Reading Days 43-49

Psalms 89:14-Isaiah 13:22
Happy Advent!
I bet you thought we were in the season of Lent, but we BIND people, are running on a different calendar. By my calculations, Jesus will be born when we read Matthew Chapter 1, on April 8th. That means that Christmas is less than a month away, so we must be in Advent! (Don't forget your BIND teacher on you Christmas shopping list J).


Many of my favorite childhood memories relate to the anticipation of Christmas: decorating, searching the toy catalog, making my Christmas list, and mailing a letter to Santa. Do your remember those cards that had all the little doors that you would open one day at a time, and reveal a small picture related to Christmas? I loved those. Some of the pictures were more obvious than others (one might be a wrapped present or another might be just a bird). I have a similar feeling now, as we approach the birth of Christ, opening little doors, thinking about the little messages they reveal, and saying Yes! or Huh?


Here are a few of the Christ(mas) doors that I have come across lately, and I challenge you to keep your eyes open, because even though their frequency of occurrence will increase between now and Christmas (hint, hint Isaiah), they will also be easy to miss. Besides all the geneology which traced down through David and to Jesus, take a look at these, and you decide - is this wishful thinking on my part, or foreshadowing....

Job knew why Jesus was coming.... If only there were someone to arbitrate between us {God and Job}, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Job 9:33-34


Jesus knew the Old Testament too and quoted Psalms at his darkest hours, .... My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Psalm 22:1


And see how the rest of Psalm 22 came true during his crucifixion.... Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. Psalm 22:16


It continues.... They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. Psalm 22:18


In my final "little door," Jesus quotes a Psalm in his Parable of the Tenants, referring to himself as the capstone. A capstone is the smooth, attractive stone at the top of a stone wall, protecting the rest of the wall (us rough stones) from wear and tear, weather and other damage. This Psalm is also mentioned in Mark, Luke, Acts and 1 Peter.... The stone the builders rejected, has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Psalm 118:22-23


So, keep finding and opening those little doors, and be joyful, because Christmas is coming!
Marv