U is for Undeserved

Hello again everyone!

Today, I'm writing on the theme 'Undeserved'.

U was another tricky letter, but in the end I'm pretty pleased I get to talk about this theme!

Before Christmas, we hear so often the idea that children have to be good or 'Santa' won't bring them any presents on Christmas Day. There's even a (slightly creepy) song about it: 'He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good...' etc.

The essence of Christianity is the polar opposite to this. Jesus came to the world because humankind turned away from God and had no hope - none whatsoever - of returning to Him. We could not become good enough, and we were not worthy of God's love. But love us He did, and in his grace gave us a truly undeserved and wonderful gift: new life, because Jesus took our sins and overcame death for us. 

We give and receive many gifts at this time of year. When we give, we do it because we love the person we are giving to, not because they 'deserve' a gift. It is the same with God: He gives because He loves. 

It is up to us whether to accept the gift.

Laura x

R is for Redeemer

It's Wednesday, and I'm up to R in my advent alphabet!

In the Bible, God says of himself: 'I, the Lord, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob' (Isaiah chapter 49, verse 26). After Jesus came, the apostle Paul wrote that 'In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding' (Ephesians chapter 1, verses 7-8).

What does it mean to redeem? It is the act of buying back, of paying something to regain something that was once in your possession. In biblical times it often referred to the act of buying freedom for a slave.

When the Bible says that Jesus redeems, it is saying something incredibly profound. While we may not often feel it, our natural state is as slaves. We are slaves to sin, to the darkness of the world, to a lying enemy who flatters to deceive. The freedom that we think we have - to be our own boss - is actually slavery to untruth. True freedom is being redeemed from this slavery and brought back to God. The Bible tells us that this happens not through our own willpower, or decision, but through Jesus's blood.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of the Saviour, but I am also so thankful when I remember that he was born to die in our place to redeem us and free us.

Laura x

Q is for Questions

Hello everyone,

I've been posting a lot about the busy joyfulness of making gifts for family members - whether knitted, crafted, or baked. It's been so much fun! I've also posted about the person Christmas celebrates: Jesus, God's Son. However, I've been thinking about Christmas and asking myself: Why do we bother so much about this same day every single year?

Picture this. A family spends a whole month (or perhaps longer) thinking about, preparing for, shopping for, looking forward to, making plans for, buying food for, one day at the end of December. It's overwhelming, expensive, and all-consuming. It can lead to family arguments about who attends which home on which day. It can cause stress for parents who feel under pressure from their children or other parents or the media to buy the most expensive gifts. Then, on the day, people gather together to exchange gifts and eat a lot of food. Why? What is in it for most people? What is the purpose of Christmas?

For some, it's being on holiday with family. For others, it's about cooking, eating, and relaxing. For others, giving presents. For many around the world, it's just a normal day.

I've been a bit saddened by the comments and posts I've seen on social media and in articles the past few weeks. People saying they 'can't be bothered' with Christmas, or they 'don't know what to buy' for people, or inevitably, after the day, 'I'm so sad it's all over' or 'Never again'. Why all the focus on just one day?

A life of grace and giving doesn't stop when the turkey has been eaten and the floor is strewn with crumbs of mince pie and scraps of wrapping paper. Giving is an attitude which puts others ahead of ourselves, doesn't look for glory, and goes beyond mere duty. The poor woman in the temple who gave just two small coins to God gave more than the rich man who put in far more in monetary value, but far less in generosity. This coming year, I'd love to be more like that woman - giving of myself, my time, my gifts, and my money generously, freely, and joyfully.

Just my two cents' worth.

Laura x

L is for Love

'God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.'
The Bible, book of John, chapter 3, verses 16-18

'This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.'
The Bible, John's first letter, chapter 3, verse 16

The world has hijacked Christmas. Alright, some will argue that Christianity hijacked a pagan festival (Saturnalia, way back in the 4th Century) as a means to convert the masses, but really, if you had the best news in the world - ever - wouldn't you want to share it with others?

To return to my point: The world has hijacked Christmas. Most children (and many adults) today believe that Christmas is about a mythical big man in a red suit who lives at the north pole and delivers presents to millions of children one night each year. Well, here's the thing: Christmas is about God's Son, Jesus.

The Bible tells us exactly why Jesus was born as a baby and lived on this earth: because of God's love for humankind. There was no way that we humans could find our way back to God by ourselves. And truthfully, we didn't really want to. So God, in his love, sent Jesus to die in our place, so that those who believe in Him as God's Son and as the saving lamb who makes us right with God, can live eternally with God.

I think it's wonderful that we take time every year to celebrate, and be with our families, at Christmas. It's a haven at the end of our year, whether our year has been busy, quiet, happy, sad, or a mixture. It celebrates the most wonderful love in all existence: God's love. It celebrates Jesus.

