Ocala First Connection

Happy are those    who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread,    or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord,    and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees    planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season,    and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. ~Psalm 1:1-3 Jeanne and her daughter, Juliana There is something incredibly rooted about the Christian faith. On one hand, we know that God is in all places and all times,   but on the other,   we know that God is particular. In the form of Jesus, we know that God was in specific times and places. (Just like God promises to be present in specific things like communion and baptism or prayer and Scripture reading. )  Jeanne Henningsen has a prayer chair in her home—a specific place where she...

What did it mean that God became human? ...or better yet, WHY would God become human? These have been questions pondered for centuries (especially by early church writers like Athanasius—see quotes below) but the answer has always been something like: ...because God wanted to. ….because God wanted to bring salvation and hope and healing to a broken and sinful world. ...because God wanted to show us how we should live. The reality is that it happened. In Jesus, the incarnation happened. What does it mean for YOUR life?   Quotes from Athanasius’ “On the Incarnation”   (Fully Human and Fully Divine: Jesus is the Word of God)  "The Self-revealing of the Word is in every dimension- above, in creation; below, in the Incarnation; in the depth , in the breadth; throughout the World."   "His body was for Him not a limitation, but an instrument, so that He was both in it and in all things, and outside all things, resting in the Father abo...

Some passages to read:      ·   John 1:1-18      ·   Hebrews 1:1-4 and 2:10-18      ·   1 John 1:1-2      ·   1 Timothy 3:16      ·   Colossians 1:11-23      ·   Matthew 2:1-12 Incarnation simply means “in the flesh” —as in God being made flesh in the form of Jesus. It means something that God actually became human, actually ate food, actually cried, and actually died for the sins of the world. It is because God became human that God is able to fully meet with us and guide us on the right path. Epiphany, also known as "Three Kings Day" and "Twelfth Day," falls on the twelfth day after Christmas, and signals the conclusion of the twelve days of the Christmas season. The day celebrates the manifestation of God in the form of human flesh through Jesus Christ, his Son. The word epiphany means “manifest...

“ ...If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. “ ~Romans 8:31-39 After so many weeks of waiting…. After so many weeks of praying for Emmanuel to come, this is the time to celebrate and remember th...

Today is the second day of Christmas. ...a day that reminds us that, even after the wrapping paper is torn away (even after the events and errands settle down) God is still with us. The spirit and joy of Christmas continues. We're reminded that the star that shone at the birth of Christ marks the beginning of his life on earth  and the start of the wise men's journey (--not their arrival. We'll celebrate that on January 5th, "Epiphany Sunday"). So yes, it's the second day of Christmas. The journey continues! A Prayer for the Christmas Season   from The United Methodist Book of Worship, pg279.   Holy God, heaven and earth are met in the newborn Child, Savior of the world. We celebrate his birth; for in him you come to be close to us, that we might be close to you. Especially, we give thanks for the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and all he means to us ... for prospects of peace in the world ......