Yesterday for Pentecost we celebrated the Jewish memorial to the coming of the Torah and the Christian memorial to the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate and remember the men and women who serve this country and protect our freedoms.
What a privilege to live in the United States of America! What a wonderful gift to have freedom to worship God! What an amazing gift to live as Holy Spirit-filled citizens in the Kingdom of God!
As Christian poets, writers, and editors we also have the gift and privilege to research, write, edit, publish, and review Bible-based books, articles, devotionals, poems, stories, letters, post-a-notes, email, text messages, and other genres that help us to “memorialize” our faith as we honor God, remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and celebrate the Holy Spirit in our lives.
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© 2012, Mary Sayler, all rights reserved. For short articles and devotionals on a variety of Bible topics, follow Blogs by Mary. And may God remind us of all we have been given to write with enthusiasm and love in Jesus’ Name.
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Showing posts with label Holy Days. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Days. Show all posts
May 28, 2012
December 19, 2011
Reflecting God’s Light in what we write
Christmas and Hanukah bring Holy Days of Light to Christians and Jews, but depression and desperation often come this time of year to lonely people who do not know God. As poets and writers who do know God and the Word of God given to us through the Holy Scriptures and Holy Spirit, God gives us light to bear and light to share.
As Isaiah 49:6 promises: “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to Me. I (God) will make you a Light to the nations to bring My salvation to all the peoples of the earth.”
Sometimes the word “salvation” is used so often it seems dull, but in God’s Light we see light. To re-view what the Bible shows:
Salvation offers a way of escape from bad habits and attitudes that seize and entrap.
Salvation rescues people from mistakes hanging over their heads like dead mistletoe.
Salvation delivers people from the presence of evil, bad will, and unforgiveness.
Salvation recovers who and what was lost.
Salvation brings salve and healing, wrapping us in love and offering our writing as a gift in the present as a present from God.
Only God can save. Only God is Light and gives Light to all who want to step away from dark corners or dark thoughts lurking around, threatening to overshadow. But, as poets and writers and people of God, we have brightness!
We are Christmas lights and Hanukah candles.
Our poems and manuscripts can bring all that God gives us to give to others – giving and giving yet having more and more to hold onto and keep.
Let's pray to remember, though, that reflecting the Light requires reflection.
Let's pray to remember that part of the Light is being light, and our part may be to have and to hold a light touch, levity, and humor.
Only God can put ho-ho into Holy Days – not with zaniness or phony attempts to be jolly but with the true, pure light of joy. So let's pray for joy. Pray for light. Pray for daily reflection on the Light of Christ and the Joy of Salvation as we reflect our loving Heavenly Father -- the Almighty LORD God to the world.
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© 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.
http://www.marysayler.com
~~
As Isaiah 49:6 promises: “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to Me. I (God) will make you a Light to the nations to bring My salvation to all the peoples of the earth.”
Sometimes the word “salvation” is used so often it seems dull, but in God’s Light we see light. To re-view what the Bible shows:
Salvation offers a way of escape from bad habits and attitudes that seize and entrap.
Salvation rescues people from mistakes hanging over their heads like dead mistletoe.
Salvation delivers people from the presence of evil, bad will, and unforgiveness.
Salvation recovers who and what was lost.
Salvation brings salve and healing, wrapping us in love and offering our writing as a gift in the present as a present from God.
Only God can save. Only God is Light and gives Light to all who want to step away from dark corners or dark thoughts lurking around, threatening to overshadow. But, as poets and writers and people of God, we have brightness!
We are Christmas lights and Hanukah candles.
Our poems and manuscripts can bring all that God gives us to give to others – giving and giving yet having more and more to hold onto and keep.
Let's pray to remember, though, that reflecting the Light requires reflection.
Let's pray to remember that part of the Light is being light, and our part may be to have and to hold a light touch, levity, and humor.
Only God can put ho-ho into Holy Days – not with zaniness or phony attempts to be jolly but with the true, pure light of joy. So let's pray for joy. Pray for light. Pray for daily reflection on the Light of Christ and the Joy of Salvation as we reflect our loving Heavenly Father -- the Almighty LORD God to the world.
~~
© 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.
http://www.marysayler.com
~~
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