As we were in conversation, the baby was crawling on the floor entertaining herself. Unexpectedly, we noticed her standing and holding onto the coffee table. She had figured out how to get up on her feet, but we had missed her standing up on her own. As it was a first-time accomplishment, she smiled a brilliant and victorious smile, as if to say, "Look at me now!" We were delighted.

It didn't take me long to think of the song, Stand up, stand up for Jesus.

Ephesians 6:13-17 – Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (NKJV)

My great-granddaughter's experience is just like when we get up and stand for Jesus! After crawling on the sinking sand of the worldly scene that has nothing solid to offer, when we reach out to Jesus, He lifts us up to stand on the solid Rock of Ages. Our first few steps become many and noticeable in our lives that include the more abundant way, truth, and life.

The Bible that I had on that coffee table now has a new home in my grandson's home, so as to keep it in the family. My dream is for my youngest great-granddaughter to find the Word of God reliable not only to stand on as solid ground but also to use as the double-edged sword of the Spirit.

I picture her standing up, hungry to know more of God and Jesus for herself and desirous of being a sunbeam to shine around this world with the love of God! We love because God first loved us.

Many of us received the faith from our fathers and mothers, soldiers of the cross of Christ Jesus. How important it is for us to pass on the faith to our grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and generations to come!

Prayer: O Holy One, thank You for blessing generations of believers on the way of Jesus — truly the more abundant way. Sincerely thankful, we pray in the only Name given to us in which to pray: Jesus! Amen.

To someone who helps me, I might say, "See you again!" or "You are a godsend!" and always "God bless you!" I really enjoy my shopping, and I actually anticipate meeting people, thanking God for my helpers' good deeds.

Years ago on a particularly distressing, pivotal day, I was prompted to look at my old Bible. Opening it, I read about asking God — just what I needed in my despair!

Matthew 7:7-8 – Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (NRSV)

In what had seemed like a desperate situation, I was given a profound lift of hope for the future. This promise that our joy may be complete by asking in Jesus' name has remained since then as a reminder that in other situations on the journey, asking God is the best source for answers, be it in unemployment, sickness, relationships, children, loss of a loved one, or whatever the name of despair!

Reading the Bible is a source of keys that open the door for us to walk through.

John 14:13-14 – I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. (NRSV)

I have learned that God answers with "No", "Yes", and "Wait". Whichever it is, it is always timely and the best answer.

There is complete joy in God's answers, and so in that assurance, we can move on with a heart filled with gratitude and joy.

Psalm 121:1-2 – I lift up my eyes to the hills — from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (NRSV)

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, thank You for those who help us each day in so many ways. Thank You for the name of Jesus, through whom we can come before You. Our joy is complete in such blessings! In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen!

I've been a mother for 70 years, and Mother's Day this year made me think of the years gone by. Now, all my children are retired and have their own families. There have been times to be proud and, yes, times of difficulty! Growing up was not that easy.

For example, it was quite a journey to be presented with a firstborn premature child with no instructions. One is helpless to understand all that it takes to care for the tiny premature bundle before you. There are times when the little person in your arms shows unhappiness, and your effectiveness fails to be of any help. One learns how and when and what to do when a more experienced person helps out. It is amazing how quickly things turn out for the best.

So, it was such a surprise to receive a Mother's Day card with a note: "I am sorry I was such a jerk when a teenager!" I did not see that coming!

I had to think about that! I must have been blind to miss that, thinking that it was a normal teen that I had under my roof! What did I know?

Now at my old age and after reading the Bible for education in God's own Word, I begin to see what "jerk" can mean. When I read about sin and salvation, eternal life and the judgment of hell, I now see myself as a jerk not to have received sooner God's love offer to save me from the turmoil of hell. I was raised in a Christian family, and even heard God speaking to me as a seven-year-old picking wild strawberries in a field. But it was not until I already had four children that I said "Yes!" to Jesus.

