Sunday, December 31, 2017
Isaiah 61:10 - 62:3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4: 4-7
Luke 2: 22-40
Merry Christmas, everybody !
I hope that you are able to take some time to reflect and appreciate the meaning of Christmas.
At Bethel, we are blessed with the legacy of the Chrismon Tree, to lend further meaning to the time-honored custom of bringing an evergreen into the house. Lights, stars, nativity scenes, and many other symbols of the Christ-child’s story are all around us at this time of year. May you find in them the signposts to point you always to the Christ in Christmas.
Some years ago, Randolph appointed Pam to carry away some old religious books that were in his home. They came to the Bethel office. Recently, Loyce was leafing through a very worn, old Bible, published some time after 1924, with the name of Ruth Hensley (Mrs. George) Turnmyer (or is it Turnmeyer ?) in the front. She found this highly creative item taped inside the cover. We present it this week for your edification and pleasure.
In the age of hand-set type and old-fashioned typewriters, this tree- shaped pattern was quite an artistic achievement !
The information about the Bible that it presents is accurate AS LONG AS
one is using a typical King James Version (American English) Bible as was common in the USA between the early 1800s and the 1960s.
You can try to check these facts with other translations and editions of the Holy Bible, but, especially where numbers are involved, you will get different results !
Is God calling you to do something creative or difficult ?— whether you might find it enjoyable or not !
What could we do to advance the faith or spread God’s love if we applied ourselves, as the artist who made this TREE OF TRUTH did ?
God’s Word is ever-green !
God’s mercies are new every morning !