O, INN-KEEPER of Bethlehem ! ... INCARNATION MEDITATIONS 2015

Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped HIM+ in swaddling clothes, and laid HIM+ in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

O Inn-Keeper of Bethlehem !

Did you do the Will of GOD? 

Did you do all you could to procure the young, laboring mother a room ? 

Did you not feel any remorse at all, in your decision to avoid inconvenience for you and perhaps some of your clients ?

Undoubtedly, it is hard to face the anger and ire of inconvenient guests who have already paid their money.

After all, one has to consider one's reputation for future business.  Besides, some guests could become a bit unruly when disappointed.

However, If a great king had come along with his entourage, you may suddenly have "found" a room, the nicest one in the establishment. 

You would have roused up the highest-paying guest and, without a twinge of remorse, removed him from the requested room.

Oh, how gold and silver make a difference in daily decisions ! Everybody can understand that, even discomfitted  clients.

Likewise, if a powerful lord with his soldiers had made the request, how quickly you would have found a room... even several ! 

You would have discomfitted even your most loyal customer to avoid the point of the sword. Everybody would understand that, also.

Future reputation ? No problem!

Unfortunately, O Inn-Keeper, you looked upon the outward appearances of your clientele... and made the worst judgment call of your life.

The KING+ of kings was about to be born, but you could not see in the dark, that gross darkness that covered the earth.  You did not know that your time had come to decide for GOD.

The splendor of this Coming KING+ ... and His+ TRUE RICHES... escaped your carnal eye, alas. 

The LORD+ of lords was ready to enter the world outside His+ mother's womb, but you would not have HIM+ in your abode.  You did not see the Divine Heavenly Armies that HE+ commands, did you ?

The Heavenly swords were not unleashed against you, so you had no knowledge of their presence. (Hmm...mm..m. An interesting thought. )

O, Inn-Keeper of Bethlehem !

In your great benefice, did you direct them to a stable, an animal stall ? Perhaps you thought, a birthing woman and her husband did not need anything as good as a place in your inn full of guests that night.

Perhaps birthing a child inside the inn might have created an awkward situation and disturbed your guests who were already grumpy, having to pay more taxes to Caesar.

One must be expedient, you know. After all, you had a business to run and so many clients to satisfy. No more demands were you going to carry that night, especially from these travel-weary, rustic "unknowns."

Thus, O Inn-Keeper, you missed it.

You missed your time. You missed your calling. You missed being a part of the Greatest Birth on Earth. 

You missed welcoming The MESSIAH+.  You missed the KING+ of kings and LORD+ of lords Who+ came to your lowly establishment.

You did not ease His+ entrance into this harsh world.  You did nothing to help His+ Servants as they brought HIM+ forth from the womb of His+ tired, young mother.

Furthermore, you did not proclaim His+ Birth because you hid your face from His+ need.  At the hour of His+ need you absented yourself. Your temporal duties absorbed all your effort.

O, poor, poor Inn-Keeper !

There are some things that money cannot buy: rest, peace, a clear conscience, the love of The LORD our GOD. 

You sold your birth-right for a mess of pottage.

Your time had come. It was a one-time event, never to be repeated. There were no second chances.

O, Inn-Keeper...may The LORD have mercy upon your soul... wherever it is… in Eternity right now.

And, may HE+ have mercy upon mine, opening my eyes to see HIM+ when HE+ comes to my own door, in disguise. 

Standing at the Manger... Incarnation Meditations 2015... for the Monastic-At-Heart

Standing at the Manger...

There, in the lowly, common feeding trough for rough animals, Our LORD was laid.

No, the HOLY BABE+ did not choose the manger HIMSELF+.

Here is what HE+ did choose:

HE+ chose to leave His+ glory ---  that Glory HE+ had with The FATHER before the world was --- and come to earth as a man for the suffering of death, as a man like one of us.

So, His+ entrance into the world placed the nativity of this Royal BABE+ ...

