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Epiphanies, forgiveness, and Walking with God again
I had a wonderful Christmas Day spent with my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, their kids, and their kids' kids, my mother-in-law, and my son and his girlfriend... oh yeah, my husband was there too! Marti wrote about something that happened in her life. She called it an epiphany. In the helpful fashion of one of my friends here in J-land, (you know who I mean) I'm including the following web dictionary definition: epiph·a·ny 3 a (1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an illuminating discovery b : a revealing scene or moment
Until then, I have some errands to run and a book to read, a house to clean, and dogs to groom, but I will be back to post a new entry soon.
The following entry is partially republished from the original back in 2005.... back before people started reading my journal. But it is still as relevant today, for me and for many others, as it was then.
Walking with God
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
2 Corinthians 9:15
I love to save Christmas cards that depict the birth of Jesus. Each year, I allow myself time to look at the cards from Christmas’ past, remembering the senders, re-reading their handwritten messages, but often just looking at their signatures below the printed text.
In 2002, I sent out an unusual Christmas card.
I say unusual because instead of the usual manger scene, this one portrayed an older baby Jesus just learning to walk. On the front, a beautiful reproduced painting by Morgan Weistling showed a loving Joseph holding steady the gripping fingers of his toddler, Jesus, learning to walk among the wood chips and tools of the carpenter’s trade.
On the inside it read “… the infant Jesus learned to walk among us so that we might learn to walk with God.”
(Click on the link for the picture: Morgan Weistling’s Walking with God )
Such a powerful reminder of our great and awesome God! He came into our lives as a baby, nursing and crying, needing to be held and comforted, fed and nurtured.
He had to learn how to walk. Surely he fell a few times when he first began to walk, scraping his little-boy knees, and probably banged his teen-aged thumb a few times while learning the work of his earthly father. He learned how to talk, how to read Hebrew Scripture, and how to make tables, doors, and chairs.
He grew into manhood, into his Godhood, and gave his life for ours, yes, even two thousand years later, we are still forgiven.
Let us remember that we are like toddlers in a world that is strewn with blades, mallets, nails, and slivers of wood.
And let us not forget that the hands of our Father guide us through right paths and hold us steady every step of the way.
Click on the link for Kissing the Face of God
Prayer: Father, we give thanks for the indescribable gift of your Son, once a helpless babe, now the source of our strength and our salvation. Amen.
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Lovely paintings and a lovely message about all that is good about this special season. Jesus is the reason and it's a pity more people don't acknowledge that. The world would sure be a better place if they did! Looking foward to the movie when and if you post it! (Fingers crossed!)
Marie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/ -
Great entry reminding us of the real meaning of the season. It seems it has been largely forgotten with all the commercialization. Thanks for sharing and a belated Merry Christmas!
Dirk
http://journals.aol.com/tsalagiman1/the-first-amendment-not -politi/ -
Memories flood back to me with this entry. I, too, always saved and sent Christmas cards that somehow depicted Jesus' birth. The one year I had the most beautiful card with a baby on it with the One Small Child leading the world. I can't quite remember it now. But one year, I also sent a card very similar to the baby Jesus learning to walk. Gives me the chills to see it again. I'm loving your reposting of your entries, Bea. I hope you get permission to post your video. Chris
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For Barry: You were very close! (I looked it up for you.) It actually reads "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." Mark 10:14 ... I'm not sure, but that may be the King James Version, which I find difficult to read.
Here is the NIV (New International Version), my own Bible, a translation that I find is easier to understand, and which was taken from Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts. Mark 10:13-14:
"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Verse 1, Jesus continues...: "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child wil never enter it."
How that ever was twisted into "Children should be seen and not heard" evades me! I think Jesus was pretty clear in explaining how we should respond to the kingdom of God... with all the wonder, acceptance, trust, and belief of a child. My interpretation.
Are you ready for the kids to get back to school? I think the read-together is a grand idea... wish I could join you! I have some great read aloud books. Would you write an entry about how the read-together went? I am very interested! bea
12/28/07 3:58 AM
Marti
http://journals.aol.com/sunny