Day 13: Redemption in the dead and ugly

God chose David to be king because God was getting His people ready for an even greater King who was coming (JSB 120)

                     
Read:

• Big Picture Story Bible: God's Blessings Grow (167-185)
• Jesus Storybook Bible: The Teenie, Weenie ... True King (116-121)
• The Ology: Chosen (143-145)

Sing: Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Think: Revelation 21
Pray: Thank God for redeeming not only nature, but our hearts.
Do: Stump with leaf

For You
Isaiah 11:1-10
Revelation 21-22

  There is great poetic beauty in Isaiah 11. Only God could take something like a tree stump or root and make it beautiful and fill it with life. Every fall, as I am surrounded by nature dying and preparing for winter, I am reminded of these verses. When spring comes, we see those shoots of life coming up with those brilliant greens. We just recently moved and have been clearing out a bunch of junk from our back "jungle." There is a tree stump back there that is so ugly. Clearly, the tree had been cut down, but in one little corner there are shoots of green coming out of it. Every time I see that old ugly tree stump, I remember the promise of God to preserve His people - to bring life from death, to bring light to darkness. God preserves His people. God delights in saving His people. God has the power to bring forth life from our sinful and dead souls. Christ is our root, and we are grounded and given life through Him.
             
Here is a beautiful setting of some advent liturgy, O Root of Jesse

    O Root of Jesse, Thou on Whom
    The Holy Ghost shall rest;
    Whose boughs through all the world shall bloom 
    With healing virtue blest:

    True Vine, in Whom we must abide
    To bring forth plenteous fruit;
    Whose branches, when by tempests tried,
    Are firm in Thee their root:

    Thou art a shelter from the heat
    That burns the thirsty ground:
    A hiding place when tempests beat
    Upon the plain around.

    O Root of Jesse, day by day
    To Thee our prayers we send:
    Come now, and through the world, we pray,
    Thy healing leaves extend.

    We wait in faith, we wait in prayer,
    Until the happy time
    Wherein Thy branches fruit shall bear
    Through every distant clime.

    To God the Father glory be,
    In majesty adored;
    To Jesse's Root, the Son; and Thee,
    O Holy Ghost; One Lord. Amen.

  Tidings and Tidbits:

• Look in carols for the theme of the root or rod of Jesse this year. 
• Take the kids out and find something you can make into an ornament from nature. This is a great opportunity to talk to them about seasons and how only God has the power to give and preserve life.