Thanks for sharing this season of Advent and Christmas with me. This is the twelfth day of Christmas. Twelve drummers drumming!
So also, this is the last devotion of our season together. I’ll resume, God-willing, on Ash Wednesday, which this year is six weeks from now, in mid- February. See you on February 18th. God bless you.
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For all of today’s readings: Click on today’s date at http://www.usccb.org/bible/
The greatness is in the details
Monday, January 5, 2015
Twelfth Day of Christmas
1 John 4:4
Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
John was an old man by the time he wrote this to his followers and friends. And oh, what stories he could tell! He was there when the fame of Jesus “spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them.”
John was there when Jesus chose his disciples, and he was there when Lazarus was raised from the dead and came out of the grave walking. He was there when Jesus told his disciples, “This bread is my body, this wine is my blood; eat it and drink it in remembrance.”
John was there when Jesus was captured, crowned with thorns and crucified. And he ran with Peter to the empty tomb to see that Jesus was not there. And John was there when Jesus came to be with them again, in the flesh, though he had been dead he was now alive again.
John has earned the right to say, “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” If John knew anything, John knew that.
You know how old you are. All of us are full of memories, many of which we ponder in our hearts, precious remnants of the past, held close. Certainly like John, we can say the words, “Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.” Over the span of our lives, we earn the right to not only say the words, but to know how true they are.
When we know, it is not just for a moment but for all time. For eternity. We know it with our minds and our hearts and our gut. We are sure. We are certain. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.
My mom is 92, Margaret’s mom is 91. Greater is he that is in them than he that is in the world. Our grandson Jack will be six in a month, and Aly will be three in May. Greater is he that is in them than he that is in the world. Margaret and I are 65, and lately we have been inundated by offers that relate to Medicare. We are encouraged to do all we can to live as long as we can in the world.
Nothing wrong with that.
But greater is he that is in us, than he who is in the world. Jesus our healer holds us in the palm of his hand.
Last night at 10:54 pm the moon was full, Lord. I saw it risen and bright in the sky, high in the empty branches above our chicken coop. The air was cold, and I was warm. The chickens were nestled all snug in their roosts. And you are greater in me than he who is in the world. Tonight’s moon will be bright but waning. You never wane, you never ebb, you are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are God, and you always make all things new.
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