Imagine what it might have been like for Joseph. Imagine holding the Son of God, Son of Man, in his arms and looking at his betrothed, servant of the Lord. It’s difficult for me to comprehend all the thoughts that must have been going through his head. God has a plan for this child to become one who saves the world from sin. Perhaps Joseph might have been wondering about that before he fell asleep after an exhausting experience. It’s…..
The First Day
Wake in the morning
with the Christ child
in your midst,
not distant or near, but here –
tangible and touchable.
Hear his cry, his coo, his sigh,
feel His breath.
Wake in the morning
and know His reality
is not just a dream.
Wake in the morning
with God’s promise
fulfilled.
(c) June G. Paul, All Rights Reserved 2019
I originally wrote this with the word “To” in front of the word Wake – –…..
Why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43 NIV)
Here is a third question in Luke’s narrative surrounding the stories about the birth of Jesus. Again, I think it is one worth asking. Angelic appearances, visions, a pregnancy late in life, notes from a spouse rendered mute and a young cousin comes to visit with some pretty exciting, wonderful, frightening news. Yes, even though the angel Gabriel keeps telling everyone not…..
One of the most challenging things during Christmas is to mourn the loss of the people we love who are no longer with us.
I know, because I’ve done this for many years. I remember being in Jr. High when my Grandmother (Mom’s mom) passed away. And I remember going to church during the Holiday Season and missing seeing her sitting in the front pew. I remember missing many other people throughout my lifetime. I remember helping my father mourn…..
What’s on your Christmas Wish List this year? What if instead of making a Wish List you created a Christmas Blessing List.
The Sermon on the Mount has been floating through my head for a few days now. Yesterday I wrote the “How Long?” post. Some people who are wondering How Long before they receive the blessings outlined in the…..
Perhaps you remember being a young person going somewhere with your parents and asking, “How Long . . . ” before we get there, before we can turn the radio station, before we can get out and change seats, so I have a turn in the front, or the back, or by a window. Maybe you remember being at…..
When we are dealing with doubt (our own or that of other people) it’s good for us to remember these words from Jude 1:22 “Be merciful to those who doubt;” (NIV)
Being merciful means being gentle with people who have some doubt. I always say where there is doubt, there is belief, so don’t mock and ridicule people who…..
Yesterday, November 1, 2019 I picked up my book Praying Our Way Through Stress, and looked at page 53. I mulled it over for the day, slept on it (not literally) and sorted through my thoughts this morning. The Chapter opens with a reference to something written in Matthew 4: “First Satan attempted to induce doubt (If you are…..
In the Book of Genesis there is mention about how God put a rainbow in the sky to remind himself that he would never again destroy the earth. Some people tend to stress the words ‘with a flood’ – But I am one who thinks God doesn’t want to destroy the earth or anything that our Good Lord has…..
The Sword that Pierced Mary’s Soul will pierce your own soul too.
The Sword that pierced Mary’s soul was not the sword that pierced the side of her son. …..