Writing On Eagles Wings

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Christmas is almost here! This is one of the busiest times of the year for me, and I look forward to it each December. First, there is the shopping, which I confess starts in late November for me. Hunting for parking spaces at the mall, squeezing through the crowds, searching for the perfect gifts for family and friends… I love each moment! Then, there is the decorating of my home. From selecting the perfect tree to placing each Christmas heirloom in the right spot to hanging wreaths and lights… I love this, too! Next, I prepare for family time. This year I am in charge of the Christmas Eve brunch. I have to decide upon a menu, buy the food, then cook and serve it! In between all of this, I have presents to wrap and various Christmas festivities and church services to attend! Wow! I am a busy girl at Christmastime, and while some people do not like the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I absolutely love every single part of it!

Unfortunately, the things that I love about the Christmas season can also distract me from the most important reason for the holiday. I could easily forget all about Jesus as I scurry around completing each task on my checklist. Not okay.

To overcome this, I must be especially diligent to spend time with the Lord every day. Beginning each day reading the Bible and meditating upon it is part of surviving the worldly influences of Christmas that surround us all. I must be spiritually still and listen to His voice as I dwell upon His Word, and then I need to spend time chatting with Him. Forgive my casual reference to prayer, but I like to have an ongoing conversation with God throughout the day. I like to keep my prayer life on an open channel, so to speak. This continued communication helps me keep my heart centered on Him when I see Santa, reindeer and elves everywhere I go.

It truly is easy to get caught up in the festivities of Christmas and lose focus on the most important part – the coming of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour. I must take time to be still, know that He is God and that Jesus is my reason to celebrate this blessed season. Merry Christmas!

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity:

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!
There is room in my heart for Thee;
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

(from “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” by Emily Elliott and Timothy Matthews)

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…” James 4:8

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By the way, Bible reading and prayer is a good practice for every day, not just at Christmastime!

“And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” Matthew 1:25

Christmas. This is such a wonderful time of year. Many of us look to the Scriptures for the true meaning of the holiday, and there we can read two separate accounts of the birth of Jesus in the books of Matthew and Luke. Take a moment and think about the people that were involved in that first Christmas. Today, amid all the decorations and yuletide celebrations, church services and Christmas caroling, of whom do you think when Christmas is mentioned? First and foremost, we usually think of Jesus, followed by his mother, Mary. Others might mention the wise men, the shepherds, or even the angels.

Interestingly, very few people first think of Joseph, the husband of Mary. In fact, if he were the piece missing from your nativity set, it probably wouldn’t bother you nearly as much as if you’d lost one of the wise men or shepherds. But Joseph was more than just Mary’s husband. He was chosen by God to fulfill one of the most important roles in the coming of Jesus.

When Joseph and Mary became betrothed, there was a ceremony that was more legally binding than the actual marriage ceremony. During the betrothal, Joseph promised to love and care for Mary, and she promised to keep herself only for her husband, yielding her life to him. The betrothal was a year-long period of time with a legal contract that considered the couple to be married. The only way the betrothal could be dissolved would be if Joseph chose to legally divorce Mary. Additionally, during this time period, while Joseph and Mary prepared for their upcoming nuptials, they did not live together, nor did they have any physical intimacy.

It was during this betrothal time that Joseph found out that Mary was expecting a child. He knew that he was not the biological father for he had adhered to Jewish law and had not yet had a physical relationship with her. Heartbroken, he considered the circumstances in which he found himself. He knew he had every legal right to divorce Mary for infidelity. How great the anguish that must have gripped his soul when faced with this betrayal by the one he adored. His beloved Mary was carrying a child that he knew was not his own. The Bible tell us that he wrestled with what to do in Matthew 1:19-20.

It was then that the Lord sent an angel to Joseph in a dream. Here the angel explained everything that had happened to Mary was part of God’s plan to send a Saviour, and that the child Mary was carrying was the Son of God. When Joseph awoke, he had a choice to make. Believe God and take Mary to be his wife, or reject God and divorce her. Without hesitation, Joseph chose to trust the Lord and bare the awesome responsibility of caring for the Son of God and his mother, Mary.

Think about what this meant. Although Joseph had every legal right to be physically intimate with Mary, Joseph purposed in his heart to trust and obey the Lord. While he vowed to love, care for, and protect Mary and the baby, he also promised he would not consummate their marriage until after the birth of God’s Son. His faithful determination to withhold his physical affections from Mary until Jesus was born leaves no doubt as to the paternity of Jesus and speaks volumes of the heart of Joseph.

This Christmas, remember to thank the Lord for the young carpenter who loved Mary and Jesus with all of his heart, but most of all for the faithful man who chose to trust God without question in the most incredible story of love known to man.

