Bread Of Life

Bread of Life

   My children are lounging around me.

How long have we been listening?

   His words of wisdom are weighty

And my heart is quickening.

  Someone passes me a basket,

Barley bread and remnants of fish,

  I give to my children who ask ‘It

Comes from Him?’, a fulfilled wish.

  This Passover will be remembered 

As the day we ate the bread of life.

  My thoughts of ‘how’, surrendered, 

Left only with less tension and strife.

It was during Passover week that Jesus fed the five thousand. Surely they were reading Torah or listening as someone read the words of Moses. 

I will bring you out,

I will deliver you,

I will redeem you,

You will be my people and I will be your God.

Did they recognize that this man provided manna in the wilderness? He brought forth water from a stone when they thirsted. This same Jesus was Jehovah in their scriptures. Of course he could feed them. He did so with loving-kindness, or hesed. 

And he can feed me at Christmas. He can turn my thoughts to more, instead of how little I have to give. He can show me the rest in living within his covenant arm. He is my calm Christmas.

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Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?

 Made Whole

   I have come to the pool for years

And each time I am passed over.

  No one steps up and volunteers 

To take me into the water’s exposure.

  He asks if I want to be whole

Without water, without touching me,

 He heals me body and soul,

And I am finally made free.

The power Jesus had to heal was life changing. There by the sheep market in Jerusalem was a pool of water called Bethesda, a Greek word meaning 'house of kindness'. Tradition held that an angel moved the waters in a certain season and those in the pool were healed. Jesus approached a lame man and through revelation he knew his condition was on going, some thirty eight years. The man came to the water but no one picked him up and helped him in the pool. Jesus did not pick him up or touch him, he simply asked the desire of this man's heart. 

"Jesus saith unto him, 'Rise, take up thy bed and walk.'

Jesus is the man of kindness. His love for the individual rings out loud and clear. It bring peace and calm to see an hear his interactions with others and would that I could walk his paths better.

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The Well

The Well

   He sat by the well, deep in thought,

When he looked up he asked for water.

  He was a Jew and my heart was fraught,

Talk to someone else, but not to her.

  Living water? That seemed rather mad,

And how could I possibly never thirst again?

  He knew things of me and I felt unclad.

Yet his words and manner seemed to heal my pain.

 

   Come and see, he is a prophet,

Even more, he surely may be the Christ.

  Come and see, he seeks no profit,

Being near Him is worth the sacrifice.

It seems to me in these one on one interchanges with Jesus there are four steps to the conversation. First there is a warning, an expectation, an invitation, and a promise. Sometimes they are out of this order. With the woman at the well he starts with the expectation. "I can give you something that will quench your thirst indefinitely. I can raise you up spiritually." Then he offers her the invitation to drink.

After that comes the warning. "You have many non covenantal relationships. Breaking the law is not filling your spiritual well." Now comes the promise, "You have received from Jehovah himself. If you hear my voice you will always have a well of living water."

President Nelson, our prophet, often goes through these four steps when he talks to us. In the video at conference last year, when he walked through the Salt Lake Temple construction, he was warning us about faulty structures, showing us higher expectations, inviting us to reassess our spiritual foundation, and promising us ever fuller blessings. How fortunate it is to have a living prophet who knows Jesus.

I always feel calmer studying the words of the prophets.

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Come and See

 Come and See

   What was there to come and see?

When Andrew and John asked,

  He answered their enquiry

With vision and promise so vast.

  What an evening it must have been

As they humbly heard him speak.

  Andrew ran and sought his kin,

Peter, whom Jesus gave a name unique.

  Already the disciples grew in number,

Some were followers of the Baptist.

  One was called the “son of thunder”

Yet none of them were gospel practiced.

They left behind their brimming nets,

Their livelihood and reputation,

Faith and courage were their assets 

On these Jesus forged a foundation.

