Posts

Posted on

Little Peeps

“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of Armies! My soul longs and yearns
For the Lord’s courtyards. My whole body shouts for joy to the living God. Even sparrows find a home, and swallows find a nest for themselves.
There they hatch their young near Your altars, O Lord of Armies, my King and my God…”
Psalm 84:1-3

God’s LIVING WORD never disappoints! Even passages that we’ve heard repeated throughout our lives can take on a brand new meaning, because His Word is LIVING and ACTIVE!

That was my experience this morning. Unexpected. Not even requested… But as I read the
familiar words, God’s Spirit pointed out parts of the verses and shed whole new Meaning to my soul. And I’d love to share it with you!! Let’s take a walk through His Home . . .

“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of Armies!” I don’t know about you, but
somehow I do not picture the top official of armies (plural) to be living in a house that another man would call “lovely.” (Somehow I would picture lots of maps and battle plans and documents. Weapons on display, Pictures of military officials and battlefields. But this Lord of Armies (plural) lives in a place of amazing beauty.)

The writer goes on . . . “My soul longs and yearns for the Lord’s courtyards…” The writer
(male) is so impacted that in his deepest being, he wants to just stay there. And that’s just the outside area! before he has even gone through the inside entrance to His Host’s Home!

“My whole body shouts for joy to the living God. . . “ Have you ever “shouted for joy? It’s
not an everyday experience, is it! The rare Moments in our lives that would evoke such an
emotional reaction are remembered for a long time. . . often for the rest of our lives. The
experience this writer is having is likely a once-in-a-lifetime Moment. (And he’s not even inside the Lord of Armies’ Home yet!)

Even sparrows find a home. . . Remember . . . we’re talking about the literal Dwelling Place
of God. The sparrows are not privy to the inside of God’s Home, but they can build their nests and live in the nearest place to it. . . just outside, in the courtyard. Jesus used the little sparrow imagery to describe people who seem to be the most common, small, insignificant creatures of our world. But that is purely human perspective. God sees them differently. To Him, each one has value. . . significance. . . are noteworthy to Him. . . even when one sparrow falls! Mind-boggling!!!


“. . . and swallows find a nest for themselves.”
Swallows are small, agile, insect-eating birds, known for their stream-lined bodies, pointed
wings and often, forked tails, spending most of their lives in the air to catch insects. They spend most of their time building mud nests under the eaves of buildings, and are widely-spread migrants.

“There they hatch their young, near Your Altars, O Lord of Armies, My King and my God.
Blessed are those who live in Your House. They are always praising You.”

Can you imagine that? Picture your church building . . .and as you walk inside, you notice the
little muddy “nests” under the eves near the entrance. Swallows. . . flitting and swooping the
people coming in and out of the church building on a Sunday morning. We would see ladies
whooping and covering their heads, men and ushers scrambling for brooms or sticks to keep them away from the entrance. Surely, the muddy nests would be knocked down and smashed ASAP. There would be human and bird voices throughout the whole experience!

So, why would God via the Psalmist use that imagery as a POSITIVE example for those who
worship Him?

Have you ever headed to church, feeling like a real mess? As a human being. . . as a
worshipper . . . as the head of a family . . . as a frazzled mother feeling like an emotional mess?

The Psalmist uses the imagery of the swallows . . . messy, in a space not designed for nor
appreciated by humans, yet in that Space. Uninvited. Unwelcome. Messy. Leaving poop all
over the place (excuse the term.)

Not only does the Psalmist mention the swallows and that they are living in the Temple space, but in spite of their rather messy nature, he blesses them as an example of creatures that build their messy nests right inside. . . To God, they are welcome and have a place there
to live in safety.

Imagine our churches today . . . what happens when someone “who doesn’t belong there”
comes into our space of worship? I remember hearing a story from someone from a lovely, big church telling about a Sunday morning when a very ragged-looking young man came into the church, bare–footed, ragged jeans, long scraggly hair. The guy had never been in that church before, and the church people were seated and ready for the service to begin.

As the young man hesitated at the main entrance, he started to walk down the center aisle towards the front. Church attendees began taking note of this young man . . . obviously not uncomfortably wondering what was going to happen. The young man reached the front row, and sat down.

Then, the uncomfortable congregation noticed the elderly head usher begin walking slowly to the front row. The room was silent, with all eyes on the elderly usher. The observers were
thinking . . .”Well, he’s going to handle this situation. You can’t blame him.” This barefooted,
ragged guy isn’t anyone we know. He’s clearly not part of our church. It’s understandable that our old head usher would want to have a word with him. . . and usher him out for security reasons.”

