The Shepherd’s-Field
In days of hot or cold; or starlit, or cloudy night,
Creatures roam the shepherd’s-field in hopes for some delight.
Wolves and bear and lions oh my…
Waiting in silence so they could try
To kill the lamb before it cries.
One little lamb is all it will take
To exploit it, and kill it. There to make souls forsake, the little lamb.
Lurking in the darkness, evil creeps waiting for their prey…
The innocent lamb to be swept away, from the shepherd’s-field.
But what a fright when they realize, the Shepherd is watching,
Now they must yield!
A whirl-wind, rose, on the shepherd’s-field that night
The stars rolled back, as a host from heaven filled the sky
Never had this occurred before. Let me tell you why…
The shepherd is prepared for any foe. Now confounded he bows low…
No sling, nor rod, nor staff, nor will, could stop the sight
Of this magnificent, unknown light…
The shepherd’s in the field shook with a mighty fright
How could they protect their sheep? This is a holy plight…
Robed beings in glowing-white, broke out in song and sang
“Glory to God in the Highest! Peace and goodwill to all men!”
Do not be afraid lowly shepherd’s for on this night in the city of David
A babe has been born…
You will find him wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger, there his mama and papa abide also…
He is Christ, the Lord!
So, on the shepherd’s-field that night…lowly shepherds took their flight
And came to a place where the animals, gaze, upon the Son of God!
If you happen to wander onto the shepherd’s-field…
Remember this year and do not be afraid; do not fear
For Christ, the King, is here!
It’s in the shepherd’s-field where the angels came to give the good news and there proclaim…
The lamb will not be killed this night…
The lamb will live for a designated site…
The wolf will hunt him and try to take to his life…
But rejoice, for no one can pluck him from his father’s loving hand…
The lamb willingly lay down his life for all man kind
To take it up again…
That’s not the end…
The shepherd’s-field will again be bright…
Where all who believe on this holy night
Will sing, Rejoice, rejoice Emanuel…God is with us!
The shepherd’s-field, is where lowly shepherds keep watch, until…
The Good, Shepherd, appears…
And the sheep are gathered safely to Heaven’s Shepherd’s-field!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill December 3, 2020
Luke 2:14 New King James Version
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Luke 2:11 New King James Version
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
The Blessing of Washing Each Other’s Feet
Bread is broken and the wine is sipped…
Each heart questioning as the towel is gripped.
Standing, facing each one of those I’ve come to know
Those I’ve watched, learn and grow…
My disciples…
I bow to wash their feet.
Kneeling before Peter, he says, No!
Peter, if you do not let me wash your feet,
You will have no life with me.
“Then Jesus, not just my feet, wash my hands and head as well!”
You are already clean; I only need to wash your dirty feet!
Then you will receive the inheritance with me.
You see,
Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve…
Giving to the poor, he waits at the door
To be welcomed in, he’s a gentleman…
Would you be willing to let Jesus wash your feet?
Would you wash your neighbor’s feet?
Christian brother, Christian sister…
Would you give up your favored seat, to a stranger from the street?
Would you smile beneath the mask that keeps others at arm’s length?
Would you give a few dollars to someone you meet?
The homeless man/woman needing food to eat?
Would you gossip about the unsavory ones the outcasts in society…?
Tell me, is this your reality?
Now some may say, “How dare you judge me.”
But truly, would you wash another’s feet?
Would you wash Jesus’s feet?
God is always teaching us and showing us how we are to treat…
All people, that we meet.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
Humility is the beginning of surrender.
The one who washes feet and the one who receives the feet washing, both benefit from the experience.
Both become humbled in the process…let go of pride for this is why~
There’s a blessing to receive when we wash our another’s feet!
~Marla Shaw O’Neill November 30, 2020
John 13:1-17 The Passion Translation
Jesus Washes Feet
13 Jesus knew that the night before Passover would be his last night on earth before leaving this world to return to the Father’s side. All throughout his time with his disciples, Jesus had demonstrated a deep and tender love for them. And now he longed to show them the full measure of his love.[a] 2 Before their evening meal had begun, the accuser[b] had already planted betrayal[c] into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
3 Now Jesus was fully aware that the Father had placed all things under his control, for he had come from God and was about to go back to be with him. 4 So he got up from the meal and took off his outer robe, and took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ dirty feet and dry them with his towel.
6 But when Jesus got to Simon Peter, he objected and said, “I can’t let you wash my dirty feet—you’re my Lord!”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand yet the meaning of what I’m doing, but soon it will be clear to you.”[d]
8 Peter looked at Jesus and said, “You’ll never wash my dirty feet—never!”
“But Peter, if you don’t allow me to wash your feet,” Jesus responded, “then you will not be able to share life with me.”
