This is a question which has often caused me to
cringe.  The  definition of hero is somebody who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who  has shown an admirable quality such as great courage or strength of  character. The problem I find is  when you raise a person to this level of admiration; the human shadow will often  be revealed and the hero will fall to great disappointment.  For any of those who spent much time with me in the classroom, would find  me straying far from heroes and looking for those who provided inspiration. 



This past week, the world has lost a woman who I  found worthy of the description of hero.   Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan woman I began to admire in the 1990’s as I  was looking for woman and blacks making a difference in our world.  It was my first intent to teach those in my care about those who were  making a difference around the globe.   I was not prepared for the changing effects and new focus she would plant  in my own life and change of direction in my teaching principles.   Through
her example of being a change driver, she began an international movement which  with only one tree and a vision to see the improvement of woman’s lives in her  own country.   


How can just one woman make such a  difference? Her understanding of  whom she was and her value as a daughter of a God; not just any God, but one in  which is interested in even the poorest woman of this earth.   Her understanding outlined her devotion to biblical values and  meaning. This appreciation provided  the frame work for the grounded belief not in a woman rights movement but rather, I will let her say it best:


 
"I  should emphasize that none of these core values belongs to one faith tradition  more than any other; indeed, someone can adhere to these values without being  particularly religious or holding onto one particular creed. However, I believe  these values are spiritual in that they foster the aspects of us that seek more  than material comfort, power, or worldly success. They are what give our lives  value and meaning, and inspire us.”


She was a woman who saw it worthy to make a difference in a strong and  meaningful approach in a world which felt threatened by woman’s rights and the  un-Biblical understanding of equality and  comfort.


Wangari  Maathai also looked past the “tree hugging” stereo types into the real meaning   of custodial ownership of the earth God gave us.   The appreciation of our resources and nature are never to be taken  lightly as all life is inheritably sustained by this limited planet.   She gave words to what appreciation for earth sciences and conservation through the  eyes of what God had inheritably intended when he made this planet.   Again, I will let her say it best:

“Well,  the obvious answer is to use them wisely and not waste them: to be frugal and  conserve. I have been very impressed with the Japanese concept of mottainai,  which is analogous to the 3Rs in the West: reduce, reuse, recycle. But mottainai
also contains a sense of guilt over wasting things—which I fear we’ve forgotten  today. Mottainai  is a concept that had until recently gone out of fashion in Japan, because it   reminded some people of a time when they weren’t rich. I certainly don’t want  to encourage the idea that we should all be poor, but I like the idea of   returning to the traditions that used to sustain our communities, wherever they  were, before the onrush of materialism and waste made them unfashionable. These  traditions may not have been directly environmental but in that they held a   reverence for some trees, or made sure that food was left aside for passing  travelers, for instance, they ensured that our communities always practiced  gratitude and respect for what they had been entrusted by the  Creator.”


For her life example, perfect she was not, I am truly grateful for her commitment to being a Godly Woman!

Easter is my favorite holiday.  Easter is the welcoming of spring, new life, restored spirits, and the beginning of a fresh growing season.  I look forward to the end of the gloomy cold wintery sleep which seems to drain energy and strength as the season wears on.  Of course, Easter is the time of reflection on the gift of life ever after.

However, this time of year is also especially difficult for those who are living with chronic illnesses.  The physical pain and emotional struggle to keep equilibrium during this transitional time seems to wear thin in all relationships.  I have also found these struggles will skew your perception of life.

When you are dealing with chronic illnesses, the daily events seem to eclipse the hourly struggle to make it through the day.  What should be only minor inconveniences seem to take on a life of their own casting a shadow on the entire day and often into the early hours of morning.  These days seem to blur into weeks which then seem to last into an eternity of endless expanse of great effort to maintain sanity.  Normal responses seem only a fanciful illusion when our mindset is being consumed by effort and uncertainty.  Finding the purpose of existence within these difficult circumstances is hard to rationalize within the confines of God’s plans and purposes.  Begging to ask, where is God in all this?  We even strive to be more perfect in fear our pain and grief are a consequence of our sins or bad choices.  Only to be thrown back into the pit of despair as we can’t even begin to be perfect enough to compensate for our surmounting sins.

I have been given renewed confidence through reading recent verses (which I have noted below) since finding myself living in related difficult circumstances.    This confidence of God’s unending love and care through life experiences and reading the letters written to us, has taught me God did not just resign himself to disappointment in us when we became overtaken by sin nor did he turn his back on our relationship with him.  NO, instead he turned his attention to redeeming us by giving a final gift of his own son for the complete payment of everyone’s sins.  Though we remember during the Easter season the symbol of the cross and the sacrifice of excruciating death which was endured by the human son of God, do we think about the reality that God’s love doesn’t stop there?

