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December 9 2019

The Praises of Christmas – Advent Week II – Revelation Praise

“But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

Luke 1: 43

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways.”

Luke 1: 76

Praise In The Midst of Uncertainty

Here we are again, another Christmas season in which to rest in the Father and take time to reflect on the precious gift of His blessed Son, Jesus Christ. Oh, what human mind could wrap itself around the power and majesty, grace and saving power that arrived that Christmas morning, wrapped in the covering of human flesh, even the flesh of a newborn babe?

Even those who were directly involved and present at His birth could not fully comprehend the meaning of His arrival. As we reflected last week, Mary was able to lift her voice in surrender and praise to the Father even as she realized the uncertainty of her future as the mother of a Child born of the Spirit, the very Son of God. But even as she praised the Lord she did not fully understand the things that were to come. That was what made her praise so sweet in the hearing of the Father!

Revelation Praise

This week I would like for us to consider a different type of praise; the praise that, even as it bursts forward from the lips of mankind, grants sweet revelation from the Father. Let’s take time to look at the praise of two individuals, Zacharias and Elizabeth.

The Background

In Luke, we read: “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.” (Luke 1: 5-7)

All Things Are Not As They Seem

I never cease to be amazed at the faithfulness and timing of the Lord. All things are fulfilled in His perfect timing! Zacharias was a priest, set aside to serve the Lord. Elizabeth was of the daughters of Aaron (of the daughters of the priesthood). The Bible tells us they were righteous and blameless before the Lord, but yet they were without a child; a tragic condition for any woman to find herself in Biblical times. Why had God withheld this blessing from Zacharias and Elizabeth?

Have you ever heard the expression, “all things are not as they seem”? Well, this is a perfect example. It would seem that the Lord had withheld the blessing of a child from this couple, long past the time when it would be “humanly” possible for any hope. But God……..

Once In A Lifetime

As we read further we find Zacharias in the temple preparing to “to burn incense”. We understand that this was something that a priest only performed once in his lifetime. And this was indeed a “once in a lifetime” experience for Zacharias as the angel Gabriel met him there, announcing to him that his prayers had been heard and that his wife would bear a child. His barren and advanced in age wife would not only bear a son but that son would have a mighty calling on his life:

“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children.’ And the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1: 15-17)

Show Me A Sign

Now as would be understandable, Zacharias is a bit overwhelmed and doesn’t really take this all in. He actually questions Gabriel, asking for a sign. This is a priest of God, one who serves the Lord in the temple as his livelihood, one who would be familiar with the prophecy of and anticipating the arrival of the Messiah. And yet, he is overwhelmed with the thought that God is able to cause a barren woman to bear the child who will grow to be the forerunner of the Lord. As a result of his unbelief he remains mute until the time of the naming of his son, John.

His Name Is John

Fast forward a bit. Elizabeth is with child. The pregnancy progresses as it should and the time comes to deliver the promised child. Zacharias has literally watched all this in silence! And now the time has come to name the child. As the relatives are ready to name the child based on family tradition, the mother speaks up, “No, he shall be called John.” (v. 60). Everyone is confused and they look to Zacharias to confirm his wishes. He asks for a writing tablet and as he writes “His name is John”….immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.” (v. 61, 63-64)

Have you ever thought about why his tongue was loosed at that moment? Why not when he returned home and Elizabeth discovered that she had conceived? Why not when the child was delivered? Why was it at the moment that Zacharias wrote on the tablet “His name is John”? Even as I began to write this devotion the Lord spoke into my spirit, “obedience and belief release the tongue of praise”! In writing “His name is John” Zacharias was demonstrating obedience to the Lord and belief in the promise of the Lord not only regarding the birth of this child but of the plan the Lord has for this child’s life! How amazing is that?

