The Season of Light

During Advent, this glorious Season of Light, I remember all that Christ has done for me. 

I lift up my eyes to my Maker and thank Him for being my God, my Healer, and my All. 

I invite you to keep Advent in your heart this year, slowing down to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. Like Mary, may we ponder the miracle of Jesus and make room for Him in our hearts. When we invite Him in, what we've said yes to is healing, restoration, and hope. 

His arrival means Life!

This poem I wrote a few months ago is being published in the next edition of HEAL Magazine. It summarizes what Christ has done and continues to do every day as I remain close to Him.

When we pray to God in our despair, He meets us there. 

He is our Emmanuel — God with us. 

Here's a sneak peek.

my life

loved

created

known

hurt

abandoned

b - r - o - k - e - n

sustained

seen

lost

pursued

     d

          e

              s

                 p

                      a

                           i

                                 r

                                      i

                                           n

                                               G      

  n

            i

       y

a

         r

   p

heard

called

found

embraced

forgiven

surrendered

comforted

restored

renewed

m - e - n - d - e - d

healed

loved

Prepare a manger for Christ in your heart, for He longs to give you Life.

Have a blessed Advent and Christmas,

Dr Mari

"'He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.'"

(Luke 1:32-33)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 
(John 1:5)

For more reflections about Advent, read Advent Word of the Day: Devotion.

Advent Reflections: What's at the Center?

This December, while we continue to prepare our hearts to celebrate Christmas, my family is also packing and unpacking boxes. Although we're not moving far, we will be in a new home very soon. This means new neighbors. A new commute. New surroundings. Once again, our Advent season of preparation is filled with change.

I'm thankful that, in the midst of change, old traditions can ground us, bringing comfort and peace. Last week we put up our Christmas tree and readied our house for this joyful season. As our kids placed the last few ornaments on the tree, I moved a few more boxes into the garage to make room for Christmas spirit. Our living room is now filled with lights, angels, Advent calendars, a well-adorned tree, and Christmas cheer. And in front of the tree sits a simple manger scene where Mary and Joseph behold the newborn King.

While packing a few more boxes last night, a beautiful thought captured my heart. As we continue to empty our house of stuff, visual reminders of the importance and relevance of Jesus have invaded our living room and our home. As we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ's birth, the cards, decorations, and our Advent wreath are constant reminders of His presence among us. Our house has been emptied of stuff and filled with Christ!

This same process takes place in our hearts when we invite Christ to live there. We begin an intentional process to empty ourselves from everything that clutters our souls, hearts, and minds, and ask to be filled with the presence of Jesus through the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is also what the season of Advent is all about. It's a wonderful time to recommit ourselves to a life of faith, trust, and obedient surrender to the One who came to save us.

As our manger scene now fills the space left by the clutter of boxes and stuff, so the presence of Jesus will fill us when we empty ourselves of what clutters us inside ... if we ask. Jesus fills all things in every way, as explained in this excerpt from Paul's letter to the Ephesians. This is my prayer for you and for me this Advent,

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, 
may give you 

the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, 
so that you may know Him better.  

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened 

in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, 

the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, 

 and His incomparably great power for us who believe. 

That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ 

when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,  

far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, 

not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  

And God placed all things under His feet 

and appointed Him to be head over everything 

for the church, which is His body, 

the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way."  

(Ephesians 1:17-23)

May Christ remain at the center of our hearts and lives. And may His holy name be praised.
Dr Mari

* My devotional, Walking with Jesus in Healthcare, was published in November 2012! Spread the word to your friends and loved ones who care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others. The book will inspire, encourage, and empower them! Visit my author website for details.

Jesus' Birth... Our Life!

I have been intrigued by the theme of my recent blog posts. From the joy of the Lord to a dying newborn to the martyrs of the faith, the topics have been varied and not necessarily Christmas-like. I think I understand why. There is no Christmas without Christ, and there is no Christ without the Cross. If we come to Christmas thinking it's just about a cute baby in swaddling clothes, we've missed the point of His coming.

Jesus is totally other; there is not one like Him. But the story has become too familiar. It helps if we reflect on it anew as if hearing it for the first time.

A heavenly king took on flesh and became human. Jesus left His throne to descend upon a dark and dangerous world as an innocent child. The One who laid the foundations of the world, Wisdom Incarnate, the Alpha and the Omega, chose to dwell in a human body with limits - suddenly, vulnerable. Surrounded by dirty animals, He was born in a dark cave and laid in a feeding trough for cattle. Lowly shepherds and kings alike came to honor and worship Him, for He came for all, regardless of creed or social status. Though perceived by only a chosen few, His glorious light dispelled the darkness for all.

This Savior of the world who chose an infant's body as His home came for one reason: to die for us. His shadow is the Cross.

Beyond the highly unusual circumstances of His birth, this Advent I've reflected much more on Jesus' purpose for coming. On that very first Christmas day, He was already destined to give His life for sinners that we may partake of His glorious life. Apart from Him, we are dead in our sin; period. As author CS Lewis noted, "Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important."

As we prepare to celebrate Christ's birth, I invite you to join me in this prayer. Lord Jesus, I thank You for coming into this broken world to show us the way of life. I am sorry for all the ways that I deny and reject You, and I come to You asking for the free gift of life that comes as I open my heart to You. Thank You that You will reveal Yourself to me as I surrender my life to You, for that is why You came.

