He Comes in Winter

He Comes In Winter

by

Susan Lenzkes

He could have come in

            springtime

                        when flowers force their way

            through sod and

                        bleating hope is born.

He could have been spring’s Lamb!

He could have come in

            summer

                        when sun streams down

            to warm that hope and

                        breezes cool the doubts.

Ho, summer’s Brightest Son!

He could have come in

            autumn

                        when hope flames forth

            with blazing joy and

                        crimson paints the earth.

Behold, He’s autumn’s Glory!

But He comes in

            winter

                        when hope lies frozen

            in the night and

                        blizzards rake our souls.

He comes, our Living Hope!

                                                ~~  Shared by Faith Himes Lamb      

THANKFUL FOR GRACE

Thanksgiving Day

by Lydia Maria Child/Adapted by Rebecca Phillips

Over the river and over the wood, To Niece and Nephews' house I go; The plane knows the way To carry my things Through the white and drifted snow. Over the river and over the wood, Oh, how the engines roar! It jostles the head, And puts to sleep my legs, As over the ground we go. Over the river and over the wood, Fly fast, my 747 plane! Soar over the ground, Like a hunting hound, For this is Thanksgiving-Day. Over the river and over the wood, And straight through the airport gate! We seem to go Extremely slow, It is so hard to wait! Over the river and over the wood; Now Niece and Nephews' caps I spy! Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done? Hurrah for the pumpkin pie! I am so thankful for the opportunity to hug the necks and kiss the faces of my niece and nephews (my newest nephew for the first time) this Thanksgiving. Like the poet, I long for the times I can spend with my family and it seems the trip there is longer than the wait! Just thinking about the return trip causes me to choke back sobs and blink away tears, but then I think about the "family" I am coming back to. My tears dry and the sobs wane, because the family that I have away from home is precious. I am thankful for Grace! ~Rebecca Phillips

Thankful Days

Several of my facebook friends are posting things they’re thankful for every day this month. I enjoy reading their notes, and it’s made me think of how all the things we so often appreciate are really manifestations of God and his goodness.

Here’s what I mean:  As I think of specific things I’m grateful for, some of the things I notice are clean sheets, the sky, fall leaves, my wonderful husband, good food, brightly colored flowers, little birds flitting around the feeder, heat coming out of the vents in my floor. I know, and have often said to others, that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Recently, I am learning to see God in all of these things.  I don’t mean that I am becoming a pantheist, but that I see God’s hand and character in the things He made.

My flannel sheets (is anything better on a cold night?) remind me that God is loving and tender, the source of all comfort; fall leaves are a sign of his faithfulness in bringing the seasons around on schedule; my husband—and others who love me—show me that God is love; the coleus sitting in my window depicts His loveliness; the chickadees, cardinals, titmice, and all their friends are evidence of God’s creativity; good food shows his bounty and his goodness to provide not just our needs but also our delights. 

Much has been written about the names of God, and that is certainly a worthwhile study. However, one does not have to be a Hebrew scholar to see God. Psalm 19 reminds us that “the heavens declare the glory of God,” and goes on to assert that “there is no voice or language where their voice is not heard.”  In other words, people all over the world can see God’s glory. Mankind is completely without excuse when it comes to opportunities to know God.  I can see Him even on my facebook wall!

--Sherry Poff

VOTE! TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6

This morning, I watched as thirty-ish children sat around maps of the world and prayed for children in various countries. It dawned on me that our children are living in a country where meeting together to pray and to talk about Christ is legal, while many of the children for whom they prayed do not. What struck me further was that 30% of the children in the room were Chinese. What a different life they would be living if they were in China.

This coming weekend we will remember the persecuted church. We will pray and focus our thoughts to the many who sacrifice their lives to assemble with other believers for the sake of Christ. We will attempt to understand what it is they face in their countries, and we will strive to relate it to our own sufferings for the cause of Christ. 

I'm asking that we remember, pray, focus, understand and relate a few days early. The persecuted church is not an unrealistic outcome in our own country. The decisions, whether large or small, that are made by the men and women who are voted in on Tuesday will directly impact our lives and the lives of our children. 

^{Romans 1:18-25 (HCSB)}

¹⁸ For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, ¹⁹ since what can be known^[o] about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. ²¹ For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

²⁴ Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. ²⁵ They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.

God is ultimately in control, but that does not mean that we should not take a bold stand in our community and in our nation. It is urgent that we get on our faces before God to beg for His mercy on our country. If we are quiet, I believe we are in danger of bringing the persecuted church to the good ol' U.S.A.

Six of the world's most precious children call me Aunt Bec Bec. My vote matters. 

~Rebecca Phillips