Above All Love

 

​Focus: Joy that Lasts Forever ​ 📖 The Biblical Idea (Easy English Bible): The great gift of Jesus is for everyone. It is a sign of great joy, even though Jesus was born in a simple place. ​ “Today your Saviour was born in David's city. He is the Messiah, the Lord! And this will be the sign for you: you will find the baby lying in a manger. He will be wrapped in pieces of cloth.” (Luke 2:11-12 EEB) ​The best kind of gift is one that is perfect and that you can never lose or break! ​Bonhoeffer wrote about losing all his things, which helped him understand the real gift: ​ "I used to be very fond of thinking up and buying presents, but now that we have nothing to give, the gift God gave us in the birth of Christ will seem all the more glorious; the emptier our hands, the better we understand what Luther meant by his dying words: 'We're beggars; it's true.'" ​ The Joy Won't Stop: Because Jesus went through the stable (poorness) and the cro...

1 John 4:10: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son..." 

​Focus: Jesus Chose Small (Humility) ​ 📖 The Biblical Idea (Easy English Bible): Jesus willingly gave up His heavenly greatness to become human, showing us that love is more important than power. ​ “You must think like Christ Jesus. He was already God. But he did not think that he should try to keep on being equal with God. He made himself like a servant. He became a man.” (Philippians 2:5-7 EEB) ​When we think of someone very important, we imagine them in a big, grand place. Jesus is the King of Everything! But He came to a simple, quiet place—a stable. He slept in an animal feeding box ( manger ). ​Bonhoeffer saw that God's power is shown best in this smallness: ​ "For the great and powerful of this world, there are only two places in which their courage fails them, of which they are afraid deep down in their souls, from which they shy away. These are the manger and the cross of Jesus Christ." ​ The Meaning: Jesus did a Power Swap . He chose the lowest p...

John 1:14: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..." 

 

Matthew 2:11b: "...and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

​Dear friends, as we are in this season of waiting, I invite you to join me in reflecting on the gentle power of the Prince of Peace and the quiet Light that guides us still. ​ "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." — John 1:5 ​A Simple Advent Message ​Dear friends, ​As we light our candles during Advent, we think about a special kind of power. We are waiting for a King who was born in a quiet stable. He did not come with soldiers or weapons. He came as a small, gentle baby. This is the Spirit that cannot fight. ​In 1660, George Fox and his friends told the world a great truth. They said that because they followed Jesus, they could no longer use "outward weapons" or go to war. They chose to be like "innocent lambs." Even when people were mean to them or put them in prison, they stayed peaceful. ​Today, the world is still full of noise and fighting. It is easy to feel worried about the "plots and f...

Matthew 2:11a: "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him..." 

Focus: Waiting for Jesus (God does the saving!) ​ 📖 The Biblical Idea (Easy English Bible): Jesus stands outside the locked places in our hearts and knocks, ready to come in and be with us. ​ “Look! I am standing at the door and I am knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to them. I will eat with them, and they will eat with me.” (Revelation 3:20 EEB) ​Sometimes, life can feel like you are stuck behind a locked door . You try to open it, but you just can't. You might feel stuck because of worries, sadness, or things that have gone wrong. ​Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote about this feeling of waiting: ​ "A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does this, that, or the other—things that are of no real consequence—the door is shut, and can be opened only from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent." ​ The Meaning: We trust that Jesus is standing right there, knocking, and ready to come in and unlock the door for us. ​ Simple Pr...

​ "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." — Luke 2:14 ​ A Reflection on the Prince of Peace ​Dear friends, ​In a season that often feels like a storm of crowded shops, loud music, and sharp expectations, it is easy to think we must hurry to be holy. We might feel the urge to pick up the busy tools of the world—the stress and the striving—to make everything perfect for the day. ​But when I look at the manger, I see a different way. I see the One who didn’t come with a crown of gold or a sword of power, but with tiny, open hands reaching out from the hay. He showed us that the greatest strength in the universe isn't found in a grand display, but in the "still small voice" of a newborn King who speaks peace to a weary world. ​For those of us who experience Christmas a bit differently—who find the flashing lights a bit too bright and the holiday noise a bit too much—this stable is a refuge. The Light that began in B...

A Christmas Journey through the Quaker Peace Testimony ​ The Christmas Promise ​ “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” ​Dear God, Long ago, the prophets promised That a Day of Peace would come. On this Christmas Day, Help us to be the ones Who put our toy swords away And pick up the tools of love. Amen. ​ The Gift of Gentle Hands ​ “We utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons.” ​Dear Jesus, When You were born in the hay, You didn't come with a crown of gold Or a sword for a king. You came with tiny, open hands. Help my hands to be like Yours— Gentle to my friends, Kind to creation, And always ready to help. Amen. ​ The Light Inside ​ “The spirit of Christ will never move us to fight.” ​Dear Father, You put a little Light inside of me. That Light tells me to be brave Without being mean. That Light tells me to be strong Without being a bully. When I feel ang...

A Christmas collage made with Pinterest

Matthew 2:9: "...and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." 

Galatians 4:4: "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son..."

Luke 2:19: "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." 

 

Luke 2:17: "And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." 

Luke 2:16: "And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."

Luke 2:10: "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." 

 

Matthew 2:13 “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” King James Version (KJV)

​🌈 God's Rescue Plan (Matthew 2:13) ​ Think of it like this: When a fire alarm rings, we listen to the sound and go to the safe spot, right? ​ Bible Story: Matthew 2:13  ​ “Get up, take the young child and his mother, and run to Egypt... because Herod wants to kill the child.” ​💚 God’s Big Hug: Protection ​In the story, baby Jesus was in danger. A mean king wanted to hurt Him. ​ God knew! God sees everything. ​ God sent help! An angel came to Joseph with a special job: "RUN!" ​ God made a safe way! Joseph listened right away and took Jesus to a safe place. God's love was like a strong shield   around them. ​God does this for us, too. God loves you very, very much. He wants you to be safe and happy forever. ​🌟 God’s Biggest Gift: Jesus ​We all do things that are wrong sometimes (we call this 'sin'). Sin is like a dark, messy wall between us and God. Or a curtain that needs torn in two from top to bottom. It makes us feel b...

 

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” King James Version (KJV)

Luke 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” King James Version (KJV)

Luke 2:4 “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)” King James Version (KJV)

Matthew 1:20 “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” King James Version (KJV)

 

Luke 1:30 “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”  Luke 1:31 “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” King James Version (KJV)

Luke 1:46 “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,” Luke 1:47 “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” King James Version (KJV)

Luke 1:13 “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.” King James Version (KJV)

Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” King James Version (KJV)

Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” King James Version (KJV)

Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:” King James Version (KJV)

Isaiah 11:1 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:” King James Version (KJV)

  Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” King James Version (KJV)    

  Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” King James Version (KJV)