photo courtesy of artur84@@freedigitalphotos.net

With the Christmas season fast approaching and lots added to our “to do” lists, I wanted to take a moment and help you reflect upon this season.  We as women can get so wrapped up in the “doing” that we forget the “being” part of Christmas time.  I wanted to write this devotional to help us identify with each of the nativity people.  This will be presented in a 10 part series–each day signifying a different person.  You can download it here for the complete devotional to use in your ladies group–includes all scripture NKJV.  Or you can enjoy a new person each day through my blog.  Be blessed as we go about remembering the reason for this season.

Day 8: The donkey

The only scripture reference is that the donkey carried Mary along the journey to Bethlehem. This is my take on the life of the donkey.
This donkey had a hard journey to take. He knew that the end result would be in a stable with fresh soft hay that he could lay down and rest in but he first had to endure to get to that point. He had to walk through rocky terrain, up and down mountains, and he probably was a little inconvenienced by not having enough to drink along the way.
The real hardship was to carry the baggage brought along on this journey. The heavy baggage that was strapped onto his body felt like a ton of bricks was put on his back. Then, to top it all off, they put this pregnant women on top of him! Here he was carrying the weight of the world on his back, traveling along rocky crags, and not seeing the end in sight for quite some time. All this poor little donkey looked forward to, was that soft straw that was lying in the manger.

Has God called you to do a task and you need encouragement from feeling weighed down with the heavy baggage of your calling in life? Know that the end is near. He will provide a season of rest. He will give you a resting ground, a place where you can take off all that baggage and lie down next to the Savior in that soft fresh hay.

day 9

photo courtesy of artur84@@freedigitalphotos.net

With the Christmas season fast approaching and lots added to our “to do” lists, I wanted to take a moment and help you reflect upon this season.  We as women can get so wrapped up in the “doing” that we forget the “being” part of Christmas time.  I wanted to write this devotional to help us identify with each of the nativity people.  This will be presented in a 10 part series–each day signifying a different person.  You can download it here for the complete devotional to use in your ladies group–includes all scripture NKJV.  Or you can enjoy a new person each day through my blog.  Be blessed as we go about remembering the reason for this season.

Day 7: The lamb

There isn’t any scripture reference if sheep were part of the nativity or not, again I am using my own information on this.
Think of the nature of a little lamb. It skips along happily just as a child would be like in life. No cares of this world, just happily being led by its shepherd. Trusts in him completely, with no worries of the day.
If the lamb went with the shepherds to see the baby Jesus, he might have been able to snuggle up next to the baby and kept him warm. He would of enjoyed sleeping happily all cozy up next to the Savior.
The Bible says we are to have a child-like faith to enter into the kingdom of God. Think of the nature of a child……children don’t question much. You can tell them something and they believe it. How many parents tell their children about Santa Claus and all that he can do and they just accept it as a fact? Now let’s reverse that to us as adults. How many times do we read scripture and doubt it can happen?

Do you need to reclaim your child-like faith to be able to trust God and to grow in wonder, freedom and delight with your Savior? Do you need to be released from all of the wrong things that you have been ingrained with that go against scripture? When you read the Bible, do you think that it is not for today and that God doesn’t do what He did back then? Just as Zechariah, Joseph, and Mary did—-you need to BELIEVE so that you can RECEIVE what it is God has for you in your life. It takes an act of FAITH to believe something. You may not see it, but if God says it, you must not doubt it. Believe so that you can receive!

day8