Month: January 2021

Scripture from Isaiah 25 Praise for Judgment and Salvation

“O Lord, I will honor and praise Your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now You have accomplished them. ” (v. 1, NLT)

“But You are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat, for the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall, or like the relentless heat of the desert. But You silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled. (vv. 4-5, NLT)

“”In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There He will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears. He will remove all insults and mockery against His land and people. In that day, the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted Him and he saved us!”” (vv. 6-9, NLT)

Christmas Cards, a Thing of the Past

I was looking at our Christmas cards received this year. We only received seven cards this year. I noted that I did not get cards from several friends and family who have sent yearly Christmas cards in past years.

I, too, have reduced the amount of Christmas cards that have sent over recent years. I sent out about 20 cards this year. This year, I tried to write at least a personal note on the card addition of just signing our names.

When I was younger, I remember sending double or triple that amount. Once or twice, I cheated and typed a letter of our year and added it to the envelope, instead of personally writing a paragraph or two on the card. I also remember getting so many Christmas cards that we strung them up on the wall mantle, and later that was reduced to a cute Christmas card holder. In the past five years or so, the cards are so few, that we just lay them on a table.

It is so easy to wish folks a generic Merry Christmas on social media. But it is certainly not as personal as receiving a card that someone took the time to mail especially to me and my husband.

Of course, there is the obligatory Christmas card sometimes sent in response to a card that I mailed to someone, that is usually received after Christmas.

Maybe as we get older, we are forgotten. But we are never forgotten by God.

“For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull or indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.” (Hebrews 6:10-12)