Christmas Song: Hark the Herald
Hymn: Beneath the Cross of Jesus
The Ology: God's Holiness Cannot Be in the Same Place as Sin (85-87)
God Gave a Way to Cover Sin (89)
Jesus is the Sacrifice We Need (90-91)
Hymn: Beneath the Cross of Jesus
The Ology: God's Holiness Cannot Be in the Same Place as Sin (85-87)
God Gave a Way to Cover Sin (89)
Jesus is the Sacrifice We Need (90-91)
I seem to say this every day, but I LOVE this story. God's people are needing to be rescued ... again. God has rescued His people so many times and led them through the wilderness on their way to the land He has promised them. They had everything they needed ... but they didn't think so. Instead of praise and adoration for all God had done for them, the desert is filled with sounds of complaining and grumbling. Sounds about like my house. Not a day goes by when we don't recite Philippians 2:14: "do all things without grumbling and complaining."
God's people have chosen to ignore God's good Word and doubt His care for them. Punishment follows. But God has given His people a way to be rescued! All the people had to do was to look at the pole with a snake on it and live. I'm sure that seemed odd to them, but what a perfect picture of the cross us. God has required that for my sin, I must be punished. Written across the pages of my life are so many moments of grumbling and complaining instead of praise to the God Who provides, leads, and rescues me. God delights in saving His people - me! And it's a good thing, because I cannot rescue myself. I cannot remove the venom of sin out, nor can I cut it out. Sin has spread through every part of me. Life and salvation must come from an outside source, or I will die eternally. God has provided a way for His people: the cross. So when complaining and grumbling, I need to redeem those moments (there are many!) and remember all God provides: look and live.
Tidings and tidbits:
God's people have chosen to ignore God's good Word and doubt His care for them. Punishment follows. But God has given His people a way to be rescued! All the people had to do was to look at the pole with a snake on it and live. I'm sure that seemed odd to them, but what a perfect picture of the cross us. God has required that for my sin, I must be punished. Written across the pages of my life are so many moments of grumbling and complaining instead of praise to the God Who provides, leads, and rescues me. God delights in saving His people - me! And it's a good thing, because I cannot rescue myself. I cannot remove the venom of sin out, nor can I cut it out. Sin has spread through every part of me. Life and salvation must come from an outside source, or I will die eternally. God has provided a way for His people: the cross. So when complaining and grumbling, I need to redeem those moments (there are many!) and remember all God provides: look and live.
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I long to take my stand,
the shadow of a mighty rock
within a weary land,
a home within the wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat
and the burdens of the day.
Upon the cross of Jesus,
my eye at times can see
the very dying form of one
who suffered there for me.
And from my contrite heart, with tears,
two wonders I confess:
the wonder of redeeming love
and my unworthiness.
I take, O cross, your shadow
for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine
than the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss,
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all, the cross.
Elizabeth C. Clephane
- No readings from the children's Bibles today, so try reading the Scripture out loud to them.
- There are three readings from The Ology. You could read all three, or pick one.
- For a fun Christmas pops cd, try this one. It is one of my favorites.
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