moment, I almost lost it and I was teetering on the brink of screaming to chase all the idiots who rushing into the room to sit down and eat, before the kids could leave and the room be cleaned up. The only thing that stopped me from ruining my own Christmas was the fact that I told myself it was a special day, too special for me to sabotage myself.

I spent a large part of Christmas having dinner with my friend who flew down for a holiday with her kids. Enjoyable as it was to catch up with other friends amidst a simple quiet dinner, it struck me that somehow I would have loved to have the chance to enjoy a still Christmas in a manger.

Settling all the chaos in church literally ruined my Christmas. Getting lost in constant activities and doing lotsa stuff is purely secular. All I wanted, in reality, was a moment to cherish the fact that my saviour came to seek and save.

M.

No word of God ever fails

Luke 1:34 & 37

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

"For no word from God will ever fail.” 

It has been a while since I have been deeply ministered from the pulpit. Saturday was perhaps one of the most simple, yet profound message that gave sustenance to my life's journey.

The birth of Christ that we will come to celebrate this week is by the very fact that God never fails. From the prophesies that he gave many years back, to the actual miracle of a work through a virgin, He fulfilled a work that is good. Not simply good, but God's version of good that He had earlier pronounced in Genesis after every day of creation.

Through the many years of waiting for God, the miserable dark ages, the tough conditions where man never seemed to hear of God, in God's time, He sent His angel to inform Mary that a miracle will be done through her.

In this one and only supernatural moment, God delivers a blessing that would bring redemption to mankind. Are you, like me, also awaiting for the redemption of God's promise in your life or situation? 

Take heart and keep the faith. No word of God will ever fail.

M.

The giver of all good gifts.

Matthew 7:11
“If you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?

The things we do to give gifts to those we love. Especially during birthdays and Christmas. Even though I often get back some bizarre, lame or crummy gifts from the recipients of my gifts, I don't mind nor will you ever see me complain.

I do it every single year. Swamp myself with the stress of ensuring that I get a gift for the individuals whom I plan to show my love. It's stressful and takes up unnecessary brain cells because I don't only spend good money getting the present, I attempt to go overseas to buy something different from what the boring local  shops sell. The truth is, I would do it all again and again.
 

Thus, this verse speaks of the true heart of God. If we who are sinful know how to give good gifts to those we love, what more the God who loves beyond himself that He should sacrifice His only son for us.
 

This year, with my room cluttered with enough stuff, my new unworn clothes still packed nicely, I don't need anything for Christmas except for God's answer to my prayers. He is after all the giver of better gifts than me.

M.

God's consolation

Psalms 94:18

When anxiety was great within me,  your consolation brought me joy. 

I learned the truth of this verse yesterday. 

Given the nice evening weather, I elected to go for my quiet-time jog instead of doing it on my regular tuesday because who knows if it'll pour with rain tomorrow! With the MP3 plugged on, it is only then that I allowed my thoughts to be free as I sought a time of audience with God. 

It has been a while since I've been ministered in worship, and each lap around the stadium was a ministry by songs that brought out the worries, struggles and honest feelings that had been bottled up for the past days. The more I shared, the more I felt overwhelmed by life.

However, in the last 2 laps, just when I was so intimidated by the anxiety and hopelessness of life, the MP3 changed track. Hearing the song declaring the glorious nature of God suddenly brought a renewed hope. It was the Holy spirit reminding me that in the woes of life, when all seems lost, God is still a glorious God of Victory. That consolation brought out a new joy in the midst of my worries and for once in a long while, I slept rather well.

M.

Far better

I can't find the bible verses that inspired this song. Every word means much to me as I look ahead at the remaining days of this year and see the year come to an end.

Far better is to be with You
Even for a day
Than to live a thousand years
And to never see
One glimpse of Your face
As for me I want to be
Close to You
All my days I want to live
In Your house
So take me
Make Your home in my heart
Wash away these guilty stains
Make me like You are
Surround me
Closer than the air that I breathe
Because You have loved me
I want to be
A friend of God

M.

"If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far" (Philippians 1:22-23)