Psalm 118:14 The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.

I miss the Christmas songs. Around here they don't play Christmas songs any more. It is very sad, especially as this is a country that has seen the birth of some of the most famous Christmas songs ever. It is as if they had never been. Maybe they are not politically correct anymore. Maybe many of the strangers living here, me among them, might feel offended. As believers we have become so understanding, that we don't even say anymore what we believe to be true. It is indecent, naughty, rude, nearly obscene to believe in Jesus. And it seems stupid. Hasn't science shown, that there is no God in the heavens above? It hasn't, even though many believe it has. So why is it, that many think Jesus is a bit like Santa or the Easter rabbit? Is it maybe my fault? Is it because I still sing songs to the Lord that are nearly 200 years old? Is it because somehow, on the way through the ages, Christmas has lost its magic even or especially for believers? Between turkey and presents, church and family, has the power of God been forgotten? Have I lost it like a hat or a glove? Is keeping up the tradition for a God, who broke every tradition and died for it, so important? Please, sing a new song to the Lord. A song that is relevant to the world today.

Merry and magical Christmas

Wishing everybody a wonderful and magical Christmas time. God's light is in this world. Being able to see it is a great gift. And a reason to rejoice. Having this wonderful God for a friend is a gift. Sometimes I wonder, whether his being here with me, knowing he cares, feeling his presence throughout the day is the greatest blessing of all. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve to be saved, I got so much here already. Do you realize how lucky you are? There are so many reasons to rejoice. The possibility to live in harmony with the Creator of the universe is making life an awesome and very precious gift.

Psalm 147:4 He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.

Just saw a couple of pictures of the heavens above on the internet. NASA pictures and such, of far away galaxies and stars being born so far away, that they may be old by the time I write this. Just the milky way, our own good old galaxy, is something like 100.000 light years from one side to another, though "only" 1.000 light years thick. Light travels 186,282.4 miles per second, making 671 million miles per hour. Figure a light year from there or google it (as I did). Looking at those pictures, thinking about those dimensions kind of shreds the human spirit, for it cannot imagine such a size. The human spirit cannot as well imagine a god that is big enough to know all the stars by name and to have counted them. The milky way seems to have something like 200 billion of that. And there are at least as many galaxies. And planets. Men cannot grasp such greatness. It cannot figure a god who may be Lord over all of this and still bows down to earth and look at you and me. To come into this place and lead a fairly miserable life (materially spoken) is unimaginable, cannot be grasped. And still, this is our God, the God who came in the form of a baby boy to this earth. This baby boy is Lord over all the stars and all the living things on them. To know this about God can shatter a mind or it can bring a man to his knees humbly admitting how wrong he is and always will be before such power and glory. God is mind-blowingly wonderful and worthy of praise.

Proverbs 28:5 Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

Does life sometimes seem to be blurred? Without knowing which way to go? That happens. But God will give just enough light for the next step. Psalm 119:10 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Often life seems blurred, because of trying to look too far into the future. Of controlling what tomorrow will bring. God says not to do so, but to trust him with today, he will take care of tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. It is so easy to get caught up in the worries of life. Even Christmas can cause a lot of stress. Just because we care. Who will come? What gifts? What to cook? How to decorate? How to pay? The list is nearly as endless as the needs or wants are. Nobody can fill it all to perfection. It there time for prayer left? Time to talk? Want to talk? Gladness about togetherness? Fear to disappoint? Fear to be disappointed? Everybody is so fragile emotionally around this time of the year. And the lines get blurred. Please trust God to take care. Even if this sounds ludicrous right now, for of course he will not peel potatoes or bring a turkey home or write a letter and buy gifts. He has our hands to do it. Guided by his Spirit.So that all can enjoy this season and the light of God.

Psalm 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Remembering winter vacation in very snowy mountains is always a joy. Loved the morning, when fresh snow had fallen and the world was blue and white. Freshly fallen snow has this whiteness that nearly blinds the eyes but refreshes the soul. It is something so pure and clean, that I never wanted to be the first to step onto it. As if I polluted something of immeasurable worth. Once such a field of snow has been stepped upon, there is no turning back. It is spoiled for ever. (Or until next snowfall, of course.) But its purity is lost for the moment. It always pained me to see others with much joy spoil the sight by running into it. It feels like a forgiven soul turning back to sin. Once the purity is lost, the same purity will never be regained. Every sin is like a big splash of dirt on the snow-white field of a pure soul. Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. The longing for purity is like the longing for clean water. It comes from deep within. Many know about this longing. This innocence, this purity has been sought after by many wise men and they could not find it. For it is God's to give. Jesus gave this purity a great reward. Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. This is what freshly fallen snow reminds me of. This is my prayer. For purity, once tasted, it like a well of fresh water on a hot and dry day. The longing for something pure and clean is part of humanity. Jesus is the purest being that ever lived. He can and will give to those who ask.

Prov. 13:20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

The biggest attribute by which to choose a companion is wisdom. It is not beauty or coolness, cash or phone or car. God's wisdom is the best friend a person can ever have. Prov. 4:7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. May that companion look as disgusting as a mouse or a rat, it is the heart that counts. Wisdom can keep somebody safe and protect those who cling to her. Though Paul warns of worldly wisdom, he writes: 1 Cor. 1:24 ...Christ (is) the power of God and the wisdom of God. Whatever wisdom may look like, searching for her and meditating day and night brings greater happiness than much material possession. Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the one ...3 whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. Those who do so are truly blessed and they know it. They become springs of wisdom who have enough to share with others. Which in itself is a great joy, for the joy of giving outlasts the joy of receiving.

Ex. 32:26 “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.”

Moses said that. The children of Israel had made a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain to talk to the Lord. In Israels most holy moment those who would have been blessed for all eternity got kind of bored. They didn't know where Moses was and Aaron didn't have the guts to keep people in line. He collected their gold and made them a golden calf. They wanted to be like everybody else, they wanted a god to be seen. They made a big fire and worshipped the god their hands had made. There was lots of dancing and probably quite a bit of immoral behavior going on, by the time Moses came back to the camp. People wanted a visible god, a god they would consider fun. Like everybody else had. Moses called everybody who had not participated in the "fun" to him. God sent a plague to the camp and most of the offenders died. And God didn't go with the children of Israel anymore. He kept at distance, lost in his anger he might destroy them. This is kind of my point. Entertainment is in every place. It is in many places, actually most places, including churches. How far does this need for entertainment go? Are there even people believing in God for entertainment? Are the disasters of this world becoming a new form of entertainment? God was very angry and destroyed most of his own people. The other nations laughed at God's children because they fell into such temptation. Is the need for entertainment a temptation? Are the believers of today still willing to go all the way, if needs be go to the cross, for the sake of faith? Will God one day say: "Whoever is for the Lord, come to me? will I be on the right side? Will you?