At the age of twelve, swimming in the river was the best of fun! This particular day was no exception. After hours in the water with my long hair still damp, I climbed into bed, pulled up the covers, and fell asleep. A wet touch on my cheek awakened me. I opened my eyes to an incredible surprise! It was my brother, still in uniform, returned from World War II! He had come into my room, bent over the bed, and kissed my cheek. What happiness! His safety and location abroad had been unknown during the war. Now here he was, home at last!

There's a wonderful biblical parable about a homecoming that Jesus told, concerning the great joy that a father displayed when he sighted his son, long gone, making his way home.

This son had wanted to see the world and enjoy all its pleasures. So, he had requested and received from his father the inheritance intended for the future. Rather than use his inheritance wisely, the son wasted it, travelling widely, and living a wild life. Soon, he was reduced to poverty and working at a most lowly job.

It was then that he remembered his father. He made a decision to direct his steps homeward. As he approached, his father, who had been watching for him, saw him in the distance. He ran to meet his son, embraced him, and kissed him! He planned a big party! What a reconciliation!

Our Father, God, watches and waits for us to come home to Him. He knows all about the failures that we have had, past wrong behaviours, and the times when we did not do the things that we might have done to help others in their life journeys. God is not waiting for us to become perfect, successful in all our ways. His arms are open, ready to embrace us at the moment when we come to Him and accept the love and grace that He has for us. He offers it for the present and for all eternity. He waits for us to be home at last!

Without waiting to successfully clean up our own lives, we can enter under the wide umbrella of God's mercy and love right now, just as we are. When we ask for God's forgiveness, we can know, through His Word, that He does forgive us and receive us. We can live as His children for the present and for all eternity. Like the prodigal son, we can find ourselves home at last!

Prayer: Loving God and Father, we all have a need to know that we are loved just as we are. You offer us just that. In You, we can find forgiveness and love the moment when we accept You into our lives and receive the grace that You offer through Jesus Christ, Your Son. Help us today to recognize the largeness of Your love. Enable us to open our hearts and to believe that You love us for today and for all time to come. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

This wasn't the first time that such a call had come to our home. I didn't discuss the matter with the caller. I hung up. I knew that the identity and mission of the caller were both fraudulent, and that if I pressed "1", something undesirable would come of it. This was a scam!

Knowing whom we can trust can make the difference between encountering trouble and having a happy outcome.

What is the outcome when we come to the end of the journey of life? What do we believe will happen when we die? Do we believe that we have a choice about our eternal destiny? If we do, whom can we trust in that choice?

In chapter 11 of John's gospel, we can read about a man, Lazarus, who died and left behind two very sad sisters. Jesus had been away when Lazarus died, and now, he was back and speaking with Martha, one of the grieving sisters.

John 11:25-26 – Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (NIV)

Life poses the same question to us. Who is Jesus to us? Is His identity such that He can offer us resurrection and life? Do we believe in Him? These questions are of utmost importance to us and our eternal destiny.

Jesus' true identity was validated three days after His crucifixion and death, when He rose again to life. We know of no other great leader, no matter how influential or well-known, who has risen up from the bonds of death.

The influences that we follow in this life determine how we will live. We are led by our deepest desires. When we have a deep desire to follow Jesus Christ, our lives begin to shine with the beautiful light exemplified by His life. When we follow Jesus, our life is complete, and we are assured of a life to come. This assurance is validated by the One who died and rose again and whose resurrected life was witnessed by many and written down in the Bible.

Because He lives, we who believe in Him shall also live! Rejoice, and shine for Him!

Prayer: God of resurrection power, You offer us new life both in our day-to-day living and also in that which is to come when this life is complete. You have given us Your Son, Jesus, Who died on the cross to pay for our sins and Who rose again to new life through Your resurrection power. Strengthen our faith daily, we pray, so that Your resurrection power will shine brightly in how we think and speak and act. Keep us strong in the knowledge that because Jesus lives, the same resurrection power that restored Him to life can restore us also, both now and when we complete this life. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (KJV)

A man who has greatly inspired me in that direction is George Müller, who lived in the 1800s. His classic autobiography is entitled, A Life of Trust. I still regret that when I was visiting Bristol, England, I did not seek out any artifacts or museums commemorating his life, for it was there that his prayer ministry was so effective in helping needy children.

