Saturday, December 25, 2010

Blessed Christmas to You

Music on Christmas Morning

Music I love—but ne’er a strain
Could kindle raptures so divine,
So grief assuage, so conquer pain,
And rouse this pensive heart of mine;
As that we hear on Christmas morn,
Upon the wintry breezes born.

To greet with joy the glorious morn,
Which angels welcomed long ago,
When our redeeming Lord was born,
To bring the light of Heaven below . . .

With them, I celebrate His birth;
Glory to God, in highest Heaven,
Good will to men, and peace on Earth,
To us a Savior King is given;
Our God is come to claim His own,
And Satan’s power is overthrown!

A sinless God, for sinful men,
Descends to suffer and to bleed;
Hell must renounce its empire then;
The price is paid, the world is freed,
And Satan’s self must now confess,
That Christ has earned a right to bless.

—Anne Brontē (1820-1849)
Romans 5:1-5 (The Message)
1-2By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

3-5There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
Merry Christmas!


4 comments:

  1. Beautiful.Christmas without my husband will be different,but I know he is having the best Christmas of his life.
    Blessings,Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Ruth, May this very different Christmas day reveal treasures of its own, and a new understanding of God's love for you. For us all!
    Hugs and prayers are going out for you today, fbh

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi! Thank for having this website! I read the poem and enjoyed it, and scripture that followed! God is so good! May The Lord bless all widows and widowers this day, and throughout the week leading up to new years day. I pray that that the Lord will kindle in our heart, through the work of the Holy Spirit, a new joy in Him, as we walk through our lives the upcoming year, without our loved one.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Ferree -

    Memories always surface on these special days. It's a temptation to concentrate on the loss - the glass is half empty mentality.

    Yet as I hold and feed my newborn niece, I'm awed by this precious new life. And I thank God that He gave me a hope and a future.

    So, I focus on the blessings...too many to count...and the sadness gives way to joy.

    Blessings,
    Susan :)

    ReplyDelete

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