A Different Kind of Christmas

 


A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS

By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” –  Psalm 34:3 KJV

Christmas feels different this year, and I am missing a sense of normalcy, togetherness and celebration. The holidays are a time of magnification —whether it be in the decoration of our homes or in stress, indulgence, or sense of obligation.  For some joy is magnified — for others a gnawing sense of loneliness.

There was loneliness that first Christmas, too.  Consider the shepherds.  While mother’s were singing their children to sleep in town, the shepherds rested beneath a blanket of stars, with just the soft bleats of sheep as their lullaby.  Suddenly, the stillness was broken, when the angel of the Lord appeared announcing the Good News.  The heavens burst open with the voices of angels praising and giving glory to God. 

The shepherds were not expecting such a holy visitation.  They were the lowly, the unwashed and the lonely.  They may have felt forgotten that night, but they were not forgotten by God.  Catch the treasure hidden here, Beloved.  God did not announce Himself to kings, but bent His knee and sent word FIRST to the poor, disenfranchised and lonely.  

God didn’t forget the shepherds, and He has not forgotten you.  Consider this time of being set apart as a holy preparation for your own divine encounter.  Join with me.  Let’s shift our focus to magnify the One who is worthy of magnification.

Father, as You did more than 2000 years ago, visit us again.  Once again bring hope, peace and good news. Invade our loneliness with Your presence and exchange feelings of abandonment with that of being intimately known, wanted and loved. 

Father, thank You that the worst of times can become the best of times, when we spend them with You.  We offer all we have and are to the King who visits shepherds. Turn our offering for the good.  And may our voices be heard joining with the angels when they say, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” – Luke 2:14  In Jesus’ Name ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/Prayers-of-a-Ragamuffin-Warrior-171515087035441/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unshakeable Hope

Image
  UNSHAKEABLE HOPE By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” - Psalms ‭139:23  ‬NIV As the times we are in are heating up, our eyes search for HOPE and comfort.  We look longingly over our shoulder at the “Good Old Days”—simpler times, old relationships and habits—people and things that, in the past, brought momentary relief.  But, more often than not, we find that the fleeting well of comfort found there has since dried up. ‬ We have not been abandoned to fend for ourselves, however. God, Himself, will be our refuge!‬ When everything else is shaking, we have been given a glorious hope.  God is immovable, and when we put our trust in Him, so are we!  ‬ “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.” – Psalm 125:1-2 NIV Beloved, let’s not until the worl...
Read more

Kissing Boo-Boos

Image
  KISSING BOO-BOOS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly Oh, the miracle of a kiss on a boo-boo!  I remember being little and getting a cut on my finger.  I’d raise that chubby finger and go running to my mom.  She always knew what to do.  She would gently clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  We weren’t done until my hurt had been kissed.  There was magic in that application of compassion and love.  It made the pain go away. We have all seen that toddler with a boo-boo.  They run to their mom or dad to clean it, put on a bandaid and give it a kiss.  If the wound isn’t treated, the tiny nick can continue to hurt and bleed. Each time it is touched or bumped they are reminded of the pain.  And an untreated wound can become infected and grow. There are people all around us with unkissed boo-boos today.  They are hurt, afraid or sad.  They go through life fearful of being hurt again, and looking for someone they can t...
Read more

The Secret of The Birds

Image
 THE SECRET OF THE BIRDS By:  Julie Souza Bradley Lilly “Praise the Lord from the earth, Sea monsters and all deep sea creatures; Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged birds.” - Psalm 148:7, 10.   Morning has broken and the choir of birds outside my window is singing their hearts out.  Birds may not be considered to be intelligent, yet their response to God in hardship could teach us a few things.  We humans grumble to God about so much, but the birds praise their creator in severe heat and bitter cold.  They may have nests and the shade of trees, but they don’t have the many comforts we enjoy, yet they praise Him.  They know a secret:  God is enthroned upon our praises.  When our hearts are full of worship, He takes His rightful place and brings with Him joy and peace. Let’s take a lesson from the birds.  Their trust in their maker to provide for their needs, even in the face of harsh seasons, calls out to our faith.  It ...
Read more