Hebrews 12:1-2 All of humanity is made in the image of God!

Hebrews 2:9–10 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

All of us, all of humanity, was made in the image of God. We are His creation and are inherently valued simply because of this. Jesus came to offer His life in exchange for ours, so that no longer bound to our sinful nature, we could reflect God’s glory. Choosing God above all allows us to be transformed into the image of His only begotten Son. All praise and honor to our Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Carla

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The cloud of witnesses refers to the people of faith mentioned in chapter 11. They are not actually spectators watching us; they are witnesses testifying to the truth of the faith (11:2, 4–6). 

Weight is anything that hinders a runner.

Looking here means “fixing one’s eyes trustingly.” We need to consistently focus on Christ instead of our own circumstances. Christ has done everything necessary for us to endure in our faith. He is our example and model, for He focused on the joy that was set before Him. His attention was not on the agonies of the Cross, but on the crown; not on the suffering, but the reward. The NKJV Study Bible

The footrace was one of the longest and most significant events in the Greek games.

Although Hebrews 11 included a long list of worthy exemplars, Jesus is ultimately the focus. In light of the footrace metaphor, the idea here might be that Jesus, who pioneered the course of the faith, awaits believers at the finish line.

Prizes often were set before athletes to provide motivation (according to first-century Jewish historian Josephus, Antiquities 8:302). Jesus’ endurance of the cross provides the paradigm for believers (verses 1–7), who also will endure suffering and shame (10:32; 12:3). Faithlife Study Bible

Philippians 2:8–9 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 

Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

Luke 24:26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 

Let us remember: Mercy is any compassionate gift given to someone, who is suffering, struggling, disheartened.

And in writing about mercy, today’s weather reminded me about the “storms” and “power outages” that happen to us emotionally and spiritually. About the times we have all experienced “outages” to our own emotional wellbeing.

And when that happens, how easy it is, to neglect self-mercy. To neglect self-care replenishment.

Self-mercy—the gentle awareness that precedes self-compassion—means offering yourself the same understanding you extend to others. It's choosing to embrace rather than punish, to understand rather than criticize.

Let us take to heart Saint Francis de Sales’ reminder, "Be patient with all things, but most of all with yourself."

Over the years, I’ve written that care of any kind—compassion, generosity, forgiveness, reconciliation, peacemaking, service, ministry, teaching, giving, healing—begins with and is nourished by self-care.

This is a good week to be gentle with ourselves. To find renewal.

And my confession: self-care isn’t always my strong suit.

Psychologist Kristin Neff was the first person to measure and operationally define the term “self-compassion.” She describes self-compassion as kindness toward the self, which entails being gentle, supportive, and understanding: “Rather than harshly judging oneself for personal shortcomings, the self is offered warmth and unconditional acceptance.” In other words, being kind to ourselves in good times and bad, in sickness and in health—and yes, even when we mess up.

“Having self-compassion means being able to recognize the difference between making a bad decision and being a bad person. When you have self-compassion, you understand that your worth is unconditional.”

Yes. The gift of mercy: seeing—and embracing—the dignity and value at our core.

To help remember, I keep this Parker Palmer quote close by. "It is a strange gift, this birthright gift of self. Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to become something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God."

And in my heart I know that “vocation” is not my job, and not my calling, but the mark I leave, and the place I take, in this world.

Self-care and self-mercy—the permission to be at home in our own skin.

I read this once, “she was reclaiming herself, alive in her own skin.” Yes, that’s it. At home in our own skin… Unabashed in a skin (a self) that feels, values, honors, esteems, loves, fears, desires, hopes for, believes in and commits to. With nothing to earn or prove, because life isn’t a race or contest or beauty pageant.

And here’s the deal: At home, I have a self to give.
To be an anchor, a listening ear.
To be a hand to hold, a hug to keep the heart alive.
And to spill mercy. And to spill light.

“Sabbath Moments”

As Advent points us to the coming of Jesus, today's verses offer a prophetic view of God's redemptive work through Him.

Psalm 118:22-24 foretold the joyful paradox of our Savior's arrival: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ...let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

Amid our greatest struggles, Jesus is our joy and strength. Even in our weariness, may we still rejoice in Him. 

Hebrews 12:2 profoundly reminds us that the joy of our salvation compelled Jesus to go to the cross. What indescribable love! First5

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John 1:12-18 Only in Christ Jesus can we be saved!

