From the desk of the Eagle Eyed Scribe Chaplain Nikita Johnson
- nikitahjs1
- Feb 3, 2021
- 4 min read
Theme-Seeing From God’s Perspective
December 2020- The Gift of Love
Scripture Reference- John 3:16(read the entire chapter, the one before, and the one after for context)....”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
In December, we celebrate Hanukkah, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Winter Solstice, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve. Hanukkah, meaning dedication, is also called the Festival of Lights celebrated with lighting the menorah. This eight day holiday, which includes eating, games and gift giving, and celebrates the re-dedication
of the Temple of Jerusalem after it was retaken by the Maccabees Jewish warriors from the Greeks in 2nd century BCE. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day we honor the 2,403 Americans who were killed by surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which led to WWII. The winter solstice occurs twice a year when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun, resulting in the shortest daylight and longest night of the year as the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was born to take away the sins of the world. We may light up and decorate a tree, which can remind us of Jesus, the Tree of Life, the Light of the World who was born to die on a tree so that we can be saved and redeemed back to the Father. We give gifts as a reminder of the Gift of Love that came down to save us. Kwanzaa is an African American festival of life from December 26-January 1, with food, dance, music and gifts, celebrated by people of different backgrounds and various religions, and was introduced by Dr. Maulana in 1966. The 7 principles highlighted during this time are:Unity, Self Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. New Year’s Eve is celebrated this month, as the year draws to a close and a new one is on the horizon. There is hope for a better coming year, as we reflect on the one that is coming to an end. While 2020 has been an unprecedented, frustratingly, stressful year, we can celebrate the gift of love that was shown in dark times. When many people struggled to feed their families, churches and organizations banned together to make sure communities had food to eat. When we could not attend church or religious events, online services and meetings were made available to participate in. When people were in need, the community came together to bless and support them. Being isolated, quarantined, and socially distanced gave some people the opportunity to commune with God, get revelation from Him, and develop an intimate relationship with the Father. People were given the chance to interact with family and friends on a different level, and were able to do some self reflection and introspection on what really is important.
What most of the events celebrated this month had in common was gift giving and reflection. The gift of love is given by God the Father, of authority is by God the Son, and of power is by God the Holy Spirit. We know who we are because we are aware of who we belong to. God loves us unconditionally, completely, and perfectly. And that perfect gift of love casts out all fear of failure, the future and the unknown. Because God loves us so much, we can show love to one another, sharing the gift of love to all of God’s people that are sent in our path. Amen.
Simple Sample Prayer
Dear God, we come to you with praise and thanksgiving as we approach the end of this year. Many things were taken from us in 2020, but we are grateful for all that you have restored. Many things are still uncertain, but we remain confident in your good plan for us. Thank you for life, and that more abundantly, health for by your stripes we are healed, and strength for the joy of the Lord is our strength. We thank you for this day, for this is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Heavenly Father, we appreciate your gift of Love that keeps giving yesterday, today and forevermore. Help us to show love to your people, and be open to receive your love into our lives. We pray for Jews, Israelite and their diaspora, and for the peace of Jerusalem. Thank you Lord for we are (1) Deeply loved, (2) Highly Favored, (3) Greatly Blessed,(4) Wondrously Redeemed by you. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
Songs to Meditate on This Month
The Gift- Jim Brickman
The Gift of Love- by Hal Hopson
Gift of Love by Mary Mary
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us by Stuart Townend
20 Curious Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020
People rarely dress up being home so much
Everyone looks like a bandit or robber
Skin irritations appear from wearing a mask so often
People gained extra pounds from being home
Those that never had food (cooked or fresh) delivered are now exploring that option regularly
Home improvement has been on the rise
Babies were conceived and/or born during this time but not at the astonishing rate that would be expected
Pastors and Ministers are more profound because they have more time to study and meditate
Parents have learned to be teachers,case managers,cooks, etc, exploring skills they never knew they had
Lounge wear is hot right now
Subscription TV, streaming and movies are on the rise
Mail and online ordering is on the rise
The quality of goods and services are limited and have gone down
Mail is rarely delivered on time or at the right address
Cooking, writing, sculpting and painting are all on the rise
Online courses are being taken at an astonishing rate
Front line and essential workers still haven’t gotten a break
Car insurance is down because people are going many places right now
People’s oral health has suffered
People are getting more sleep but not necessarily feeling more rested due to stress and uncertainty. But God is Faithful.
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