An Abu Dhabi Christmas Story

Christmas is just eleven days away and we are enjoying the holiday season in the Middle East. I especially am loving seeing Christmas through the eyes of Grace. She sings "Silent Night," moos at the cows in her nativity set, and jingles her way around our house.

So, I thought the Christmas story, seen through her eyes, would be the most fitting way to share this precious story this year.

Luke 2

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.



Matthew 2- The Visit of the Magi

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route

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An Abu Dhabi Christmas Story

The Honor of Servanthood

I've recently been drawn back into watching the television series "Downton Abbey." If you haven't seen it, a brief synopsis would be that it is a show about an aristocratic family, set in England, during the 1910's and 1920's. The show, however, focuses greatly on how the hired help functions and how their lives intersect with their employers'.

Before seeing this show, I hadn't put much thought into the servants of the elite class. I especially hadn't thought about how these servants were considered respectable because of their job placement. I suppose I had always equivilated servanthood with slavery- lowest class citizens in work related bondage, only they were slightly compensated.

The show paints a much different version of this situation though. It shows that these elite families, living in heir palatial houses with dozens of servants, owning hundreds of acres of land, and being well established in the community, were often the main employers for whole towns and villages. To become an employee as a chauffeur, footman, valet, or ladies' maid showed aptitude, training, and earned the servant a certain amount of respect from the community in general, both lower/middle class and the upper rung of society.

All of this has lead me to think on servanthood and our call to be like servants. So often I forget that there is indeed honor in servanthood. Not everyone can be the president of a company or the organizer of an event. There are always underlings who are quietly working away at a task at hand, going away without much thanks, never knowing if they are making a difference. Their position, and all that it entails may not be as glamorous, fashionable, or desirable as others, but hard work has been put in to becoming who they are and that, in and of itself is honorable.

We face the choice to be a servant every day,
as a wife,
mother,
daughter,
sister,
friend,
employee,
volunteer,
neighbor,

and in our relationship with God.

Our call to servanthood plays itself out again and again in the Bible, with over 700 references to servants and the story surrounding their masters and their actions. Often the servants go unnamed but their story and the impact of their work has been captured for all of history to see.

When it comes down to it, whether or not our reputation as a servant is honorable or not, all depends on the quality of work and the way in which we conduct ourselves in our work.

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The Honor of Servanthood

I am Barabbas

I am Barabbas.

The scorned.
The rejected.
The unwanted.

I am Barabbas.

The plotter,
The schemer,
The murderer.

I am Barabbas.

The convicted,
The condemned,
The sentenced.

I am Barabbas.

The freed,
The redeemed,
The unworthy.

^{Luke 23
13} Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. ¹⁵ Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶ Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” ^[17

¹⁸ But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” ¹⁹ (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

²⁰ Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. ²¹ But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

²² For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

²³ But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decided to grant their demand. ²⁵ He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

I've always wondered what happened to Barabbas after he was released. What did he do? Where did go? Did he tell his story?

And then I think, what have I done? Where have I gone? Who have I told my story to?

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I am Barabbas

{Memorize}

Lately, the importance of Scripture memorization has been lain on my heart. This summer has been a particularly dry time for me, spiritually, and I know it has been from not being in the Word enough.

I'm one who thinks that I am not supposed to be "fed," but it is my responsibility to find the food.

If I can be brutally honest, I wasn't eating much. Or, if I was, it was drive through or a smoothie- any way to get "full," as quickly and painlessly as possible.

I came to a breaking point a couple of weeks ago, and the Lord has rebuked me and redeemed me again, pulling me back into His arms and pointing me in the right direction. My quiet time is more stable, I've started Beth Moore's Esther for Bible Study, and my prayer life is stabilizing.

But Scripture memorization.

Phew.

That's a tough one for me.

I know it is important.

I know it is valuable.

I just have a hard time committing them to memory.

So, here is my two part question:
1.) What is your FAVORITE memory verse or life verse (please put the full verse here, not just the reference!)
2.)How do you go about memorizing and filling your life with Scripture?

Can't wait to hear all of your responses, and I hope this helps others out there who may be struggling like I am!

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{Memorize}