Tag: unfailing love

4th Sunday of Advent-2023 It’s Christmas eve

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On this 4th Sunday before Christmas, we light the peace candle. The candle we lit on the First Sunday of Advent was the prophecy candle which symbolized the hope the coming Messiah brings to mankind. The second was the Bethlehem candle which reminded us of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. The third candle symbolized the Shepherd’s joy at the birth of the Messiah. Today we light the Angel candle symbolizing the message given to the angels which was one of “Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men.” Because today is Christmas Eve we will also light the final white center candle which speaks of the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ child.

Rejoice today as you worship and sing carols. Ponder the blessings of hope, joy and peace that come to us because of God’s mercy and grace in sending Jesus as our Savior. Here is Psalm 130 which speaks of our cries to God for mercy as we realize our own sin. The answer rests with the Lord and His mercy towards us in sending Jesus.

From the depths of despair, O Lord,
    I call for your help.
2 Hear my cry, O Lord.
    Pay attention to my prayer.

3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
    who, O Lord, could ever survive?
4 But you offer forgiveness,
    that we might learn to fear you.

5 I am counting on the Lord;
    yes, I am counting on him.
    I have put my hope in his word.
6 I long for the Lord
    more than sentries long for the dawn,
    yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord;
    for with the Lord there is unfailing love.
    His redemption overflows.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
    from every kind of sin.

Thank you Lord for your unfailing mercy and love. Thank you for sending Jesus to redeem me from every kind of sin. Thank you Lord that You have everything under your control. I will trust in You.

Merry Christmas!

Linda

Unshakable with God!

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After telling us to not be afraid in Isaiah 54:4-5, the Lord explains the brief punishment the Israelites will suffer. It may have seemed to them that God was abandoning or turning His back on them. Isaiah 54:7-9

“For a brief moment I abandoned you,
    but with great compassion I will take you back.
8 In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while.
    But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
    says the Lord, your Redeemer. 9 “Just as I swore in the time of Noah
    that I would never again let a flood cover the earth,
so now I swear
    that I will never again be angry and punish you.

It may seem to you too, that you are being abandoned, and are not loved and cared for by God. But God promises that He loves us with an everlasting love. He makes promises to us that He alone can and will keep. God keeps all of His promises! See how God concludes this conversation in verse 10.

“For the mountains may move
    and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
    My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
    says the Lord, who has mercy on you.”

God promises no matter how things appear His faithful love remains placed upon us. His word and His new covenant through Jesus will not be broken. He always has love and mercy for us.

What do we know about God’s love and mercy? His Love– In Ephesians 6:16-18 Paul explains God’s love to the Ephesian Christians, “ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Psalm 23:6 by King David, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” From Daniel in Daniel 9:4, “I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.” His Mercy– It is God’s decision who will receive His mercy. Romans 9:15-16 explains God’s position. “ For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose,  and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” 16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.” Mercy and love are part of God’s character, attributes of His, Psalm 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” We can ask God for His mercy. David repeatedly asks God for mercy as in Psalm 25:16 “Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.” In Daniel 9:8, Daniel pleads for mercy for the nation of Israel who were in captivity in Babylon, “O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.” Paul explains in Ephesians 2:4-5 how God’s mercy towards us led to our salvation, “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)’

Isaiah 54:10 is a verse we can claim and hold onto in our lives. No matter what is happening around us we can count on God’s love and mercy. He delivers on His promises!

Linda

Giving Thanks Wholeheartedly

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In Psalm 138 David repeatedly expresses his thanks to God. He gives good reasons for his attitude of gratitude.

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
    I will sing your praises before the gods.
2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
    I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
    by all the honor of your name.
3 As soon as I pray, you answer me;
    you encourage me by giving me strength.

In these first 3 verses, David proclaims his thanks to God with his whole heart and being. David is ‘all in’ for God. What things receive your total commitment and wholehearted love? Are you ‘all in’ for God or do you hold back? David saw that the Lord listened to his prayers and acted on his behalf. He gave him strength and encouragement. David knew in his heart that God stood behind all of His promises. God loved him with an unfailing love. David knew love in his life but saw the fleetingness and fickleness of the men and women around him. By comparison, David knew that God would always love him and be with him. He had learned at an early age while tending his father’s sheep, when confronting a gigantic enemy in Goliath and fleeing from Saul for 14 years as he awaited being made king of God’s faithfulness. He knew that God alone was the one who always stood with him and went before and behind to keep him safe.

How about you? Has God been with you 24/7 and gone before and behind you? Do you see His faithfulness day by day? If you do, then be ‘all in’ like David and love God wholeheartedly. Your wholehearted love for God and His wholehearted love for you is cause for great thanks and praise!

Linda