John 14:6–9 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”…

We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Without the salvation of Jesus who died in our place we would all be without hope in this fallen world. Carla

John 1:12-18 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

The phrase believe in His name occurs three times in the Gospel of John (1:12; 2:23; 3:18). Name does not refer to the term by which He is called, but to what His name stands for—the Lord is salvation (Exodus 3:14, 15). In this context, the phrase means to believe that Jesus is the Word, the life, and the Light—that is, He is the Christ, the Son of God (20:31). To them He gave the right refers to the legitimate entitlement to the position of children of God. By believing, undeserving sinners can become full members of God’s family.

This new spiritual birth is not of blood, that is, by physical generation or by parents. Nor is the new birth of the will of the flesh, that is, by personal effort. Neither is the birth of the will of man, that is, something done by another individual. Each person must individually trust Jesus Christ for eternal life. It is a gift to be received (4:10, 14), not a reward achieved through any human effort.

The Son of God who was from eternity became human, with limitations in time and space (Philippians . 2:5–8). This is the doctrine of the incarnation: God became human. Nothing of the essential nature of deity was lost in this event; we might rephrase became as “took to Himself.” John uses the word flesh to refer to the physical nature of humans, not to our sinful disposition (contrast Romans 8:1–11). 

Dwelt comes from the Greek word for tent that was used in the Greek OT for the tabernacle, where the presence of God dwelt. In the OT, glory refers to the divine presence (Exodus 33:18). As God manifested His glory in the tabernacle, so Jesus displayed His divine presence before the apostles (18:6; 20:26, 27). Only begotten (3:16, 18) means unique, one of a kind. The same term is used of Isaac (Hebrews 11:17), who was not the only physical son of Abraham, but was the unique son of promise. All who trust Christ are born of God. In the Gospel of John, these “born ones” are called children of God (verses 12, 13), but Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. He is the only Son who is fully God. He is also full of grace and truth. When God revealed Himself to Moses, He proclaimed Himself to be “abounding in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6). As applied to Jesus Christ, this phrase marks Him as the author of perfect redemption and perfect revelation.

Jesus was born after John the Baptist (Luke 1:36) and began His ministry later than John the Baptist. Yet John the Baptist said Jesus was before him, meaning that Jesus’ existence is from eternity past (verse 30).

Throughout the NT, grace is God’s favor expressed to sinful humankind apart from any human works or worth. Though there was abundant grace and truth expressed by God through the Law He gave Moses, it is in the person of Jesus Christ that grace and truth are realized to the fullest.

God is Spirit (4:24) and is invisible (Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17) unless God chooses to reveal Himself. Humans cannot look at God and live (Exodus 33:20). Abraham, the friend of God, did not see God. Even Moses, the lawgiver, could not look at God’s face (Exodus 33:22, 23). However, the Son is in intimate relationship with the Father, face-to-face with God (1:1; 6:46; 1 John 1:2). 

God became visible to human eyes in the man Jesus. It is through seeing the Son that we see God. We cannot see Him today, but we know Him through His word. The bosom, or chest, is used here to designate a close and intimate relationship (13:23; Luke 16:23). 

The One who is the Father’s only begotten Son and who knows God intimately came to earth and declared Him. Declared can also mean “explained.” The NKJV Study Bible

John 1:7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 

John 1:30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 

Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

What does mercy look like?

How can I choose to heal, instead of choosing to hurt?

How can I spill grace to those around me, instead of disregard or neglect?

How can I make room for transformation and growth, instead of numbing and detachment?

Mercy is the fruit of compassion in a world where inhumanity and heartlessness is real. Mercy is any compassionate gift given to someone who is suffering.

And raised in a church where verbal affirmation was the key to “passing the test”, I need to take to heart that compassion is more than just a verbal nod, and more than just feeling concerned about someone in distress (or caring about a person’s misfortune); compassion involves action.

And that action, is mercy. 

But here’s the good news. Mercy is not an acquirable, attainable trait. Mercy is what flows from an open and vulnerable heart. In our vulnerability and humility, mercy matures, and is spilled.

The healing balm of God’s mercy. Yes. Let us sit, and allow that to percolate. A balm that is healing and replenishing and sustaining for both hope and courage.

And my friends… We can be voices of mercy. “We”, the applicable pronoun, as more than ever the saying is true, “In the shelter of each other the people live.” Sabbath Moments

And now this…from the leader of the free world. Americans are no longer free.

Donald J. Trump •

@realDonaldTrump

A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS. He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace!

Some days there are no words!