9 So Peter said, “Lord, in that case, don’t just wash my feet, wash my hands and my head too!”
10 Jesus said to him, “You are already clean. You’ve been washed completely and you just need your feet to be cleansed—but that can’t be said of all of you.” For Jesus knew which one was about to betray him, 11 and that’s why he told them that not all of them were clean.
12 After washing their feet, he put his robe on and returned to his place at the table.[e] “Do you understand what I just did?” Jesus said. 13 “You’ve called me your teacher and lord, and you’re right, for that’s who I am. 14–15 So if I’m your teacher and lord and have just washed your dirty feet, then you should follow the example that I’ve set for you and wash one another’s dirty feet. Now do for each other what I have just done for you. 16 I speak to you timeless truth: a servant is not superior to his master, and an apostle is never greater than the one who sent him. 17 So now put into practice what I have done for you, and you will experience a life of happiness enriched with untold blessings!”
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Footnotes
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John 13:1 Or “he loved them to the very end.”
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John 13:2 Or “devil.”
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John 13:2 Or “that he should betray Jesus.” The Aramaic is “Satan arose in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus.”
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John 13:7 By removing their sandals and washing their feet, Jesus was showing them that he was granting them a new inheritance—his own. The sandal is often used in covenants of inheritance in Hebrew culture. Every defilement would be removed so that they could “place the sole of their feet” upon the new covenant inheritance. See Josh. 1:3; Ruth 4:1-12. God likewise told Moses to remove his sandals (Ex. 3:5), for he was about to receive a new inheritance—the holiness of God and the authority that came with it.
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John 13:12 There has never been a nobleman, a teacher, or a king that loves and serves his servants like Jesus.
Mary Knew
Artist: Kristyn Brown
Let me tell you my story…
I was a young girl barely past my childhood days…when I had a visitation from an angel…
Now, you may think this strange…
It was strange to me too…
He told me I would bare a son, and that he’d be the savior of the world…
It was as he said.
I held him as a baby, I rocked him to sleep, sang lullabies and kissed him on his cheek…
I watched him grow through his teenage years and saw him become a man…
Knowing all along what was to come, I prayed and trusted God.
So, at a wedding in Cana when the wine ran out, I knew without a doubt what Jesus could do and I asked him to help. He hesitated knowing it wasn’t time but in love for me he did as I requested.
I heard the stories of how he healed blind eyes, gave hearing to the deaf. He cast out demons and raised some from the dead. He forgave sins and told parables. Stories to point people to God. And later I witnessed it with my own eyes. It was no surprise. He was God’s son too.
There were many trips to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover lamb…
I knew that Jesus was chosen and that He was the true Lamb!
So, I waited and watched and prayed for the strength to obey what I had promised God on that long-ago day.
I pondered all these things in my heart!
I watched them beat my son and humiliate him in front of the religious rulers. Roman armies and onlookers who had once followed him abandoned him.
I saw his blood run down his back as they scourged him. I did not speak because I knew it was his time. What he was going through was going to change the world forever. God gave me grace.
I stood at a distance as John held me up. I heard my son’s cries, “I thirst.”
Here was the living water, being deprived of drink. Given bitterness to sip on. I waited in agony my heart could hardly contain the pain. It was just as Simeon had prophesied at Jesus’s dedication to the Lord. My heart was pierced through it was more than I could bear. Seeing my precious son nailed to a cursed tree. The betrayal. The disgrace. But I also knew he had to go through all this to conquer hell, death and the grave.
As I stood near the cross, I heard him say, “Woman, behold your son. And as John held me, Jesus said to him, behold your mother.” All the agony and pain he was in, still, he considered me.
Then a chill more horrifying than anything I’d ever felt in my life, ran through me…I heard him cry out in a loud voice, “My God! My God why have you forsaken me?”
Then he said, “It is finished!” I collapsed in Johns arms as Jesus took his last breath, he hung his head. He was dead!
Three days we mourned him. I knew what He had said, that He would rise again! But was it really true? I had my times of doubts, I was human!
Everyone scattered and hid, afraid we would all be taken and crucified.
But on the third day our doubts and fears were totally wiped away as we heard the news; He is alive!!!
He’s alive! We saw him. He came to us and Thomas put his hand into his side where they had pierced him. He spoke to us and said, “You believe because you have seen me, but I tell you, more blessed are those who will believe that have not seen me.”
For forty days he ministered to many people. We ate with him and he showed us and told us many things.