His Tongue Was Loosed

As soon as his tongue was loosed, Zacharias began to praise the Lord. Wouldn’t you have loved to be there in that moment? I can only imagine how amazing the praise was that came from those lips that had been bound – all the amazing things that Zacharias had to endure silently now burst forth from his lips towards his God! God had heard his prayers, had sent him an angel and had promised a son, a son that would be the forerunner of the Messiah…and all had come to pass just as the Lord has promised through his angel.

The Revelation

That in itself is exciting praise. But it gets better! God blessed Zacharias’s praise by granting him revelation.

We read “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His Holy prophets.” (v. 67-70).

Zacharias whose tongue was bound because of his unbelief now speaks freely of the coming of the Messiah! And he doesn’t stop there; he continues to speak prophecy over the son that he didn’t even believe would be born!

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us.” (v. 76-78).

This revelation of the Messiah and of Zacharias’s own son as the prophet of the Highest could only have come from God as the Holy Spirit descended upon him. Here we see not only the Praise of Obedience but also the Praise of Revelation, through the Holy Spirit, that comes with it!

Elizabeth's Story

Now, let’s move back a few steps and consider Elizabeth. Elizabeth is barren and advanced in age.

“Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked upon me, to take away my reproach among my people.” (Luke 1: 24-25).

Elizabeth recognizes and acknowledges God’s hand on her situation right from the beginning. After Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel and surrenders her body to birth the Son of God, she goes to visit Elizabeth, as the angel has also told her the news about Elizabeth’s blessing. “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said,

“Blessed are you among woman and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1: 41-45)

Revelation

Here we see again the Praise of Revelation brought forth by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth hears the voice of Mary and the babe in her own womb leaps for joy as he recognized the presence of His Lord, even from the womb! At that moment Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit opened her mouth and granted her revelation that Mary was carrying the Son of God! Furthermore, the Lord blesses Mary for her belief through the lips of Elizabeth as she Praises God.

This Season

Oh, the mighty work of the Father through the precious Son, Jesus Christ and through the working of the Holy Spirit! How amazing it is to read that the Lord grants revelation and speaks through ordinary people in ordinary situations and that the impossible is never impossible with God!

This advent season, will you take time with me to reflect on the Praise of Revelation? Are you waiting for the fulfillment of the promises of God in your life? Have you become weary in waiting? Have you begun to doubt what you heard or that God is able? Or has that fulfillment presented itself before you and you are yet unable to believe that it is so? Today is the day to step out in faith and to be obedient to what the Lord is speaking into your life. And in your time of obedience, as you open your lips to praise the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He will bless you further as He grants you understanding and revelation in your life!

Let Us Pray Together

Mighty God, Heavenly Father, even now, thousands of years after You sent Your precious Son, we still have difficulty comprehending the fullness of what was done. This advent season we ask You, Lord, to open our hearts and minds and spirits to receive a clear revelation of the enormity of that Christmas morn. That as we willingly open our mouths to praise You and seek to be obedient to Your will in our lives, that You would grant us understanding and revelation of Your mighty and precious Word! We ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen and Amen and Amen.

Until next time,

From my heart to yours!

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December 2 2019

The Praises of Christmas – Advent Week I – Praise of Faith in Uncertainty

“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

Luke 1:38

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my saviour.”

Luke 1: 46, 47

The Praises of Christmas: Praise of Faith in Uncertainty

It is that time of year again! It is a time of mystery and majesty and sparkles and rejoicing. A time that I always picture in my mind as a clear, crisp night, dark but lit up with the beauty of a million sparkling stars, and a song of praise in the air! Christmas is many things to many people and in the time we are living, as Christians, we need to search our hearts and minds to be certain that we know why we are celebrating. It is not just a time for parties and gifts, for material things and pleasures that only last for a season. For Christians, Christmas is a time of reflection and wonder, rejoicing and celebration and time set aside with loved ones. But the pleasure that we derive is not just for a season but for eternity through the precious gift of that Baby, Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, God in the form of a baby, sent to earth from the Heavenly Father.

