Second Week of Advent - Thursday

Only one who truly knows the Lord could pen words such as these.

Psalm 145

King James Version (KJV)

¹I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

²Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

³Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

⁵I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

⁶And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

⁷They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

⁸The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

⁹The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

¹⁰All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

¹¹They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;

¹²To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

¹³Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

¹⁴The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

¹⁶Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

¹⁸The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

¹⁹He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

²⁰The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

²¹My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Lord, Thank You for giving us men such as David. Thank you for giving them the ability to express to us their deep love and understanding that they have of You. I pry that I too may share in their love and understanding of You and Your ways. Amen. - DD

Second Week of Advent - Wednesday

Today's headlines constantly refer to the fossil fuels provide to us by the Earth upon which we live. Whether it be coal from Pennsylvania and West Virginia, oil from Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico or the numerous natural gas fields found far and wide, it is where we get our strength to carry out our daily activities. The food grown by the American farmer or cattlemen fill our store, freezers and plates with high protein nurishment. All this only fuels and feeds the carnal. Man is a spiritual being. One made in God's image. Where does the fuel for that come from? Read on as the prophet Isaiah has something to say about it.

Isaiah 40:25-31

King James Version (KJV)

²⁵To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

²⁶Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

²⁷Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

²⁸Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

²⁹He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

³⁰Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Have you ever seen an eagle soar in a clear blue sky? Your eye catches this massive bird soaring effortlessly at what seems to be just above your reach. Then without the appearance of any spent energy an invisible force places itself beneath the wings of the bird and it spirals towards the heavens. Our eyes squint as the form of a bird changes to a dark spot, then to a dot and eventually to a shape that plays tricks with your eyes until you realize it is not there any longer. What kind of force can accomplish this?

When I was young I ran to stay fit. There was much pleasure to be garnered from this activity. As I ran I would reach a point where it became effortless to continue or so it would seem. Soon the muscles would tire and the lungs begin to labor for more and more air. Then it would be over and what seemed to be a pleasure became something that made me tired and weary.

Today the Lord is telling me that if I wait upon the Lord I will run and not grow weary. My strength will be made new and He will lift me up in the same way that He lifts the eagle, taking me to new and unseen heights.

God will supply the power and strength that I need if I just wait upon Him. Pretty simple. Pretty smart.

Thank you Lord for this promise. Thank you for this gift. May I always be found grateful and using it in your name. Amen - DD

Second Week of Advent - Tuesday

In today's society it is difficult to reflect upon shepherds and their relationship with their sheep. Shepherds spent so much time tending their flocks that they would become very familiar with their sheep. They would have names for their sheep not unlike those who in our times have names for the whales or sharks or gorillas that they study. They would know the sheep's tendencies. Each and every sheep became a thing of value to the shepherd and to the flock community. When one sheep got lost or disappeared it was extremely upsetting to the shepherd. The shepherd would do what ever it took to restore the sheep to himself. Matthew tells the story like this:

Matthew 18:12-14 King James Version (KJV)

¹²How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

¹³And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

¹⁴Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

That is how important you are to the Shepherd. That is how much He loves you.

Open our eyes Lord. Open our hearts Lord that we might realize our importance in Your eyes. Allow us to rest in that peace. Amen. - DD

Second Week of Advent - Monday

Forgive us Lord and be ours. Forgive me Lord and be mine.

Psalm 85

¹Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. ²Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. ³Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. ⁴Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. ⁵Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? ⁶Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? ⁷Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. ⁸I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. ⁹Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. ¹⁰Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. ¹¹Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. ¹²Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. ¹³Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Have mercy upon me and direct me in your ways, Lord. Show me your truth. Cover me with Your righteousness, set my feet upon your path. Come quickly Lord. Amen. - DD

Second Week of Advent - Sunday

So simple but yet so complicated. A voice crying out. For who, for what? Is the voice John, the baptizer? Is it Billy Graham? Is it your pastor? Your parent, your neighbor or your spouse? It's crying out. I have heard it. Have you?

