Unto Us a Child is Born; Psalm 65, Proverbs 23

May the mumbling commence!

Merry Christmas!  Let us give thanks for the Christ child and the way the Christ child will transform our lives – if we welcome him into our lives.  Let us give thanks for atonement so that we may have rightful relationship with our Lord and with all creation.  Read from Psalm sixty-five:

Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;

And to You the vow shall be performed. 

O You who hear prayer,

To You all flesh will come. 

Iniquities prevail against me;

As for our transgressions,

You will provide atonement for them. 

Blessed is the man You choose,

And cause to approach You,

That he may dwell in Your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,

Of Your holy temple. (Verses 1-4)

I have good intentions – of praising the Lord… of fulfilling our vow.  I would guess that you have good intentions, as well.  But both of us know where good intentions often lead.

Iniquities prevail against me.  They lead to transgressions.  Thank God that Christ has made a way to atone for my iniquities and transgressions.  Indeed, the way of atonement is there for all who would accept it.

Face it: God has chosen us.  Our Lord has approached us and moved into our neighborhood when Christ was born unto us.  The way into the courts of the Lord is open unto us.

The courts of the Lord are the place of goodness and satisfaction.  To be in the Lord’s presence is goodness – at its purest.  To be in the Lord’s presence is to be satisfied – to its fullness.

And the beginning of this way opened unto us first came in the form of a vulnerable infant.  Infants change our lives.  There is no argument about that for those of us who have welcomed infants into our homes.  Such power to change lives in such a small package!

Change us, O Lord!  Transform our praise into a concert of worship to You that is heard for miles around.  Transform us so that we may fulfill our vows so that we are a more accurate reflection of our Lord who never fails to fulfill promises.

We may see shortcuts that evil people take for a sense of power and security as the lies and deceptions they are.  Read from Proverbs chapter twenty-three:

Do not let your heart envy sinners,

But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; 

For surely there is a hereafter,

And your hope will not be cut off. (Verses 17-18)

Yes, there is more to life than what we can see.  Let us form our attitudes and thoughts and words and actions from the perspective of the hereafter. 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out