Author: Carol Purves

Lowly Shepherds

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Although Christmas Day is now a week or so away I can’t get the shepherds out of my mind. In Bethlehem at that time shepherds were very low on the social scale, especially those on the night watch. Yet it was these shepherds who were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus.

The good news wasn’t given to the important religious leaders, kings, noblemen or temple officials. The first to worship the King were the shepherds. They would have come to the stable dirty and unwashed to see a baby in a dirty and smelly manger.

The only proclamation was from angels, no-one else received this particular message at this particular time but with the news was an instruction ‘Go and see this baby.’ Just suppose the shepherds had not obeyed, thought they were too busy with their sheep or didn’t want to leave the flock exposed to danger. They could have imagined it was only a dream. Maybe they could have believed but not obeyed. The Christmas story would have been so very different. They would have missed out on the most exciting experience of their lives, Mary and Joseph would not have had the chance to be thrilled by the visit

Shepherds in Bethlehem were considered lowly. That’s good, because I and maybe you are also lowly and unimportant in the world. I pray we too may be obedient.

Yiddish Saying

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I understand there is a Yiddish saying ‘Man plans, God laughs.’ As we progress into 2026 no doubt we have made many plans for the future. It would be unwise not to have done so, but have we run these plans past God? It would be foolish not to have done so.

We have such limited knowledge, we don ‘t know what will happen from one day to another. We can probably think back to a day when everything changed in our lives. Mine was when I witnessed my parents in a car accident. My father had had a heart attack while driving and had hit two other cars. That had not been in my plans. Family life was never quite the same but now I can see God was in control of the changes.

Looking back on 2025 have we had an experience like that? With hind sight we can realise that although we might have faced troubles, God never lost control. So many times we have been told in the Bible ‘Do not fear.’ So while we need to plan for the future we need to do it in connection with God. He alone knows the end from the beginning. We still need our to-do lists and elaborate plans but we need never be surprised when events turn out differently. Proverbs 16:9 puts it, ‘The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his path.’

A Valley is not a Cul-de-Sac

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In this life we will go through valleys. Trouble will come; it’s not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’. I remember being a child with no conception of future trouble. I realised that I was blessed in having parents who shielded me. I now know that trouble and joys are both parts of life. We realise that troubles will not last, nor will joys.

But we do know how to face the bad times, because we are yoked to God, He will carry the heavy load. We are told so many times in the Bible, ‘Do not be afraid’, ‘Do not fear.’ How can we be afraid with God at our side? God is the Creator and Sustainer of the whole world, He can lead us through our small troubles. He doesn’t leave us in the valley, He shows us the way through. God is on our side, He is fighting for us.

Millions have proved the words of Psalm 23 to be true.’ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear, for You are with me.’ Note the words ‘walk through’. We don’t stay there, we walk through the valleys, there is a way out. Let us walk through our troubles with God by our side, carrying the heavy end of the load. A valley is not a cul-de-sac.

In My Boat

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Imagine being on the lake in a boat when a fierce storm blows up. Because you are an experienced fisherman you know how dangerous it can be. Jesus is in another boat, not yours. As you rapidly lower the sail and try to steer your boat you look over at the other boat to where Jesus is and you wish He was in your boat.

Suddenly the storm calms and all is still and quiet. It is only afterwards that you learn that Jesus had been asleep and was roughly woken by His disciples. ‘Be still’ He said to the waves and then He gently rebuked the men ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’

Although you weren’t with Jesus you still had the blessing of the quietened storm. Whether a believer or not everyone gains from God’s bountifulness. Everyone has the advantage of the sun, warmth, rain and wind. Since it was Christians who started hospitals, hospices and schools, each person on earth can now gain by these institutions. So many of God’s gifts are for everyone, though many people don’t know who to thank. Or maybe they just take them for granted. We know who to thank and we do give thanks that God is in our boat.

‘Just as I Am.’

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Charlotte Elliott was a poet of humorous verse born in South London in 1789. Her grandfather, father and brother were eminent preachers. At the age of 32 she was struck down with a debilitating illness, probably M.E. which meant she was mostly confined to bed. Her frustration was great as she felt she couldn’t do anything for God.

One day a friend, Cesar Malan explained to her that God could use her just as she was. This helped to calm her rage and she began writing hymns. Eventually 150 of these were printed with the help of her brother. By far her most famous hymn was ‘Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me.’ Every verse concludes with the words ‘ O Lamb of God, I come.’

More than a hundred years later this hymn was used by D. L. Moody and Billy Graham as well as John Stott. It re-enforces the words of John 6:37 ‘All that the Father gives me, will come to me and whoever comes to me, I will never drive away.’

Charlotte felt she was useless and of no good to anyone, but the fact was just the opposite. The words of her hymn have accompanied many a soul to Christ.

