Dear Frank and Lora,
Thanks for the email and it is heart warming to read it through. Good to hear that Isaac's wife is expecting soon. Glad to hear that Frank is still going around and do all sorts of work. However considering his active lifestyle, I am surprise to hear that he need to take medication to control his blood pressure. Anyway will keep both of you in prayer.
From Desiring God.
This
month of December was an eventful month, for the fact that we celebrate
the First Advent during this time of the year. Since around 2012 it
becomes a habit for me to read through the advent devotions from
Desiring God, namely the "Good News of Great Joy" and "The Dawning of
Indestructible Joy". During this advent I was reading the Christmas
account again in Matthew and Luke, more thoroughly. Indeed it is an
account worth to be re-read and be re-told for eternity. On top of that
many articles and resources on the web are of indefinite value. I put
some of the links at the end of the email. I also listened to Frank's
Christmas messages again, after all it was in Russia that I first
celebrated Christmas, for the right reason.
"Christmas Tree" at the Town Square.
This
year I spent Christmas in Sibu again, mainly because I enjoy
celebrating it last year in this place. On December 22 my church
organized a caroling, where we visited houses of the children who are
attending the Sunday school in my church. Most of their parents are
unbelievers, and when you arrived in their home you can definitely see
that many of them have financial issue and I was told that some have
family issues (eg. the mother ran away, the father passed away, etc).
Christmas is not just a flippancy kind of fun where people sing Jingle
Bell, exchange gifts, or wearing Santa suit and say ho-ho-ho. Christmas
is about remembering the great miracle of incarnation and proclaiming
this good news of great joy, hence the carol signs "Go Tell It On The
Mountain."
To quote from John Piper, "It is a wonderful thing that there are Christmas carols that are written for the real world of sorrowful joy, as well as the real world of exuberant joy. 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' is one of them." It is sorrowful to see this children living hard in their conditions, but this gives us more reasons to sing and proclaim this message to them and their family, because "... the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:10)
To quote from John Piper, "It is a wonderful thing that there are Christmas carols that are written for the real world of sorrowful joy, as well as the real world of exuberant joy. 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' is one of them." It is sorrowful to see this children living hard in their conditions, but this gives us more reasons to sing and proclaim this message to them and their family, because "... the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:10)
Whereas on the
Christmas Day itself, as usual we have Christmas service in the morning,
and a dinner with celebration in the evening. It was kind of scary to
see bunch of children making noise in a small room. But as they all sing
the carol "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" in unison, immediately this
verse came to my mind, "From the lips of children and infants you have
ordained praise..." (Psalm 8:2, Matthew 21:16)
I
remembered last time I asked both of you to describe Christmas in a
phrase. I feel like doing this exercise again, in a more extensive ways.
- Use one word to describe Christmas:
- Use two words to describe Christmas:
- Use three words to describe Christmas:
- Use a verse from OT to describe Christmas:
- Use a verse from NT to describe Christmas:
- Use a sentence to describe Christmas:
Obviously
there are wrong answers like Santa Claus or Reindeer, but there will be
many right answers. I provided my answer at the end of the email.
Meanwhile during this season I was still doing some doodling.
This was for a gift exchange in the hospital small group.
In Christ,
My answers for the questions:
I
guess that's all about advent for this year. I still miss the time in
Russia where we celebrate Christmas until January 7th. I will be
traveling to Kuching with my friends from December 31 till January 3, a
short escape from our work, and to explore the nature.
I hope both of you also have a great time during this Christmas, and have a Happy New Year.
I hope both of you also have a great time during this Christmas, and have a Happy New Year.
Take care and God Bless.
In Christ,
Kevin
______________________________
The Links:
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/
https://www.crossway.org/blog/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/
https://www.crossway.org/blog/
My answers for the questions:
- Use one word to describe Christmas: Incarnation
- Use two words to describe Christmas: Hypostatic union
- Use three words to describe Christmas: Word became flesh
- Use a verse from OT to describe Christmas: Isaiah 9:6
- Use a verse from NT to describe Christmas: Luke 2:11
- Use a sentence to describe Christmas: Jesus Christ, Son of God from eternity, broke into history, came to the world, took up the nature of humanity but still fully God, to bring salvation to sinners like you and me.
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