Prayer
– Lord Jesus, You are love. As my shepherd I am grateful that You have been
willing to give up so much of Your life for all of mankind. You willingly and
obediently sacrificed Your life just so that we could one day stand pure and
spotless before the Lord God Almighty. What an awesome gift! Thank You. I look
forward to spending eternity—forever—living in the Lord’s house. From a stable
to a throne—You are a blessing. May Your name be honored forever.
The
LORD is my shepherd;
I
have all that I need.
He
lets me rest in green meadows;
he
leads me beside peaceful streams.
He
renews my strength.
He
guides me along paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even
when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close
beside me.
Your
rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You
prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You
honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My
cup overflows with blessings.
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. Psalm 23:1-6 (Verse 6 underlined
for today’s focus.)
Meditate.
Consider God’s home in Heaven—the house of the Lord.
Do you
feel that goodness and unfailing love…or mercy…are part of your daily life?
The Shepherd—Jesus, the Good
Shepherd—takes care of us…if we choose to believe in Him. This is the time of
the year when we celebrate His birth. I just went to an awesome dramatic
presentation of the “Journey to Bethlehem” at the Seventh Day Adventist Church
in Kennewick, Washington. In November there had been a tragic fire that
destroyed a storage shed where many of their costumes, sets, and props were
stored. Not much was saved, but miraculously those items were replaced, and the
show went on as scheduled. Love prevailed…and many people were allowed to take
the pilgrimage to Bethlehem, pay their taxes, just like Joseph and Mary, and then,
along with the shepherds, visit the stable where Jesus was born. 
Herod's Court with the Wise Men
 |
| Bethlehem Stable Mary & Joseph with Baby Jesus Kennewick, Washington Drama |
The love of Jesus is unfailing. He died on a cross for the sins of the whole world—throughout history. That amazes me—all the people in any time since creation—can be forgiven of their sin. It is the choice that we all must make. Repent and be forgiven…or not. Those who choose to repent and be forgiven will be the ones that will live in the house of the LORD forever. Personally, I choose that. The Lord’s goodness and unfailing love has pursued me all the days of my life. I know that God loves us…Jesus loves us (Revelation 1:4-5)…and the Holy Spirit continues to remind us of scripture that support these promises (John 16:5-15). God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is the most important feeling, action, and emotion that exists. Without love babies don’t thrive people are isolated, and life is lost. We must have love—but it is our choice to give it and receive it. What is your choice today?
Verse
of Salvation ~ Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your
salvation. Psalm
85:7
© 2024 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.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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