How could it be this baby in my arms, sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said, How could it be?
Lord, I know He’s not my own, Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be the son of my love

Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God
Lord for all my life I’ve been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a king, how can I raise a king?

The Son of God, the angel said, How could it be? How could it be?

(from “Joseph’s Song” by Michael Card)

“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.” Matthew 1:24

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You don’t have to be in the spotlight for God to use you. You just need to have a willing heart that trusts the Lord. Merry Christmas!

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Consider these two verses: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1), and “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) If I were a mathematician, I would identify the common factor of these two verses as “in the beginning.” In the beginning…. God, and in the beginning… the Word. Both are identified in the Bible as the Creator. (Genesis 1:1, John 1:3) Therefore, we can conclude that God and the Word are the same. Because of John 1:14, we know that the “Word” is Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity.

There are many people that doubt the true identity of Jesus. However, the Bible leaves no doubt as to whom He is.

• “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John 1:34
• “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
• “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” Matthew 14:33
• “Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” John 1:49
• “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16
• “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:69

There are many other verses in the Bible that proclaim the identity of Christ, as well as verses that identify Him by other monikers. Here are a few examples.

• Beloved Son (Luke 3:22)
• Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14)
• The Lamb of God (John 1:29)
• The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
• The Good Shepherd (John 10:11)

This Christmas take time to reflect upon Jesus, the Word of God, who came to earth for the specific purpose of redeeming His creation. He came knowing His destiny would be the cross, knowing He would be mocked, despised, and rejected, knowing that He would be scorned by so many. Yet the Bible tells us that “…God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”(Romans 5:8) Despite all that, the Son of God willingly sacrificed His life to save all humanity from their sins.

Jesus is the Word of God… past, present, and future. What a wonderful Christmas gift!

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

(from “O Come All Ye Faithful” by John Francis Wade)

“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” Revelation 19:13

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There are many words for Christmas… but the Word of Christmas is Jesus!

“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15

“Thank you.” Two small words that mean so much, and hopefully you hear them often. Sometimes it’s a casual “thanks,” and sometimes it’s a very heartfelt expression of deep gratitude. No matter which, saying “thank you” is one way we express our appreciation to others.

Thanking God is important also, and it should be a part of everyone’s prayer life. We can thank God for His blessings toward us, for answered prayer, and for simply loving us. We can thank Him for many other things, but we should especially thank God for His “unspeakable gift.” The gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

To get a small idea of why this gift from God is so “unspeakable,” consider this. God and Jesus had never been apart from one another until the cross. When Jesus took all the sins of the world upon Himself, the unthinkable happened. The Father and the Son were separated. In that most agonizing moment, God the Father turned away from His only begotten Son, Jesus. It had never happened before in all eternity past, and it will never happen again, but it happened then. And it was the most unbearable and heart-wrenching moment for both the Father and the Son. The anguish was so great that it caused Jesus to cry out from the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

I cannot even begin to understand what God and Jesus went through at that moment. I only know that my sin contributed to that situation. Maybe that’s why God hates sin so much. Maybe it was because His own heart was also ripped out and broken at Calvary due to sin. But even though God knew what it would cost, He still sent His Son to earth to become our Saviour. There are no words to describe the enormity of the love that God has for us. Like His gift, His love is also “unspeakable.”

For the greatest of treasures wasn’t offered up by men
But a gift from the heavens that only God could send
Of all the things He could give, God chose just one
It was the greatest of treasures when the Father gave the world His Son.

(from “The Greatest of Treasures” by Dave Clark and Russell Mauldin)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

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This Christmas season take time to thank God for His truly unspeakable gift!

“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.” I Chronicles 16:31

When I was in college, I took several world history classes. I learned that many who ruled kingdoms and empires were brutal and self-centered, and remembered only for their wicked ways. They ruled with iron fists, and their cruelties knew no bounds. Their subjects suffered endlessly and without hope because these leaders were ruthless and without mercy.

It is difficult for me to comprehend the horrors of this type of leadership because the one who reigns over me is the complete antithesis to these horrific rulers. The one who rules over me is good, just, merciful, and true. He loves me with such enormity that he would do anything to keep me close to his heart. He is so powerful that no other king or worldly power can topple him from his throne. There is total safety and security in his hands. When I disappointed him, he is always ready to forgive me and restore my relationship with him. The one who rules over me is the Creator of the universe, the author and finisher of my faith, and the one I can call “Father.” (John 1:12, Romans 8:15).

God is my sovereign.

God is holy, righteous, just, merciful, honest, loving, forgiving… I could go on and on listing the wonderful attributes of my Lord. He is the One who rules over my life. He is benevolent toward me, longsuffering and patient with me, and He loves me with an everlasting love. In fact, God loves not only me, but the entire world! He loves us all so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to become our Saviour. This is what we celebrate at this time of year – the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth as a baby who would grow up and eventually die for the sins of the entire world. How wonderful to know that God loves us so much that “… He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Such amazing love He has for us! How can we not rejoice over this?

