Laced With Grace

The toy store shelves are stocked with toys.  Toy commercials are filling the television screen, as are the flyer’s filling our mailboxes.  A huge reminder not to forget the requests that have been “hinted” at throughout the year.  Actually, two of my grandsons don’t normally “request” things from TV or things they’ve seen in a sale paper.  However, I recently received a toy book from a certain department store and those two little fellows have poured over that book as if it held some secret to a lost treasure.  They have pointed out several things that they would like to have.  “Please Nana?”

There is one thing most all these toys have in common, they require some assembly.  These toys will come with instructions, some even have diagrams.  But you must put forth some effort before Christmas morning in order for the gift to be fully enjoyed.  You can’t just hand them the box and a wrench or screwdriver and say, “have at it” or “Merry Christmas!”  You must assemble the gift in order for them to enjoy it.

We have a gift that has been made available to us that is already fully assembled.  It was assembled in heaven as a decision was made to become one of us.  He became a baby, born to a young girl that was possibly as fearful of childbirth as I was.  And I had a hospital.  She had none.  What she had though, was a word from God through the angel Gabriel…..God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to Mary…a young virgin.  When he (the angel) went to Mary, he greeted her with a startling announcement. 

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28 NIV)

His greeting troubled her.  She must have stood there with a bewildered look on her face because Gabriel continues with “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”  See……He is always watching!

He goes on to explain the hows and whys of the “gift” she is about to receive.  Instructions.  This gift she receives is from God in heaven, and He shares this precious Gift, His Son, with the world through the virgin birth.  Through a willing vessel.  A vessel that pleased God.

The prophet Isaiah foretold this in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:  The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”  He gave us a sign.  Instructions. 

“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ” Isaiah 9:6

As Jesus so patiently and lovingly explained to Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  The greatest gift.  Already assembled.  The instructions are for the receiver.  Not the giver.  We are “instructed” how to receive this gift.  We are instructed on the details of the “care and responsibility” of this incredible gift.  It is not a gift we receive and put on a shelf never to be thought of again.  This one is for “everyday of our lives”.  Receiving this gift will enable us to become the vessels that please the “Giver”.

The gift is Salvation.  Through God’s one and only Son.  The instructions are God’s Word.  Inside we have instructions in extreme detail on how to live our lives to please the Father.  How to cope in crisis.  How to face dark times.  How to deal with adversity.  How to endure heartache.  How to pray….how to live….it is up to us ….we must read the instructions if we are going to be assembled properly.  Proper assembly will determine the strength of the vessel.  Improper assembly will definitely show up in our day to day lives.  If we skip the instructions and try and put it all together just by what it looks like on others….we just might miss a few steps.  We just might fail.  We just might break.  Receive the gift.  Use the tools.  Read the instructions.  The end result will please the Gift Giver.

Dear Lord Jesus, my heart’s desire is to be the woman you would have me to be.  The mother and daughter you created me for.  A willing vessel, usable, completely assembled for Your glory.  Don’t let me miss a step.  Keep my focus clear.  When my mind wanders and wants to just be finished….remind me that every step, every process is for a reason.  You are creating us as You see fit.  Steady me and keep me centered on You.  My Lord and Savior.  Thank You Father for the Gift of eternal life through Your only Son, Jesus.  I am thrilled beyond words to be a recipient of Your love and mercy.   Help me to share Your Gift with others.  In Your most Holy name I pray~Amen.

Trusting Him,

Angie

It is so easy, almost effortless to stand firm, to trust in God when everything is going well. It is easy to have faith when before you even finish praying your answer is at the door. However, how do you hold on to hope when it seems as if the thing you pray for most seem to be the one prayer that is not answered?

I was seven or eight years old when my mom began preaching the gospel and going on mission trips, at that time none of her eight children or her husband were Christians. She testified often of how she would sometimes feel almost embarrassed to be preaching the gospel to others and none of her household were saved. However she still preached. She said she would often pray, “God, save someone in my family, even if you just save my baby Bernadine”

In his epistle to the Jewish believers James emphasizes endurance and perseverance. He tells the believers that when they ask God something in faith they are to hold fast to his promises without wavering. I have seen my mother stand firm when it seemed like the prayer she longed to see answered most would not be answered.

