Because God's Presence is With Us...

(12) Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don’t feel as though something strange is happening to you, (13) but be happy as you share Christ’s sufferings. Then you will also be full of joy when He appears again in his glory. (14) If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory—the Spirit of God—is resting on you.
-- 1 Peter 4:12-14 (GWT)

Because God's presence is with us and in us,
Hope and peace, joy and love, are here where we are.
God did not carelessly wind the world up and walk away.
He is intimately involved in every detail of our daily lives.

Our courageous choice to trust God totally will be rewarded.
The sufferings we now face are not cruel temptations to confuse us,
But tender invitations for us to Know God more and more,
So when we all get to Heaven we will not be strangers to Him.

Click here: Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy - YouTube

Grateful

Opportunities to Get to Know God

Could it be that the whole thing we all know as a lifetime-on-planet-earth -- with all of its' joys and sorrows, conclusions and confusions, prizes and pains -- is simply but profoundly about nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else other than a time-frame extended to us by God so that we as human beings receive multiplied opportunities to get to know Holy God so that we won't be strangers to Him when time is up and eternity begins?

(8) Dear friends, don’t ignore this fact: One day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. (9) The Lord isn’t slow to do what He promised, as some people think. Rather, He is patient for your sake. He doesn’t want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to Him and change the way they think and act.
-- 2 Peter 3:8-9 (GWT)

Lord, for the opportunties to get to know You, I am forever...
...Grateful

Access. No Longer Foreigners. Sanctuary.

(17) When Christ came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. (18) For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. (19) So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God's household, (20) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. (21) The whole building is being fitted together in Him and is growing into a holy sanctuary in the Lord, (22) in whom you also are being built together for God's dwelling in the Spirit.
-- Ephesians 2:17-22 (HCS)

Click here: Sanctuary - Worship Video w/ lyrics Randy Rothwell

Holiness Unto The LORD!
Grateful

Angels Among Us

For me, Christmas Eve is a lot about remembering the angels as they made their Glorious Good News announcement during the night that preceded the birthday of the Christ Child:

(8) That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. (9) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, (10) but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! (11) The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! (12) And this is how you will recognize Him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" (13) Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God: (14) "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors." (15) When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." (16) They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the Baby, lying in the manger.
-- Luke 2 :8-16 (NLT)

For me, Christmas Eve is also a lot about recognizing, even realizing that there are surely still angels among us these days:

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
-- Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)

The vocal group known as Alabama recorded a song a number of years ago that has been playing through my thoughts this week. The song is titled Angels Among Us.

Here's the link if you'd like to take a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey0HrEvh44c

Dearest Lord Jesus, it's Christmas Eve once again!
Open the eyes of our hearts and give us ears wide open!
Help us to see Your glory and to hear the angels still announcing:
"Good News of Great Joy!" And make us Your witnesses! Amen!

Grateful (to be surrounded by the sound of angels' wings!)