Praises Of The Season

This advent season I would like for you to take a journey with me through the Praises of the Season. As we read through the Christmas narrative in the Word of God we see examples of many of the main characters praising the Lord. Each praise is unique and individual, just as the character and their situations are unique and individual. I believe that as we take this journey together and set aside the time to reflect and see the Lord, we will learn a valuable lesson in praising the Father, not only in the advent season but also throughout the year.

The Message

Let’s start with the beautiful praise that comes forth from Mary. Let’s review. Mary is a young girl, a virgin, betrothed to Joseph, but yet unmarried. She is visited by the angel Gabriel who announces: “Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among woman!”… “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”…”The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” …”For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1: 28, 31-33, 35, 37

WOW! Can you even begin to imagine the thoughts and emotions that Mary went through as she heard this angel tell her that she was “with child” and that this was not any child, but the Son of God? Can you imagine the excitement, then the questions, then the fear? What will Joseph think? What will my parents think? Will they believe me when I tell them about the angel and the baby? Will life ever be normal again? How can I be a mother to the Son of God?!

The Response

However, what comes out of Mary’s mouth in response to the angels’ visit is not fear or worry or a list of questions. When she opens up her mouth it is filled with praise and submission to the Will of the Father for her life. “Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1: 38

We may think, “Well, she hasn’t had time to think about the situation, she is caught or up in emotions”…..but her praise doesn’t stop there, it is just beginning! Mary quickly travels to visit Elizabeth, whom the angel has indicated is also to bear a son. Elizabeth who is advanced in years and barren! Oh the mighty hand of God!

As Mary greets Elizabeth, the babe in Elizabeth’s womb “leaps” and Elizabeth herself is filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking forth praise onto God. At this point in time, the reality of Mary’s situation has truly begun to hit home. Surly she has talked with Joseph and her family about the impending birth and surely she has felt the weight of their questions. Surely by now, others are aware of her pregnancy and she has likely endured stares ranging from pity to outrage. And in seeing for herself the effect of the hand of God on Elizabeth – causing one who was barren to conceive…..Mary must be beginning to understand the power of God to follow through with that which He had told her through the angel Gabriel. If there had not been time to “think it through” before or emotions had gotten the best of her, we can rest assured, that by now the reality of her situation has settled in. So if Mary’s earlier praise was a result of naiveté or emotionalism, then we would expect Mary’s praise to turn to bitterness and questioning?

Mary's Song

But what we hear coming from the lips of this young girl, who find herself in the middle of a complicated situation made more challenging with the responsibility she has to bear, is a song of praise:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed

For He who is mighty has done great things for me,

And Holy is His name.

And his mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm;

He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, and the sick He has sent away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

Luke 1:47-55

How Beautiful Are the Praises of The Lord

How beautiful are the praises of the Lord on the lips of His people!

This Advent season will you join with me to take a moment each day and reflect on how we praise the Lord in complicated times, times of adversity or times of uncertainty? Are we able to open our mouth and praise the Lord because He has regarded us? Are we able to praise Him who is mighty for the great things He has done for us? Are we able to praise Him because he is Holy? Are we able to praise Him for His faithfulness? Are we able to praise Him because we walk in faith, believing that He knows the path that He has prepared for us?

This advent season, may we learn from the praises of Mary, that we too can open our lips and praise our Lord even in the midst (and probably most importantly, in the midst) of times of uncertainty because we believe that our Heavenly Father is faithful and true!

Let Us Pray Together

Mighty God, Holy One, we come before You at the beginning of this Advent season and ask that You guide and direct us through this journey of reflection on the praises of Christmas. There is so much to glean from Your Word and we know that if we ask, You will guide and direct our learning and grant revelation to our hearts and minds. So today, we ask! Teach us, Father, to open our lips and praise you at all times….especially in the midst of uncertainty as Your word tells us that You inhabit the praises of Your people. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen and Amen and Amen

Until next time,

From my heart to yours!

