Dear family & friends –
I hope you aren’t finding these devotionals too scolding. I feel like every year this is my passion – let’s make this Christmas different – let’s do more for others and less for ourselves. Remember, I’m writing these for me – they are my heart cries.
My prayer is for blessing and significance to be poured into your life today as you live for Him!
Blessings,
Robinette Craker
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. –Colossians 1:15-17
It is amazing that Jesus, creator of everything, chose to “move into our neighborhood.” This is how The Message states John 1:14 –
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
This morning I awakened thinking about a quote my son-in-law, Dustin, used recently in response to the overwhelming needs of our world. It’s from Mother Teresa – “You do the thing that’s in front of you.” Then I was thinking about Jesus and what He did and my mind went to the wedding in Cana. The wine was running out – what should be done? His mother asked Him to help and He did the thing that was in front of Him.
My daughter, Olivia, (Dustin’s wife by the way) was born on December 20. For most of her life that has been a pain to her. It seemed like her birthday was always overshadowed by church Christmas programs, open house, Christmas presents and celebrations. She didn’t like it very much if you used Christmas paper to wrap her presents. One year when she was a teenager, I was so overwhelmed with work, that I didn’t wrap her presents at all – I made a little scavenger hunt for her to go on to find them. Wow! I was in trouble! Of course she’s matured now. But she still likes parties and she still likes gifts. Who doesn’t? In our family I like to treat everyone the same. I spend the exact amount of money on everyone and I try to have the same amount of gifts out of that money. Just the way I am. Well, it’s birthday time for Olivia, and it’s Christmas time. Usually I ask the kids for some ideas for gifts. In recent years they’ve often wanted gift cards to Home Depot or Lowes since they’ve all been working on their homes. But this year Olivia asked for a donation to one of her causes (she’s a cause type of woman). She and Dustin have just returned from a Work & Witness trip to Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. They were changed from this experience and they want to do something about it. So Olivia asked for donations to her cause – clean water for Haiti – for her birthday. The goal is to have a well on every Nazarene church property so the people of Haiti can have clean water – this will eliminate many water-borne illnesses. This will cut down the miles walked to obtain water. She is doing the thing that is in front of her.
I received an email from a friend of mine. She was responding to the devotional about the letter from Jesus, here’s what she says –
“I wanted to share a little something we did for the first time this year. We saved our change in a large jar to use to buy presents for those in need this Christmas. The kids knew all year what the money was for and would add their money or found money to it. We had fun watching the line of the change climb. Then, the week before Thanksgiving we guessed how much money we had saved and cashed it in. This way we would know how many children we could sponsor for Christmas. The kids helped me plan out gifts and I used our money on the crazy "Black Friday". We still have to wrap them, but the kids have been so excited. I love that this was how we started our journey toward Christmas together.
I think we will use the list on your email to see how many more we can do. We already have the nursing home visit planned for the week before Christmas; we are taking lap blankets to hand out. They always love to see the kids : )” They’re doing the thing that’s in front of them
“You do the thing that’s in front of you.” This will be different for all of us. But it is the call placed on us – to move into our neighborhoods and be generous inside and out – just like Jesus, the firstborn over all creation taught us.
Instruments of Peace
Lord, make us instruments of your peace,
Where there is hatred let your love increase.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace,
Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease,
When we are your instruments of peace.
Where there is hatred we will show His love.
Where there is injury we will never judge.
Where there is striving we will speak His peace.
To the people crying for release
We will be His instruments of peace.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace,
Where there is hatred let your love increase.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace,
Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease,
When we are your instruments of peace.
Where there is blindness we will pray for sight.
Where there is darkness we will shine His light.
Where there is sadness we will bear their grief.
To the millions crying for release,
We will be His instruments of peace
Lord, make us instruments of your peace,
Where there is hatred let your love increase.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace,
Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease,
When we are your instruments of peace.
You can watch and hear a YouTube video of the song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBc4uxiXsfc
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