He said that there will be no ravenous beasts – there will be nothing along the way to be afraid of and then he said, “No traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.”
It’s a wonderful image of God’s grace. God is so eager for us to come back home, to come back to him, to know the joy for which we have been created, that he builds this holy way where no traveler, not even a fool, can go astray.
The source of our joy is Jesus. We can begin to experience His presence even
now. There are flowers already blooming in the midst of the desert and we wait
for that day when we will know Christ fully and our joy will be complete. In the meantime, the Christ of Christmas gives us work to do. The middle of our passage is a command, an imperative, something we are supposed to do. Isaiah said,
"Strengthen weak hands, and make firm feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.'”
It is not enough for us to simply receive this joy of knowing God’s presence and God’s love. We also have opportunities to share that joy, to help others see the signs of God’s presence and experience God’s love all around them.
Praise the Lord for
all who are engaged in ministering to the grieving families in Connecticut. In
the midst of such great tragedy we see the signs of grace and healing, and even
the signs of triumph and victory. Therefore we are always on the lookout for
those with weak hands or feeble knees. We are always on the lookout for those
with a fearful heart. We are always looking for opportunities to say “Be strong.
Do not fear. Here is your God.” With every person we greet we have a chance to
share just a little bit of our joy.
Our
nephew who lives in Colorado posted on Facebook that he "Will be saying Merry Christmas to everyone
for the next 7 Days." Some things are
worth saying again and again. Over and over again we have an opportunity to
speak to those with fearful hearts who need to hear the Christmas message – “Be
strong. Do not be afraid. Here is your God.” In this way we keep spreading the
message. We keep pointing to the signs and God’s presence and God’s love.
We keep waiting for the promise to be complete, waiting for that day when the ransomed of the Lord will come to Zion with singing. We wait and we pray, for in that day we will obtain everlasting joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
We keep waiting for the promise to be complete, waiting for that day when the ransomed of the Lord will come to Zion with singing. We wait and we pray, for in that day we will obtain everlasting joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
In
Christ,
Brown
Living Nativity
Presented by the Union Center United Methodist Church
Location: The
Oakdale Mall, Johnson City, NY.
Date: Saturday,
December 22, 2012
Time:
4-5 PM
Handel's
Messiah Presented by the Down Town Singers of Binghamton
Date: Friday
December 21, 2012
Time: 8
PM
Location:
Helen Foley Theater in Binghamton High School (corner of Main & Oak
Streets)
Christmas Eve
Candlelight services
4:30 PM at First
UMC, 53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott
Pianist: Aric
Phinney,
Organist: Yancey
Moore
Soloist: Emma
Brunson
Pastor Brown will be
Preaching
7.30 PM Candle
Light Communion Service
Union Center
UMC, 128 Maple
Drive
Organist: Betty
Phinney
Pianist: Laureen
Naik
Preacher Rev. Brown
Naik
All are
welcome.
Phone for
information: 607-748-6329 or 607-748-1358
No comments:
Post a Comment