salvation

  • The Name of Jesus

     

    “Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
    There is something about that name.
    Master. Savior. Jesus.
    Like the Fragrance after the rain.
    Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Let all heaven and earth proclaim.
    That kings and kingdoms will pass away.
    But there is something about that name.”
    Songwriters: Bill Gaither, Gloria L Gaither. 
    When my daughter Shelby attended school, her bus picked her up and dropped her off right in our driveway every day.  So convenient.  But now we drive 40 minutes round trip to her dayhab.
    Generally, I listen to podcasts non-stop.  While doing chores, showering and getting dressed, doing yard work and in the car.  Moreover, I listen to podcasts of varying styles and topics, however all that talk doesn’t interest my Shelby.  For that reason, most days after getting buckled in I will hear her sweet voice say “Dance.”  And if I don’t respond, she will repeat many times, as she is apt to do.  “Dance.”  So I have learned to ask, “Shelby, are you telling me you would like to listen to music?”  Emphatically, she replies, “Yes”.

    The Dance

    Shelby’s special needs allow her mostly single word utterances to get her point across, but she usually does.  After her request, I dutifully ask Siri to play an artist of my choosing and wait to hear what the most streamed song by that artist is.  I had just about forgotten how enjoyable singing in the car can be!  As a result of her promptings, we have taken deep dives with many different styles and decades of music.
    Most recently, I have been taking a stroll down musical memory lane with the contemporary Christian artists of my youth.  Such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, DC Talk, Wayne Watson.  Sorry if CCM was not your jam.  If you will indulge me for a moment, I do have a point.
    Shelby enjoys music, but doesn’t really have the ability to sing.  And yet surprisingly, when she hears one particular word in a song (or in a sermon for that matter) she repeats it over and over again.  “Jesus.  Jesus. Jesus.”  It puts me in mind of the Gaither song I started this post with today.  Even though my daughter only understands the world as a two-year-old does, she knows that the name Jesus is special.  As previously noted, “There’s just something about that name.”

    What is It?

    Certainly He is “Master.  Savior.  Jesus.”  And in her innocence, in a way only she and our gracious Heavenly Father know, she understands His significance.  And I can’t think of a better time of year to let my daughter lead me into worshipping Him.
    “5 Have this attitude [e]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [f]grasped, but [g]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [h]on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Philippians 5:1-11 NASB
    Finally, here is this week’s featured post from the link up!
    Linda Stoll introduced me to a practice I had never thought of in Who’s Your Advent Buddy?  Advent is not solemn and not meant to be solitary.  So I can’t think of a better way to extend its meaning than engaging a friend in meaningful conversations about our Lord.

    The Link Up

     

    1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

    2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

    3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

    Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

    We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

    MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    LAUREN SPARKS
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

     Now Let’s Link Up!

    You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

    Click here to enter

     

     

    If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. Also if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. Basically, if you buy anything from one of these links, I will receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

     

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  • First Friday Prayers: Christmas Gift

    Well, I don’t need to tell you that Christmas time is upon us.  Obviously major retailers starting putting out Yuletide decorations in October, but December takes it to an entirely different level.  Every street we turn onto is adorned with lights and blow ups.  Each and every store is having a sale.  In addition, every school and town square advertises holiday activities while red and green hued  tv commercials try to convince us they all have the perfect Christmas gift.

     

    It’s easy to get caught up in it all.  “Parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting,” and the whole nine yards.  Not to mention present wrapping, Hallmark Movies and Christmas carols.  Maybe you feel it’s the most wonderful time of the year – maybe not.  But for many it is definitely the busiest time of the year (except maybe the month of May for parents of school aged kids.  Regardless, that’s a discussion for another time.)

     

    For our prayer time together this month, I’d like to ask you a simple question.  Would Christmas still be magic for you without any lights or tinsel or packages under the tree?

     

    “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”  2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

     

    God gave us the best Christmas gift of all in Jesus.  Because He is the gift that NEVER stops giving. This is my prayer in this season – and every season:

     

    Christmas gift

    Praying for you in this.  And if you aren’t sure why I would call my Savior Jesus a gift, I would love to talk with you about Him.  Send me a message to [email protected]t.

     

    Don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word post, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

    Lauren

    And now for this week’s featured post from the link up.

     

    I don’t know if it’s because I am enamored of Christmas or because I just set up a little nativity featuring an inn keeper, but Saturday Morning Devotional:  A Look at Christmas from the View of the Inn Keeper hit the spot for me.  Give the Christmas story a second look with this article.

    The Link Up

    1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

    2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

    3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

    Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

    We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

    MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    LAUREN SPARKS
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

    TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
    Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

     Now Let’s Link Up!

    You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

    Click here to enter


    If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I will receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.