Christmas is a glorious time to step aside every so often and meditate on Jesus’s coming so many years ago and now how he has a center in my life. So I bring my needs to him, but also my praises for what he has and will do.
AS I PRAY
As I pray, I see your work
in others' lives and in my own.
So patiently I lift the needs
of those I love and of my own.
May you be praised in all our deeds
as we go forth in praising you,
living for your glory, Lord,
walking in your power, truth.
Christmas is so close. How blessed we are to be able to celebrate the birth of our Savior!
A LIGHT SHINES
In the darkness
a light shines
that cannot be quenched.
In the shadows
a light shines
and hope grows bright.
In the night
a light shines
and joy is birthed.
THE WORD WAS GOD
It was God who came that day
to live a life on earth.
No beginning, always God,
becoming man at birth.
It was God who left his throne
on high to wear our form,
coming down to give His peace
to quell sin's awful storm.
It was God who came to die
to spread on earth His light,
that we could walk with Him each day,
delivered from our plight.
May God give us the realization of what Christmas truly is.
To me, Christmas is more than just birth of Christ. It is his whole sacrifice of coming from glory to human form and then, not just to die, but to rise and go back to glory having made payment for our sins.
THE SHADOW OF A CROSS
The shadow of a cross
across a manger lay
where God became a man
to bear that cross someday.
The shadow of the cross
speaks life to sinful men.
The innocent would pay
the price for all our sin.
The shadow of that cross
became reality
when God himself had died
so man would now be free.
Christmas is more than just about a baby. It is about God who came as that baby but was God incarnate. He was God in human form.
GOD IN HUMAN FORM
Watch the angels winging earthward,
singing praises to a king,
giving message to some shepherds--
lowly shepherds watching sheep.
"He is born! The Christ is come!
Peace on earth! Good will to men!"
Now the shepherds go to worship
God who's come in human form.
Watch the star that beams from heaven
guiding wisemen to a king.
Long they travel searching, searching
for the one the prophets tell.
Gifts of gold and frankincense
and myrrh to give the one they seek.
Now he's found, they bow in worship
God who's come in human form.
Watch the people as they gather,
singing carols, giving gifts.
Do they hear the Christmas message
"Peace on earth! Good will to men"?
Are they searching for the one
shepherds worshipped, wisemen sought,
One who died but still is living,
God who came in human form?
MESSIAH HAS COME! LIFT UP YOUR HEADS! Messiah has come! Lift up your heads! The fullness of time has arrived and the grace of God is revealed for all of mankind. His arms are wide open to give His embrace. Messiah has come! Lift up your heads! The angels deliver the message of peace for God has sent Jesus from heaven to earth to deliver from death--its power will cease. Messiah has come! Lift up your heads! True life has come for people on earth The promise is given for those who will seek. Messiah has promised for each a new birth. Messiah has come! Lift up your heads! One day we will stand in his presence in heaven, free from life's sorrows and sickness and pain, free from the hold of sin's old nature's leaven. Messiah has come! Lift up your heads! Let rejoicing begin and our praises ring out, for Jesus has come to show us God's love. Messiah has come! Of this we will shout. (2021)
CANDLE OF HOPE
God’s candle blazes in the dark
among the shadows, cold and stark.
It sends its warmth against the chill
of death that lurks, waiting to kill
the seeking heart. But this bright light
draws close to seeking hearts with might
to fill with light where there is none.
It lights the way, bids seekers come
to find the kingdom of Jesus Lord
who fights the dark with Truth’s sword.
The dark dispelled, the light is cast,
God’s hand will hold the seeker fast.
2016
Life is never easy. About the time it settles down, something else happens.
Last December, I totaled my car and dealt with a sprained shoulder. My kind sister gave me her car, old and needing some repair, but got me around. After a couple months, for various reasons, I gave it to my daughter for her son. It wasn’t that I was ungrateful, but decided it was the best procedure for me. I asked my sister if it hurt that I gave away her gift to me. She said no, it had a good home.
Last June, I fell and sprained my right (I am right handed) wrist. It is hard even to write. At times it feels like it is healing, but the past couple weeks, it feels as if the healing has stalled.
The arthritis in my knee and hip have been acting up. I am grateful for the exercises I have. They help.