It was about six or seven years before any of us became Christians. I don’t think I was first but I wasn’t far behind. One by one we, including my dad, accepted Christ until there was one left, the oldest. Unfortunately he was a stubborn one and an alcoholic but, my mom never stop praying and never gave up. Last year she died, like the patriarchs of old, having only seen the promise a far off but we continued praying in her stead.

Two weeks ago my oldest sibling return home after spending four months in an alcoholic rehabilitation center where he checked himself into. Consequently, by God’s grace, he will be spending his first sober Christmas in over twenty years (Thank you Lord!) Not only that, it was a Christian based program and he is talking about how he knows that it was only God that enabled him to stay the course. I know he still has a difficult road ahead of him especially since he hasn’t accepted Christ yet, but hope springs anew that he soon will…

So, to all of you who have unanswered prayer and you’re wondering if they’ll ever be answered I encourage you to,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Also, allow hope to spring anew in your heart this Christmas season. Don’t give up! Don’t stop dreaming, don’t stop trying, don’t stop believing, don’t stop hoping, and don’t stop praying because God is listening!

Ordinary yet remarkably extraordinary. There is nothing more familiar or more mysterious than;

The Human Body.

“Do you want to sit down and watch this program I recorded last week” my husband inquired?

His invitation surprised me. I don’t watch much television and usually don’t watch the war documentaries he likes to watch. Guys…. What is it about men and war games? Go figure!!! *grin*

We sat down together in the family room. He hit play on the remote and for the next hour and forty-five minutes our eyes were riveted to the screen as we watched a documentary about the human body.

I was mesmerized with the intricacies of our physical body.

Our human bodies are only bits of stardust, comprised of three common compounds, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen. We are a handful of minerals worth less than $20 in your local hardware store. Yet,

WE ARE PRICELESS!

As you read these very words consider this. Our entire world is contingent upon two small gelatinous orbs! They enable us to judge distance, perceive depth, and navigate our fast-paced world. Our eyes contain 120 million photoreceptors that convert light into electrical impulses which jet off to the brain in a fraction of a second.

Ears, our body’s megaphones. They allow us to interpret sound waves rippling through the air traveling at 750 miles per hour as well as give us balance. Tiny little tubes orient us to our surroundings. Fascinating!

Did you know our nose distinguished over 10,000 different odors? Our little nose, or perhaps large nose, contains 10 billion receptor cells. They signal the brain to determine calm or caution also delight or disgusting, depending on how recent the baby’s diaper was changed.

How do you power over a trillion cells in the human body? With blood. One gallon of blood travels through 60 thousand miles of arteries, veins, and capillaries then returns to our ten-ounce heart in less than a minute. I am astounded by the power of this small organ.

The muscular system is brilliant. Our nervous system, a marvel and don’t even get me started about our brain. Scientists have yet to understand our three pound brain. I watched, I learned and I sat in awe. The design of our body and the ability of all parts to work in harmony shout of intelligent design. When you wrap your mind around the genius of this creation it can only lead you to one place – GOD!

Our complex systems of operation confound even the wisest. Our everyday common body is an absolute miracle.

As the program ended, I looked over to my unbelieving husband and said, “This is so fantastic how could one not believe in God?”

He looked at me and smiled.

My husband hears this statement from me on a regular basis. I just can’t help myself. The wonder and evidence of God I recognize all around me. I see it in the stars on a warm summer night. I hear God’s voice in the song of a Mockingbird. My brain explodes when I study the complexities of our earths orbit and the exactness required to sustain life on this planet. (Don’t get me going on this one. I will save it for another day.)

Psalm 119:73 (NKJV) Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

Lord, I pray that we your children will experience a moment of awe this Christmas season. Blow our minds with the fantastic truth of your creation. Fill our hearts with your mind-blowing love sent as a baby born into a cold stable. Give us opportunities to share it with this world which, amazingly, still doubts there is a Creator. In Jesus name, Amen.

Many thanks to the National Geographic Channel for airing such a profound program, The Incredible Human Machine.