From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Fri, Dec 27, 2024 at 5:38 AM

Subject: 12-27-24 THOUGHTS

12-27-24

From our reading this morning, I think of some words of a popular song “Mary Did You Know”:  “And when you kiss your little baby, You've kissed the face of God, Mary, did you know?”  Verse 19 brings me to this.  The shepherds (and we in them) hear GOOD NEWS from God.  My soul is thrilled as I try to hear the songs of a “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God”.   We hear the GOOD NEWS in veerse 11... “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”    May I say... “nothing has ever been the same!”  At this point in history, we rest on the FULCRUM OF ETERNITY!  The “pondering of Mary’s heart” has always been a source for the pondering of my heart!  The chorus of one of our songs says “Hallelujah, what a Savior!”  Lord willing, I will use it before the Lord’s Supper this Sunday in our worship.  How wonderful to live IN GOOD NEWS TIMES!  

Luke 2:8-19    In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  12  "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  13  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14  "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 15  When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." 16  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

My Prayer:
O God Our God, thank You for the good news of our Savior Christ Jesus.  Thrill our hearts and revive our souls as we think about Your awesome providing for us in all things!  Your placing the horrible, loving scene of the death of Your Son beside the awesome resurrection victory leaves us in constant amazement.  Thank You for "being love"!  May our witness and faith absorb all that we are and do!  We want to overcome and be with You eternally.   Lift us up, O Lord.
In the name of The Christ,   Amen.