Christmas Tidings and Good Cheer

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you and yours wishes of a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year.

I like to think of the Christ's manger bed as the real Ark of the Covenant, and the stable as the Holy of Holies, for the glory of God shone all around Bethlehem-- first out in the fields to lowly shepherds, then to the stable place where Christ was born-- Christ himself being the Shekinah presence of God.

All the priests were gathered around-- Mary, Joseph, shepherds, Magi, animals-- to form a new people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. Out of this ragtag group, God was forming a temple of living stones, raising it up to be a house for the indwelling of His Spirit.

Okay, so I went ahead and blogged. I really couldn't help myself. But Christmas always reminds me to never doubt the love of God. He lives with His people and covenants with them to forgive and forget. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests!

Merry Christmas!

The Beatles Were Wrong

The Beatles had a hit song that said, "All you need is love... love is all you need."

This is only half true. It should be corrected to say, "All you have is love... love is all you have." or "All there is is love... love is all there is."

Just because it doesn't seem like it doesn't mean it's false. When the layers of our thoughts and stories are peeled back, love is all that's left. God is love!

Never question the presence of love. Always question your perceptions.

Slavery and Freedom

I was struck by yet another thought as I was on my morning walk today:

The more enslaved you feel, the closer to freedom you are.

Paradoxes are interesting, don't you think?