Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning.
12/5/2025
Today's Passage :A Light Has Dawned
Bible Verse:Isaiah 9:2-7 (ESV)
"The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God,
the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
"
Message:
After listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Unto Us a Child is Born (from Handel’s Messiah), it is nearly impossible to write comments on the passage; words seem inadequate compared to the way Handel catches the power of the text — a promise that, some day, a Savior will be born, the Prince of Peace.
Virgin Mary, stained glass
We are commanded to avoid judgment, but it is often a struggle not to rail against the secularization of Christmas. It has become, in most of the U.S., a holiday to celebrate mammon. Recently, the cult of Santa Claus has sunk to a new low: there is now a replacement for the Advent calendar, consisting of daily audio messages from Santa’s workshop, to keep the children abreast of progress in making their toys and getting the sled and reindeer ready.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with Santa or the pleasant legends about his elves and reindeer. But do the adults have any idea what they are missing, or what they are depriving their children of, by not understanding and emphasizing the actual origin of our celebration?
What could be more wondrous than the power of God coming to fruition to save humanity from death, from sending us a Savior? Advent is a celebration of the realization that God Himself is going to come to earth! It is the most exciting and uplifting news we could possibly receive. It is better — and more startling — than being told that, in a couple of weeks, we are going to win the Powerball lottery, hear that a cure has been found for every disease and disability, and witness an alien spaceship is landing on our street.
Every time this crosses my mind, I redouble my resolve to share God’s grace and salvation with those who have turned away into darkness. Let us all remember to make some effort to keep Christ’s light shining to the world, not to sink into apathy and complacency as we celebrate the salvation of the world.
Meditation
:
Prayer :
Lord, in utter humility I thank you and glorify you, that you might hear the prayer of one so small as myself, amidst the billions of souls among billions of stars in one of billions of galaxies in your universe. Let me go forth in your peace, keeping your Spirit always in my mind; and bless me, I pray, that I might always follow your will and live in the radiance of your blessing.
Amen.
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