Watchful and Thankful

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‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.’ Colossians 4:2

We know that we need to devote ourselves to prayer and we can never pray too much. Jesus gave us an example of how to pray and James exhorts us to pray always without ceasing. Numerous books are written about the subject, many sermons preached. But in this Biblical quotation, do we only keep the first part of the quotation? What about the rest?

‘Being watchful,’ We need to be on our guard as we have been told the devil stalks about seeing who he can devour. We don’t want to be devoured! The wiles of the devil are, well wily. He would have us for himself and then destroy us. We need the protection of the Holy Spirit to warn us and keep us safe.

So in this verse we are asked to be thankful. There is always the temptation of treating God like Father Christmas. ‘Please may I have .. ‘ Please heal this one one or the other’ Are our prayer self-centred? No doubt we all have friends who talk only about themselves. Do we do that with God? God wants a relationship with us, He desires fellowship. It isn’t as if we don’t have plenty to be thankful for. Beginning with salvation, right through to eternal life are things to be thankful for, as well as every day blessings.

Give Time

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We have ‘survived’ Christmas, the shopping, the giving and receiving of presents, the services, the relations. In this flat season we can look forward to the New Year resolutions and the finish of the turkey. Could 2026 be a year of giving.

There are many charities and good causes to which we can give financially, but what about giving our time? This is the most precious commodity and there are 365 days before us. Could we visit those who have had a ‘quiet’ Christmas. Although there are some who want to be alone at this time of year, there are those who don’t but are forced to do so with no choice. It might be they have no relatives, relatives who never visit or a lack of friends.

Wall to wall television dulls the brain but for some this is all they have. Maybe those who have had this quiet Christmas are difficult people. Jesus knew and interacted with plenty of people like that. We might not know what to talk about but it doesn’t really matter, just visit and talk about anything, maybe the television programmes.

People with short-term memories will be able to talk about the past and will love to think about the ‘old days.’ People like talking about themselves. You will be visiting in the place of Christ, what a privilege! Visit with the heart of Christ.

The Year of Our Lord – 2026

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My mother died in the year 2000. She would not recognise the world as it is today. Computers, mobile phones, on-line shopping were all unknown to her generation. Possibly throughout history, society has never changed so quickly as it does today. Our human minds are struggling to catch up plus we don’t like change.

One thing has not changed and never will – our God. God is the same yesterday, today and for ever.’ Habakkuk 13:8. God is the same as the God who created the world and mankind so very long ago. All the promises in the Bible are true, either they have happened or they will happen. God is our source of hope.

As was quoted in a speech by the late King George VI in 1939, ‘I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, Give me a light that I might go safely into the unknown.’ He replied, ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.’ Minnie Hoskins.

Hope

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I wish a happy New Year to all my readers Just think, the year 2026 has never happened before. What exciting things it might hold.

The Israelites had hope that they would be freed from the bondage of the Egyptians. It was in hope that they also travelled hoping they would reach the promised land, though disobedience dashed that hope. The disciples waited in the upper room for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Christians through out the decades have waited in hope for the return of Jesus.

This is a hope that will not be dashed. Most of the time these people had hope because they had read the scriptures and believed what they read. In 2026 we too can have hope because we have the same scriptures and more, the same God and the same promises. Our God is faithful, He will care for us throughout this year. Therefore we have hope.

The world may struggle around us, nations be at war, poverty, natural disasters happen but our God is faithful. He is walking beside us.

Green pastures are before me which yet I have not seen,

Blue skies will soon be o’er me where the dark clouds have been,

My hope I cannot measure, my path to life is free,

My Saviour has my treasure and He will walk with me.

Anna Letitia Waring

No Crying?

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‘The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.’ author unknown.

The Baby has been born, the mother is exhausted from the journey and birth. The shepherds, whose visit was so unexpected have returned to the fields .The landlady, having done what she could to help, has returned to her other guests and bed. Joseph beyond tiredness with worry and amazement has sunk into deep slumber. Then it started.

The noisy cattle are making a racket and at first we hear just a whimper, then full-blown yelling. Maybe the straw was irritating the baby’s tender skin, maybe He was just being a baby. Sleep for Mary and Joseph was now impossible. I know the hymn says ‘the little Lord Jesus no crying He makes, but He was 100% human and human babies cry. He would grow up to graze His knees, play boisterous games with His friends and eventually be crucified.

We can sentimentalise the Christmas story but the stable was noisy, smelly and overcrowded with no room for visiting humans. The Son of God came down to our broken, weary world to eventually make it clean and holy because of His love for us.

We can only repeat the last verse of this carol,

‘Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask You to stay,

close by me for ever and love me, I pray.’