Have a blessed Christmas full of the life, love, and grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! In Him, there is life - abundant life!

His!
Dr Mari

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; 

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

The Joy of the Lord

"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, 

and by His wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

We have now lit the third candle in our Advent wreath, the one signifying joy. To me, it's a reminder of the joy that comes from knowing, serving, and following our Lord. In times of deep sadness or difficulty, Nehemiah 8:10b exhorts us with these hopeful words,  

"This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, 

for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The joy of the Lord is our strength.

As many of my readers know, I am married to a pastor who serves at a local church and also as a hospital chaplain. While working the night shift at the hospital this week, Russell became keenly aware of the presence of Jesus. He was called in to minister to a family whose premature infant was not doing well, and the parents asked for prayers.

As Russ baptized their 26-week old newborn, he laid his hands on the baby's forehead and proclaimed, "You have been sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ's own forever." And while making the sign of the cross on the child's forehead, Russell prayed over him, ending with these words from the prophet Isaiah,  

"By His wounds (you have been) healed."

That instant, at the sight of Russell and the awestruck parents, and for the first (and only) time since his birth, the tiny child opened his eyes. Time seemed to stand still as he looked around thoughtfully. He took in his surroundings, filled the room with innocence, hope, and wonder, and then he closed his eyes again, leaving the place transformed by a gaze that seemed to cry out, Yes! Yes! Yes!

Yes!

The above words from Isaiah gain some of their profound significance from the fact that they were written about the Messiah hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. The New Testament writers clearly speak of Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah's words. Indeed, by His wounds we are healed.

When Russ shared this powerful moment with our children and with me, he reminded us that even in great sorrow, there is joy because of Jesus, who transforms everything by His mere presence. Whether the infant lives or dies, Russell and the child's parents know that something remarkable happened in that room. Joy broke through the sadness, the fear, and the doubts, and healing followed. The joy spread by the One who was pierced for us broke through, changing everything.

During this third week of Advent, we welcome the joy that comes from knowing and staying close to our Lord - our Savior and Healer. May we rejoice as we know Him better and surrender more and more to God's perfect will for our lives.

Rejoice!
Dr Mari

For more Advent reflections, read Advent Word of the Day: Devotion. To learn more about the tradition of the Advent wreath, read The Light of the World: Advent Reflections.

Advent Word of the Day: Devotion

Look closely; that baby bear is smiling!

"'I will bring him near and he will come close to Me, 

for who is he who will 

devote himself 

to be close to Me?’ 

declares the LORD." 

Jeremiah 30:21 (emphasis added)

According to The American Heritage Dictionary, the word "devote" means to "give or apply (one's time, attention, or self) entirely to a particular activity, pursuit, cause, or person." Advent, the four weeks leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth, is a wonderful time to ask ourselves, What are we devoted to? What occupies our time, our mental and physical energy, and our resources? What is it that we worship?

What is first in our lives? 

This Advent, we can decide to change the course of our lives by the choices we make. And a wonderful place to start this process is prayer. A simple, heartfelt prayer on my knees changed the course of my life twelve years ago. During a time of desperate need, I asked God to reveal Himself, and He did, and I've drawn close to Him ever since.

When God is the center of our lives, everything else begins to be lined up, returning to its proper place - submitted unto the Lord and His ways. Matthew 6:33 explains it like this, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." God knows our needs, and our deepest need is to know, serve, and follow Him. When we do that, life begins.

This Advent, may we devote ourselves to being close to the One who created us, loves us, and longs for us to know Him more.

His!

Dr Mari

For more Advent exhortations, read The Light of the World and The Joy of the Lord.


* Photo from thundafunda.info.

More Advent Food for Action

                             

The season of Advent is the perfect time
to make this life-changing decision:
is there room in our hearts and lives for Jesus?
May we be blessed as we ponder its significance
and choose to open the door of our hearts.

Have a joyful Advent!

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. 
He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; 
yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." 

Ecclesiastes 3:11

For more Advent inspiration, read Advent Word of the Day: Devotion.

* Photo from nancyoutloud.com.

The Light of the World: Advent Reflections

The light of life has dawned.

One of my favorite traditions during the Advent season involves making a wreath that becomes our table's centerpiece until Christmas day. A new candle is lit each week symbolizing the light that shines when Christ enters our world. As we say grace before dinner each night, we take turns lighting the candles and reading different verses that remind us of the relevance of Christ's coming. This tradition is a powerful reminder of the eternal significance of the season and helps to quiet the voices that distract us from the true meaning of Christmas.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of this coming light hundreds of years before Jesus' birth,  

          "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; 

on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." 

                                                                                              - Isaiah 9:2

The Old Testament words from Isaiah 9:2 were quoted hundreds of years later by Matthew in the New Testament when he spoke about Jesus' life and ministry (Matthew 4:16). And in John 8:12, Jesus fills us with hope by telling us who He is,

“I am the light of the world. 

Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, 

but will have the light of life.” 

During Advent, we celebrate this light that shines into the darkness of our world and of our hearts bringing truth, salvation, and life. This time of year provides a wonderful opportunity to get to know the One who calls Himself "the light of the world." This Advent, may we all see Him more clearly and live more fully as we prepare to celebrate the glorious birth of Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

Rejoice!
Dr Mari

Read God's Song for an account of God's blessings in the midst of suffering.