Laurie Hopkins

The early crispness of the morning

Sparkles, a million crystals of light

Fill my vision.

Like the sea glass tears of the summer

The snowy glass tears of the winter are upon us.

A time of miracles and celebrations

makes times of grief more poignant.

Times that bring great joy to the surface

intensifies the sadness underneath.

The Psalms tell me that God holds our tears in a bottle

Perhaps He spills them out on the beach in the summer

and the snow in the winter

a tangible reminder that He sees

and knows

the depth of our grief.

The sunbeam also warming up 

the coolness of the air surrounding

like comforting arms

and safety

and hope for the days ahead.

The Lord made a promise to Simeon.  

He promised him he would not die before he saw the Consolation of Israel.  

Simeon believed God for this promise.  

When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus into the temple, the Holy Spirit called Simeon into that same temple; and there, the promise of the Lord to Simeon was fulfilled.  

What has the Lord promised you?  

Christmas is a season of many miracles.  

Are you open to the miracles the Lord has for you?  

Are you listening carefully to the Holy Spirit who will lead you to the fulfillment of that which He has promised?  

Or are you caught up in the busy and the expectations of those around you, and even yourself, blocking out the very Voice that will nudge you to be in the right place at the right time to see your promise come to pass? 

It is a season of many pulls and pushes on our time.  

It is a season of much expectation from those around us and within us.  

However, we must take the time this season, to sit and be quiet; to listen for the Voice of God in the stillness.  

We must also learn to listen for the Voice of God in the midst.  

What has the Lord promised you?  

Hold fast to the promise, listen carefully for the Lord and walk boldly in the belief that your miracle is coming!

Where are you abiding today?  

We can abide in many places, some good, some not so good.  

Abide= yashab = to dwell, remain, sit, abide. 

When we abide, we sit in and remain in a place.  

That may be a physical place or it may be a place where our thoughts sit.  

In a season of much activity and much expectation, some realistic and some not so realistic, it is important for us to consider where we are abiding.  

Are we abiding in a place of unrealistic expectation and pressure in our minds?  

Are we abiding in a mindset of commercialism and an adoration of having more and more things?  Are we abiding in a place of rush and hurry with no time for quiet reflection on the intended meaning of the season?  

Or are we abiding in the one place that provides peace, encouragement and true motivation for action; under the shadow of the Almighty?  

When we abide under the shadow of the Almighty our mindsets are first and foremost focused on Him.  

That helps to protect us from mindsets of worry and rush and trying to fill the void within us with more and more stuff. It points us toward relationship with Him and with others.  

It helps us to understand and see the work and purpose for our lives. 

The shadow of the Almighty is a safe place; a place of refuge, a place of fortification. 

Where are you abiding today?  

There is room for you under the shadow of the Almighty!  

The Lord is waiting for you there!