I have learned God initiates a relationship with us.    He seeks us out to have walks and conversations with us.  God did this with Adam and Eve.  He has done this throughout the Bible.  God still does this with us.  God has full intentions of chatting with us for our entire human life span and having endless fellowship in Heaven.  As part of that relationship, he is fully aware of our struggles and hurts.  Our sheer expression to God of disappointment, anger, and despair regarding our wounds has no bearing on his full intention of dealing with our dilemmas.  Only through the daily personal times with God can we develop an intimate relationship with a Papa who can comfort us in our quandaries.   What we perceive as a disaster, Papa can see as an opportunity for us to experience his love and work in our lives.  As in our human families, unless we spend time together developing intimate relationships can we trust them even when life makes no sense.  This is true also with Papa/God. 

During my time with Papa this week, I have been reminded I have a purpose of being created for an eternity.  My lifespan on earth is just an opportunity to get to know Papa more closely and develop my character through life experiences.  Even though some of the experiences may be difficult and at times overwhelming, we can be very assured Papa is in complete control and organizing our lives to set the stage for a God sized show of his Grace, Power, and Mercy.  A watching world who is looking for answers will not listen to our words or the print on paper.  However, a watching world will be impacted and convinced of God’s saving grace by the undeniable evidences of differences in our lives and the results of prayer.  Living results is the best teacher. Through my actions, a watching world can come to know the God whom can also be called Papa.

  

God has taken an initiative to be in a relationship with us.  He holds the outcomes in all of our circumstances.  No matter how crazy our current lives may seem, God is controlling events which can give you and those around you experience in the power and presence of a loving Papa for an eternity.

Genesis 3:9 (The Message)

 9 God called to the Man: "Where are you?"

John 11:4 (The Message)

 4When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son."

Philippians 2:13 (The Message)

Rejoicing Together

 12-13What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

Ephesians 3:20-22 (The Message)

 20-21God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

We pretty well knew where we wanted to go most of the time during our life celebration trip.  We would put our desired destination into the Garmin and ta da, we were on our way.  It is said life is a lot like that too.  In order to get anywhere in life, you need to set goals and steps you will take to get there.  What I have found is God does not necessarily work that way.

God likes to work big.  We can see this through-out the entire Bible.  God will rarely do little things with great people.  Instead, God likes to do big things with individuals who were not educated, rich, or strong.  Instead, they were people who merely listened and followed the directives they were given.  Noah was to build a big boat; Israel defeated great armies repeatedly even though they were outnumbered 10 to 1; the disciples carried the gospel to the corners of the world; and Esther saved a nation.  All these and more individuals listened and trusted God to fulfill the job set out before them.  Listening is easy, waiting for the resources and opportunities to open up to get the job done is a challenge which will stretch us to growth and maturity.

On one occasion during our trip, our ta da moment turned into an oh no, or so we thought.  We arrived at the hotel to find the room was no longer available.  So we got back in our car to look for another hotel close by.  After a few calls we found one about 30 miles away.  The hotel was very nice, a little more than we wanted pay because of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, but it was home for a night. 

Later in the evening I happened to be going to the car for a snack and drink run when I came in contact with a kind looking women in the laundry area.  We began to talk and share a little about ourselves.  I was deeply blessed by our conversation and wanted to listen more.  God was also getting ready to teach me another lesson.  Instead of placing me at a hotel which would be closer to visiting a family friend, God had placed us in a location to help a complete stranger.  I needed to be present to listen, pray, and encourage a new family friend before they traveled home for a medical emergency.   God had a purpose for our stay in Georgia.  All we had to do is be willing to adjust to his plan.

What we learned that night is God is in complete knowledge of the past, present, and future.  He knows our needs for right now and our needs which will be essential in a few minutes, hours, and days.  God makes no mistakes and will get it right the first time.  When it seems we have to go out of our way or change directions, God is placing us exactly where he needs us to accomplish his purpose. 

Genesis 50:20 (Today’s New International Version, ©2005)

20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Proverbs 16:1-3 (The Message)

Everything with a Place and a Purpose

 1 Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.

 2 Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
   God probes for what is good.

 3 Put God in charge of your work,
   then what you've planned will take place.

I got your attention?  The latest studying I have been doing has also gotten my attention too.  What I have found has brought a spot light on corners of my own life I would just assume leave dark.  However, Papa has very different views on this!

