expressed it this way. . .
"The Bible says my king is a seven-way king. He's a King of the Jews. That's a racial king. He's a King of Israel. That's a national king. He's a King of Righteousness; He's a King of the Ages; He's a King of Heaven; He's a King of Glory; He's a King of Kings, and, He's a Lord of Lords. My King is a sovereign king. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the courtline of His holy supply. He's entirely sincere; He's eternally steadfast; He's immortally graceful; He's imperially powerful; He's impartially merciful."
My good friend Glenna sent this in a Christmas card many years ago. I read it over and over again. Awesome, amazing, God-inspired for sure! Do you know this King? Could you describe who He is and the impact He's had on our world? Is He a personal friend of yours. . .you know, the kind of friend you can share anything with because you know He loves you unconditionally?
You develop a friendship with God just like you develop a friendship with a family member, a co-worker, or a neighbor - you simply spend time with them and get to know who they are. You begin to trust them, you count on their faithfulness.
We spend much time and money here in the United States preparing for this King. We have special church services, decorate our homes with lights, we put up a tree in the house that we call a 'Christmas tree', we make special foods according to our heritage, we play special music, and go shopping for gifts which we wrap in brightly colored paper. In general, we become more gentle and caring about others. It's a very good thing.
I can't ignore Santa Claus who has Christian roots. Yes, the first 'Santa' who gave children special treats in God's name, was a priest in the church. He wore a red robe and was a beloved figure in his community. I'll share more of his story in a coming blog.
The Magi, commonly called The Three Wise Men, followed the star that lead them to King Jesus. They came bearing gifts. These gifts weren't the normal 'baby gifts' you'd might expect. They brought gold - because they knew this child was a King. They brought incense because this child would atone for sin; incense was used in the temple and they knew of its significance. They also brought myrrh which was used to anoint a dead body; they knew He'd give His life for those who believed Him to be the Messiah.
We also love to buy gifts to honor those we love and appreciate. Some people can afford lavish gifts, others of us, spend modestly; it's the giving that matters more than the actual gift.
In 2011 Crossbooks published a book of blogs I wrote in 2010. It was a lot of work getting that book ready for publication. It was sort of like giving birth in fact! I'd pretty much made up my mind that I wasn't going through all that work and expense again. After all, the blog is available to everyone on-line. But, if God wants something done, He gives us a nudge.
My husband went to Lens for Less in Oceanside where we've bought our eye glasses for several years. John, the owner of Lens for Less, charges far less, about 1/3 of what we'd paid in the past for a pair of glasses. I so appreciated his good work and wanted to give him something to show my gratitude. I didn't know if he was a Christian, or interested in the Bible. He was just a very nice man and provided a good product for a fair price. I gave him a copy my book not knowing if he'd ever read it.
My husband recently ordered a pair of glasses from John. John mentioned that he's started reading my book, just one short chapter every night before falling asleep. He was enjoying it and learning some things about God that he didn't know. So, sometime next year, I'll be publishing another book of blogs. I hope you too, or someone on your Christmas list, will enjoy this book. Sorry for the commercial - you can buy it on-line at Amazon or Crossbooks, an E-Book is also available if you prefer to download.
So now you know why I've inserted a photo of the cover of my book. It's all about seeing yourself the way God sees you - loved, forgiven - His child! I thank John for being there so God could give me a nudge and, if you live in San Diego North County, buy your next pair of glasses at Lens for Less. End of commercial!
Thank you Lord that even though you are a King, you came to us as a humble servant, a baby born in a stable and laid in a feeding bin for animals. Street after street in our country, is ablaze with bright colorful lights in honor of you, our King Jesus.
