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Listen while you read: "Child In The Manger"1 (Lyrics) |
Luke 2:10-15 – And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." (ESV)
Recently at a school nearby, I noticed a long line of children walking two-by-two around the perimeter cinder track being led by a teacher. Further back, I noticed more children and more teachers. Curiosity got the better of me and my dog as we looked through the chain wire fence to see the teachers parading all the school children around, and I pondered why they were there. What I noticed, to my surprise and also to the interest of Daisy the dog, was a pair of reindeer in a small pen for the children to come up close to. I assume Father Christmas was stationed somewhere about as well.
Not what you expect to see on a daily walk past the school playing field!
In my imagination, I was transported back two thousand years to the time of Jesus and wondered what it must have been like to be in the fields shepherding sheep when a whole host of angels broke forth, proclaiming, "The Messiah is here!" This was not the everyday event they expected. However, they were curious enough to go to Bethlehem and see what was unfolding.
Recently, Daisy dog had an experience she wasn't expecting. Caroline had gone off to care for her mother in Rochdale, and during her time away, we connected daily via the video app on our phones. During one call, Daisy dog was startled to see Caroline's face and to hear her voice on the phone! She tilted her head enthralled because she recognized that it was Caroline speaking!
Sometimes, when we pray and read the Bible, God speaks to us in an unexpectedly profound way, and we recognize our God's voice speaking through His Word!
Perhaps, like the shepherds, we may find ourselves with a revelation from God.
I wonder what it is that the Lord is making known to us today. Let's ask!
Prayer: Lord, we marvel at the magnitude of Your grace shown in Your incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. May we hear from You afresh today, and, like the shepherds, may we be amazed at what You are making known to us. In Your name, we pray. Amen.
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Sunday, January 26, 2025 – In Asia — Pray for wisdom for my team and me. We started going through weekly coaching with an organization which teaches us how to use social media as a means of sharing the good news. Pray for God's leading as we put this into practice and encourage those who follow our website to start meeting in person and studying the Bible together. I am thankful for their vision for in-person discipleship. Pray the Lord will bless many other ministries through this organization.
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Thanks Rod, blessings.
Thank you for today’s message Rod.
Thanks for the great reminder, Rod. Hope you are enjoying the Christmas season.
What does God want us to do in these troubled times? Answer – have Faith and Hope.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us today. To God be the glory! Blessings.
Rod, it was so good to read and ponder your words today.
Thanks for sharing!
Rod, It’s exciting to be surprised by what God does! Thanks for reminding me to not be so quick to draw conclusions by my present circumstances.
Well written message. Thank you.
Merry Christmas
(Manitoba)
A very nice so true that we may never know how the lord may speak.
Thanks for sharing,
(Ontario)
Hello Rod,
I am always blessed by the thoughtful messages you post at Presbycan.
May God continue to bless you.
Thank you for writing this devotion.
We are marching.
In unexpected ways.
God is good.
Blessings.
Thank you, Rod!
“May we hear from You afresh today, and, like the shepherds, may we be amazed at what You are making known to us.” Amen!
Grace and peace to you and your family, during this Advent season.
Thanks, Rod, for your uplifting and encouraging devotional today. Your dog Daisy sounds like quite a delight to have around you. Animals can certainly surprise us at times with their interactions and our loving Lord can give us many surprises too with His dedicated presence in our daily lives. He is most deserving of our constant reverence and praise. Blessings for writing.
Wonderful picture of Daisy “recognizing” the voice of her ‘owner’.
In fact, I have had a number of those ‘encounters’ with the LORD giving me a message and the task to find a way to deliver it, and my reaction is much like Daisy’s!! My thinking starts with ‘oh my!! ‘
Was that really what I think it was? ‘ and then all the contemplation, prayer and planning regarding how and when to speak to the intended recipient ( the recipients were never in question) – there were FIVE amazing incidents of this, for FIVE different Anglican Bishops!! All were clearly intended as encouragement. Only one other person has given me the opportunity to share this amazing and awesome experience, and I’m not at all surprised to find that you are a second person with whom to share this very real experience. You are so connected with God’s Holy Spirit and I love hearing your thoughts. God bless you Rod and your loved ones.
HI Rod,
Wish I could have been walking with you to observe the children on the playground. In our little part of Texas the celebration of Christmas begins with a “lighted” parade through downtown. (Our town is 3,500 people.). The first weekend in December is “Norwegian Country Christmas,” a tradition developed because the area was first settled by Norwegians. We have a tour of homes, a lutefisk lunch (have you ever had lutefisk?), special events at various places. Yesterday was the day. It rained and was relatively cool for us, but it amazes me how many people still attended all the events. Today, of course, was sunny and just warm enough.
Our pastor has retired and we have visiting preachers. Today’s preacher spoke about swaddling cloths and did a great job of “preaching it forward” from the time of Jesus’ birth.
Thanks, as always, for your devotional.
Thanks again for your thoughts and challenge to be a seeker like the wisemen and actually go and taste that God is good. Have a wonderful Christmas. Blessings.
Dear Rod,
How wonderfully true your words (and Daisy’s experience) are: within His Word are so many revelations that speak to our heartfelt needs, time and time again. I join you in praising God for His Word which gives us life and sustains us through it.
Thanks, Rod. May we be ever alert for His voice.