Archive for December 2017
The joy-filled life
I was delighted by C. R. Wiley’s thoughts on Tom Bombadil in these two blog posts: Bombadil at Home and The Bombadil Option.
I try to keep [Bombadil] in mind when the Gandalfs of the world try to send me gallivanting off on an adventure. I’m not immune, mind you. At times I feel the stirring, and sometimes I even ride off to try and save the day. But eventually I come home again. And after that?—wistfully stare out the window and long for significance?
Or should I gather water lilies for my Goldberry and enjoy her charms; eating the food she has prepared for me and sitting by the fire and laughing as I recall the queer antics of badgers? I think so—because that’s the world I’m made for, the world I go to save when the lust for derring-do sweeps me along. That’s the world I’ve been given to serve as master.
A god too great for the sky
This weekend our small group enjoyed our second annual caroling in downtown Fuquay.
Merry Christmas!
Bread of heaven
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. (Luke 2:15-16 ESV)
Bethlehem means house of bread. Into this house, in a feeding trough, is laid the bread of life. He is our bread for feeding upon, food from God to give us life.
I am the bread of life. . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:48, 51 ESV)
He is also to be a tribute offering, bread that will be lifted up (John 8, 12). Like a tribute offering, he is presented with oil and frankincense in both his birth and death (Matthew 2:11, Mark 15:23, John 19:39).
When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. And he shall take from it a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. (Leviticus 2:1-2 ESV)
His obedience—and in him, our obedience—are food for God.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6 ESV)
When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:8-10 ESV)
We, after all, are one loaf (1 Cor 10:17).
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17 ESV)
Take, eat!
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.
I gotta have my orange juice. 