IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING

IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Yesterday=JOY came into
The world=The SHINING LIGHT
Of Emmanuel=is with us=
And it is JUST the beginning
Of the CHRISTIAN JOURNEY
"As they were stoning Stephen=
He called out=
'Lord Jesus-RECEIVE MY SPIRIT'"                                                                             Acts 7:59
For many=the CHRISTMAS STORY
Ends today=but for us CHRISTIANS
The JOURNEY is just beginning
Today we CELEBRATE the
Gruesome death of the
First Christian martyr=
Saint Stephen=FEEL the
Christian joy=DO you feel
It today?  Are you LIVING IT?
Taking JOY=and the light
Of life=CHRIST=on your
Journey through life
It is JUST THE BEGINNING=
Stephen felt the joy=
Do you?
"Now Stephen=a man
FULL of God's grace
And power
Performed great wonders
And signs
Among the people
OPPOSITION AROSE.............."                                                                                 Acts 6:8-9
After the GREAT TESTIMONY
Of Stephen=he was stoned
"While they were STONING
Him=Stephen prayed=
'Lord Jesus-RECEIVE MY SPIRIT'
"Then he fell on his knees
And cried out=
'Lord-do NOT hold this sin
Against them'
"When he had
Said this
He fell asleep
And Saul approved
Of their killing him"                                                                                                     Acts 7:59-60
Like Stephen=let us REMEMBER
Jesus from yesterday
He CAME in to this world
To grow up=to teach=to LOVE=
And to suffer=and die
A horrible death
Let us REMEMBER Jesus
With our LIVING BREATHS
It is only
JUST THE BEGINNING
Of our journey
"In spite of this
You did NOT trust in
The Lord your God
Who went ahead of you
On YOUR JOURNEY
In fire by night
And in a cloud
By day........                                                                                                               Deuteronomy 1:32-33
Today we RECOGNIZE
The CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Is here
And it is ONLY
THE BEGINNING
OF OUR JOURNEY
Like Stephen=only with OUR LIVES
Let us FOLLOW
His PATTERN OF LOVE
NOT only on Christmas
But every day
Of our lives
In Jesus' name=and the name
Of OUR EVERLASTING FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
12-25-18

Ps           INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Melannie Svoboda, S.N.D.