God is also omniscient. He knows everything, and His wisdom governs His actions. He always acts in our best interests. God’s goodness, holiness, and righteousness continually shines down upon us, and His love for us is everlasting! (Jeremiah 31:3) His mercy endures forever! (Psalm 136:2) This is the God who reigns supreme over all!

One day, all nations on this earth will recognize God for who He is. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;” And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11) Oh, what a day that will be! But until then, I will worship Him in my heart, looking forward to the day when I will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2), bowing down before His actual presence, and thanking Him for all He has done for me. Until then, I will continue to worship and adore Him, and serve Him to the best of my ability. I will rejoice in my heart and be glad that He is my Lord and Saviour, and I shall continually be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)

O worship the king all glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love;
Our shield and defender, the ancient of days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

(from “O Worship the King” by Robert Grant)

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

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We are the reason He came. He is the reason we live.

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

The birth of a child is a miracle. There is no doubt about it. To think of the complexity of the entire process from conception to birth is undeniably miraculous. It is a wonderful divine event that takes two – mother and father. Always has, always will.

Except once.

Approximately 2000 years ago, Jesus was born of a woman who was a virgin. She was not, as some say, just a young unmarried woman. She was an unmarried young woman who had never been in an intimate physical relationship with a man, and she was the woman chosen by God to bear His Son.

Why is the virgin birth so important? Without the uniqueness of the virgin birth, our salvation would be non-existent. This sinful world needed a sinless Saviour, but ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, sin had been passed on to every generation via the fathers (Romans 5:12). A child conceived in sin could never become the perfect holy sacrifice required to redeem all mankind because “…all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). However, a virgin conception and birth would exempt a child from the guilt of Adam’s sin, and qualify him to become the Saviour of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 7:26).

In order for this to happen, the Saviour would need a sinless father, but there was no earthly man who could fulfill that requirement (Romans 3:10). The Saviour’s father would have to be God Himself, and to remove any doubt as to the paternity of the child, the woman had to be a virgin. “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). And so it was that Jesus was conceived and born of a virgin, which assured that He was truly the Son of God. He was Immanuel… God with us.

There are some who doubt the virgin birth, but think for a moment about the situation surrounding the announcement of this impending birth to Mary (Luke 1). She knew she was a virgin and that there was no way for her to be pregnant until she gave herself to her husband. Although she was betrothed, that time had not yet happened. This is the reason why she questioned the angel’s statement, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). If Mary was simply a “young woman,” she never would have asked, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34). Mary herself validated her virginity through her wonder at how she could bear a child in her physical state of purity.

The virgin birth is a vital component of our faith because it clearly shows the heritage of our Lord Jesus Christ. His mother was a Jewish virgin, and His Father was God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. By virtue of these facts, Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, who was born for the specific purpose of becoming our Saviour. “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” 1 John 4:14.

This Christmas, as you reflect on the true meaning of the season, take time to thank the Lord for the trusting heart of a young Jewish virgin, who submitted herself to God and became the mother of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

(from “Silent Night” by Joseph Mohr & John Freeman Young)

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.” Matthew 1:23-25

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“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

I have heard people comment that the book of Esther has no mention of God in it, and they question its inclusion in the Bible. While it is true that the name of God is not directly mentioned in this book, it does shows how God worked to preserve His people through the Jewish queen. However, as I was meditating upon my verse today, I saw another picture of God in it that I had not noticed before.

In the opening words of the book of Esther, Ahasuerus is described as the king of a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia. He sits upon his throne ruling his kingdom, and if any of his subjects wish to see him, they must wait until summoned. No one approaches the king on a whim because that would be an unacceptable breech of protocol that could result in punishment or death if the king so chose.

Due to circumstances that could result in the annihilation of the Jewish people in the empire, Queen Esther has to intervene to save them, but she has not been summoned by Ahasuerus. To approach him, she faces death if the king does not grant her access to him. Regardless, she chooses to go to Ahasuerus on behalf of her people not knowing if she will even get a chance to voice her concerns. As she approaches the king, he extends his golden scepter, which allows her to come to him with her petitions, ultimately leading to the salvation of the Jewish people in the empire (Esther 5:2).

I see many ways in which Ahasuerus is a picture of God. First, Ahasuerus reigns over an earthly kingdom, God, the King of the universe, sits on His throne in heaven, overseeing His entire creation. Psalm 115:3 records “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”

Second, Ahasuerus was unapproachable due to his position. To go to Ahasuerus without being properly summoned would result in death. Likewise, in Biblical times, no one could approach God in their sinful state except the priests, and even their access was limited. The holiness and righteousness of God demands that the priests follow God’s requirements exactly when approaching Him. Failure could result in death. Approaching God, even when done rightly, was a fearful thing. The Bible records several instances where people were overcome with fear when the Lord’s angels appeared (Daniel 8:17, Luke 1:12, Luke 2:9). Just imagine the magnitude of fear if facing the Lord God Almighty Himself!