As the elderly man came to the front pew, he quietly took the young man’s arm . . . and seated himself next to him, with a handshake and a smile. He stayed beside him throughout the service, guiding him through the hymnal and Bible passages being read. At the end of the service, he put his arm around the young man and welcomed him to come back anytime. The congregation and leaders had experienced first-hand what the Psalmist had described in Chapter 84.

May we, as the Church . . . the Body of Christ . . . welcome and care about all those who, by
God’s Spirit make their ways into our places of worship, and experience His Presence and
Love.

Check out Janet’s book Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

Drudgery

"And beside this...add..."
2 Peter 1:5
  • Make the bed, . . . start the coffee . . . make breakfast . . . pack lunches. . .
  • remind George to change his shirt from yesterday. . . remind George to change his socks,
  • Find his backpack.   Check if he has a clean pair of pants.   Find his socks.  Where’s his 
  • homework?   And that’s just the normal list for George . . . There are three other “bodies” to 
  • check on before they’re out the door.
  • How are you doing with the everyday task list you have to shoulder in your life?  

Peter gave us a great list to help us do a self-check of our own lives in the context of our relationship with Jesus.  We can “do the right things” in our daily routines, ,  . . . good things. .

But God always puts a higher Value on what is going on in our hearts than what we are “doing.”

We can have the neatest lawn on the block . . . the most beautiful flowers bordering the picket fence  . . . the best wax job on the car . . . the whitest sheets on the clothes line (do people still use clotheslines?)

Peter’s list is not about things we DO.  The list is about what comes out in the way we live and the way we treat people throughout our daily lives.

Read through the list Peter gives us about what should come out of our lives as followers of Jesus.  The list may have familiar words, but does your life reflect those words in practical ways?  That piece is directly tied to our relationship with Jesus.  He lived out those qualities perfectly during His time on earth.  We can look to His examples as He interacted with people, and with His Father. 

Doing all the right things can be done by anyone with that determination.  But God always seems to prioritize what comes out of our lives and hearts . . . attitudes:   loving interactions . . .forgiveness… kindness … patience….long-suffering….etc.  And in the midst of our day-to-day, 

those attitudes and actions show up in the unguarded moments of life.  It’s a daily piece of our human nature.  

Peter surely struggled with his own human nature. . . just as we do.  And he gives us a little check-list for our Journey through that Battle. . . our human nature vs. God’s Nature,  which He works within us as we learn to follow  Him each day.  

2 Peter 1:5 – 10  is his checklist.  Why not use his checklist!  I’m sure he wouldn’t mind!

Check out Janet’s book Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

ANCHORED  for LIFE

"We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure."
 Hebrews 6:18

This two-sentence verse is loaded with visual images for us to contemplate.   The writer gave us images that we can picture in our minds. . . which is a foundational piece of human learning and retention.  Since the foundational HOPE subject is, in itself,  intangible, it’s hard for us to see it as a reality.  

God, via Paul, gives us a tangible word picture to help us understand  a very foundational Truth that needs to be solidly central to our minds, hearts, and life.   It is not some ethereal concept that we can simply state but not allow it to permeate the entire core of our lives…it becomes a reality, not just a concept.  Paul is talking about the inner sanctuary that God created in every person He brought into being. God formed each of us with the God-space inside of us to be able to be in relationship with Him on a deeply personal level.  Our “soul” space.

Paul is using the world picture of the Temple in Jerusalem, the place that was a visual image of God’s desire to be with His people on this earth. God designed it, in detail, and provided a tangible image for us to “see” how we can come to Him and connect with Him.  There were layers of the Temple that were visuals of how to move towards Him, beginning with entering, getting physically cleaned up, moving into His Presence, and communicating with Him…  and preparing to listen to Him communicating with us.

Paul uses an “anchor” image, critically essential for humans in any boat when a storm comes, the waves toss, rocks loom, masts tear, and the rains and winds wreak havoc.  Human control is limited to simply trying to keep one’s head and boat above water.   We desperately scramble to save ourselves from the storm  .  .   .  from our boat taking on too much water . . . grabbing our life-jackets. . . getting “all hands on deck”…

bailing out water.  But in reality, it’s beyond our control.  