·                   of the scepter-wielding tribe of Judah,

·                   of the princely line of David 

... into a common and lowly room for domesticated farm animals, at the very out-set !

HE+ was a Priest after the Order of Melchizidek, King of Righteousness, a Priest unto whom even Abraham paid tithes.

Even so, it was The FATHER'S good will that HIS Sublime SON+ be born into a humble environment, a setting even considered lowly by the standards of lowly men.

Oh yes, how we yearn to rule with CHRIST!

Do we also yearn  equally as much to be as lowly as HE+ was ? 

Is our goal to be swaddled in humility ?

Do we have such a degree

of humbleness of mind

that conviction falls

on others around us  ?

If not, let us return to the manger and STAND THERE. 

There, let us meditate on our dear SAVIOR'S+ littleness of Self.

Let us Pray:

O Perfect CHRIST, Who+ came in littleness of Self,  look with mercy upon my greatest need.

My need... my great need of humility ... hinders me from hearing Thy+ Voice, from doing Thy+ Will. 

How can I think that THOU+ will use me while I  resist embracing being lowly, the last, the least, the forgotten,  in mine own eyes ?

Help me  truly  to count others better than myself.   Help me truly  to enjoy being inconvenienced by others throughout the day, that Thy+ Holy Will may be accomplished. 

Absorb me in humility like THINE+ own, O CHRIST, that Our FATHER'S good will may flow through me at all times. Let Thy+ great humility grow in me unto a sweet-smelling and acceptable sacrifice offered  back unto THEE+. 

This I earnestly pray, O CHRIST, in Thy+ Holy Name.

Amen

ALL ANGELS of GOD Worship HIM+ ! ... INCARNATION MEDITATIONS 2015 ... for the Monastic-At-Heart

And suddenly, there was with the angels a multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising GOD and saying, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!

This True LIGHT+ which lights every man that comes into the world ... is also worshipped by Angels.

ALL of THEM !

And again,

when HE bringeth in

The FIRST-BEGOTTEN+

into the world,

HE saith, And

let 
ALL the angels of GOD

worship HIM+.

Hebrews 1:6

+  +  +

There are some created beings --- and their earth-born followers --- who do NOT worship CHRIST JESUS ... now...  but soon, VERY SOON, they will wish they would have ! 

That at the Name of JESUS 

every , every, EVERY ...

That at the name of JESUS

every knee should bow,

of beings in Heaven,

and beings in earth,

and beings under the earth;

And that every tongue

should confess that

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD,

to the glory of  GOD THE FATHER.

Philippians 2:10-11

Let us Pray:

O LORD, Glorify Thy name and the name of Thy Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST this day across the earth.

Gladly I bend my knees in worship to The LORD JESUS and the knee of my heart to HIM+ in work, in thought, while I have my being.

O train me now to stay in Thy+ Presence constantly, so that I may bear witness to JESUS my LORD, in season or out, with words or in silence.

Glory be to GOD: The FATHER , WHO created me, HIS Beloved Only-Begotten SON+ Who+ saved me, and The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, Who sanctifies me.

In the name of Our EMMANUEL, The LORD JESUS CHRIST, I lift these prayers to THEE.

Amen

EMMANUEL ... INCARNATION MEDITATIONS 2015... for the Monastic-At-Heart

The WORD+ Made Flesh... The Long-Awaited Incarnation... The EMMANUEL+

JOY to the world!

The LORD has COME!

Let Heaven and nature sing!

And the WORD+ was made Flesh,

and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld His+ Glory,

the Glory as of

 The Only-Begotten

of THE FATHER,)

full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

This HOLY ONE+ of Israel Who+ descended into human flesh through the Hebrew virgin Mariam came as EMMANUEL+ ... GOD-With-Us.

This is what EMMANUEL+ means, in application, for mankind.

Through JESUS ... and through HIM+ alone ... are we invited to know The FATHER.

No other entrance exists for mankind to come unto Our FATHER, hallowed be HIS Name, Who is in HEAVEN.