Thirdly, Ahasuerus could decide to show mercy if one did approach him. God could also choose to show mercy with certain individuals. Luke 1:50 states, “And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation,” and we are reminded that God’s mercy “endureth forever” (Psalms 118, 136).

Lastly, Ahasuerus had the power to deal with any problem in his kingdom, which meant that if there was a situation in the region, the king would be the one to whom the people would go. Our God has the ultimate power to control any and all situations in this world, past, present, and future. Revelation 19:6 states, “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” If we have needs or concerns, God is the one to whom we should go, for there is nothing that He cannot do to remedy a problem or situation (Luke 1:37).

The comparisons do not stop there. The most important picture that I see is in regards to approaching God. Esther was initially concerned about approaching the king, even though she was his queen. She had no way of knowing whether Ahasuerus would grant her mercy, allowing her to live, or sentence her to death (Esther 4:11). When we approach God, we no longer have to be afraid of God’s judgment. We are told in Hebrews 4:16 that we can approach the throne of God without fear. In fact, we are to come to Him BOLDLY! That means God is always extending his divine scepter in a gesture of His infinite mercy toward us! We never have to fear death if we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour because through Christ we have a personal relationship with our heavenly Father. He is always available to us, and because of His mercy, we will always find Him wiling to dispense His grace to help us in our times of need.

Maybe the name of God is not mentioned in the book of Esther, but it certainly paints a beautiful picture of the mercy and grace of our heavenly Father. Sometime the picture painted tells more than the written words could ever do.

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song;
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?

O, yes, He cares – I know He cares!
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares, He cares.

(from “Does Jesus Care?” by Frank Graeff)

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37

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So thankful that God cares for me and wants me to come boldly to Him!

“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” Psalm 95:2

It’s still the simple things that I am most grateful for…

…God

…family

…church

…health

…life

Thank You, Jesus for all You’ve done, thank You, Lord

Thank You, Jesus for victories won, O thank You, Lord

For Thy love and tender care, for Thy Word and answered prayer

Thank You, Jesus for all You’ve done, thank You , Lord.

Thank You, Jesus for love like Thine, thank You, Lord

Thank You, Jesus for grace divine, O thank You, Lord

For Thy cross of Calvary, for Thy blood that cleanseth me,

Thank You, Jesus that Thou are mine, Thank You, Lord.

(from “Thank You, Jesus” by John and Ruth Hallett)

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High” Psalm 92:1

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I hope you and those you love have a very blessed Thanksgiving.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

A friend of mine recently shared on social media a poem about thanking God. I thought it was so appropriate since this is the Thanksgiving season, but when I read it, the poem wasn’t exactly what I expected.

When I think about thanking God, I can remember so many ways He’s blessed my life.  Here’s a partial list of things for which I am so thankful.

*My husband of 41 years whom I cherish more and more

*My son and daughter and their families who “keep me young”

*My friends who fill my life with joy through a shared faith

*A Bible-believing church that loves the Lord Jesus Christ

*My health that has more ups than downs

*My beautiful home that is warm and cozy

*My finances that meet my needs and then some

This list goes on and on, but nothing on my list was included in the poem I read. In fact, the flavor of this poem almost seemed like an antithesis to Thanksgiving because it focused on thanking God for all the times He has seemed to say “No” to a prayer!

As I pondered this, I realized that it equally as important to thank God for all the times He’s kept me safe from myself by not answering a prayer in the way I wanted. Sometimes the outcomes of particular situations have baffled me, and I found myself asking God why He didn’t answer in the way I thought was best. Maybe it was in regard to someone’s illness. Maybe it was to provide work for someone without a job. Maybe it was to restore a family relationship. Again, this is a list that could keep on going. I had never thought of thanking God for His divine intervention when I prayed “amiss.” I wonder how many times His hand spared me or someone for whom I prayed from something worse had my initial prayers been answered exactly as I had prayed. I needed to be reminded that God answers in ways that are best and right for me or those for whom I pray. He is ALWAYS good, and that is truly something for which to be thankful.

So this Thanksgiving, I will be thanking God for all He’s done for me, but I am also going to take some time to thank Him for what He chose not to do.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

(from “Blessed Assurance” by Fanny Crosby)

“But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.” Psalm 69:13

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The poem to which I referred is entitled “Thankful for No” by Carol Bessent Hayman (1927-2017), former Poet Laureate for Carteret County and the town of Beaufort, North Carolina.