This is part of my weekly letter written this morning to Consumed’s Intercessors Team…

“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” - Paul in his second epistle to the church at Corinth

From the verses above we can see that Paul was obviously being attacked by some regarding his position within the global church. His response to such attacks was not to produce letters of recommendation, but to state the transformed lives of people he has ministered to and with is proof enough of his calling. I couldn’t help think of these verses this past Friday night when I sat in Pastor Gary’s home for the Normandale Christmas party. Now none of us that are ministering at Normandale are under attack, but as I looked around at the packed house of students I was humbled. I was humbled by the amazing opportunity God has given us to be agents of transformation in the lives of so many young adults. The wonderful aspect of the annual Christmas Party is that former students know about it and stop in during the night for a visit. This is my fourth academic year at Normandale so it was wonderful to touch base with past students from the last few years. But I received greater joy in seeing students from 1999 or 2000 that are still stopping by. Pastor Gary and Sharon (our faculty advisor) have compiled quite a stack of “letters” over the years. I was encouraged and challenged on Friday by these faithful ministers of Jesus to press on and continue serving. I pray for the sake of God’s wonderful Name (if He chooses to let me stay around long enough) that I am faithful enough to compile such a stack of letters. These are treasures that moth and rust cannot destroy.

Christmas always moves me emotionally. I don’t think a Christmas season has come and gone without me, at least one time, shedding a tear or two. The thought of the Lord of the Universe becoming a baby never gets old for me. What humility! What love! Currently I’m listening to a version of Silent Night as I work. The artist ends the song by singing…

Jesus, Lord at thy birth…
ALLELUIA

Is there any other appropriate response than alleluia? Just to break that down…

JESUS – The LORD saves
LORD – The King, Yahweh, Most powerful being ever
BIRTH – How could this be? Our Lord…born? Our Lord…baby? Our Lord…carried, changed, and fed? Our Lord…HUMAN?

ALLELUIA – A superlative expression of thanksgiving, joy, and triumph.

“Jesus, I sit here in Caribou trying to fight back tears. I am simply dumbfounded, moved, and humbled by you Jesus! As my friend Gary says – “You were always Lord, but you had to become Savior.” Why? I may never fully know. But I love you very much for the sacrifice. Alleluia indeed King of Kings. You astound me!”

From Gretchen Miller

God has been so gracious to give us some earthly parallels for our finite minds to gain some understanding of His infinite love and intimate relationship with us. And although we know they pale in comparison to His true character–they do give us a glimpse and play a huge role, at least in my life, of making the Invisible God become visible. Recently, I have been working through Beth Moore’s Bible study “Stepping Up” on the Psalms of Ascent. I was especially touched as I meditated on the second verse of Psalm 131, which reads,”Instead I have calmed and quieted myself like a little weaned child with it’s mother, I am like a little child” (HCSB). In her study Beth writes, “Is anything a bigger handful than a three-year-old? When was the last time you tried taking every step one of them took? Weren’t you exhausted? And yet when they’ve worn themselves out and the day is done, they’ve had their baths and squirmed into their jammies, hair still damp and smelling so good, they finally give up the fight and fall sound asleep…safe in their mommy’s arms. Tomorrow there will be more battles to fight, but for now the child lets down his guard, lets his parent be in charge, and surrenders every care in the world”.

Now, my earthly picture doesn’t involve a three-year-old and his mommy, but rather the world’s cutest two-year-old and her daddy. My daughter Macie and my husband Jamie have in recent days given me a beautiful picture of how I desire to be in relation to my Heavenly Father. In “Stepping Up”, Beth Moore encourages us to write our own Psalm based on what God has taught us in our study and the following is birthed out of my time spent with God and His Word to us in Psalm 131:

I want to be your baby–
Rest my weary soul upon your lap–
Let my worries run away as I just sit with you and laugh.
I long to share a precious moment with you soaking in my face-
sing a song of satisfaction in my safe and happy place.
Then maybe giggle for a moment
while You lean in and sneak a kiss.
I am so enraptured by Your presence I don’t ever want to miss-
Not one second…
Not one smile…
Not one word…
Don’t pass me by–
Just let me take these feelings and capture them in time.

Daddy, help me learn to trust You
And help others do the same.
May I rest in Your strong, sweet arms
And bring glory to Your Name!

From Rob Stearns:

Selah (A Christmas Song)

A child is born
In a faceless farmhouse
A child is born
The Prince of Peace
Prophecy fulfilled
She holds him so close
To ponder what he means for us

Selah Selah Selah
Prince of Peace
Prophecy Fulfilled
Selah

She calls him Josua
And Emmanuel
God is with us
On this wondrous night
Savior for…
All mankind is here
Lying safely in his mother’s arms

Selah Selah Selah
God is with us
Our savior Emmanuel
Selah

Over yonder, above the fields
A choir of angels
Sings his praises
Dancing on the stars
Above the city of David
Our king is born
Resting safely at his mother’s breast

Selah Selah Selah
The angels sing
In David’s city
Selah

Oh sweet child
In your mother’s arms
The King of kings
And the Prince of Peace
Prophecy fulfilled
Emmanuel
O Josua, in your mother’s arms

Selah Selah Selah
Oh sweet Josua
In your mother’s arms
Selah

In this night
When you were born
The angels sang your praise
And filled the sky
Our savior born
For us to save
We can rest, in our Father’s arms

Selah Selah Selah
Oh how the angels sang
Selah Selah Selah
Our savior born
Selah Selah Selah
O Prince of Peace
Emmanuel
Selah Selah Selah