1 Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. 2 Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. 4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. 5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; 6 you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest. 7 But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple. 8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make your way straight before me.
I am very grateful to know that God is NEAR. How do I know? Because He tells us in the BIBLE. We can ask Him all kinds of things like in this passage. Sometimes we ask questions like, if God is near or cares about us why does He let bad things happen to us? Yes, it seems that way, but know this: we don’t know God’s plans. Right now we’re fighting with Covid Nineteen and all these things that are going on in the country I don’t know about you, but I sometimes ask God, why? But that’s alright to ask. Just keep asking and praying so that God heals us and heals our country. We, as a church body, are there for one another, please don’t hesitate to let us know if you need comfort. And remember, God loves us and is here for us and listens to us. Please read Matthew 27:27-31. May God bless us all.
Santa Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13. That was the day, hundreds of years ago, that a young Sicilian woman named Lucia, which means light, was martyred for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. Lucia was known for her love for Christ and her devotion to the poor in her community. In Scandinavian countries, in the depth of winter darkness, people remember Lucia’s light and service to others by attending processionals featuring a young woman wearing a white robe with a red sash and a crown of candles. She is accompanied by attendants, sings a familiar song, and serves coffee and treats.
Traditionally on Santa Lucia Day, the oldest daughter in the household, assisted by siblings, serves coffee and treats to her parents. In our family, we celebrate with pepparkakor (ginger snap cookies) and kanelbullar (cinnamon buns). It is fitting on this day in mid-December, to pause and remember the Light that entered a world of darkness, our Savior, Jesus. God Jul! (Merry Christmas in Swedish)
Jesus said, “For a brief time still, the light is among you. Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn’t destroy you. If you walk in darkness, you don’t know where you’re going. As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You’ll be children of light.” (The Message, John 12:35-36)