Jesus’ 12 disciples experienced that exact crisis on the sea, with Jesus in the boat.  They had witnessed Him doing some amazing miracles, but when they were in a terrible situation beyond their control, they panicked.  And Jesus was right there in it with them…but sleeping.  His panicking friends frantically woke Him up. From what must have been a deep, needed sleep, He simply addressed the wind and waves with two Words, “Be still.”  BOOM!  Done. 

But I wonder, was Jesus only addressing the wind and waves?  The storm?  Or was He really addressing His friends?    “Be still.”   

When the storms take over your life, there is fear.  You try to fix it.  You try to bail.  You panic.  You wish you’d never even gotten into the boat, no matter who else was in it with you.  You cling to anything that might work.  

But if Jesus is in the boat with you, He is the One you need to talk to.  When we’re in a seemingly hopeless situation, and we’re scrambling to fix it or find some way out, we truly have to go to Him with the situation.  It’s beyond you.  

No matter what “it” is, it is not beyond Him.  Have you been trying to bail yourself out?  Grabbing life jackets to save yourself?  Shooting off flares for someone to rescue you?  

Is Jesus in your boat?  Have you forgotten His Presence and His Power in the midst of your familiarity of following Him?  Has your sea been calm for a while?  Have you felt like He is “sleeping” and unaware of you?

If you have chosen to follow Him, there is nothing that will separate Him from you.  He’s

there, even if you’ve been so busy “bailing” that you forgot that fact.   Take the step to come to Him.  Tell Him about your fears, and  what is causing them.  Talk to Him.  Ask Him.  Remind yourself of His Presence “in your boat.”

He is able to still the waves in your life.  HE is the Anchor that steadies it.  Focus on His Presence, no matter what is causing you to fear.  He is there..

Read Janet’s book Not Forgotten, Available on Amazon

Posted on

While The Light is Still On, Love Warmly

"While you have light, 
Believe in the Light."
John 12:36

The Clock of Heaven was ticking.  Jesus was fully aware of that Fact, as well as the experiences that were to come  in the next few days. . . Experiences that were spoken of by ancient Prophets of His Father.  It’s extremely   poignant that Jesus spoke these Words to His closest friends at this Moment. Although his friends would not have known what was about to shatter their world in the coming hours, Jesus knew.  His Light was about to be extinguished.  He knew the “how”, the timing, the circumstances, the individuals that would be involved, and the horrific blow that would be dealt to this circle of friends with whom He had lived His Life for the past 3 years.  He knew exactly what He would experience in the coming hours.  He knew what His close friends would go through.  And He knew of the blow it would be to them and to the Faith they now carried in their minds and hearts..  Their knowledge of Him and shared experience was about to be challenged beyond anything they could imagine.  But He knew.  

Jesus continues to be Present in our daily lives.  He knows what lies ahead.  He has given Himself to each of us who have trusted Him with our lives.  And His Promises will remain true for us as we walk through each day.  He showed us with His own human life

as the  Picture of the “how,” “when” and the “what” comes into our lives.  He continues to give us His Light… each day, whether we are aware of that or not.  


We have His Light in us, if we have invited Him in.  That is His Promise.  And NOW . . . while we have it, is the time to believe in His Light.  Don’t let that Light be switched off by sin’s choices. . . Don’t step out of that Light, whether in hiding or shame,

or choices to invite darkness into our minds, hearts, homes, relationships.  Tend to that Light. Don’t cover it.  Don’t “unplug” it from its source.  Keep your eyes focused on that Light.  Let its rays guide you each day.  Tend to the Oil of His Spirit in you.  Don’t let it deplete through neglect.  Keep returning to its Source everyday, allowing it to be re-filled in your soul.  Watch for any dimness beginning to come on a whisper to your heart.

Eyes open, ears attuned, heart uncluttered. . . 

Live saturated with His Light.

Read Janet’s book Not Forgotten, Available on Amazon

Posted on

  When the Darkness Comes

LESSONS from a KING

When I was a young teenager, I went through a period of depression.  At that time, I was not aware of “depression,” and had never knowingly encountered anyone living with that reality.  In the “church world” in which I was fully immersed, there was no talk of someone battling depression.  People who followed God should not struggle with such things, it seemed.  As a young teenager, I was completely unaware that a young person might have such struggles.  And if they did, it was just something in my shy personality that caused me to be alone in my room so much.   But I knew that what I was experiencing was not good . . . it was not something that God would have put in my life.  