George Müller was born in Prussia in 1805. His early years were characterized by thievery, lying, and other dissolute behaviours, even though he was well provided for. While he was studying at university, a friend took him to a Christian meeting. Here began his spiritual journey with Christ.

Müller grew in faith during the ensuing years, and in time, travelled to England where he made his home. As his faith grew, so did his confidence in God's faithfulness and his belief in the truth of God's Word. He began to rely solely on God for his monetary needs. He would pray and seek God's direction for his life and ministry, and then ask God to supply what was needed to meet those requirements.

On April 21st, 1836, in response to God's leading, his first Orphan House opened. His autobiography records a remarkable life and answers to prayer as through the years, 2000 English children were lodged, fed, and schooled.

God invites us through His Word to seek His guidance constantly and to believe that He will hear and answer our prayers to meet our needs as we follow His direction. We find many Bible verses that inspire us to have confidence in Him, and we hear His voice more clearly.

John 15:4 – Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (KJV)

For Christians, time is well spent in nurturing our faith. When we read the Word and meditate on it, our faith grows, and we become more confident in our relationship with God. A life of trust and confidence in God can bear rich fruit for God's kingdom.

Prayer: Living God, we thank You for Christ's followers down through the centuries who have validated Your promises through the ways that they have lived out Christ's teachings and ministry. Help us to be faithful followers, too, by reading, meditating on, and obeying Your teachings. Enable us to live more like Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Christmas this year will be very different from anything any of us have ever known! We're used to shopping and hearing Christmas songs as we navigate the aisles of crowded stores, but it's been different this year. Usually, we make plans to worship at church and to meet with family and friends for our special Christmas dinner and festivities. But this year is not the same. The COVID-19 virus — unseen, but dangerous — lingers about. We have to be careful, wear masks, and physically distance ourselves. Wisdom calls for keeping apart from other households.

In our home, just two of us will dine on a festive meal. Perhaps, we'll have a virtual visit during the afternoon with others who cannot be with us — such an unusual time!

It was an unusual time for Mary, heavy with child, as she travelled with her betrothed, Joseph, to Bethlehem to register for the census in his home town.

Ordinarily, Mary would have expected to have women from her own family to help her with the birthing. But this day was unusual as Mary found herself ready to bear her Child in unfamiliar surroundings — with only strangers available to help. She was in the crowded town of Bethlehem. The inn was full, and the busy innkeeper had had no space for them. They'd had to settle for a stable where the Baby was safely born in due time, wrapped in cloths, and placed in a manger. He was called Jesus.

One can imagine that if the innkeeper had known that a Saviour, Christ the Lord, could be born in his inn, he might have found room. But the innkeeper could not have known how very special this Baby was. He could not have known that the Saviour of the world was about to be born in his hometown. He could not have known that the One who brings salvation and new life to all those who receive Him was so very near at hand. It was an unusual time indeed!

But we do know who the Baby was! Today, even in the restrictions of these times, we can still worship the Lord of lords and the King of kings in our homes! No virus can hinder us from setting up a nativity scene to honour the birth of the Baby Jesus, or ever prevent us from celebrating on Christmas Day the birth of our Saviour and Lord!

Prayer: God of good gifts, we thank You for the miracle of Christmas. We thank You for sending Your Son to bring us the gift of eternal life. We know that nothing can separate us from Your love — nothing! As we celebrate Christmas, may our hearts fill with joy and praise for the gift of Jesus Christ. Amen.

One day, good news came my way. Elderly family friends gifted me with a brand-new pair of skates! They were my size, just right. How grateful I was and incredibly happy! I treasured them so much that at night those skates accompanied me to bed. What a wonderful gift in those days of scarcity!

The skates were a gift, just for me. But a generous God sent a gift for all humankind, an incredible gift of love, for which we all have cause to be very grateful! Luke tells the story so beautifully. In part we read:

Luke 2:10-12 – But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (NIV)

The birth of the baby Jesus was indeed good news, for it signaled a new era for humankind. God knew that each one of us needed salvation, for all of us have sinned and come short of God's standard for living. We needed a Saviour to forgive all our sins and bridge the gap of our shortfall to reconcile us fully to God.

The celebration of Christmas reminds us that God offers us the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. When we admit to God our need for forgiveness and open our hearts to receive His free gift of forgiveness, we can be assured that we have salvation. One day, we shall meet our Saviour face to face. We have reason to be incredibly happy for this amazing Christmas gift! Praise be to God!