Now my kind sister tells me she has lymphoma. My baby sister. I lost my dad in 1978, my brother in 2012 (my younger brother) and my mom in 2014. My heart grieves for my baby sister as I pray for her healing.
So what do I do in the face of trials and suffering? It is easy to let the suffering get me down and honestly, at times it does. But I know God has a purpose for it. I live in a broken world. I reflect that Jesus came to a dark world, caught in the enemy’s grip to bring life. Jesus’s suffering gave life to those who embraced Him. Then He rose, and I see His promise to me is real. I am eternal being and He points me to life eternally in joy.
But how does that speak to my trials and suffering? Just as Jesus suffering brings comfort and life because He understands what I am feeling, so my suffering can help others experience life. I wrote a poem book of my emotions on the deaths of my loved ones. As I give it to people who are experiencing loss of loved ones, they express how grateful they are. One lady said she knew I understood; I had been there. I see life birthing into people’s hearts through my understanding.
I see my own understanding grow when someone ministers to me through their trials as they put their arms around me and give me their love. Or even as I watch their lives and see how they deal with their situation.
It will never get better until Jesus returns and sets all things right, fulfilling His promises to His people. This time on earth seems long to us, but as I get older, I see how short it is. Then He will dry my tears and as I live with Him, I will be able to serve Him in joy.
Meanwhile, I take stock of my blessings and ask God to give me a grateful heart for His many gifts. Key to living through my sufferings.
A few months ago, we celebrated Christmas–God incarnate, coming in the flesh as a baby. How neat to celebrate that time!
But now the baby is grown. He has died. He has risen. He is alive. I celebrate because I have life in Him, beginning when I came to believe in Him and accept His lordship, to go through eternity! So I celebrate. I have hope!
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you when he was still with you in Galilee?”
(Luke 24:5, 6)
THE TRUTH BE TOLD
The truth be told we’re tied to sin.
Iniquity, transgression tell the truth
of our lives. Sin tosses us bare bones for
life but death is our reward and takes our hope.
But One from heaven took human form and lived
in total submission to His Father, defeating
death and delivering deliverance to those
who choose His life. The truth be told,
our ties to sin are demolished.
Life is transformed.
We have hope.
(2018)
DEATH HAS LOST ITS STING
Rejoice! for death has lost its sting.
The grave is empty, for the King
no longer lies in chains of death.
He is alive, defeated death.
This living King will soon one day
rule earth and heaven in righteous way.
No longer will the evil stain
what God has made, for Christ will reign.
(2018)
Christmas. The angels proclaimed Christ’s birth with joyful songs and “peace on earth, good will to men!” But do we see that? There is no peace on earth. There are wars and rumors of war. Terrorists threaten everyone. There are lonely, grieving people. Death touches so many lives. What do we have to rejoice about?
But we misunderstand the peace God offers to man. When Adam sold the world into sin and Satan’s power, the relationship with God was broken and there was no peace on earth. Ever since, man has been at war with God, wanting to run their own lives, and finding frustration and unrest, not peace. Because Jesus (who is God) came to earth, lived, died, and rose again, he restored man’s relationship with God and through the relationship with Jesus. Even though everything about me is chaos and in tatters, I can have peace with God, true peace. And I rejoice. I have life with God, not just now, but for eternity.
BECAUSE OF LOVE
Glory could not hold him
when love called out his name
His Father bade him change his
clothes of glory’s reign.
The Son of God left heaven
to don a servant’s life
to dress in human skin to
serve those lost to strife.
Because of love he suffered;
because of love he died.
Because of love he rose that
with God we could abide.
The year marches on and we find life takes detours we would rather not take. But God is good and gives peace in the midst of those detours! I am hoping to become a regular on WordPress again as my life takes on more normalcy. Now as I approach Christmas and a New Year, I am grateful that God became a man to bring life and peace to men. May He bring life and peace to you this season.
WHO IS THIS JESUS?
Who is this Jesus, He who came
to earth from heav’n in human garb,
proclaimed Himself as one with God,
and died for men. Against men’s barbs
of unbelief, He called himself,
“I am”—the name of God, the One
Creator God who made all things
that now exist. He is the Son,
and He is God who rules all things.
When time is done, His righteousness
will rule and all will bend the knee
for He will end all wickedness.
Who is this Jesus, He who came
to earth from heav’n in human form
to bring true life to men on earth,
to give to all a bright new morn.
Darlene Estlow©2017
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