Before I go any further, I am compelled to clarify a few definitions and let you know this enlightenment is a process from which I am discovering some truths from the Bible.  Please don’t expect to get the “answers” today, as much I would like to imagine it to be.  Rather, let my writings prompt you to read more the letters from Papa to see what he has to reveal to you and me. 

I was aware habits can take control of our values and normal perceptions of events and actions of those around us.  Habits are progressive in moving us to be compulsive, obsessive, and irrational behaviors in our everyday relationships.  An addition can slowly move us to a point of not being willing to give up our fix to the point of dishonesty with ourselves and others through lying and covering up our actions/sin. 

A habit is progressive and slow by nature.  All negative habits will lead to destruction of lives and eventually will lead to death unless we actively choose to recover from and turn away from the habit/addiction/sin.

The following points I did not fully understand.  We use habits to help us run away from what is going on inside of us.  Rather than deal with our anger, pain, depression, confusion, we rely on the false sensations of outside stimulation to deaden our senses.  These confused perceptions allow us to escape into a fantasy world we can control.  The consequence of a fantasy world is dead internal thoughts which would normally send red flags warning us of danger.  Our otherwise truthful knowledge and wisdom is deceived and hidden from our senses with lies and deceptions.  A playground of opportunity for satan.  So the lies convince us it is not our fault and we are ok.  We think it has to be someone else’s problem.  What ifs; should have been’s; and the if only become the focus of our thinking.  With each thought another shovel of dirt is moved to descend us deeper into the pit.  The deeper we progress into the pit, the more we need to achieve the next dose for our habit to work.  Eventually, no amount of our addiction will be enough to meet our need for escape.  The darkness will seem over whelming; death seems to be a pleasant release. 

My compulsion is worry and work.  I have a bend to get caught up in the process of worrying about what ifs and could have beens.  I lose sight of what actually is.  In the process of trying to “control” my worry I devote myself to work to “fix” the problem at hand.  What an endless hamster wheel to exhaustion.

I made the choice this month last year to turn from my habit and focus my attention more on the letters from my Papa.  Walk with me this month as I again choose to walk away from my sin/addiction of worry and focus again on those things worth thinking about.

We are the chosen daughters of a King.  We are Princesses clothed in white!

Until next time,   Christina

Matthew 5:1-9 (The Message)

Matthew 5

You're Blessed

 1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

 3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

 4"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

 5"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

 6"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

 7"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.

 8"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

 9"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

A little over a week ago, a virus along with a worm eating trojan attacked my computer system.  The first sign was the little box popping up recommending I protect my system from an attack.   Along with more boxes promising quick fixes with just one click of the wonderful product they suggested for just $109.  Knowing better, I clicked on the X and closed the screen.  Then more boxes began to open.  Before I could get my security essentials open and running the system began to shut down.  The restore program would not open, program removal window would not open, the virus protection program would not open, and then the internet connection would not connect with error codes.  The system was shut down and locked tight until I paid the magical fee of $109.  By this time my face was probably becoming beet red and I could feel my irritation level rising to the dangerous level of a steam engine.  I shut down the computer and walked away.  The next day I began to run the system in safe mode.  No success, I couldn’t get to the desired programs and could not erase or restore to the point I most wanted.  This repeated for the next several days as I tried various ways to get to the restore point.  Each time I would begin with a prayer and then dig into the task.  When I felt my aggravation level going to dangerous levels I walked away.   I should explain, this system was a Compaq which did not have restore disks and presumably was able to be restored through the internal restore programming.  Finally on the 10th day I was able to get into the program and restored the system to its factory status and erased everything.  The lost information was an inconvenience.  The restoring of the computer was a huge relief for our pockets. 

By the fourth or fifth day, I was asking God why I had to deal with this nuisance.  The computer was used for writing my devotions, the kids used this computer, and my grandson enjoyed this computer.  Couldn’t it just be fixed a little easier?  My grandson was often at my feet playing as I was working on this problem.  Throughout the struggle of making it past the virus, my family would ask me for assistance or needed my attention.  I was curtly reminded my character and response to my frustration needed to be redirected to correct action and not lashing out at my family for interrupting me.  I have to relate this is one of those basic events which Papa uses for character development.  Satan may have deemed it as a distraction, diversion, and temptation to disrupt my day and my family’s ability to have access to the web in their search for employment.   Papa used it as a normal daily event to develop my character and patience.  The promise of a quick fix solution would have been a disaster.  But learning to hang in there, evaluate and adjust my response to the problem along with placing more reliance on Papa allowed me to be reminded, I just can’t do life without him. 