No other Way is open for mankind to COME unto Our FATHER, except through HIS Appointed MESSIAH+.

There is only one TRUTH+.  This is that ONE TRUTH+ given to mankind through EMMANUEL+ :

Neither is there salvation

in any other:

for there is none other name

under Heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.

Acts 4:12

In JESUS, and in JESUS alone, is the Life. That LIFE is the LIGHT of men... the only Life of men.

That LIFE is the TRUE Light; none other exists for mankind.

This is WHO+  EMMANUEL+ is, for  mankind.   

Let us Pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER,  we praise and glorify Thy Holy Name and the Name of  Thy Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST, the Word+ Made Flesh Who+ dwelt among us.

We magnify THEE. We worship THEE for Thy Great Glory.

LORD JESUS, O LIGHT of the world, we bow down before THEE+ to be filled with Thy+ Presence.

Glorify Thy+ Name in us as we glorify Thy+ Name here on earth.

Holy art THOU+, O CHRIST; Holy is Thy+ Name, O EMMANUEL+,

Both now and forever, ONE GOD: FATHER, SON+ , and HOLY SPIRIT,  world without end to the ages of the ages. Amen

HE+ was PROCLAIMED # 5 ... Via the RIGHTEOUSNESS of His+ GUARDIAN, Joseph ... Advent Meditations 2015 ... For the Monastic-At-Heart

Matthew 1: 18 -25

Now the birth of JESUS CHRIST 

was on this wise: 

When as His+ mother Maryam (Aramaic/Syriac) 

was espoused to Joseph, 

before they came together, 

she was found with CHILD+ 

of the HOLY SPIRIT.

Then Joseph 

her GOWRA, her guardian-husband (Aramaic/Syriac), 

being a RIGHTEOUS man, 

and not willing to make her a public example, 

was minded to put her away privily.

But of these things he was considering (Gk, literal)  

behold, the angel of the LORD 

appeared unto him in a dream, 

saying,

 Joseph, thou son of David, 

fear not to take unto thee Mariam (Gk) thy wife:

for THE ONE+ in her 

has been generated ( a one-time occurence) 

from out of the SPIRIT 

is HOLY. 

(Greek, awkward but literal)

And she shall bring forth a  SON+,

 and thou shalt call His+ Name 

JESUS:

for HE+ shall save His+ people    

from their sins.

Now all this was done, 

that it might be fulfilled 

which was spoken of the LORD 

by the prophet, saying,

Behold, 

a virgin shall be with CHILD+, 

and shall bring forth a  SON+,

and they shall call His+ Name EMMANUEL, 

which being interpreted is,

GOD WITH US.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep 

did as the angel of the LORD had bidden him, 

and took unto him his wife:

And knew her not 

till she had brought forth 

her firstborn son:

and he called  His+ Name 

JESUS.

Heart-breaking ! Our dear brother Joseph, what troubled thoughts he must have endured for several  hours after Mariam's condition was discovered.

However, Joseph was of the line of David as well as Mariam. Joseph ALSO was CHOSEN of GOD --- as well as Mariam ---  for his purpose during the Incarnation of CHRIST JESUS.

The Syriac-Aramaic Peshitta text records Matthew 1:16 like this:

"Jacob fathered Joseph, 

the guardian of Maryam, 

from whom 

was born Y'SHU+, 

Who+ is called the M'SHIKHA. " 

Later, in verse 19, Joseph is called Mariam's ba-al, or husband.

But the Syriac Text, which dates back to the early centuries of Christendom, tells us that Joseph was indeed functioning as a GUARDIAN for the first nine months of their marriage !

Joseph was chosen because young Mariam needed a human guardian to cover her as she carried the Divine BABE+ in her womb. Both Mariam and the BABE+  needed to be protected from the zealous righteous ones who would stone a Hebrew woman who was with child, without a husband.

When The LORD selected Joseph to protect Mariam and the Divine BABE+ in her womb, HE knew the kind of man Joseph was... and was not.

Let's ponder the righteousness exhibited by Joseph in this most trying circumstance... which, indeed, is where righteousness counts.

First of all, righteous Joseph was not willing to marry a "loose" woman who had defiled herself; he maintained the righteous standards of the Mosaic Law.

Although maintaining the Scriptural standard of righteousness, Joseph was also not willing to expose the young woman to public scorn and shunning, at best, and possible stoning. Thus, we see in Joseph that true righteousness is guided by mercy.

In a quandry, Joseph was not hasty in action, but was pondering WHAT was the right way to be righteous-yet-merciful in this harrowing situation. Joseph's integrity held him bound to doing the right thing by GOD and avoiding taking vengeance for the supposed immoral conduct of his un-faithful, betrothed wife.

In his integrity, Joseph was also bound to do that which was best for the young woman who disappointed him in her betrothal vows. 

So, Joseph's decision was this: 

He would keep the standard of righteousness, but  Joseph would "put her away" ( dismiss her, sever the betrothal bond ) privately, to cause her and the child the least amount of wounding.  

Now ... how Joseph would have been able to end the legal, public espousal covenant without exposing Mariam's condition is a puzzlement.  

Would Joseph have been able to take her to another village and legally perform the divorce, and thus keep her hidden ?

The literal Greek places the adverb "secretly" between two verbs:

"... he purposed SECRETLY to dismiss her."

Could that phrase possibly be rendered with this alternative meaning ? :

Joseph secretly determined 

( i.e., without asking counsel of another person 

or telling anyone ) 

that he would divorce her.

The LORD, however, provided  evidence to Joseph before he contacted the elders to divorce her. The LORD sent a SUPERNATURAL  dream, re-assuring Joseph that Mariam was still chaste, and in her obedience, she was chosen to carry the Long-Awaited MESSIAH.

Chaste Joseph responded 

WITH A SIMILAR level 

of faith and obedience 

to the Living Word of The LORD

unto him ! 

To his great credit, Joseph believed the Word of The LORD to him in that dream. He obeyed immediately without question... just like Mariam obeyed immediately without question. 

Joseph directly took Mariam into his home and  covered her and the BABE+ in her womb, providing for them and guarding them through nine long months of pregnancy amongst their fellow townspeople.

He took her with him on the long journey to Bethlehem during the taxation of Ceasar Augustus, which required both of them to be present at the registration for taxation, as it seemingly is phrased in Scripture. Luke 2:5. 

This man of integrity did not claim the rights of a husband until after the BABE+ had been born.

So, not only was Joseph a righteous man of the Law, he was also a man of integrity:  GOD did not have to tell him to wait until after the BABE+ was born in order to consummate the marriage. 

Joseph was compassionate as well as righteous, and walked in integrity without being commanded to do so.

In all this, 

Who 

was Joseph proclaiming?

Surely, Joseph did NOT proclaim SELF. Self was NOT on the throne through any of those mysterious days and months.

Joseph set to his seal that GOD IS TRUE and worthy to be trusted. 

Our own integrity, our standards, our compassion should testify that ... 

JESUS CHRIST 

has come 

in the flesh. 

We, like Joseph, PROCLAIM HIM+  to the World by our life ... a life lived in integrity, GOD-centered standards, CHRIST-centered compassion.  

We do RIGHT because 

of OUR LOVE FOR HIM+,

Who+ always did right 

because of His+ Love 

for His+ Heavenly FATHER... 

... and His+ love for us. 

Let us Pray: 

O FATHER ALMIGHTY, we bless THEE for Thy great power, established in Righteousness, established in Holiness. 

Help us to PROCLAIM the CHRIST+ CHILD as HE+ becomes Incarnate in our hearts by faith.  Teach us to stand firm in Thy Truth, and with Compassion and Integrity walk in righteousness all the days of our lives. 

Change whatever is amiss in the temper and disposition of our souls, 

For the sake of the INCARNATED CHRIST Who+ lives and reigns with THEE, and Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, both now and forever, world without end, to the ages of the ages. 

Amen.