I will never forget the day when, at 14 years old, all alone in my bedroom, (which was becoming my “new normal,”)  I was sitting on the edge of my bed, filled with the deep sadness that I could not seem to escape.  I began to cry, and asked God to help me. . . I knew “it” wasn’t good . . . not something from God.  But I had no idea what to do about it.  In desperation, I picked up my Bible, and silently asked God to show me something in it that would help me get out of the dark cloud that was closing in on my life.  I simply let my Bible fall open with my silent plea.  The words that caught my attention were not words I had ever read before.   

  • Isaiah 42:3
    “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;”

  • And it is repeated in the New Testament. . . 
  • Matthew 12:20
    A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.

My tears began to flow.  I knew that I was that “bruised reed” about to break.  I was that fragile, smouldering wick that would need only a wisp of air to snuff it out completely.

And I knew that God was holding me in that moment . . . He would not let my fragile heart be broken.  That was the Moment that will always be a turning-point in my Journey

with Jesus . . . when He met me there in the midst of my sadness and longing for Purpose,  and Hope, in my life.  He was with me . . . ME . . . personally, and permanently.  That very personal certainty was a major turning  point in my life.  And I never again had any doubts of His Presence, His Love, and His Purposes for my life.  That Bedrock of Truth has remained a reality from that Moment on, despite extremely difficult and painful seasons, He has faithfully protected and sustained that Flame, though flickering at times, that was lit in my heart as a young teenage girl.  And He is not finished!  He will continue to keep that Flame alive . . . even when it is barely smoldering, until justice (just as the reality should have been before the damage occurred) has been brought through to Victory.)   What a Promise!!!

Read Janet’s Latest Book – Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

Talking to Yourself?

“Praise the Lord, my soul!

Praise His holy Name,

All that is within me!

Praise the Lord, my soul,

And never forget all the good He has done.”

Psalm 103:1

OK, . . . be honest.   Do you talk to yourself?   Do you say out loud what you are thinking, and you are the only one in the room?  Do you ask questions to yourself?   Do you answer them, too?

Well, though you may be teased by others who overhear your verbal activities, it’s nothing to worry about.  The Bible has lots of passages that are words spoken to the person saying them.  David did that quite a bit.  Out in those fields with just a bunch of sheep whose entire vocabulary was “Baah” or “Maah”.  David would have probably gone crazy if he hadn’t had someone to talk to.  David learned early on to talk to himself, . . . and to God.  He also put music to the words swirling in his heart and mind as he spent his days and nights with only the “Baah” and “Maah” vocabulary of his field-mates.  

David was never faulted for that, in God’s estimation.  God was listening.  And enjoying the boy’s words to himself.  And David’s words to himself seamlessly became words to God Himself. . . even adding melodies to those words.

Do you ever intentionally speak to yourself   . . . your soul . . . your heart . . . putting words to the emotions that can overwhelm you, especially when nobody else is there?  Well, you are in good company!   

But  there IS Some One there. . . near.. . .in the room.  Unseen, but real.  Present.  Hearing.  Understanding.  And Responding. . . .although we may not realize all that is true.  He is listening.  And He wants to hear all of it.   Yes, He knows it already, but He wants us to hear ourselves expressing those things that we don’t easily say out loud.  There is an old saying I’ve heard spoken in many Jewish homes  . . . “my lips to God’s ears.”    It’s a good, simple reminder.  Even if we are “talking to ourselves”, God hears it all.  Present.  Understanding.  Responding . .  whether we are aware or not.  Believing it or not.  

So next time you or someone near to you says something to himself or herself, or to nobody at all, pause a moment and think of what God is hearing….with full Knowledge of the thoughts behind the words.  Then listen for that “still, small Voice” . . . with your heart.

Read Janet’s Latest Book – Not Forgotten on Amazon

Posted on

Our On-going Conflict

"Stand fast, therefore,
In the Liberty wherewith
Christ has made us free."
Galatians 5:1

Paul, the writer of the Book of Galatians, was well-acquainted with conflict.   Paul literally met Jesus in the midst of creating conflict… targeting and wreaking havoc in the Christian world that was grappling with the effects of Jesus’ physical visit to Earth.  Paul had turned the religious world upside-down in his former life’s Mission to uphold the Faith of the God of Israel.  But then Paul whole-heartedly turned to Faith in the Messiah Jesus, following his dramatic, personal Encounter with Him.