James 1:2-4 (The Message)  2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Galatians 5:22 (The Message)

 22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

The winter is really quite a beautiful time of year.  The snow glistens as the morning sun peaks over the sleeping clouds with a ray of hope and newness I love to get lost in.  The air was still very chilly from the midnight freeze; however the wind was bringing in warm relief which allowed me to enjoy the view from my back door.  The drip drops of the water falling from the ice- cycles made a nice back drop to the birds chatter over breakfast.  My attention was then focused on the little pond surrounded by the white carpet.   Within the clear water I saw swimming Kio.  They were un-disturbed by the cold, wind, or ice which was collecting on my back stoop.  Their concern was only for their little world within the liquid in the little black plastic pond.  They appeared to be totally content in their surroundings. None of the fish seemed to be bothered by each other.  The larger fish seemed to be lazily swimming about the ripples of the fountain while the smaller fish seemed to play tag between the sleeping plants.

I chuckled to myself as I shut the door after allowing our dog back inside the house from his morning constitutional.   I sat down at the kitchen table to ponder over a steamy cup of coffee my morning devotion.  Instead, I began to think about how much different I am than those fish.  I looked up the below verses as they came into my memory.  I may not have memorized them word for word, however, I remembered the lesson and theme they had imparted on my life.  Not to be bothered for the important things in my life seems so contrary to the view point of our society.  Being ADHD, I have an internal drive to have goals.  I constantly seem to be motivated to achieve an objective.  I find satisfaction and joy in the pursuit of an aspiration.  How then, can these otherwise good things be so bad that I desire?  Don’t we need a good job, house, reliable car, health, or happiness?  If I am not to be concerned for my needs, then what would I do with myself all day?  Sitting around to pray or helping others in service is not going to provide for my food, shelter, and health.  As much as I would rather be doing these things, I still have to work and provide for my family.  This too is a Biblical principle is it not?  So what exactly is Jesus talking about when he says we are not to be concerned for our needs but search out the Kingdom of Heaven? 

I began to read further down the page and various commentaries which were provided in my Bible.  What I have begun to understand is these needs or desires are not bad in of themselves.   The sin comes when the object of our desire begins to over-rule everything else in our lives.  When we want an otherwise good thing so much, it begins to influence other areas of our lives.  The goal becomes so strong it begins to deceive us with warped thoughts and monstrous actions to sustain our wants.  Soon our driven desires are expressed by ugly emotions of lust, envy, or jealousy.  These emotions will cause angry outbursts, grumbling and despair when we don’t acquire our longings.  Papa knows our needs and wants; he knows we need to complete the work of our occupation each day.  I believe the context of our interests in the everyday needs, career goals, and lifelong happiness is the amount and type of focus we place on these things throughout our day.   Do I use the  my daily activities to be opportunities to meet other people’s needs or share what blessings are going on in my life?  Do I see possessions I do have as blessings to be shared with others rather than objects for me to collect and horde?  Am I really thinking of how Papa wants me to live my life every second of the day? 

Papa does want us to have the joys of friendship, good health, long fulfilling life, money, and careers.  Papa desires to show the way to a life worth living with all of these items and more.  Papa will provide the opportunities for us to make choices to experience both life’s joys and disappointments to help us develop the character and behaviors which will form us to be the person he created us to be.   It is up to us if we choose to focus on the cravings for more money, material possessions, and positions of influence or power which will eventually dwindle in fulfilling our cravings and will be replaced with anxieties, compulsive shopping or gambling behaviors, marital discord, sense of inferiority, sexual immorality, and even murder.  Or, we can choose to focus our minds one thought at a time. Each thought can be directed to how we can live differently; we can strive to live focused on the fruits of the Spirit (those outward character traits which will show evidence of us having the Holy Spirit helping us) and the other directives in the letters Papa wrote for us which will protect us from the horrible habits and temptations which will lead to the actions of sin. 

Unlike the Kio, I do have a choice in how I can live.

Luke 12:22-34 (The Message)

Steep Yourself in God-Reality

 22-24He continued this subject with his disciples. "Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

 25-28"Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can't even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don't fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

 29-32"What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

 33-34"Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

For the past week I have been focused on trying to start off the New Year right.  Jan 1st seems like the perfect time to attempt to change old habits, create new habits, and achieve goals we have put off the previous year.  I have been observing all the various ways people try to achieve this.  They buy how-to books, get step-by-step directions, and join groups all in an attempt to achieve their goals.  Start-overs, unfortunately, are not always what they appear to be.  We can’t rewind the tape; events of previous years can never be erased, ex-ponged, or altered.  Our experiences are like baggage we travel with; never lost, stolen, or destroyed.   