Luke 2:14 – Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. (NIV)

Prayer: God of good gifts, in these dark days of COVID-19, we pray that You will shine the bright light of Your love and grace into each of our lives. Enable us to rejoice and be glad in the face of the darkness around us, because of Your good gift that came in the birth of Jesus Christ of our Lord and Saviour, in whose name we pray. Amen.

It is good to find something that gives our spirits a lift and helps us through the days. The ancient Proverb reminds us that laughter is healthy for us.

Proverbs 17:22a – A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. (KJV)

Health authorities bear out this wisdom. We are told that hearty laughter relieves stress, helps us to relax, and improves our immune system. It distracts us from pain that we may be experiencing and generally makes us feel better. When we are going through a time of tension and stress, jovial laughter will lighten our mood.

Not long ago, a friend forwarded a piece called A little humour in desperate times. In this piece were numerous statements that evoked chuckles and even laughter as I read. Here are some of the statements:

Every few hours, try on your jeans to make sure they fit.

Pyjamas will have you believe all is well in the kingdom.

I need to practice social distancing from the refrigerator.

I'm so excited — it's time to take out the garbage. What should I wear?

Day 6 of homeschooling: My child just said, "I hope I don't have the same teacher next year."

A current hymn book includes a piece written by Walter Farquharson and set to lilting, upbeat music. We are reminded that laughter is a gift from God:

Give to us laughter, O Source of our life.
Laughter can banish so much of our strife.
Laughter and love give us wholeness and health.
Laughter and love are the coin of true wealth.

In sober days such as these, we can bring a lighter air into the lives of family, friends, and the folks that we encounter, albeit at a distance via telephone and the Internet, through sharing funny tales that we know. We can confront the scary headlines of today's news with humour, to diminish the dark thoughts that may threaten to overwhelm. Through our faith that God will sustain us and carry us through to the end, He enables us to share His light and love as we allow ourselves to be bearers of humour, for merry hearts do good like medicine.

Prayer: God of good gifts, we are going through a tough time just now. We need all the tools at our disposal to come safely through. Help us to be cheerful, hope-bearing witnesses to Your love. Place within us Your thoughts and ideas to enable us to lift others up with life-giving words and messages as we travel together into the future with You as our Helper and Hope. Enable us to know when and how to use the gift of humour along the way to lighten the loads of others and ourselves. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Our tour group was assembled on tiers of benches in the Garden of Gethsemane in Israel. We had completed a worship service with communion. As we tarried in our seats, a bus drove in, parking below the hillside where we sat. People thronged off the bus. Their beautiful singing ascended into the air, and while the language was not English, the tune was very familiar, from the glorious Gaither hymn, Because He lives. We joined in. We could not sing with their words, but we sang in our own language: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow." It was a joyous occasion. We were from different countries and without a common language, but we were united in the faith that celebrates the risen Christ!

In our church liturgy at Easter, we often repeat these statements of faith: "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the important key to our Christian faith. As believers, this is the source of the assurance of our forgiveness. It is the source of hope for a future life free from the sin and suffering that can assail us in this world. Hope carries us forward when times are tough. It gives us the courage to go on and not to give up.

Many years ago, a group of us attended a weekend conference that featured Joni Eareckson Tada as guest speaker. In her late teens, Joni had been in a diving accident that paralyzed her from the neck down. Seated in a wheelchair, braces supporting her arms, a small figure in the centre of a large arena, she touched our hearts as she sang and spoke of the Christian faith. Her life had been dramatically changed through the accident. But out of the depths of this terrifying experience, a woman of faith rose up to inspire others through her singing, her talks, her writing, and her art. Resurrection power was and is at work in her remarkable life!

When we live as followers of Christ, we are given assurance that when this life is over, we will go into Christ's presence. Because Christ rose from the dead, we know that the power of God is such that He will raise believers into a new life when the time comes. This knowledge gives us power, for we know that the best is yet to be.

We are invited to follow Christ and live with faith in His resurrection power to lift us up and bring us through when life beats us down. We are called to a life of faith and hope here on earth, knowing that a glorious future awaits us in God's presence. We know, because God's power is revealed through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Prayer: God of mercy, You have demonstrated for us so wonderfully Your power through the resurrection of the Christ who was crucified to bring us salvation. May Your resurrection power work daily in our lives as we follow Your teachings. Enable us to inspire others through the lives that we live as Christians. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.