Laurie

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November 25 2019

It is Time to Build New Tables: How Exclusion Can Lead to New Community

Thanks for dropping in for a visit! It has been a while since we last chatted. Grab your hot mug of something and take a few moments to sit with me. Some weeks require a bit more thought when preparing to chat – this week was one of them. Sometimes you can feel like you’ve said everything already and there is nothing left to chat about. But then, as you sit quietly and reflect, something comes to you, and you think, “we really should talk about that together!” and a new blog is born. This week’s topic is: It is Time to Build New Tables: How Exclusion Can Lead to New Community.

Quotes That Catch Your Eye

I was reading my journal from the beginning of 2019 and I came across this quote that I first encountered on Jan 2.

“2018 taught me to stop aspiring to sit at tables where I have to bring my own chair, squeeze in between folks, and repeatedly convince others why I should be there. I learned to build a new table. I hope you learned the same.” Lisa Bevere.

Experiences Summed Up

We all have experienced times in our life that can be summed up quite neatly with this quote. Sometimes we do not have the words to capture the experience, but then someone else comes along and presents it in a way that makes perfect sense to us. These are important moments because they help to validate our experience and give us a starting point for our next move.

Exclusion At The Table

In our years to date, I think it is safe to say that the majority of us have experienced exclusion at some table. We are all unique individuals. For many of us, however, it takes many years for us to understand and celebrate our uniqueness. Because of that, we often spend much time trying to find a table that we fit at. Sort of like the fairy tale of Goldilocks and the three bears. When Goldilocks entered the home of the three bears, she spent a lot of time “trying out tables”. She tried 3 chairs, 3 bowls of porridge and finally 3 beds – too hot and too cold, too large and too small and too hard and too soft –until, each time, she found the one that was “just right” for her.

Bring Your Own Chair

As part of the maturing process, throughout our lives we find ourselves trying out different tables. I fear, however, that for many of us, because we haven’t yet become comfortable with who we are, we tend to try and place that chair at many tables that are not even suitable for us to be sitting at. Because we are eager to fit in, even though we see that there is no chair at that table for us, we carry out own chair, hoping to be offered a spot.

Squeeze In If You Can Find Room

Others see that we are carrying our own chair so out of some sort of concern for us, even though they know they haven’t set a place for us at that table, they may call out “squeeze in if you can find room.” So we do so and for a time we have some sense of belonging. Unfortunately, because there was really no room at that table for us, we start to feel the squeeze. At first it is easy to ignore. But over time, the space allotted for us begins to feel constrictive and overtime, like Goldilocks, we admit, this space is “just too small” and we are forced to move on.

I Belong Here

Sometimes we persevere at the table, despite the squeeze. We may have convinced ourselves that we only need a little room or that we aren’t really “that” uncomfortable. And so, we stay seated, on the chair we brought ourselves, in a space that is too small for us. Because of our discomfort, at that point, we will often begin to feel the need to try and defend to others that we actually belong at this particular table. Unfortunately, the more we defend, the more out of place we feel.

And The Cycle Continues

So, eventually, we will take our chair and move on. Depending on what lessons we learned at this table, about ourselves and about others, we very well may take our chair and search out another table. Again, if we find a table that wasn’t set for us and we squeeze in, over time we will once again find ourselves defending our spot at the table. In my own experience and in the experience of many I have spoken to, this can become a cyclical event. Having said that, hopefully, each time this happens, if we are open to learning the lessons, we are less likely to stay as long at the next table.

What Does Your Table Look Like?

What has been your experience with tables? What tables are you sitting at right now? Did you have to bring your own chair? How is the space fitting you? Are your contributions at the table readily recognized and acknowledged, or are you defending your space?

When you stop and think about it, do you see this pattern in your life? Even more important, do you see growth from one experience to the next? Maybe you are not carrying your chair around now, but are still squeezing into tight spots. Perhaps you are past that and have a seat at a table with lots of room, but you have sat there longer than you should, once you recognized that your voice hasn’t been valued at that table and you have spent too much time and energy defending your spot. Or perhaps you are at the point where you are confidently sitting at a table, on a chair with your name on it; a place where you know you fit.