Jesus came with angels heralding “Peace, peace on the people of earth”. How we have twisted the gift of the Father to the world that He so loved. God forgive us we know not what we do. Carla

"Preach the Gospel always. Use words when necessary." St. Francis of Assisi

In junior high and high school, we had a well-known bully. And he followed the script, carrying himself like the world revolved around him.
He did attend most of his classes, and when not in class, walked the hallways with an air of arrogance, a mixture of “Look at me, I’m important” and “Stay out of my way”. He was shadowed—depending on the year—by two or three minions who would flatter and fawn. And he spent much of the lunch hour in the parking lot sitting on the hood of his car.
We all knew not to get in his way, and we knew not to find any way to irritate him.
I had a girlfriend in my freshman year, and he wanted her to be his girlfriend. He would threaten to beat me up. And he enjoyed calling me names.
This story didn’t come to my mind for those occasions, but for another—for me, a very emotional memory. The memory of him openly berating, and intimidating, younger boys. There were times when I couldn’t miss it. And times, when I couldn’t turn away, and watched. Sometimes it was just the verbal intimidation and name calling. Sometimes it was physical threats. We all—everyone in the school—could see it. And we knew the pretext, “It’s just him being him. Let’s ignore it. And stay out of his way.”
I can tell you, that to this day, I carry the shame—and sorrow—from “ignoring”. And avoiding. “There’s nothing I can do,” I would say to myself back then.

And to this day, when I see pain from unkindness or meanness (including when we ignore the pain of the “least of these”), it goes straight to my core. And there is a part of my heart that wants to pretend it isn’t so. And I close my spirit down. In a world where bullying—meanness and violence—exists, it can be too easy to close our eyes. As a go-to response. Easier to avoid the involvement emotional roller coaster we tell ourselves.
And no, this was not the Sabbath Moment I had set out to write today.
So. Why the bully story?
I just read the news. And I don’t have the words.
They were gathering for a celebration at the beginning of Hanukkah, in Sydney, Australia. And shooters—a father and son—targeted a Jewish gathering on the beach and killed at least 15 people, and wounded 40 more, officials said. At least one gunman (the father) is dead, and the son, is in custody. The authorities called it a terrorist attack.
And here’s the deal. Even with the news—national or international—the voices inside sound familiar. “But what can I do?” “Cruelty and violence are real. Crazy people do crazy things.” “It happened so far away.” Yes, the temptations of cynicism, and despair, and shutting down, are very real.
I remember one conversation in one of my BBC TV shows, Grantchester, about one of their dear friends going downhill, “I noticed, but I didn’t say anything,” said Kathy. “We all noticed, but we didn’t say anything,” said Mrs. C.

And I am reminded of a Pope Leo XIV recent summons, “Religion… cannot be limited to the private sphere, as if believers had no business making their voice heard with regard to problems affecting civil society and issues of concern to its members.”

I put my pen down. And took a writing pause.
And put on some music. And sat, and listened to Peter, Paul and Mary signing, “Light One Candle.”
“Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
But light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand
Don't let the light go out
It's lasted for so many years
Don't let the light go out
Let it shine through our love and our tears
Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
Let anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to bind us together
With peace as the song in our heart”
(“Light One Candle” is an affirmation and confirmation of the healing power in Hanukkah.)

Now, back to the bully story. Here’s the deal: we do have a choice.
We—every single one of us—can “light one candle”.
We can say No, to the “darkness” of bullying, and cruelty, and unkindness, and Yes, to lighting a candle for mercy, and compassion, and healing, and hope.
When we light this candle, let us listen to—and hear—the words of Micah (a Hebrew prophet from the 8th century BC), “What doth God require of thee, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
Oh my. To love mercy.
Mercy is real, my friends. And mercy makes a difference. And I’m so grateful for the people in my life and world that show mercy, and spill mercy around them. Thank you.
I read this today from Sean McDowell, “Jesus modeled this in his interactions with lepers. In first-century Palestine, lepers were considered cursed by God. They were required to live outside of cities, have no contact with anyone, and cry out ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ if anyone approached (Lev. 13:45-46). Because of their loathsome skin disease, lepers were truly societal outcasts.
Yet one leper risked everything by approaching Jesus. Would Jesus possibly consider him worthy of being healed? Rather than turning away, ignoring him, or mocking him, Jesus was ‘filled with compassion’ and did the unthinkable: he touched him and made him well (Mark 1:40-45).
Rather than taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable, Jesus humbled himself and cared for them.
How would Jesus respond to bullying? Jesus touched the untouchable. He loved the unlovable. He cared for the disregarded, weak, and vulnerable. Even those who were excluded by society could be included in his love. If Jesus were physically present today, he would stand up to bullies, have compassion on those who are bullied, and never be a bystander.
Will we do the same?”

Today in our Christian churches, we light the third Advent candle of Joy.
And during this season of “lists” and intense pace, please be gentle with yourself.
And let’s use the words for Light One Candle, as our prayer this week. Thank you for your concerns about the serious flooding that occurred in Washington State this past week. We were fortunate, but other areas were seriously damaged.
Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish brothers and sisters.
And let us be on the lookout for those around us who need the light of kindness and mercy. Sabbath Moments

John 10:11-16 We are loved!