John 1:35 "Again the next day after John stood, and two of his (the baptist's) disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

What were they asking? Who are you? Where are you from? Where do you live? What were they hoping to find when they followed him? 

John 1: 39 "He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour."

He spent the day with them. Do you think he already knew their hearts? In those hours, whatever he said convinced them that he was the promised Messiah. And they had to tell others.

 John 1: 40 "One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

As we spend time with Jesus this season maybe we will feel guided to tell another. Maybe it will be a stranger, a friend, or sister who already knows but telling it again is a way to have a calm Christmas.

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Baptism By John

 A Messenger Of The Covenant

   The crowd on the banks of the Jordan

Part, and watch as one they called Jesus

  Removes his sandals and steps in.

John, the Baptist, showing that God sees us,

  Takes his virtuous arm and steadies him,

Immersing this holy messenger in living water,

   Water and light that can never grow dim,

Through covenant, even I am His daughter.

Art by Greg K. Olson

Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.”

How intimate and holy this moment becomes as the Perfect One is baptized by imperfect John, his cousin, who has prepared the way for many souls to receive Jesus. They are both messengers of the covenant from our Heavenly Parents. They have known each other while still in the womb of Elizabeth and Mary. They both walk in the path of righteousness. They both defer to their Heavenly Father. There is love between them. John lifts Jesus by performing an ordinance that marks the path. Jesus lifts John by being the path, the way to eternal life. Heavenly Father announces his Son to all who have ears to hear and the Holy Ghost descends to verify and seal. I see and feel the loving kindness, hesed, in this account. I too, have had a representative, like John, baptize me. It was my brother, Ingo, and my other brother, Peter, conferred the Holy Ghost upon me. It marked my path back to my Father and Mother.

A calm Christmas reminds me of my covenants.

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Will Nicodemus See?

Do and See

  Under cover of the night 

Nicodemus sought Him out 

  Jesus offered him new sight

Which he needed to erase doubt.

It was not only what Jesus could do,

  But what he could help others to see.

Jesus kindly offered a rescue, 

A new birth, a higher place to be.

The Facts:

Nicodemus was a Pharisee. He came to Jesus at night. He had questions about the power Jesus had to do miracles. With lovingkindness, (hesed), he taught him about spiritual rebirth through covenant. 

Reading Between The Lines

Nicodemus wanted to know where Jesus received the power to do what he was doing. He suspected the power came from God. Jesus didn't draw attention to himself but with loving kindness, (hesed), taught him how he too could enter the kingdom of God. He taught him how he could see. Spiritual rebirth is a commitment by covenant to put off the natural man or woman and to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The path he showed Nicodemus was just as much a miracle as turning water to wine. Jesus was offering him help to overcome the world. How does the story end? We don't have enough details. He did defend Jesus in front of the Pharisees when they plotted against him. ( John 7:50 ) He also honored Jesus at his burial by bringing expensive spices. (John 19:39)

As I ponder this story I think of how often I want to know of His power but doubt that he can change me. Can he really lift me to see and enter into the kingdom of God? Part of a calm Christmas is taking time to draw near to Him, even if it is under cover of night.

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Jesus And His Mother

 

The Facts:

Jesus was at a wedding in Cana with his disciples. Mary was there and she was concerned about the lack of wine. She instructed the servants to do what Jesus asked them to do. There were six jugs of water which he turned into the finest wine. The guests were astounded that the wine at the end of the wedding feast was still of the most excellent quality.  

Reading Between the Lines:

Mary was serving and cared about the couple getting married. Even though Jesus had not publicly declared his ministry he assisted Mary in her concerns in a public setting. Mary trusted that Jesus could solve the problem. If he could change water into wine then he had control over the elements. Jesus showed  love for the couple getting married and compassion for his mother. 

Loving-kindness, or hesed in Hebrew, started his ministry and continued as the Hallmark of his life. What miracles has he wrought in your life? Is he turning the mundane into the sublime?

A calm Christmas needs more Jesus.

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