(Not Santa.)

Much love, dear friends, from a cold and dreary Oxford.

Laura x

J is for Jesus

J is for Jesus. Obviously.

He's the 'reason for the season', the Alpha and Omega, the Son of God, the eternal King.

Each year we gather our families and friends to celebrate the birth of a baby in an obscure town in Palestine more than 2000 years ago. To be honest, if I were an alien coming to Earth for the first time, I think I'd find the whole thing a bit weird. But it's not weird. Not a bit. It's a celebration of the King, who came to save us from death and to win our hearts for God. We were lost in self-worship, putting ourselves at the centre of all and rejecting God. He wanted us to love Him and worship Him and have all the life that comes from knowing He is, well, God. So He sent His Son, to die in our place, to take God's wrath, and to open the path to life. It's for anyone - anyone - who believes that Jesus is God's Son and the Saviour of the world.

So today, I'm full of praise for God's greatest gift of all: knowing Him eternally and truly through faith in Jesus.

G is for Good News

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

Luke 2:8-15

This is one of my favourite Christmas readings. Imagine how the shepherds must have felt! There they are, quietly watching their sheep, when an angel appears! Then, to make it even more incredible, the angel tells them that the Christ - the long-awaited Messiah - has been born! Then, as if that wasn't enough, the sky is filled with angels praising God! Indeed, it was a moment for praise, as the Saviour and King of God's people had come.

E is for Emmanuel

The name Emmanuel is one of the many names given to Jesus in the Bible. It means 'God with us'. What does that mean in everyday life?

It means that we can have assurance that our life is in Christ.

It means that God will never leave us.

It means that Jesus was literally here on earth and that he has full empathy with human experience.

It means that Jesus was God himself.

It means a lot. It's amazing that God himself would come to be with us and to die in our place. 

One of my favourite advent carols is 'O come, O come, Emmanuel'. The first verse talks about a redeemer coming to save Israel (God's people).

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Before Christ came to be with us, we were in exile. We had no hope of life and we were cut off from God. Jesus came to rescue us, appearing as a baby, living as a man, and dying on a cross, paying the ransom for our rejection of God, so that those who believe in him as God's King can have eternal life. 

The chorus of that carol reminds us that Christ has come and will come again:

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

We wait for our returning King.

What is your favourite advent carol?

B is for Baby

Before having Sophie, I didn't really consider how amazing it is that God himself would come as a baby. Jesus was born the same way that Sophie was, did all the baby things that she does, and had everything to learn. Babies are so vulnerable and need everything done for them - how incredible that God would humble himself like that!

Sophie's first day

The Bible talks about this when it says that Jesus 'made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death--even death on a cross!' (Philippians 2:7-8). Christmas is a celebration of this birth, this amazing birth of King Jesus, who is called Emmanuel, God with us.

A is for Advent

Good evening!

It's the first day of December, which means that Advent has arrived!

I put up Sophie's advent calendar this evening. 

It's been in the works for a few days and isn't quite finished but it looks good hanging on the back of our dining room door!

During advent, I'll be posting each day about the happenings around here in the run-up to Christmas, and about the Christmas story and its true meaning.

Advent is a season of waiting. It leads up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, God himself coming into the world. We have a whole month each year to remember and reflect on this amazing act. 

In John 2:49, Nathaniel says to Jesus: 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel'. Advent reminds us that, as the Jewish people were waiting and watching for their Messiah to appear, we are also waiting for our King to reappear.

I wish you a blessed advent season.

Laura x

Reflections on Psalm 139

Good morning everyone.

I'm having a bit of a low day. We were up in the night with a crying Sophie and now she's exhausted, I'm exhausted, and I have sent an exhausted husband to work as well. 

I feel overwhelmed and guilty for not having enough patience, for not being strong enough to protect my husband from sleepless nights, and for not really knowing how to help my daughter or what the matter is. I feel weak and inferior compared to other mums who run businesses, study for degrees, home school their children, and still get dinner on the table.

This morning I rushed around the house doing little bits and bobs but eventually I decided to turn to the Bible and see what wisdom I could find in there. I felt led to Psalm 139, which is one of my favourite chapters in the Bible, probably because I'm feeling low and it offers comfort.

Today, I saw something new in it that spoke to me.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 

even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

I've always read those words negatively, as in, the writer wants to run away from God and finds he cannot, even though he tries. Today, God gave me a positive message: wherever I go and whatever I do, God's Spirit will be with me. In my tiredness, frustration, and feelings of failure, He is with me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

God knows the state of my heart and knows all my worries, anxieties, and emotions. He is moulding me and using all the circumstances, upsets, and joys of my life as lessons to shape my character and to help me understand His goodness and grace. His way is the way everlasting. 

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.' (Isaiah 30:21)

The God who made this also made this also made me, and Sophie.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.