John 11:52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. We are weak but He is strong! We must come to Him as a child totally trusting in God to do what we cannot.

John 10:11-16 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son so that we could be reconciled to Him.No longer bound by sin we can choose to love Him and trust only in Him. Thank You, Jesus. Carla

I am the good shepherd Jesus fulfills the messianic role of the shepherd. This role in Ezekiel is depicted as fulfilled by God; Jesus makes the claim that He (as God in flesh) is the one fulfilling it (Ezekiel 34:23).  

Evoking imagery of the young shepherd, David, risking his life to keep his sheep safe (1 Samuel 17:34–37). In addition to fulfilling God’s role with His people as shepherd, Jesus fulfills David’s role as their king.

The Father knows me gives Jesus the authority to make the claims He does. 

I have other sheep alludes to the Gentiles and the ultimate universal scope of salvation via Christ’s atoning death. One flock—one shepherd compares  Ezekiel 34:23. The flock includes all believers, both Jews and Gentiles. Faithlife Study Bible

Jesus is the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep (3:16; 1 John 3:16), as opposed to the wicked thief who takes their lives. While life in verse 10 refers to eternal life, life here refers to physical life. Jesus laid down His physical life in order to give us eternal life.

The hireling is a hired shepherd, a mercenary, who tends the flock for his own interest. When a hired shepherd sees a wolf coming he flees, not caring about the sheep.

The other sheep were not Jews in heathen lands, but Gentiles. The Jewish people had asked if Jesus would go and teach the Gentiles (7:35). Jesus now declared that He had sheep among the despised heathen. One flock anticipates the salvation of the Gentiles and the formation of the church, in which converted Jews and Gentiles would form one spiritual body (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:16). The NKJV Study Bible

Ezekiel 34:23

I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 

1 Peter 2:25

For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Ezekiel 34:11–16

‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day…

John 10:17–18

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

I am frequently asked, “What specifically can we do to keep sane in a world that too often feels upside down?”

Here’s my answer. “Let’s give ourselves the permission to let our soul catch up.”

We don’t need another assignment. Or test to pass. 

Sometimes, without even knowing it...

We need times and places to decompress.

We need times and places to let our soul catch up.

Savor your moments this season, for Christmas and Hanukkah. (To my Jewish brothers and sisters, “Happy Hanukkah”, which begins at sundown Sunday.)

And say thank you to those who make your life richer. Sabbath Moments

Spiritually speaking, without faith in Jesus, our lives are like sin-stained clothes. Except we only have one set. And if heaven is like a wedding (Revelation 19:7), we'd never get in dressed as we are. We've all acted in ways that are unfaithful to our loving and holy God, and there is nothing we can do on our own to make peace. The only miracle that could save us is a brand-new set of clothes.

Thankfully, Jesus came not just to wash our clothes white but to give us His own garments that have never been stained (2 Corinthians 5:21). During this second week of Advent, we remember that the arrival of Jesus was the arrival of peace with God.Today's key verse prophesies about this very thing: "Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place" (Daniel 9:24).

Daniel was a prophet who lived through Israel's exile in Babylon and oppression in Persia. His book is divided into historical narrative and prophecy, and this particular prophecy is among the most debated in Scripture. Bible scholar Stephen Miller notes that it's perhaps the most difficult verse in the book of Daniel, as many question the meaning of "seventy weeks."

But the time period actually isn't the most important part of this scripture. Let's look at what is promised: the end of sin, atonement for iniquity, and the arrival of everlasting righteousness. These phrases point to the Day of the Lord, when Jesus' return will permanently make peace and set all things right.

Until that day, sin still remains in the world. But when we read Daniel 9:24 through a gospel lens, it invites us to pause and remember that even now, Jesus has already "appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26).So in part, Daniel's prophecy has been fulfilled! According to Hebrews, we are living in the end of the ages. Jesus is our peace and "everlasting righteousness" (Daniel 9:24).

Jesus is also the true "holy place" of Daniel 9:24; the temple of His body was torn down and raised up again in three days (John 2:19-21), and His Spirit now dwells within believers (Galatians 2:20). Though He will ultimately "seal both vision and prophet" in eternity to come (Daniel 9:24), God's Word is also complete and sufficient now as we wait for Jesus' return.

During Advent, let's remember that Jesus' first arrival began the work of atonement for sin, bringing peace between God and humanity.And let's also eagerly anticipate His second coming, which will bring everlasting peace for believers because there will be absolutely no more sin ever, in us or anyone else, to the praise of His glorious grace. First5