The Week Before Christmas
Merry week before Christmas! I pray that you're enjoying the season, and not getting too freaked out over all the planning and the presents. Remember to take some quiet moments, every day if you can, and sit back with a Starbucks or some hot chocolate, and reflect on the reason we celebrate....reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior King. Surely when your mind is stayed on Him, He will keep you in perfect peace.
I read a passage of Scripture this morning that knocked my Christmas socks off. And it's just too good to keep to myself. So this is me, sharing with you.
The passage is found in Ezekiel 34: 14-16. "I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." (emphasis mine)
Anybody but me get goosebumps over that one? What a message for Christmas! Those verses are dripping with Christ's love for you, His sheep. Because He was born a baby in a manger, because His feet walked the dusty roads of Galilee, and because He died on Calvary's cross and rose again, He is alive and tending to YOU! Tending to you by Himself. Not passing you off to a cherubim or seraphim. He's watching over you, providing for you, guiding you, feeding you His Word, and leading you beside the waters of quietness. All by Himself. You can't get more personal than that. He loves you so!
Shepherds lead sheep beside the quiet waters for rest and cleansing. In this season filled with home foreclosures and falling stocks and economic downturns, we need rest. In a season so materially focused on having the world's version of the perfect Christmas, remember that the baby in the manger is now the King of Glory, the Chief Shepherd, and He is saying, "Come to me. I will give you rest."
And it doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter what you've done. That's the best part of those verses, my friend. There are all kinds of folks, all kinds of sheep if you will..and Christ is tending to each one in just the perfect way that they need.
He searches for the lost ones. He brings back the stray ones. He binds up the broken and injured ones, and He strengthens the weak ones. Is your name on any of those? What about the name of someone you love?
Just because it's Christmas time, it doesn't mean that you aren't suffering. Deep down inside you may feel lost or broken. Perhaps you've been injured at the hands of someone else. You may feel so weak today from illness, or just plain be sick and tired of being sick and tired. You may be a stray, wandering around in the wilderness today, not knowing where on earth to find your Shepherd. You know what? He knows right where you are. If you're lost, He's tirelessly searching for you. If you've strayed, He will move heaven and earth to bring you back. If you're broken, He's got the balm and the soothing touch of healing in His hands. And if you're weak today, He will give you His strength.
Is that not the best news ever? On this week before Christmas, let it bring peace to your fearful mind, refreshment to your weary soul, and transformation to your entire life. The baby whose birth was announced to lowly shepherds living out in the fields tending their flocks by night, is now your Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for you. And He is forever tending to you, continuously watching over you, and tenderly leading you with His rod and His staff.
I pray that the Good Shepherd will lead you to lie down in green pastures and restore your soul beside quiet waters this Christmas. Fear no evil. He is with you. Emmanuel. God with us. That's what Christmas is all about.
I read a passage of Scripture this morning that knocked my Christmas socks off. And it's just too good to keep to myself. So this is me, sharing with you.
The passage is found in Ezekiel 34: 14-16. "I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." (emphasis mine)
Anybody but me get goosebumps over that one? What a message for Christmas! Those verses are dripping with Christ's love for you, His sheep. Because He was born a baby in a manger, because His feet walked the dusty roads of Galilee, and because He died on Calvary's cross and rose again, He is alive and tending to YOU! Tending to you by Himself. Not passing you off to a cherubim or seraphim. He's watching over you, providing for you, guiding you, feeding you His Word, and leading you beside the waters of quietness. All by Himself. You can't get more personal than that. He loves you so!
Shepherds lead sheep beside the quiet waters for rest and cleansing. In this season filled with home foreclosures and falling stocks and economic downturns, we need rest. In a season so materially focused on having the world's version of the perfect Christmas, remember that the baby in the manger is now the King of Glory, the Chief Shepherd, and He is saying, "Come to me. I will give you rest."
And it doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter what you've done. That's the best part of those verses, my friend. There are all kinds of folks, all kinds of sheep if you will..and Christ is tending to each one in just the perfect way that they need.
He searches for the lost ones. He brings back the stray ones. He binds up the broken and injured ones, and He strengthens the weak ones. Is your name on any of those? What about the name of someone you love?
Just because it's Christmas time, it doesn't mean that you aren't suffering. Deep down inside you may feel lost or broken. Perhaps you've been injured at the hands of someone else. You may feel so weak today from illness, or just plain be sick and tired of being sick and tired. You may be a stray, wandering around in the wilderness today, not knowing where on earth to find your Shepherd. You know what? He knows right where you are. If you're lost, He's tirelessly searching for you. If you've strayed, He will move heaven and earth to bring you back. If you're broken, He's got the balm and the soothing touch of healing in His hands. And if you're weak today, He will give you His strength.
Is that not the best news ever? On this week before Christmas, let it bring peace to your fearful mind, refreshment to your weary soul, and transformation to your entire life. The baby whose birth was announced to lowly shepherds living out in the fields tending their flocks by night, is now your Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for you. And He is forever tending to you, continuously watching over you, and tenderly leading you with His rod and His staff.
I pray that the Good Shepherd will lead you to lie down in green pastures and restore your soul beside quiet waters this Christmas. Fear no evil. He is with you. Emmanuel. God with us. That's what Christmas is all about.
posted by Donna Schultz | 8:52 AM
1 Comments:
Hi Donna,
I just want to thank you for that message. I miss tuesday messages but enjoy when you send an update.
Merry Christmas,
Linda :)
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