Why Christ Came

I lost something once.

Okay. I've lost more than one "something" before, but you know what I mean.

This particular something was my wedding ring. I had taken it off to knead some bread dough and stuffed it into my pocket. Later on, when it was time to take the clothes to the laundry room to wash, my ring was still in that pocket. I didn't even realize it was missing until all the laundry had been washed, dried, and put away. With chores done, I went to apply lotion to my dry skin and my fingers felt the void where the ring should be. A sudden panic seized me as the sudden realization of what I had done struck me. I searched the pockets of the now laundered skirt where the ring had been placed earlier in the day and found them to be empty. I rushed to the laundry room and hunted through all the machines I had used and found no ring. I scoured the floors and retraced my paths but did not find the lost ring anywhere. When I returned to the house, Jason asked what was wrong and I had to tell him my bad news. He went to search the laundry room as well and came back with my ring. It was tucked in one of the crevices in the washer! I was so relived, as you can well imagine!

The ring was lost. It was important to me. It was sought after and found.

The Bible says that Jesus did just that for us: "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." Matthew 18:11. These words are echoed almost word for word in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

And how many parables did Jesus tell of something that was lost and found?

-Lost sheep (Matthew 18:21-14, Luke 15:4-7). Lost coin (Luke 15:8-10). Lost son (Luke 15:11-24)

When we value something, we do all we can until it is found, just like the missing wedding ring.

Jesus did just that very thing for us. He came to live among men (John 1:14). He came to seek and to save the lost. 

It's just like the words in that great hymn, "Amazing Grace" says, 

I once was lost, but now I'm found.

Now, I may lose my ring again and have to search for it again, but praise the Lord that we don't have to go back to being lost once saved!

Fearfully And Wonderfully Made

Psalms 139:14 "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

The kids had a Christmas breakfast at Berkshire Hills Baptist Church today themed "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made". Check out the pictures!

 

A Marvellous Christmas!

Psalms 105:5 "Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;"

How marvellous are the works God had done, indeed! Even when things aren't as perfect as we would like them this Christmas. When family can't be with us because of distance, jobs or death, or when plans we have don't work out, we can take comfort that God knows what He is doing and we don't have to be in control or feel like we need to be in control. My family was to have meetings in Georgia and Tennessee this month. Just before Thanksgiving, all doors in the southern states closed and opened up in the northern states of New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. This past Friday, one of the churches in New York had a ladies Christmas gathering I was privileged to be a part of. The ladies are so sweet and I really enjoyed getting to know them better, and to have this time of fellowship with them. 

The food (and especially desserts!) was all good and we had a grand feast!

After group singing, special music, and a testimony, Sue Jones of the Capital City Rescue Mission in Albany brought a devotional on the Christmas story and had the ladies take turns reading passages. How awesome it is to be able to read God's Word together! 

Some Christmas games and a gift exchange concluded the evening's activities.

....And some fun photo opportunities :)