Paul’s words echo through the ages to us, and the experiences each of us have had as a result of our own personal encounters with Christ . . . now in the 21st Century of history.  Paul presents the “Great Conflict” with which each follower of Christ must grapple throughout all of our days here on Earth.  As we individually choose to step out of the Kingdom of Darkness and step into the Kingdom of Light, we have each experienced the personal impact of choosing to stand with Christ in our life’s Journey here.  The world we each entered from the beginning of our tiny life is not the World that God had created before sin entered and became a permanent part of Life on Earth.  

Although the Kingdom of this World incessantly works to draw us into its Darkness,  Jesus stands with each of us who have chosen to follow and serve Him, having won our Freedom from that Darkness and bringing us into His Kingdom of Light.  Paul’s words give us a picture of that very real, very hard-fought Liberty that Jesus offers and provides for each of us.  It is our new Reality.  Always available.  Always True.  

“Stand fast” . . . not shaking in our boots . . . not turning and running . . . not hiding in a bunker . . . not running home to escape the dangers. . . not pretending there is no risk in our life’s reality.   

“Stand fast, therefore . . .  in the Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.”  Period.  

Do we realize that our Liberty is a reality NOW?   We don’t need to cower in fear, peeking out of our bunker to check for danger.  We don’t need to hide behind someone else who seems to offer protection.  “Stand fast…”  He’s got you.  He’s got me.  That is the Reality, despite the Battle that rages around us.  We are His.  We are free.

See Janet’s book Not Forgotten on Amazon:

Posted on

Seeing the Family Resemblance

“Dear Friends,
We are God’s children NOW,
And it has not yet been made clear 
what we will become.
We DO KNOW 
That when He appears, 
We will be like Him;
Because we will see Him as He really is.”
1 John 3:2

It seems to be a universal part of human nature to look at children and notice a resemblance to their parents.  People will make comments about a child’s facial features, unique little gestures, hair and eye color, a sense of humor, as well as propensities to behaviors that have been seen in action by the child’s parent or relative.  

Families will recognize behaviors, or likenesses, vocal similarities, eye color, little gestures, speech, and temperaments that they observe, both good and bad.  Similar talents that emerge in a child often resemble those of a parent.

When we consider God as our Father, and note His Presence in our lives, how He Speaks  . . . how He Blesses . . . how He Guides . . . how He Comforts . . . how He Corrects . . . how He Loves . . . we have the opportunity to mimic Him, just as a child mimics a parent.  Intentional or often without realizing it, a child will display an expression, a gesture, an attitude, a way of pronouncing a word, and lots of ordinary life actions that  people  in our familiar circle recognize as a resemblance to a parent or grandparent.  

It’s “natural” to reflect our parents or other significant people in our lives.  It’s not usually something that is a result of a conscious effort.  

John is giving a “tall order” for us to become “like Him…Jesus.”   The Bible speaks of reflecting Him in our lives. . . through changing us.  But it’s starting from the very deepest part of our being. 

I remember in my late high school years, the “Jesus Revolution” began in California.  “Jesus People”  were in the news.  Then some young men from Texas came to the Fox Valley. . . wearing bluejeans and sandals.  Strumming guitars, singing simple songs about Jesus.  They were visibly changing on the outside.  Long hair, beards, sandals, calling each other “brother” and “sister,” and playing guitars and singing in a circle gently rocking as they sang simple songs of Jesus.  As a generational Christian with a heritage of strong Bible-believing, hymn-singing, piano and organ playing, and sitting on the front pew every Sunday, Mom at the organ and Dad in the pulpit, this unexpected scene change was fascinating and delightful to me.  The new Believers did not look like hymn-singing, suit-and-tie Scripture-memorizing “church people.”   

But the Light in their eyes and Peace in their hearts, and the smiles on their faces told the Story of a New Life that was now inside of them.  They even began referring to one another as “brother” and “sister.”  

They were taking on a “Family Resemblance” . . . from the inside.  

The Apostle John had physically followed Jesus.  He had experienced the miracles, the crowds coming to see and hear Jesus teach, heal, and Love.  He had seen Jesus.  He had walked with, talked with, eaten with,  shared so much with Him.  Yet, John was looking forward to a Future Time to come, when there would be nothing in the way of seeing Jesus, face to Face, as He REALLY IS. . . not limited to a human form and  its earthly realities, but WHO HE IS.  

May our hearts grow to long . . . with joy and hope and expectation  . . . LOVE, longing to SEE Him as He really is,  and as a result, be changed in every speck of our Being . . . 

To Be like Him . . . in every way!

Read Janet’s new book – Not Forgotten. Now available on Amazon.

