On Purpose

I stood in the children’s book aisle reading the latest offering of board books, three month old Amelia sleeping in her carrier next to my heart. Each time I reached to a lower shelf, she stirred restlessly. I was beginning to feel the same way, as if I was being stirred from slumber as well. I was drawn to several Thanksgiving titles which read very much like prayers except it was unclear who was being thanked. It certainly wasn’t God and it didn’t seem to be the parents or anyone specifically. Just thank you. I feel like some well meaning author or publisher may have decided that the ambiguity would be less offensive but by now I was feeling pretty uneasy. That’s when I realized the Holy Spirit was stirring and I began to listen more intently.

Speaking to His disciples before a gathered crowd, Jesus said, “I say to you, whoever declares openly and confesses Me before men [speaking freely of Me as his Lord], the Son of Man also will declare openly and confess him [as one of His own] before the angels of God.”

Luke 12:8 AMP

https://bible.com/bible/1588/luk.12.8.AMP

I love to read aloud to my grandchildren and I loved reading aloud to my children as well. My eldest needed little encouragement and could get lost in books for hours as he mastered reading for himself. It took a little more prodding with his sister, who only really began enjoying reading independently after her competitive nature engaged to win a prize in third grade. My youngest, like his dad, reads for information only and if the information can be found on YouTube, all the better.

I see each of them in my grandson and granddaughter, who at five months already listens intently and reaches for the brightly colored pages. As long as I’m able, I’ll continue reading to them and I’m already excited as I think of reading all seven books of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia with each of them in time. Above all else, I search the shelves of every book aisle I find for board books with stories from the Book of all books, the Bible. No other book was breathed out by God and useful for equipping His people to do every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

When Moses addressed the Israelites on the eve of their flight from Egypt, God’s instructions were clear. Kill the Passover lamb and put the blood on the doorframes of their houses. Be ready. The time had come. After the destruction they’d seen and endured before God began sparing them while striking hard at Egypt, they dared not ignore His command. God was showing them His power to save and He wanted this lesson to stick. They were commanded to observe this day from generation to generation.

“When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony.

Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’

And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt.

And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’”

When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped.”

Exodus 12:25-27 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.12.25-27.NLT

They worshipped the Lord for what they had seen and heard, but what of their children and grandchildren? Every soul aged twenty and older would fall in the wilderness during the forty year sojourn save two- Joshua and Caleb. Scripture records several very sobering reports early in Israel’s history.

“After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.”

Judges 2:10 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jdg.2.10.NLT

“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”

Judges 21:25 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jdg.21.25.NLT

“Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings.

O Israel, if you would only listen to me!

You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god.

For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.

But no, my people wouldn’t listen.

Israel did not want me around.

So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas.”

Psalms 81:8-12 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.81.8-12.NLT

Have you read the Book of all books. Knowing how it ends only makes its story richer. You’ll meet Jesus in the Gospels. You’ll hear His voice for yourself. You can know Him who knew you before the creation of the world. He’s the One who is writing your story. He knows how it began and how it will end, and He works all things together for the good.

“For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective].

It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.”

Hebrews 4:12-13 AMP

https://bible.com/bible/1588/heb.4.12-13.AMP

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.

What then shall we say to all these things?

If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?

He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”

Romans 8:28, 31-32 AMP

https://bible.com/bible/1588/rom.8.28-32.AMP

So as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, there’s only one story that bears repeating. You’ll find it in Luke chapter two, but there are four gospels and from cover to cover, the Bible speaks of Messiah. Tell your children and grandchildren, your extended family, your neighbors and friends, your coworkers- tell anyone who will listen- that Jesus came as a baby at Christmas and He’s coming again! God always keeps His promises. (II Peter 3, Acts 1:11)