I started January 1st with the mindset of looking forward to a new year with a positive outlook.  I was bound and determined to force my thoughts into leading my feelings into this perfect sense of peace.  Once fierce and unwavering in my optimism began flickering as I slipped back in to the recurrence of my hesitation of the future, worries, and fear are flashing back into my life just like a raging river beneath the winter ice.  I am finding my circumstances at work have not changed; our son is still looking for full time, fulfilling work; our daughter is still a single mom; our oldest child is experiencing all the struggles that come along with home ownership; Tim still has cancer and the list goes on.  I find I want to feel a normal; however, what is normal?  Words of comfort are evasive in the new normal I find our family being thrown into. I am finding my role and responsibilities within our family are changing; a normal that is experienced by every person as they age.  This is a thought that I had never considered before in light of the events which have taken place over the past several years. 

As I was in search of the peace which I knew was possible and had sensed once before, I began to read previous entries I had entered in the edges of my Bible.  I ran across the below two verses.  I am reminded my faith does not rest in my own self-will or power to control the events in mine or my family’s lives.  In the worries I mentioned above, I have absolutely no power to control or change.  Not to say, I am to become unconcerned to these things, but I can be rest assured that a Papa is never sleeping and always controlling these things.  He is behind the scenes controlling these events so that they do not overwhelm my family.  He is ensuring each member of my family is growing and becoming stronger in their reliance on someone who is far greater and powerful than us, the Papa that is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. 

As I notice the noise inside of me becomes louder, I look at what is causing that noise.  Is my own desire to be in charge rearing its head again?  Am I praying my list of anxiety, irritations, and ambitions into a list of what I want in my prayers again?  Prayers of God please do my will.  I am referencing the new word my grandson has been using lately, NO!  He has even been more creative in his expressions by using the variance of “No Way!” and “Not in your life!”  When children have to learn through a skill or become more separate from their parent, they are quiet loud in their expressions of discomfort and resistance to change.  The word “NO”, becomes very animated.  A skill we adults also participate in, but in a very “refined” manor.  This resistance to our life events of having to learn a new ability or habit causes much of our inner noise.  The self will of correcting our bad habits or pursuits of ambitions of the “perfect life” causes us to feel defeat when we fail.  These noises can be so different if we are instead in the pursuit of things which are really worth having from the one person who is able to achieve or overcome these struggles.  We can pursue to ask Papa for genuine faith, come clean of our wrongdoings to a Papa which is ever forgiving, and being in agreement to a life style which will protect us from harm.

My New Years resolution is to strive to think clearly of what I have learned:  to ask for action in my life; confess my weakness; ask for faith, strength and pursuing God’s will and expecting results in confidence.

Psalm 131 (Amplified Bible)   A Song of Ascents. Of David.  1a]'>[a]LORD, MY heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in matters too great or in things too wonderful for me.

    2Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me [ceased from fretting].

    3O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.

Philippians 4:7 (Amplified Bible) 7And God's peace [shall be yours, that a]'>[a]tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall b]'>[b]garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

As I was walking in the late evening, I was in awe over the wonder of the night sky. I am in marvel of the vast blackness flowing like velvet sprinkled with twinkling stars that seem to wink with delight in the Heavens above. I considered the shepherds so many years ago were also in wonder of the night sky. The Glory of the Heavens would have been overwhelming in themselves; add the sight of the Angels appearing that quiet night, the event becomes a historical phenomenon.



I am considering what does glory mean or look like? Glory is explained in the dictionary as having an action of praise, honor, admiration or the act of worship to a deity. Glory can also be responsible for provoking the emotion of majesty, splendor or inspiring feelings of wonder and joy. When the angels appeared to the shepherds, they announced “I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.”

Up until this moment, God had to withhold showing his full glory to us on earth. If he did expose his glory to those in his presence, they were hidden from his full sight or were shown through earthly devices as a storms, rainbow, cloud, fire, wind and thunder. For, if those who would gaze upon him they would perish as Moses was told upon the mountain in Exodus 33:20. With the presence of Jesus, we are finally able to get to know God’s glory more fully in our limited earthly understanding. By looking upon Jesus’ life with us on earth, we can follow his example of living a life which will bring glory to a Father who is worthy of our praise.

Psalm 19:1 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 19

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1THE HEAVENS declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork.(A)



Hebrews 1:3 (Amplified Bible)

3He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the[a]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,

Luke 2:8

·The Message
[ An Event for Everyone ] There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

Luke 2:13

·The Message
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

John 13:31

o The Message
[ A New Command ] When he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!