Posted on

He ComesOut of Nowhere

“Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
You are by no means least among the
leaders of Judah.
A leader will come from you.
He will shepherd My people Israel.”
Matthew 2:4-6

In a far-away place, the present day Iran, God was making a celestial Announcement to a
People who had no knowledge of the God of Israel. But there were a few men there who had been focusing their energies in watching the stars of the heavens. . . charting their courses, . . . noting the Supernatural Order of the galaxies and planets that filled the night skies. Their faith was not the Faith of God’s People, Israel. But in the darkness of night, God was present, and in a world that had little to no exposure to the God Who created the heavens and earth, He orchestrated a Celestial Announcement to a handful of men who were paying attention to the heavens. Their lack of exposure to God’s Word did not limit God’s abililty to draw these wise men to His existence and His Plans regarding the human life that He had put on the Earth.

God has His own unique Ways of reaching out to humanity . . . with or without our participation in His Plans. His Spirit knows no boundaries. His Heart has no limitations of “who” He will draw to Himself. In that long-ago Moment in His-story, God chose to communicate and tug on the hearts of men who did not know Him, but were paying attention. Despite the foreign land from which they came, the language barriers, the cultural differences, and the spiritual differences between the nation of Israel and the part of the world of these foreign “Wise Men,” God chose to reveal Himself to them. Unannounced, and in a way that they could understand, their hearts were motivated to search for the Source of what was pulling at their minds, spirits, and hearts. God orchestrated a new Thread into the Story He was unfolding for humanity that would carry
through centuries . . . until His Story would fill the earth.

He chose to use mortals . . . us . . . in His Story. . . to carry the Light of His Love and Presence
into our world. Whether a young teenage girl . . .astrologers . . . a carpenter . . . fishermen . . .
lame people, . . . blind people. . . hopelessly messed up people . . . even “dead” people, He
draws into His Story of Love. You have a Story, you are a Story, and in His Hands, He will use
it… YOU… for His Purposes in our world.

Read Janet’s book, Not Forgotten. Now available on Amazon


Posted on

God Protects His Tiny Sacrifice Lamb

“This is how you will recognize Him:
You will find
An infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:12

Jerusalem is an easy walk from Bethlehem. The Gate used for lambs to be brought to the Temple for sacrifice is within sight of Bethlehem.  Flocks of sheep have filled the fields between the two cities for centuries.

God’s Son, the Perfect Lamb of God, came into this world in that small town of Bethlehem.   His Purpose was to be the only perfect One who could be the ultimate Atonement Sacrifice for sin, making it possible for our forgiveness and the Hope of Eternal Life.

The town of Bethlehem provided the most convenient sacrifice lambs for all those who came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the God of Israel.  The flocks of Bethlehem were the key source of lambs used in the nearby Temple.  

But, considering how sheep are quite defenseless, the newborn lambs were the most defenseless of all.  And Mama could not be of much help.  So, the shepherds had to not only watch over all of the sheep, but those “perfect lambs” born within their flocks had to be protected above all.  If mama sheep are defenseless, how much moreso are their newborn lambs at risk.  And here is the missing piece of the puzzle (for me anyway) concerning those little, defenseless, newborn lambs that were the key piece of Temple sacrifices to the God of All Creation.

The shepherds used a simple system put in place for the survival of those perfect lambs.  They would wrap a perfect, newborn lamb in strips of cloth.  This would protect them from cold, as well as bites or cuts  that they might experience in the sheepfold.  If you’ve ever seen sheep get wind of the their shepherd coming with his buckets of food for them, you would understand the danger of anything getting in the way of those pushing, baaa-ing…pawing, shoving, trying to get on top of one another in order to get to their food.  The tiny, newborn lambs do not stand a chance!   

The ancient solution to this “manger danger” was for the shepherd to swaddle the newborn lamb with strips of cloth and put that tiny lamb into a manger  away from the rest of the sheep. 

Ring a bell?   The Wise men who were coming to find this Holy Child. . . the Lamb of God, were to look for “ an infant wrapped in swaddling cloths, and lying in a manger.”  

The established protocol for protecting the perfect lambs destined for sacrifice was exactly the same protocol that Baby Jesus, the Perfect Lamb of God, followed from His first breath as God-became-man in tiny human form.  

His Story never becomes old.  It is alive . . . active, drawing us deeper and deeper into His Love and Purposes for our lives and our world.   

May this Christmas season continue to unfold in  your own heart, and from your heart to this world that so desperately needs Him.

Read Janet’s book, Not Forgotten. Now available on Amazon