Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 22
Sunday


CHRISTMAS
WONDER

READ:
1 Chronicles 16:7-13
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Remember His
marvelous works
which He has done.
__ 1 Chronicles 16:12
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After my first semester in seminary, my family was given airline tickets to fly home for Christmas. The night before our flight, we realized we had less than $20 for the trip. Parking, transportation, and other incidentals were certain to cost more than $20. Heartsick, we resolved to pray about it. Though our children were small (6 and 2), we included them in the prayer time.

As we were praying, we heard footsteps in the hallway of the apartment building, and then "whisk"__the sound of an envelope sliding under the door. Inside the envelope was an anonymous gift of $50.

The wonder reflected on our 6-year-old daughter's face matched the wonder in our own hearts. Here was a mighty God wirting His name on a little girl's heart by hearing and answering our prayer in the same instant. And so we, like the pslamist David, could "talk of all His wondrous works!" (1 Chron. 16:9).

So it was that first Christmas night, when a mighty, all-knowing, all-powerful God wrote His name on the heart of humanity, stunning us with the generosity of forgiveness and the joy of unconditional love. The birth of Christ is the answer to our most fervent prayers for love and forgiveness. Can you feel the wonder? __Randy Kilgore

````````````````````Lord, restore to me the wonder of Christmas,````````````````````
``````````````````````felt most keenly when I first met Jesus;```````````````````````
``````````````````````for I long to tell the story with all the`````````````````````````
````````````````````````````joy it brought me that day.```````````````````````````
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A wonder-filled life is ours
when we know the Christ of Christmas.

***************************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Chronicles 16:7-13**************************

7 On that day David first
delivered this psalm into the
hand of Asaph and his
brethren, to thank the LORD:

8 Oh, give thanks to the
LORD! Call upon His name;
make known His deeds
among the peoples! 9 Sing
to Him, sing psalms to
Him; talk of all His
wondrous works! 10 Glory
in His holy name; let the
hearts of those rejoice who
seek the LORD! 11 Seek the
LORD and His strength;
seek His face evermore!

12 Remember His marvelous
works which He has done,
His wonders, and the
judgments of His mouth,

13 O seed of Israel His
servant, you children of
Jacob, His chosen ones!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The ark of the covenant, or testimony, was the most sacred object of
the Israelites during the wilderness wandering. It was the symbol of
God's presence with His people. During battle, it was captured by
the Philistines (1 Sam. 4:1-11), but they sent it back after 7 months
when disaster struck (1 Sam. 6:1; see chs. 5-7). The ark remained
in the Benjamite town of Kirjath Jearim for 20 years (1 Sam. 7:2)
until David brought it back to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 13:3-14; 15:1-28;
2 Sam. 6:1-3). First Chronicles 16 is the account of the celebration
that took place commemorating its return to Jerusalem, which
included a song of worship that David composed for the joyous
occasion (vv.7-36).