Tag Archives: troubles

The Path of Glory

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I can see it just ahead

Advent is much more than looking forward to December 25th, the day we celebrate Christ’s birth. It is about realizing the hope of glory bestowed upon us in Jesus.

When the angel announced to Mary that she was highly favored and that the Lord is with you. It greatly troubled her because her life looked nothing like “highly favored.”

Going from “greatly troubled” to “highly favored” is what Advent is about. We do it by taking the words of Mary for our own:

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Luke 1:38

The promise of God for us is “Christ in me the hope of glory,” (Colossians 1:27). A hope that grows each day carrying us through sorrow, and troubles, and onto a glorious Christmas forever in Christ.

So we hesitantly count ourselves as highly favored and whisper with Mary—may it be as You have said…I think I am pregnant.

Soaring

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Soaring above Palouse Falls

Isaiah 40:31 is a familiar verse about soaring with wings like eagles, but when you are struggling in the tough stuff of life, the verse seems more of a taunt than a help. Reading the entire chapter will show that Isaiah 40 is lament where Israel accuses God of ignoring their troubles. I can relate to that.

The chapter ends with:

Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless. Isaiah 40:28-29

The soaring in verse 31 is knowing God is with us and will be our strength when we have none. So in those dark times I have to repeat: “God is with me, I am with Him.” Not as magical words, but as the facts of my life.

The bird in the picture is soaring above the thundering waterfall, take away the thunder and the picture is not much.