This week Grandma came over and helped Emily to make her very own nativity scene.
We all pitched in in our own special way!
And the result was a beautiful keepsake for Emily that now resides on her dresser.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6; NIV
This morning I came across a sermon of Martin Luther's from December 25th 1531! Wow! It had been translated by Frederick J. Gaiser and published by Word & World in 1996 to observe the 450th anniversary of the reformers death.
He had such an interesting perspective on this verse.
In his sermon this is what he emphasized.
"For Us"
for us conceived & born
for us suffered & died
for us raised
for us ascended
for us sitting at the right hand of the Father
"Given"
a pure gift
a present
nothing for me to give in return
nothing with which I can repay
"Called"
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace
For us, Given, a Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace!
For us! For us! For us!
Yesterday, in our morning counseling session, Kevin and I stumbled upon yet another weed in my heart. Trust. I don't trust God to take control and lead me in the daily circumstances of my life.
Just as I don't trust Kevin to do the laundry or pick out the outfits for the kids (if we are going somewhere important), I don't trust God to decide when I will do what or how. Why don't I trust Kevin to do laundry? Because I know he will not fold the clothes the way I like or he will not have the loads done when I think they should be done. I realized yesterday morning that it is the same with God. I don't trust Him to do things the way I want them done.
(Here is Emily helping Mieke ring us up at Publix)
I want to be a good wife and mother so...on Monday I will read on mothering during nap time, on Tuesday I will read on homeschooling during nap time & on Wednesday I will work on our finances during nap time. There you have it, Lesli's plan for successful parenting & mothering.
How's that working for you? You ask,
terrible!
I am stressed out trying to make all of the cards of the day lay out so that "my plan" will work. Why because I think the Creator of The Universe can't do it the way I want it. How puny is that!
And yet, according to the scripture above He is given to me, a gift at no cost, to be my very own counselor, mighty God & Prince of Peace. Why do I not just lay myself at His feet and humbly follow where He leads!
What type of life would he lead me into? Read below an excerpt from Luther's Sermon.
“He is the kind of lord who takes the government on his shoulder—and thus a genuine lord .... A unique and wonderful lord, who wears his authority around his neck! This shows how the rule of Christ differs from the kingdoms of the world. For Christ says, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them.”
They have to exercise power, to rule strictly, and make use of the law; but they do not need to fleece and flail [people]. [All] secular governments have to rule and punish with severity; but it is [only] the villains and tyrants who fleece and flail [their people]...
But the rule of that Son who was born to us works the other way around: he carries us! We rest on his shoulders; he is our bearer.
See how Isaiah turns everything around, contrary to the customs of the world. Where is Christ’s rule, his land, and his people? Our duke’s rule includes Saxony, Thuringia, and Meissen. But Christ’s rule includes all believers, of whom he is Lord. So we are his people and his land. And where is his government? On his shoulder! This is wonderful. Christ’s kingdom is not under his feet, nor is it in Rome or in Babylon; it is on his shoulder....
We just have to put up with the fact that the godless papists, the rabble, and the peasants all have our word and sacraments. But only those are Christians who are on his shoulder, that is, those who firmly trust him and allow themselves to be carried by him like the lost sheep. To sum up: no one is a Christian who does not rest on the shoulder of Christ.
Thus, here you see the very definition of the Son, the one who carries his subjects on his shoulder. And we are those subjects! lf the foolish followers of the pope who want to kill us only believed this, they would rethink their plan. They want to carry Christ themselves, back and forth; they carry him with their works and their merits. But he will prove too heavy for them. The sheep must say [instead], “Dear Shepherd, you carry me, not I you!” It would be some crazy sheep that wanted to carry him! Would it ever get something to carry! But Christ says, “Hop on! I will carry you well—and all your sins are forgiven.” And the world persecutes this
treasure of the kingdom [of Christ]! Isaiah says, “You have the Son.” So, hop on!
We should gladly and confidently run to him, believing that he will answer for us and pay for us.
This message goes forth into the world, but I have no idea about our gratitude [for it]. “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Now, by adding these six names, [the prophet] explains how the carrying takes place. When I have time and am healthy, I will preach about that. If not, someone else will do it, since it is written in the books as well as I can preach it [here]."
Am I not like those popes Luther speaks of when I try to carry my own load. Thinking it will lead me to where The Shepherd has called me to. Instead I ought to simply follow Him. Let Him carry the load and be used where and how He has called me to be used.
Perhaps this illustration might help put things in perspective.
Emily, Christian and I are typically climbing into Mommy & Daddy's bed each afternoon around 2pm. This is our routine, as I read to them and feed Christian, they both drift off to sleep.
I always prop up two pillows up against the bed post, so as to be more comfortable. This way my back is not against the wood frame of the bed.
Well, little Mrs. Emily has her own idea of how to sit comfortably. Each day, I try to prop up pillows for her, so that she too will be comfortable. And each day, she removes them and sits up against the wooden frame. Well, until she falls asleep, in which case she typically slumps over into my lap.
:)
I often think of my Mom when Emily does this. I know she would be more comfortable with the pillows, but Emily has the need to make a decision and she is choosing to not have the pillows. I am sure it is not comfortable for her, but I let her sit how she likes.
How often, I wonder does my Mom (and in laws!) feel similarly. They see me saying & doing things and think....how much easier it would be if she would....
And yet, I persist to do things my way which may indeed be unnecessary and harder!
How much more so, as I try to tell God the best way to orchestrate my day!
Rather I should be rejoicing in His willingness to lead. And that rejoicing ought to be demonstrated by obedience!
May we all truly know the joy of resting on His Shoulder!
