Wise Men

I am still stuffed from dinner last night.  Oh it was good!
Last night we finalized our family's celebration of Advent.

  Starting on Christmas day, we followed the 12 days of Christmas 

to January 6, where we culminated the festivities with an Epiphany Feast.

As the legend of the song, "The 12 days of Christmas" goes,
God the Father, our True Love,
gave to us the ultimate gift, Christ our savoir, on Christmas,

he is the "partridge in a pear tree."

Each of the days in the song have been referenced to gifts
given to us from God.
Two turtle doves- the Old and New testaments
Three French Hens- Faith, Hope, and Love
Four Calling Birds- the four gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Five Gold Rings- the Pentateuch; Genesis-Deuteronomy
Six Geese Laying-the 6 days of creation
Seven Swans a Swimming-7 gifts of the Holy Spirit;
prophesy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion
Eight Maids a Milking- the 8 beattitudes, Matt. 5:3-10
Nine Ladies Dancing- fruits of the Spirit, Gal 5:22
Ten Lords a Leaping- the 10 commandments, Ex. 21:1-17
Eleven Pipers Piping- the faithful apostles, Luke 6:14-16
Twelve Drummers Drumming- the 12 points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed

  Legend or true history, the song is a fun way to teach our children.

Epiphany is a traditional church day for remembering
the Wise Men

coming to give baby Jesus gifts.

A five course dinner,

served with singing in between each course,

and gifts at the end,

made for a happy finale

to this blissful season of hope, love and joy.
Gabe loved the singing,
and always ended the phrase with us, singing "tree"
(the only word he could get), at the top of his lungs.
Every home needs a two year old!

We celebrate because this is the first revealing of God incarnate to the gentiles.  We are so very thankful for that!
I love the saying, "Wise men still seek Him." 

Today, those who are wise will seek God and follow His ways. 

What does seeking God look like?

    Wise men will seek to become close to His Majesty

by soaking in His Word, 

letting every lesson permeate his soul,

and teaching them to his children.

Hosea wrote, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” 

It is tremendously easy for people to be led astray 

by a thousand forms of heresies, cults,

and erudite ideas the culture screams at us. 

The only antidote for this all-too-common scenario

is a thorough equipping in the Truth of God’s Word. 

But this cannot happen in a weekly, thirty-minute Sunday school lesson,

or a shallow fifteen minute sermonette.
 In order to be adequately prepared to stand strong

in the raging storms of deceit the world dishes out,

we must spend the time to be built up in the truth. 

Good, solid Biblical preaching,
followed by the Bible in the home,

being taught, memorized and explained

is the prescription to thwart theological ignorance.

I am ever so grateful for my husband, 

who, as a pastor, 

would rather error on being in-depth and long

with his sermon than watered down and short.

  It is not a popular position though,

and he takes quite a bit of flack for lengthy exposition. 

Would that the people rejoice over thorough exegetical preaching

rather than grumble about it! 

  A wise and godly father is one

who has made it a priority that his children know the Creator. 

As my husband reads to the family and discusses life issues at the table,

or at bedtime, or meets with the boys in one-on-one discipleship,

they are being trained to sit and listen, hearing instruction from their father, learning the ways of wisdom.

  Unfortunately, this practice is not the norm in our generation,

and few and far between are the men who take this responsibility

seriously enough to act upon it. 

Those that seek, will find God,

when they seek Him with all their heart. 

Then cometh wisdom.

"Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children:

  for blessed are they that keep my ways. 

Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates,

waiting at the posts of my doors.

  For whoso findeth me findeth life, 

and shall obtain favour of the Lord."  

Proverbs 8: 33-35