The birth of Jesus, and the account seems to be somewhat ho hum until the shepherds get involved. The account is told very matter of fact, there was a census, Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem, and while there they have the baby in a manger because the was not room in the in. But when the shepherds get involved there is a chorus of angels and great rejoicing. Looking back we know this was no ordinary day, and that was no ordinary child. Whether people confess him to be Messiah, Lord and Savior or not, there can be no denial since that moment no one person has ever caused so much fanfare over such a long period of time. Truly the world was never the same after the baby was born, and the rejoicing began.
Ephesians 3:14-21
Paul is praying for the church in Ephesus, and for us as we read this passage. It is the desire of Paul that people would know just how much God loves them through Christ. Further we are reminded that God can do abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine. That blows my mind as I can dream pretty big dreams and make some absurdly large requests before God, yet I cannot find the edge of possibility for God. The power of the Holy Spirit offers us far more than is in our ability to grasp and understand. Not for the glory of humanity, rather for the glory of God.
Psalm 11941-48
"Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your ordinances." (v43) When reading through this lengthy Psalm it is easy to get overwhelmed with its length and miss the prevailing point. We are to have our lives orbit around the Scriptures. Not that we make the Scriptures to be God, rather we seek God every moment through the Scriptures. We are not to focus for mere knowledge, no, we are to read in order that we might meet with God and understand what it is that God is calling us to. Finding direction outside of the bounds of Scripture will leave us short of everything God has for us. That is why we keep the Scriptures so close and central to our journey with God.
1 Kings 9-10
Let the prosperity begin, rather let it continue. With the long list of all the stuff Solomon has accumulated and continues to accumulate it is hard to really imagine what it would have been like. Solomon has so much gold that he had to build special barns just to keep his gold. Entire cities were dedicated to caring for his horses and chariots. The prosperity of Solomon was unparalleled in all of creation. We might miss the fact of these cities really being military bases where war could be waged. We might miss the fact that the labor for all the development could be seen as an act of oppression. Never mind thinking about where all these riches were being taken from, and how Solomon was using them to supply others. Another little fact which is glossed over, his wife the daughter of Pharaoh. God had commanded the people to not marry people outside of the people of Israel foreigners because of their risk to lead their hearts astray. Solomon has placed himself in a very dangerous place and may not have even known it. God's promise was the same to him as it was to his father David, you will do well as long as you follow me. If Solomon turns from God, judgment will come. Let's see what happens next.
Prayer
May we know your abundant power today Lord. As we come before your, hear the cry of our heart and give us the assurance that you are able to more than we can cry for or imaging. May we be people of Holy Spirit power, not to us but to your glory. in Jesus Name, Amen.
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