I thank God for sending to me believers in Jesus to remind me to think where I was with God. Then, as I continued to grow in Him, I had to learn to discern falsehood, errors, mistakes the world makes, and the errors of the religions that humans blindly follow.

Growing up in truth is not easy, but all who confess to be jerks about their sin are smiling the happy smile of a saved soul.

So as a former jerk among the smiling ones, today, I praise God the I AM for His enduring love and for the power and the glory of the cross of Christ! Praise God for the tomb that is empty! Jesus walked out alive, resurrected, and is now at the right hand of God the Father. He will come again as a judge of the unsaved sinners and a Saviour of all the jerks who have repented from all their sins, to be received to everlasting life in God's heaven! Oh! what joy that day will be!

Prayer: Thank You, God the I AM, for the unimaginable love that You have for us undeserving ones. In Your hands, we are in a safe place. Thank You for being the only name given by which we must be saved! No other name: only Jesus saves us! We pray in that name, Jesus! Amen!

Slowly, over the years, I have been learning to cope with the gradual loss of vision. At one point, it came to giving up driving. Early in my life, I began writing pieces like this (by hand), but in my later years, over age 60, I was able to continue to do this when I learned to use a computer, because the writing comes out with a large enough font for me to see. It really helps to have what I am looking at illuminated by a bright light.

John 9:25b – One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see. (NRSV)

All of these changes have a parallel in the spiritual realm. As I have matured in Christ, I have been able to "see" how the things of God can be enlarged to our limited human vision with help from above. God gives us an epiphany of great things that are lacking in the human soul.

John 8:12 – Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (NRSV)

Jesus, the Light of the world, shines through the heart, mind, and soul, dark and impaired, to restore them to wholeness in Him. Ruined souls who turn to the Light from above receive saving faith in Jesus as Lord and Redeemer.

2 Corinthians 12:8-9a – Three times I appealed to the Lord about [my thorn in the flesh], that it would leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for [my] power is made perfect in weakness." (NRSV)

We can always take our weak spots to God in prayer. God knows us through and through, and He actually waits for us to realize that, too.

Our deficiencies are no problem to Jesus, who died for our sins. Remembering that we live by saving grace through faith in Jesus our Light, in return, we ask Him to turn our impairments into effectiveness for His kingdom. On my walks around the block using my walker for support, it always amazes me how so many reach out to receive the devotional pamphlets that I offer. Each time, I just ask the Lord which corner I should stand at, who His Light is shining on, and whose impaired spiritual vision is being restored!

I return home, rejoicing in the Lord, who is my shining Light!

Prayer: God Almighty, thank You for sending Your own Son to take away the sin of the world — the sins of each one of us as Your children. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for opening our eyes for salvation, for the help from above. Glory and honour to You: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen!

A game show on television named The Price Is Right is the world's longest-running game show with episodes five days a week. The contestants can win cash and prizes by guessing the price of various products without going over. It is entertainment for the viewers to play along by guessing for themselves. So many people know the legendary invitation: "Come on down! You're the next contestant on The Price is Right!"

In the game of life, the first people created by God to live in His presence sorely underestimated the price of disobeying the one law that God gave them. They gambled and fell from their paradise garden and were sent to live in a world of corruption and disappointments. The price was hefty and trouble was plenty.

The human race multiplied, and so did their wickedness. Their every inclination was only evil all the time. Among the evil ones, God chose a righteous man named Noah to build an ark that would save his family of eight from a flood that would destroy the rest. Noah obeyed God and was spared with his family.

The human race soon became tribes and nations and people of different languages fighting each other and waging wars, falling into sinful ways and not listening to the warnings of God's prophets about the high price of the consequences.

God had another plan to save many. When the time was full, He sent His only Son as a Saviour for the world. Jesus left His glory on high and was born in Bethlehem into a hostile world. God came down in the flesh to live among us. At age 30, He began His mission to be among the people healing, teaching, feeding, and asking people to believe His Word. Many did so and became followers of Christ.

