"The Work of Christmas"

The streets were empty of people this evening and the joy of the season, but  “the darkest hour is just before the dawn”

 and will hope in the “Work of Christmas “

The Work of Christmas

“When the song of the angels is stilled, 

When the star in the sky is gone, 

When the kings and princes are home, 

When the shepherds are back with their flock, 

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among others,

To make music in the heart.”

-Howard Thurman

“Surely when I think of the way in which I went on for many years, I can only fall down with astonishment as well as humiliation before the throne of grace, and adore with wonder that infinite mercy of God which did not cast me off; but on the contrary, guiding me by a way which I knew not..

...living almost without God in the world, till God’s good providence checked and turned me, oh miracle of mercy.."

-William Wilberforce 

".. longs to know, yet trembles to ask the question.."

 with anguish in our voice

we long to know, yet tremble to ask the question

Many of us have situations we are anxious to approach.

At time we may have called out to the other person to be sure they are ok;

 before entering an area, with a faint heart,- fearing what we may see.

- We saw the fall on the ski glade in expert terrain, afraid to look 

- Saw the stroller fall off the porch steps, baby strapped in, onto the concrete

- You see your son fall from the ski lift

- You see your son fall out a second story window, and wife asks his whereabouts

- You get a call about a metal art shop accident, 

or flag football accident- going to the ER

- Receive a message, follow up testing needed on inconclusive results

- We fear opening the email that may determine our future,

- Opening the letter from a struggling friend,

- Visiting your terminally ill parent and what you may find

- Meeting at work that changes you livelihood and security

I was up early and wanted to see the sunrise on this cold morning!

Frost and some fog with the morning

I recalled the story in the book of Daniel 

when the king places Daniel in the Lion's den.

When he finally went to bed, he could not sleep

When first light of morning finally arrived, the king got up and didn’t waste any time returning to the lions’ den.

 As he drew near the den, with anguish in his voice 

he called out to Daniel, hoping somehow he was still alive.

"When the king comes to the den, not without some hopes that God had graciously undone what he had wickedly done, 

he cries, with a lamentable voice, as one full of concern and trouble, 

O Daniel! art thou alive? 

He longs to know, yet trembles to ask the question,

fearing to be answered with the roaring of the lions after more prey:

The joyful news he meets with-that Daniel is alive, is safe, and well, 

and unhurt in the lions’ den. God has preserved his life by a miracle

 Daniel knew the king’s voice, though it was now a lamentable voice, and spoke to him with all the deference and respect that were due to him: O king! live for ever. He does not reproach him for his unkindness to him, and his easiness in yielding to the malice of his persecutors; but, to show that he has heartily forgiven him, he meets him with his good wishes. 

"With his honor at stake, the king had no choice. He gave the order for Daniel to be captured. Before Daniel was thrown into the pit with the lions, the king spoke to him.

Darius: May your God, the God you have served so faithfully, rescue you!

 Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den and a stone was brought in and placed over the opening to shut the mouth of the den. The king himself sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his nobles. That way no one could tamper with the pit and nothing could happen to change Daniel’s fate. 

The king retired to his palace and spent the night fasting. That evening he stayed to himself, turning down his regular evening musical entertainment. When he finally went to bed, he could not sleep.

When first light of morning finally arrived, the king got up and didn’t waste any time returning to the lions’ den.

Darius can hardly wait to see what has happened to Daniel, who has become indispensable to the king.

 As he drew near the den, with anguish in his voice he called out to Daniel, hoping somehow he was still alive.

Darius: Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, the One you have served so faithfully, been able to rescue you from these hungry lions?

Daniel (to the king): 

 Long live the king! 

 As soon as you shut the mouth of this den, My God sent His heavenly representative to shut the mouths of these hungry lions so that they could not hurt me. He has rescued me because I am as innocent before Him as I am before you, O king. I have done you no harm.

The king could hardly contain his excitement and joy. He ordered that Daniel be taken up out of the lions’ den. He was removed and examined carefully,

 but not even a scratch was found on him—all because he put his trust in His God." - Daniel 6: 16- 23 (VOICE)  

Psalm 23 "He cares for me always"

The Eternal is my shepherd, He cares for me always.

He provides me rest in rich, green fields

beside streams of refreshing water.

    He soothes my fears;

He makes me whole again,

    steering me off worn, hard paths

    to roads where truth and righteousness echo His name.

  

Even in the unending shadows of death’s darkness,

    I am not overcome by fear.

Because You are with me in those dark moments,

    near with Your protection and guidance,

    I am comforted.

You spread out a table before me,

    provisions in the midst of attack from my enemies;

You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil,

    filling my cup again and again with Your grace.

Certainly Your faithful protection and loving provision will pursue me

    where I go, always, everywhere.

I will always be with the Eternal,

    in Your house forever.

Psalm 23

1 The Eternal is my shepherd, He cares for me always.

2 He provides me rest in rich, green fields

    beside streams of refreshing water.

    He soothes my fears;

3 He makes me whole again,

    steering me off worn, hard paths

    to roads where truth and righteousness echo His name.

4 Even in the unending shadows of death’s darkness,

    I am not overcome by fear.

Because You are with me in those dark moments,

    near with Your protection and guidance,

    I am comforted.

5 You spread out a table before me,

    provisions in the midst of attack from my enemies;

You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil,

    filling my cup again and again with Your grace.

6 Certainly Your faithful protection and loving provision will pursue me

    where I go, always, everywhere.

I will always be with the Eternal,

    in Your house forever. Psalm 23 (VOICE)

"... round about ..wraps around.. encircles.. his people.."

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. Psalm 125:2 - KJV

Just as the mountains around Jerusalem embrace her, the Eternal, too, wraps around those who belong to Him— for this moment and for every moment to come. Psalm 125:2 -VOICE

Those who trust in God are like Zion Mountain: Nothing can move it, a rock-solid mountain you can always depend on. Mountains encircle Jerusalem, and God encircles his people— always has and always will. 

Psalm 125:2 The Message

 "The way of love will show us the right thing to do, every single time. It is moral and spiritual grounding-and a place of rest- amid the chaos that is often part of life. It’s how we stay decent in indecent times...

And It’s those people that love that pull us through and keep us going when we don’t have the strength...

Human beings – fragile as we are – are the beautiful, heartbreaking conduit, but ultimately not the source.” 

- Bishop Michael Curry, Love is the Way; Holding onto Hope in Troubled Times.

“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.“

-Dr. King in his ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’