Of Angels and Shepherds

This unique ornament pictured was sold at a Christian book shop where I once worked. When they surplus stock went on sale, I bought several, which have been given to missionaries I have known. If you look closely, you’ll see that the “O” encapsulates a golden world.

As I looked at it today, I began to think of the song, “The First Noel”, which reminds us of the angel’s message on the night of Jesus’ birth:

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:8-12 NKJV).

What a message to these shepherds! The angel told of “great joy which will be to all people”.

Note the word, “all”. I love the word “all” in the Bible. And I think when it is translated from the original language, it means “all”…plain and simple. No one is excluded from God’s call. Just as “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, (Romans 3:23), the Bible also teaches us that God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). There’s that word again.

The angels hurried to find the “Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes”. On discovering Him, they couldn’t keep the news to themselves:

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds (Luke 2:17-18).

The shepherds became the first witnesses of the Lord Jesus. Others continue this task today. One special part of this season is the opportunity to focus on the work Southern Baptist International Mission Board servants (the shepherds of our day) carry out, bringing the message to “all people” in the far reaches of the earth. Will you pray for them today, learn about their task, and give generously to support them? And whether or not we might follow in their footsteps, God is still urging us, as He did the shepherds, to “widely make known” the message that a Savior has been born!

Best wishes from lefthandrightbrain.

Hands and Hearts

In these days of e-mail and text
messaging, isn't it nice to get a
card in the mail? And it's even more special if it happens to be one that is hand-crafted!

This evening, about 60 of our church members (of a variety of ages) showed up to begin "Summer Nights of Service", a multi-facted outreach to show God's love to the community. We cleaned trash from the beach, surveyed neighborhoods, prayerwalked some of the area school campuses, handed out bottled water to those getting exercise by walking our local bridge, and made cards. Some of the cards will be sent to those who shared prayer needs during a previous survey. We are calling our card-making ministry "Hands and Hearts", and as we make and write cards, we pray for the needs of each person, and include a note to let them know of our prayers.

It was great to see folks from ages four to 70-plus engaging in ministry. And our staff coordinator (for the card-making) assured us that we had just as vital a part in outreach as those who went out on the streets of our town.

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us", says Romans 12:6. Along with this chapter, we find a listing of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. These lists are probably not all-inclusive. Obviously, beach clean-up or card-making aren't on any of the scriptural lists, but those of service (Rom. 12:7) and encouragement (Rom. 12:8) are.

Some think of spiritual giftedness as being demonstrated in one who can deliver a great sermon, or is effective at leading others to Christ, and rightly so. However, a careful study of these Scriptures show many ways to effectively serve Christ, and facilitate spiritual birth and growth. And a good way to discover new areas of giftedness is to take advantage of opportunities such as these. It's also an effective way to introduce our children to serving the Lord by serving others.

Maybe it's time to step out of that comfort zone, and into a new, fruitful area of service; what adventure will you try?

best wishes from lefthandrightbrain:)

Fresh Peaches

(Photo taken at prayer garden at LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center)

Edith weighed in at about 85 pounds, and her age probably wasn’t too far below that. She was one of the first energetic seniors I met when I began a two-week volunteer stint at Ridgecrest Baptist Conference Center*. Upon learning that I had arrived by plane, she eagerly volunteered to take me along whenever she drove into town for needed items. Somehow, she learned my name wrong, and occasionally from behind me, I’d hear her calling, “Hey, Betty”, as she scurried to catch up, checking on me and telling me of excursions she had planned.

As schedules for our volunteer responsibilities varied, I wasn’t always able to take advantage of Edith’s transportation offers, but she didn’t forget about me. One afternoon as I walked down the hall to my room, I could see something on the floor by the door. As I approached, I found a huge, luscious fresh peach lying on a napkin. Later that evening, Edith sidled in next to me at dinner. “Betty, did you find the peach I left for you?” she asked, giving my arm a quick squeeze. She and some other volunteers had taken a trip to a nearby farmer’s market, and since the peaches looked so good, she decided to pick up some for her friends. Later that evening, as the copious sweet juice dripped down my chin, I savored the delicious fruit as well as thoughts of my tenderhearted new friend!

“Then the Lord said to him [Moses], ‘What is that in your hand?’” (Exodus 4:2)

“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was
always doing good and helping the poor.” (Acts 9:36)

A peach - just one peach - but that simple act showed tender love and a desire to share, to brighten another’s day. Acts of kindness, so easy to do; they don’t have to cost much, nor need they be time-consuming to be valued. Even now, when I bite into a succulent, juicy peach, I recall Edith’s act of Christian caring, and pause to pray that I might have that same desire and willingness to serve others. Perhaps the “seeds” of the gospel can be spread through the seeds of some fresh fruit. “What is that in your hand?”

Related scriptures for further study: Galatians 5:22-25, Romans 12:9-13, Matthew 6:1-4, 2 Peter 1:3-8, Galatians 6:9-10

(*The facility is now known as LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center. It is nestled in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, not far from Asheville, NC. I wrote these devotional thoughts years ago when I first had the opportunity to experience the divine blessing of volunteering at the Center.)

Best wishes from lefthandrightbrain:)