Advent
-
more~Jesse Tree: O Little Town of Bethlehem~ (Day 18)
On Wednesday, December 21 st, 2005Today’s reading Micah 5:2-5 Jesse Tree: O Little Town of Bethlehem Far from home and family and security, in a backwater town of Bethlehem, comes a ruler, not only of Israel, but, yea, One whose reign is to the very ends of the Earth—and time. It is as the songwriter wrote: “O little Town of Bethlehem…our hopes and fears of all these years are held in thee tonight....
-
more
~Jesse Tree: Staggering Extremes~ (Day 17)
On Tuesday, December 20 th, 2005Today’s reading: Jonah 3:10-4:4, 11 “And should I not have compassion on Nineveh?” (Jonah 4) Jesse Tree: Staggering Extremes It is just like God: he’d go to any and all lengths—even having a prophet sit for three days in the cavernous belly of a great fish—to turn people to Himself. And when Jonah relents and finally brings God’s message to Nineveh, Nineveh does j...
-
more
~Jesse Tree: The Glorious Impossible~ (Day 16)
On Sunday, December 18 th, 2005Today’s Reading: Isaiah 11:1-9 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse…The wolf will live with the lamb.” Jesse Tree: The Glorious Impossible It all sounds unbelievable: a shoot from a stem, a wolf lying with a lamb, a child playing near the cobra. But the day is coming when the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord, and the impossible will b...
-
more~Jesse Tree: Spectacular Clarity~ (Day 15)
On Saturday, December 17 th, 2005Today’s reading: 1 Kings 18:17-39 . “Then the fire of the LORD fell…When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!” Jesse Tree: Spectacular ClarityFireballs hurling down from heaven—it doesn’t get much more gripping and spectacular than that, does it? God steps forward t...
-
more~Jesse Tree: More than a Babe~ (Day 14)
On Saturday, December 17 th, 2005(Today’s Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7 “On those living in the shadow of death….a child is born) Jesse Tree: More Than a Babe Without that burning ball of flame 93 million miles away, we would live in the inky, barren blackness of cold, forever night. Remember what that felt like? I do. I remember life before Him, when I lived in the land of the shad...
-
more
-
more
~Jesse Tree: The Shepherd King~ (Day 13)
On Thursday, December 15 th, 2005(Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-5 “And the LORD said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people…”) Jesse Tree: The Shepherd King (DAY 13) David was given a king’s crown…but asked to be a shepherd. God knew what He was doing when He chose David to shepherd His people. David had been a shepherd all of his life, leading the flock to lush pastures and carryi...
-
more
~Jesse Tree: A Scarlet Cord~ (Day 12)
On Wednesday, December 14 th, 2005Today’s reading: Joshua 2:1-21 Jesse Tree: A Scarlet Cord Scarlet. Certainly not a muted color or one easily missed. Scarlet is the color of blood…and often the color that most aptly describes my sins. For who can hide a color like scarlet? Like Rahab, I am known for my flagrant sins. There is no hiding my heart and the sins that lie therein. But scarlet too is the color of...
-
more
~Jesse Tree: His Tutor~ (Day 10)
On Wednesday, December 14 th, 2005(Today’s reading: Deu. 5:1-22) Jesse Tree: His Tutor There are only ten commandments—as many as I have fingers.. You’d think I could keep them. But I can’t. Which is no small matter. If I break even one of the commandments just once, my holy God considers that I have broken all of the commandments entirely. Thus the relationship between He and I is permanently sever...
-
more
~Jesse Tree: God’s Gracious Good~ (Day 8)
On Friday, December 09 th, 2005(Today’s reading: Genesis 37:31-33 and Genesis 50:15-20 ) “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” (Genesis 50: 20) God’s Gracious Good The coat was woven into a tapestry of flaming colors, brilliant hues, rich tones. A gift from a father to a precious child, Joseph slipped the coat of many colors on and slowly turned round, enrapt...
-
moreOn Thursday, December 08 th, 2005You come…to provide the sacrifice. (Jesse Tree Ornament: Day 7: Genesis 22:1-14) (images may be clicked to enlarge)
-
more
~Jesse Tree: Laying Down Isaac~ (Day 7)
On Thursday, December 08 th, 2005(Today’s reading: Genesis 22:1-14) ~Laying Down Isaac~ I use that word, “sacrifice” but I don’t really have the foggiest heart-comprehension of its meaning. Hold a baby, look into his or her eternal black eyes, and think “sacrifice.” And I don’t mean diapers, or parenting or college savings. Think of the sacrifice of an altar and blood and death…and empty, lifel...
