Five Minute Friday
Word prompt: Gift.
…
A Christmas Carol wafts through my thoughts:
“How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given…”
But wait. I’m thinking it wasn’t given then. Not really, completely. It was presented, displayed, for the time until the hour of real giving would arrive. “My hour has not come,” (Jhn 2:4;7:30;8:20) then later, “His hour had come…” (Jhn 12:23;13:1;17:1).
And the words change in my mind:
“In what anguish, in what anguish, the wondrous gift is given! Thus God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven…”
We focus on the giving at Christmas time, but isn’t the greatest Christian holiday just ahead: Holy Week, encompassing the death, the life given on the cross, the burial, the mourning, the anguish, the darkness, then the dawn — and the Life Resurrected, to Ascend soon after as the perfect fragrant incense, more than acceptable to God the Father?
Time to meditate on the greatest gift of all time and eternity!
[Five minutes, writing. Extra time for checking the carol’s words and gathering the Bible references. And finding picture(s) — later.]
*****
Sylvia–I’m with you–Christmas is a joy, but Easter is the REAL holiday for believers. Hallelujah, He is risen!
Oh yes. Can I just agree! By far, Easter is my favorite Holy Day.
Yes. The greatest gift is coming. Making time to plan for its arrival this weekend.
It was so kind of you to visit my blog. Thank you for your words and I am so with you that Easter is the best holiday…and His gift is greater than any other treasure. Love your perspective!! May your weekend be filled with lots of joy.
Dear Sylvia,
I spent all last evening printing out the booklets over at A Holy Experiment for having an Easter Passover meal. I even printed out all the recipes on 3 x 5 cards for each item and the sedar plates should be coming from Dayspring soon. These I will pack and send to my sons’ families for Easter.
I got some eggs for the kiddos, but I wanted the main focus to be Him–the fulfillment of the Ages, the Pascal Lamb.
In awe,
Dawn
I love Resurrection Day!! My Redeemer lives! Thanks for your post… what a blessing. And I love the photo of the cross cake. Wonderful!
Amen, Jody! He is risen indeed! May this week be especially meaningful and blessed for you!
Jen, I’m so glad you left a comment — because I’ve wanted to comment on your blog several times, but your Blogger doesn’t like my WordPress. 🙁 I found your post about the silent Voice so moving, and it reminded me of Isaiah’s prophecy, that “As a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.” Also your 5-min-Friday: I thought that wise counselor or teacher such a blessing to promote understanding and kindness. And the post before that brought back good memories of a garden ministry in our back yard where we lived before. Hope you happen to get this. God bless!
Laura and Dawn,
You helped get me motivated! Thanks!