Tag Archives: Christmas

Crushing the Nations-The 13th Day of Christmas

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On the 13th day of Christmas my true love gave to me a vision of destroyed kingdoms (Daniel 2:34-35).

“We’re on the brink of war,” a South Korean official said after North Korea fired shells at its bordering neighbor yesterday and the south retaliated. Many are shocked, appalled even, at North Korea’s “inhumane” and “barbaric” acts that killed two marines and two civilians on Yeonpyeong Island. I’m not shocked. North Korea is the nation that recently unveiled its new nuclear arms plant to an American scientist. Showing this plant to an American doesn’t seem incidental nor do I think the shelling within the same month on an American ally nation is coincidental. Perhaps both these actions go beyond baiting its 60-year-old rival and suggest a provocation toward World War III. The mini war and rumor of a bigger one is part of Scriptural prophecy toward the end of this world (Matthew 24:6-7). So whatever North Korea’s motive and whatever damage they do will not go unpunished.

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44).

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).

Daniel prophesies that God the Father will “set up a kingdom” that will destroy the nations spoken of in Daniel, and this kingdom belongs to Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32-33). Though North Korea is not one of the nations in Daniel, I am thankful that “all…nations” will serve Jesus, and His kingdom will not be destroyed (Daniel 7:14; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:9-11). All nations include North Korea and no nukes or shells can destroy Jesus’ kingdom.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

False Reign-The 14th Day of Christmas

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On the 14th day of Christmas my true love gave to me a picture of reigning reality (Ezekiel 21:27).

When we decide we know what to do when God hasn’t so much as given us a clue, we rule our lives but may soon be surprised that our reign was just an illusion. This I tried to convey, in more words or less, to a young woman whose husband wants more children and she is so good and godly with them but wants to remain on birth control so she can fulfill her dreams. And this illusionary reign was the same message to another too fearful to open test results that may determine her employment future. No pills can stop God’s planned pregnancy nor can unopened test scores change the results. I told them this easily from the soundtrack of my life: Let God reign supreme. That way you’ll get everything you need and then some (John 15:1-17). This is a hard lesson for us with all our rights; we forget that God has the right to reign, including our lives.

Looking to the second coming of Jesus Christ, God the Father says He will displace the false messiah and no one else will rule until “He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him” (Ezekiel 21:27).

This prophecy speaks to the end time but helps us understand that Jesus has the right to rule the earth and, as our Lord, then most definitely, our lives. Keeping in the forefront of my mind Jesus’ right to rule my life, I have had to let go of my illusionary reigns, like my drive to succeed on my terms. Though scary at times, my life is always so much better when I stop trying to be someone I could never be, take the backseat and let Jesus drive my life.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

Weeping Over the Wayward-The 15th Day of Christmas

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On the 15th day of Christmas my true love gave to me tears over my wayward soul (Lamentations 1:1).

I am a planner. I like to know well in advance if someone wants me to attend an event. I like to take inventory so I can properly plan my event. And I like to already know who is ready to receive me in the event that I don’t have time to plan in advance. Nevertheless, it’s all planning, anticipating that things will go well, the people will come because you have invited them. You don’t have to be an event planner to know that rarely will everyone you invite will show up, no matter how timely your organizing is. But have you ever experienced an entire no show? This may be the reason Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet. He cried over the children of Israel not showing up to God’s invitation to holiness and allowing Him to care for their every need:

Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel, declares the LORD. A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their God.
“Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.” “Behold, we come to you, for you are the LORD our God” (Jeremiah 3:20-22).

God cried over and out to the Israelites so they would return to Him, and they said they would, but they were unfaithful and caused Jerusalem to come to ruin.

How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave (Lamentations 1:1).

Jeremiah is a type of Christ, a prophet who also wept over Jerusalem and her inhabitants:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! See, your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:37-38).

This weeping is a weeping for all wayward folks who claim Jesus Christ as our very own. Jesus Christ has an open invitation, planned well in advance, before time began, to come to Him so that our lives will go well. He invited us to receive Him as Savior so we spend life after death with Him, but until then He invites us to make Him Lord of our lives. We can, in our strong black woman strength, be our own lords, but God continues to bid us to come to Him. With Him is guaranteed protection, provision, and peace. Jesus Christ invites us to this and so much more. Don’t let Him weep over your waywardness. He has already planned to take care of you, no matter what the issue. Stop thinking, “I got this,” and let God take you under His wings.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

Waiting for Superman-The 16th Day of Christmas

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On the 17th day of Christmas my true love gave to me a promise to punish bad pastors (Jeremiah 23:1-2).

Waiting for Superman is the hotly discussed documentary that highlights America’s failing public education system, features some successful alternative education systems and challenges all to stop waiting for Superman to come fix the schools; we can be super together to devise a system for all children because everyone’s quality of life is at stake. After I watched the film, I was charged up, ready to start an educational Tea Party of sorts. Well, not exactly. Of course, I’d leave out the racism part and the myopic idealism that comes across as racism, but, like the Tea Party being fed up with politics as usual, I wanted to stand up, do my part, to ensure that no child is left behind and is pushed ahead WITH knowledge to succeed. We should all involve ourselves somehow in educational reform, especially ejecting the fat cats who have gained on the backs of America’s children. Their devilish deeds remind me of corrupt pastors in churches who seem to be able to bounce back like a fat cat with nine lives. But God’s word says their day is coming:

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD.

Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD.

Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness’ (Jeremiah 23:1-6).

God the Father declares that He will take care of corrupt pastors and Jesus Christ, whose name is the Lord is our righteousness (Philippians 3:9), will ultimately “reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land” (Romans 15:12; Revelation 19, 22:16). This is Jesus, super beyond Superman, who will handle all systems and peoples of injustice when He returns to earth. Yes, we will wait on Him for their ultimate blow. But until then, there is a lot of work for us to do. So let’s allow Jesus to reign in us, and let us ask Him how He wants us to do our part to tear apart these unsavory systems. We have Beyond Super in us so we don’t have to ever wait for Superman.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

The Ugly Parent-The 17th Day of Christmas

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On the 17th day of Christmas my true love gave to me a face to change my reality (Isaiah 52:14).

Sometimes Sundays make me sad. When I should be continually rejoicing because I get to go to church, worship with the saints and potentially hear a great word (depending on how my 1 year old is acting) I get sad and sometimes feel I just want to stay home. I don’t want to get washed and dressed, get three children washed and dressed, prepare food and feed us, pack diaper bags with diapers, wipes, drinks and snacks, get bibles, coats, gloves and hats, drive to church, unpack the children, take off our coats, take the oldest two to their classes and wait with bated breath until I have to go to the Cry Room to listen to a word from the babies. And all of this, most times, without a made-up face. That’s right, no makeup to cover up eyes that earlier cut across rooms to remind the boys to hurry up and a mouth mentioning that we will be late. I think I would just be better, feel better, if I had a made-up face, but I go plain, often, because taking care of my boys doesn’t allow time for a made-up face.

Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness—(Isaiah 52:14).

Then this comes to mind, a description of what the greatest parent ever, Jesus Christ, would endure: heavy hands from hollowed hearts, cruelty unimaginable that made Him unimaginable (Philippians 2:7-11). Jesus willingly received a face He didn’t want or choose but accepted so we could have a chance at life, a beauty beyond makeup basics with everlasting implications. His face was made up in a different way, beaten and bruised beyond recognition, suffering cruelty and being ugly for you and for me.

For now on Sundays may make me sad but I hope more with the sullen reality of my selfish desire for a face that will never be life-changing.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith