I'm Moving ... Again

No, we are not leaving Knoxville. I am moving my blog to WordPress. So if you'd like to "follow" me on over there, just click this link: http://stacyjstanley.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/hammock-season/ The Follow option is in the upper right corner. Much easier for readers to be notified of new posts and comment as they wish.

Hope to see you there!

Week 3: The Gift

In that humble place
Mysterious men from the East
Lay down their gifts
At his feet:

Gold for the King

Frankincense for the anointed One

Myrrh for Him who would die for humanity.

I don’t think anyone in that room

Fully understood
The meaning of those gifts
            Or all they foreshadowed.
How could they?
But they didn’t have to comprehend
In order to give.
Just believe.

In this humble heart

I try to comprehend the mystery
Of this gift of grace.
            I am a child of the King.
            I am anointed to serve.
            I will live forever.
I struggle to embrace
The full meaning of this
Indescribable gift.
But I don’t have to understand
In order to receive.
Just believe.

Advent Week 2: The Name

His coming
Included so many miracles –
The angels’ announcement to shepherds
The gifts from the magi
The star they all followed.
But the greatest miracle just may be
His Name.
Immanuel.
God is with us.

Roll that over in your head a while.
Let it settle into your heart.
All the longing of man to
            Be
            With
            God,
And He chooses
To be with us.
To be with … me.
And not just when I call Him
            Shout His name in praise
            Cry it in a tearful plea
            Whisper it in my exhaustion.
Not just when I would run to Him
For safety,
But even when I try to hide from Him
In shame.
            Where can I go from His Spirit?
            Where can I run from His presence?
Nowhere!
He is always
Right here,
Never to leave me or give up on me.
God is with me.
Immanuel.
What a miracle!