The grace of God comes with a high price! It came with Jesus dying on Calvary's cross! The disciples of Christ got the price right by believing that Jesus suffered the cruel death as the right price to satisfy His heavenly Father's judgement on our sin. The sinless and holy blood of the Lamb of God is the only price that God the Father acknowledges as righteousness for our sin. Without it, there is no accepted currency to receive forgiveness of sins.

Let this be the day to discover and receive Jesus into our hearts and be right with Him! Let us be grateful forever that Jesus paid the appointed right price for our condemned souls. Thank You, Jesus, for the rewards that You offer when we choose to have You first in our hearts!

Prayer: Holy Father, thank You for coming with salvation to save us through the heavy price paid by Your Son, through whom we have entrance to Your kingdom. Thank You for Your everlasting love, that You give us eternal life in Your heaven, and on earth the faith to rely on Your presence and power to be conquerors in our trials. In our hearts and lives, we rejoice in Your great love! Lifting Your name on high, we pray. Amen!

It was Advent, which means "coming", and the Finnish Lutheran church that I attended as I grew up was preparing the sanctuary meaningfully for the celebration and anticipation of the coming of Jesus. Men and women together as a church family were placing Christmas decorations around. Many helping hands brought in the huge spruce Christmas tree, more than five metres tall, complete with cones, and dressed it with lots of lights and baubles. To see the male folk together in the spirit of Christmas was a special blessing.

A large wreath had a special place for all to see at the front of the sanctuary, and four candles were set upon it, one more to be lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. The white one in the centre was the Christ candle, lit on Christmas Day. On the first Sunday of Advent, the congregation watched in anticipation as the first candle was lit to bring its light into the darkness. It brought hope to hearts tenderly opening to help from above.

That Sunday, we also waited for the singing of "Hosanna in the highest heaven!" It signified opening our hearts, as we waited for the Lord to come — just as we also did on Palm Sunday, as at the coming of Jesus into Jerusalem, "Hosanna!" rang out from the people, meaning, "Lord, help! Save us!" This was a united cry to God in repentance and sorrow for our sins, with hearts sorry for our wrongdoings, disobedience, and rebellion against God Almighty. With one voice, in unison, we were calling, "Lord, help! Save us!" Individually, we were invited to self-examination in advance of the coming of the Lord. Hosanna! The Lord is coming!

It was good to be in church together before God — and it still is. There, God is present in His Word, in song, in prayers, and in silent reflection.

The meaning of Christmas begins with Advent: waiting, preparing us to be filled with the hope, love, joy, and peace of God our Saviour that we so much need. Christmas hymns and spiritual songs enhance and stir our hearts to repentance.

In Jesus, our Redeemer, we have the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus has come as the Light into the world — into our darkness.

May Advent in our lives today be filled with true waiting to meet our Saviour. King of glory, come!

Prayer: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! (Matthew 21:9b NIV 2011) Amen.

It took me no time to realize that the devil also offers attractive promotional packages in very sneaky ways, to fool us into accepting sin as blindly as I did, not seeing what all is involved in such a package. Satan entices sinners into his web, and everything looks good at first. But then, it all goes sour, because his promotional package expires, and we begin to reap the just rewards of our misdeeds.

Fortunately, at such a time, by God's sheer grace, sinners begin to realize that something is really wrong with the promotional package that they are carrying. There is an epiphany moment in one's life when God is the only One left to turn to, and His forgiveness and grace become a reality. He is the One who has waited for us to inquire for answers, the One who is waiting to hear our cry for help! He is the One with a foolproof, everlasting promotional package of forgiveness and love in Jesus that is open and free and never expires!

Romans 5:5 – And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (NIV 2011)

Oh, how great is the love of God and His promotional package to a poor sinner in trouble!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for taking our sins upon Your sinless, holy body. You are our bright promotional package of salvation that will not expire! Thank You for providing for our destiny in the life to come. Alleluia! In Your name, we pray. Amen.