Cycle Of Table-Hopping

We may fit better at some tables rather than others. We may learn more lessons from our time as some tables rather than others. Sometimes tables are for a season or a particular reason. The key to tables is knowing when to sit, knowing when to stay and knowing when to leave.

Some of this cycle of moving from table to table is part of our growing and maturing process; how we learn about who we are and where we fit. Some of us, however, can get stuck in this cycle of table-hopping; never really finding that table that we feel “fits just right.”

Building New Tables

When I read Lisa Bevere’s quote the first time I was struck by this line: “I learned to build a new table.” My first reaction was “what a novel thought”, “you mean that I don’t have to sit at the tables of others”, “you mean I can be the one building the table?” It was like an entire mind-shift for me.

2019

I learned a number of things in 2019

1) I table-hop because I don’t fully appreciate who I am and what I bring to the table

2) I am unique

3) Being unique is ok

4) I want to know more clearly who I am

5) I want to be much more confident in what I bring to the table

6) I don’t particularly care for carrying a chair around, trying to squeeze in where I don’t fit and staying where I need to defend my presence

7) I can break the cycle of table-hopping, by recognizing who I am and what I bring to the table, being honest about that and by beginning to build my own tables

8) I can encourage others to be more confident in who they are and what they bring to the table

9) I can seek out like-minded and like focused individuals and invite them to my tables

10) In doing so, I can encourage community

Tables And Community

I am a Cape Bretoner. When I think of community, I think of a big round kitchen table with lots of chairs, a pot of strong tea, good conversations and lots of laughs. I see people of every age and from every background, gathered together, all with their unique selves and opinions. And I can see that even when our uniqueness shines through and our opinions differ, that everyone at the table is respectful and appreciates the contributions of those around the table. This is community. This is the kind of table I grew up at and this is the kind of table I want to sit at.

In my own experience, exclusion from some tables has encouraged me to build new community because it has forced me to reconsider my own mindset. There are some tables I was never meant to sit at and stayed far too long because of my own insecurities.

So, in 2019, I have decided to stop waiting for others to build this type of table and invite me to sit. Rather, I have decided to begin building this table and inviting others to come and sit with me.

What lessons have you learned at the tables you have been sitting at? Are you ready to stop table-hopping and begin to build your own tables?

There Is Strength In Numbers

What does your ideal table look like? We all have different needs and interests and contributions to make. My table may look very different than your table, but I believe, that if we took the time, we could find ways to add another leaf or two and join our tables together. Individual community is built when like-minded and like focused people come together and are intentional about doing life together. Larger community is encouraged when individual communities intersect and begin to understand the value of building larger tables, rather than excluding others because of lack of room.

What I Know

There is a table out there that you fit at! A table where there is a seat with your name on it and an appreciation of what you have to contribute. The mind-shift in this season is not so much about whether or not there is a table, but rather, whether or not you need to build that table. Take a close look at yourself. Are you struggling with identity issues? Do you know who you are? Are you confident in what you have to offer? If not, you need to take some time to do that work. Dragging your own chair to table after table will not be of any benefit until you have committed to growing in that area.

Once that work is in progress, step out and start building tables. We all need community and the more tables we set up the more opportunities there are for joining and expanding the space at the table.

Until Next Time

Well, it is that time again! My cup is empty and it is time to go. I’m so happy you accepted my invitation to sit at this table for a little while. You are welcome here anytime! Drop some comments in the comment box below. I would love to hear your experiences about sitting at tables and about table building!

If you are interested in more Devotional reading, head over to my Facebook Page where you will find a Weekly Devotion early every Monday morning. Click here to go directly to Weekly Devotions with Laurie.

Until next time,

From my heart to yours!

Laurie

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