December 8 2015

December 8 2015 Greetings My Friend My goal during the Christmas season is to remember Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection. I have never been able to do advent but during the month I attempt to focus on Jesus in some way each day….frankly it my day to day goal too. I find comfort in reading the familiar passages of Jesus’ birth. Through the years I found myself relating to Mary and Joseph. Mary was a teenage mother. This was a huge mark on her for her entire life. Joseph was not so sure about Mary’s integrity and silently decided he would quietly divorce her. Both Mary and Joseph listened to the angel’s news about God’s only Son being born within Mary’s womb. Joseph married Mary. Mary seemed scared but rejoiced at being God’s Son’s mother. They both went against the norm to do the work God called them to. Life was hard for them. Joseph was not rich, King Herod ordered all babies to be killed which means God warned the parents to move into Egypt. Each time I begin to dig deeper into the very familiar story I discover God in more profound ways. Mary and Joseph were not influential people. They were poor and not educated. God chose them to do a major work. They both were willing to do as God commanded them and was willing to go against the societies accepted ways. Each turn of the road God provided for their lives and safety. The three Wise Men visited the family bringing with them very expensive gifts. These gifts provided for the family when they lived to Egypt. We learn of three gifts that were given not a ton of gifts. They were given what they needed to sustain their lives. As I look further I don’t see that Mary, Joseph and Jesus had a cake type of life. In reality it was hard. They believed God and God provided their needs not their wants. God could have chosen rich people for Jesus to be born into, He did not. God could have made Mary and Joseph rich, He did not. Mary, Joseph and Jesus had to depend on God each step of their journey. God did not take the cross away from Jesus either. Still all three of them relied on God and did as they were instructed to do. As Jesus hung on the cross He instructed John to care for His mother and for Mary to care for John. Both did as they were instructed. I see again that God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called. He does this in my life as well. I had hard times, still walk through moments of great struggle. I have learned great joy even in moments of huge difficulties. I learn to seek God and each time I come back to God I find my way through the maze of struggles. I have a strength I never knew I had. It is not my own strength but God’s strength that sees me through life. In the quiet moments I am thankful and grateful for life’s challenges. Around the corner another new struggle may appear, slowly and steadily I learn to take it to God in prayer. His Word often opens up ways to cope with each situation. I don’t feel alone but I feel important to God which gives me courage and strength to do the uncomfortable. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet