Sights, Sounds, Smells, Tastes and Touches of The Season

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Christmas is one holiday celebration where all five of our senses are drawn in from all sides. Take a minute to peruse your personal favorites, even if some are memories... It's likely that there are sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches from every season of our lives.

Listening to Joy Williams sing "Here With Us" this week, a line that always captures my imagination is: "I never knew the hands of God could be so small." Our God was born into our delicate, yet intricate human form. Wonder for a minute what it might have been like to pass from Eternity into that manger...

The one who created man, became one. Laying aside all the glory and attributes of His deity. In one moment, Christ, the Messiah, came as a tiny baby, suddenly immersed in the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of a stable. What were some of those?

Whether we gather with friends or family throughout these next few weeks, let's explore those sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches from both our lives and then the one life that would change ours.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:8-14

Multiplying Our Turkey and Dressing

 

Our Thanksgiving Traditions. Some of the things we share in our team meetings this time of year are listed here, and a few of them could launch other conversations over the long weekend:

• What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? Which leads to:
• What is your favorite Thanksgiving sweet? Then we switch it up...
• What one thing are you most thankful for this year in your life?
• What one thing are you most thankful for in your work life?
• What is your fondest Thanksgiving memory?

Around the dinner table, we bring our food traditions and other traditions. Even pre-dinner traditions: in the family I grew up in, it's one of the few times we pray over a meal.

Preparing means pulling together a grocery list which leads to Publix.  Strategically navigating through that sea of shoppers, I passed the seafood section. And at that moment, the sight of the fish laying out on the ice made me think of how Jesus took five loaves and just two fish, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and fed five thousand (more actually, see below) and had twelve baskets of leftovers. 

I wonder what He could do with our 15lb. turkey and assorted side dishes? And what about twelve baskets of leftovers? What a demonstration His power inserted into the everyday. He takes what we have, however meager it may seem, speaks over it the spices of heaven and changes everything!

As we gather this year, all across our great country, let's ask Jesus to multiply not only our turkey and dressing and everything we have and are as well...and see here that journey leads.

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.  Matthew 14:17-21

Uncontaminated Love

The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.  1 Timothy 1:5  MSG

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  1 Timothy 1:5  NIV

Sometimes the dimensions that Eugene Peterson adds to God's word through The Message reaches pretty deep into my day to day reflection of what God is asking of me.

This idea of love uncontaminated by self interest reminds me of a Walk Thru The Bible devotion that asks, "Where am I (God) in this?"... expanded to- this relationship, this job, this conversation? We are to love from God's point of view, God's interest in others.

In thinking about our most difficult relationships- let's ask God to uncontaminate our love and give us his view, his heart, his voice, his hands in these and every relationship he places before us.