Christian Reflection and Prayer

"Just as being too busy gives you nightmares…"
Ecclesiastes 5:3 NLT

Christmas slippers

While we are called to work hard, we must
make sure that our work doesn't so preoccupy
us that we endanger our health, our relationships,
or our time with God.1

A woman died, leaving behind her husband and
one daughter. The little girl soon became the very
apple of her daddy's eye. He loved to spend time
with her, but because he had to work, they had
only their evenings together. After dinner each
night they would talk and play games; sometimes
she sang for him. He treasured every moment.

One night the little girl announced, "Daddy, I
need to go to my room early tonight. I have
something I have to do!"

He felt very disappointed, but he let her go. She
continued this pattern for a solid month. Finally,
Christmas Day arrived, and early in the morning
she burst in on her daddy and proudly displayed
a pair of crude crocheted slippers she had made
for him. It was this project that had taken her away
from her father for every evening that month.

Her father thanked her warmly and gave her a big
hug, but then he said, "Honey, I would rather have
had you with me all those lonely evenings than to
have these slippers, as beautiful and comfortable
as they are."

[As in the story of Martha and Mary], God wants
our presence more than our slippers. He wants our
devotion more than our work. It really is a matter of
balance.2

(Gods Daily Promises)

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read Luke 1:18

TEXT: "How shall I know this?" (Luke 1:18)


The impossible gift: for some children, it's a
pony; for us, it was a pool table. Every Christmas
we asked for a pool table and ended up
disappointed. Finally, one Christmas we sat
around the tree after opening all our presents.
Figuring there would be no pool table, we resigned
ourselves to look more closely at the presents we
had received. That's when mom and dad brought
out one last present for each of us. One brother
opened a triangle; another opened a box of pool
balls. We were all running downstairs before the
other three gifts were unwrapped.

That's what happened to Zechariah. But instead of
running downstairs to see the pool table, he sat on
the floor asking "How shall I know this?" Long ago
he had given up the dream of having a child. So
even though an angel stands before him giving this
tremendous good news, Zechariah finds it
impossible to believe.

God's great promises often greet us when we are
beaten down, discouraged and depressed. A
cynicism often seeps in that keeps us from enjoying
God's gifts as we should, but those gifts are still
offered whether you believe it or not. The baby is still
in Bethlehem's manger for you. Will you pass it by
just because you've been discouraged by the events
in your life?

Christmas is really all about God stepping into our
world of disappointment, heartache and failure. He
came to share our life of pain and sorrow; He came to
give us His life of joy, peace and bliss.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, come to me in my disillusionment and
pain. Reassure me of Your power to heal my pain,
provide all my needs, and lead me to unending joy
in Your presence. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

The word became flesh, and made his dwelling
among us. – John 1:14

“The word became flesh.” It means that the Son
of God became human—really, truly human—
with the exception that he had no sin. Christmas
is a time of awe because the best news the human
race ever received was that its Creator had so
much love, that he joined the human race to save it.
He is a savior who experienced real hunger, real
fatigue, real sorrow. He faced temptation when the
Evil One tempted him in the wilderness with very
“fleshy” things like power, wealth, and authority
(Luke 4:1-13).

Jesus knows us, because he was one of us. Real
flesh, but perfect. So on those days when we are
so disappointed with ourselves because we are
having a hard time controlling the flesh, this is the
kind of savior to turn to.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to hear “the Word” this Christmas.
Help me to see you for who you are in all your glory.
Thank you for humbling yourself.

(by Mel Lawrenz)