Meditate. Rest. Rejoice.
I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be
shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow
your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting
me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Psalm
16:8-11My heart rejoices.
At Christmas...and always.
There is joy in God’s presence and the pleasure of living
with Him forever. What a great promise! Do you realize that everyone—yes everyone—will
live forever either in the presence of God…or without Him. With Him in the new
Heaven and Earth…or without Him in the Lake of Fire, gnashing teeth and moaning
with pain, regretting that they didn’t believe in Jesus as their Savior when
they had the chance.
So why do you
condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember,
we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say,
"'As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to me, and
every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'" Yes, each of us will
give a personal account to God. So let's stop condemning each other. Decide
instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to
stumble and fall. Romans 14:10-13
I can just imagine how it will be…everyone will be bowing
before Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Everyone. There will be joy with
those who personally know Jesus—who have a relationship with Him. Just as David
wrote…my heart is glad and I rejoice. Anguish will overtake the hearts of those
who didn’t believe.
For now…My body rests in safety. God provides safety
and security for us. Rest is essential to life. The importance of rest and
sleep has been shown to be of great importance in developing and maintaining healthy
immunity. During the winter months this is especially important—with germs,
viruses and bacteria, being transmitted at an accelerated rate. Be safe. Rest.
Rest in safety—God is with you. Always.
Prayer ~ Lord God, thank you not only for Your promise
that You will always be with me, but also for Your assurance that You grant me
the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Yes,
forever. I know that I don’t have to wait until I die, or am raptured, for
forever to start. It started the moment I first believed in Jesus as my Savior.
Thank you. Life is precious…and even more precious with You.
Verse of Salvation ~ In that day the people will
proclaim, "This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is
the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!" Isaiah
25:9
Bible Trivia Answer to the Question: Where were the
shepherds and who told them about Jesus’ birth?
They were on the hillside outside Bethlehem when an
angel came to tell them about the birth of the Messiah—Jesus Christ.
That night there
were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the
Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured
them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that
will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has
been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Luke 2:8-11
Bible Trivia Question for next week: What does mean to
swaddle a baby as Mary did?
© 2021 Text, photos and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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