Isaiah 40:1-5

¹ Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. ² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. ³ A voice of one calling:“In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.⁴ Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.⁵ And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

⁹ You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!” ¹⁰ See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. ¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Hear the voice. Listen to the crying voice. Soften your heart. Prepare the way of the Lord. He came and He is coming once again.

Father, I have heard the good news. I have heard the voice. I am comforted. The One of which the news is about IS sovereign, does come with power and rules with a mighty hand. Praise be to God. He is the shepherd and cares for His own like sheep in a flock. Prepare my heart, prepare my life for His coming. Amen - DD

First Week of Advent - Saturday

The first week of Advent hastily comes to a close today. As I continue to wait for the coming of the Christ Child my excitement is only tempered by my link to the mortal binds of time. Cast upon the essence of time itself, twenty-eight days is nothing more than the blinking of an eye. As I sit near the entrance of a twenty-eight daylong tunnel the end seems to be light years away and out of sight. Why do I feel so out of sorts?

God understand this. He understands my anxiety. He lets me know He understands it and then encourages me to be patient.

James 5:7-8

New International Version (NIV)

Patience

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

I am very impatient. I live in a very impatient world. Instant gratification, that's what I want. That's what I demand. That's not what I need. God knows that. When he designed the world He did it so that His people would come to know patience. Would come to know waiting and come to know anticipation. Crops take time to grow. Seasons take months to change. New life takes time to develop before its birth.

It is only through these things, patients, waiting and anticipation that I garner a full value and love for what ever it is I long for. If I got everything the moment I wanted it, it's value to me would be cheapened. While waiting for something oft times my heart will burn with desire. That is good. Think about the last time you were away from home and could wait to get back.

It's that same desire I have now in this Advent season for the coming of the Lord. I wait and my heart burns for the Christ Child. I wait and burn for my Redeemer. As I wait, I am encouraged. Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

Praise be to God for the gift of patients. For the gift of anticipation. For the gift of waiting. For without these gifts my heart would never know the joy of the eventuality. The Lord is coming and the Lord is coming back. Praise be to God. Amen - DD


Here is one of my favorite song by Rich Mullins:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Q3vA2tuG0

So I'm waiting for You Jesus
'Cause I know that those who wait
They will mount with wings like eagles
They will run and not grow faint
They will walk and not grow weary
Their strength will be renewed
Coming from You

So I wait
I'm waiting for You
Waiting for You
So come back soon
I'm waiting for You

First Week of Advent - Friday

Today a familiar Psalm is brought into the Advent Celebration. David has such a way with words, words that flow from deep within his heart. Words like David's just are not written but are rather the fruit of a deep love for the one for which they are written. Relax now and let David's words touch you as we wait for the Christ Child.




Psalm 27
Of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

4 One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

David begins by making a statement about who the Lord is and what He means to him. Being David's light the Lord is David's everything. Without light there is only darkness and darkness is nothingness and fear. David address that when he says, "the Lord is the stronghold of my life".

David next lets us know that he is confident that because of his relationship with the Lord that he will always be protected and cared for. What peace that brings to one's soul. Right now I have two new born granddaughters and their very existence is built on the premise that someone greater than them will be there to protect them and keep them safe. I truly understand what David is speaking of when he writes these words.

Next I believe David addresses the fact that he can get in the way of the relationship he has with the Lord. He asks the Lord to be merciful, to not reject him and not to forsake him when he stumbles. He cries out for the Lord to not only stay with him but to also "teach me you way and make straight my paths". How many times I have called out with those word.

And now the Advent tie in. We will see the goodness of the Lord as we wait for His coming as the Christ Child and as the Bridegroom returning for His bride. We will be confident in His coming. His coming to our seasonal celebrations, His coming to our families, His coming to our world and most important His coming to dwell in our hearts.

Turn David's words into something powerful now by reading them to yourself again but this time read them out loud. Then do it again, louder with more conviction. Then stand up and read them out loud again. Come quickly Lord! Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. - DD