Seem odd to still be talking about Christmas? It shouldn't. Today marks the venerated twelfth day of Christmas. The holiday did not end on December 25th, it began. You'd never know it. On the 26th people immediately ceased singing "Joy to the World" and talking about Immanuel, God with us. It seemed unseasonable to talk about Jesus' birth even 24 hours after His birthday. Christmas cards and greetings looked "out of place." Yet in ancient church times, people sang carols for a full twelve days after Christmas, at which time, on Epiphany Sunday, the celebration culminated with the appearance of the wise men from the east.
Showing posts with label Wise Men. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wise Men. Show all posts
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Epiphany
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.'" Matthew 2:1-2
Seem odd to still be talking about Christmas? It shouldn't. Today marks the venerated twelfth day of Christmas. The holiday did not end on December 25th, it began. You'd never know it. On the 26th people immediately ceased singing "Joy to the World" and talking about Immanuel, God with us. It seemed unseasonable to talk about Jesus' birth even 24 hours after His birthday. Christmas cards and greetings looked "out of place." Yet in ancient church times, people sang carols for a full twelve days after Christmas, at which time, on Epiphany Sunday, the celebration culminated with the appearance of the wise men from the east.
Seem odd to still be talking about Christmas? It shouldn't. Today marks the venerated twelfth day of Christmas. The holiday did not end on December 25th, it began. You'd never know it. On the 26th people immediately ceased singing "Joy to the World" and talking about Immanuel, God with us. It seemed unseasonable to talk about Jesus' birth even 24 hours after His birthday. Christmas cards and greetings looked "out of place." Yet in ancient church times, people sang carols for a full twelve days after Christmas, at which time, on Epiphany Sunday, the celebration culminated with the appearance of the wise men from the east.
Monday, 17 December 2012
The Treasure Box
Written by Kristi Huseby
Did you have a treasure box growing up? I did. In my treasure box I had a very old dollar coin that my Mom had given to me, some chapstick, and various other items that you might have considered junk but to me they were valued possessions.
In Luke 2:19 (NLT) we get the idea that Mary had a treasure box of sorts, only her treasures were memories of Jesus and how his life intersected with hers. Look at what it says, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
What were those things she stored in her “treasure box”? Could it have been the time when the Angel came to tell her that she would bear a child even though she was a virgin? Or what about when she visited with Elizabeth who was old, wrinkled and very pregnant? Did she treasure watching God’s miracle growing within her?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)