I cannot tell you the joy that filled our hearts. All was realized. All was brought into being. We knew, that we knew, that we knew, all that he had said and done was true!! I have to admit it was worth all the pain and sorrow. You see, my son, truly is the Son of God!!
Then it was time for him to leave and go into Heaven. We stood and watched as he went into a cloud.
Two men in white robes appeared and said, “Galileans, why are you standing here staring into the sky? Jesus is going away but one day just as you saw him go, he will come again!”
I wrote this little story in response to the song, ‘Mary did you know?’ It made me think about how Mary might have felt. You can read it in the Bible.
Mary knew her baby boy. She knew who he was and what he would do!
Now, here’s a question for you…Do you know Jesus? Will you follow him? Will you be one of his disciples?
He’s calling you! Don’t put it off! If you’re answer is yes, and you say, I want to know him but I don’t know how?
All you have to do, is say, “Lord Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart, forgive me. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart, that You are the son of God. Fill me with Your love so that I can love others through you. Help me live for you all the days of my life. Amen.
If you just prayed that prayer, Welcome to the family. Find a Christ centered Church. Become a student of the Bible. The Holy Spirit will help you on your journey. God bless you.
John 3:16 New King James Version 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
~Marla Shaw O’Neill November 19, 2020
John 19:26-27 King James Version When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Acts 1:1-11
The Passion Translation
1 To Theophilus,[a] the lover of God.
I write to you again, my dear friend, to give you further details[b] about the life of our Lord Jesus and all the things that he did and taught.[c]
2 Just before he ascended into heaven, he left instructions[d] for the apostles he had chosen by the Holy Spirit.[e] 3 After the sufferings of his cross, Jesus appeared alive many times[f] to these same apostles over a forty-day period.[g] Jesus proved to them with many convincing signs that he had been resurrected.[h]
During these encounters, he taught them the truths of God’s kingdom realm 4 and shared meals with them.[i]
Jesus instructed them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait here until you receive the gift, I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. 5 For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!”[j]
6 Every time they were gathered together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is it the time now for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7 He answered, “The Father is the one who sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that he has prepared by his own authority. 8 But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be filled with power.[k] And you will be my messengers[l] to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces[m]—even to the remotest places on earth!”[n]
9 Right after he spoke those words, the disciples saw Jesus lifted into the sky and disappear into a cloud![o] 10 As they stared into the sky, watching Jesus ascend, two men in white robes suddenly appeared beside them. 11 They told the startled disciples, “Galileans, why are you staring up into the sky? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but he will come back the same way that you saw him ascend.”
Footnotes
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Acts 1:1 Some scholars believe that Theophilus could be a symbolic name and not necessarily one individual. This is most likely not written to one individual. When the meaning of his name is translated, the sentence reads, “I wrote to you before, O lover of God.” Both Luke and Acts were written to every lover of God.
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Acts 1:1 This account was written by Luke, the human author of the Gospel of Luke. The title Lord Jesus is found only in the Aramaic. The Greek is simply “Jesus.”
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Acts 1:1 Although Jesus’ work of redemption has been completed for us, there is still the unfinished work of preparing and beautifying his eternal partner, the bride of Christ. With gifts of power his church is continuing what Jesus began to do and teach through evangelism and discipleship. See Matt. 28:19-20; John 21:25; Eph. 4:11-13.
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Acts 1:2 Or “commands.”
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Acts 1:2 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek implies that the “instructions” (commands) he gave them were “by the Holy Spirit.”
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Acts 1:3 Jesus appeared to his followers at least eleven times and taught them the mysteries of God’s kingdom realm. See also Matt. 13:11.
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Acts 1:3 The number forty is significant, for it speaks of transformation and completeness through testing. Jesus was tempted for forty days, the deluge during Noah’s day lasted forty days and nights, Moses met with God for forty days on Sinai, Israel wandered for forty years, and Elijah fasted for forty days. Jesus spent forty days appearing to his disciples to teach them that a day of completeness and transformation had arrived. It took them forty days to comprehend that Christ’s kingdom was spiritual, not political.
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Acts 1:3 The world is still waiting to see “many convincing signs” from our lives signifying that we too have been raised from the dead. Spiritual fruit and spiritual power provide these signs.
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Acts 1:4 As translated from the Aramaic.
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Acts 1:5 The Aramaic implies that they would be the ones who would do the baptizing: “John baptized you in water, but you will baptize [others] in the Holy Spirit.”
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Acts 1:8 Or “You will seize power,” or “You will be seized with power.”
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Acts 1:8 Or “witnesses.” The Greek word can also be translated “martyrs.”
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Acts 1:8 Or “Samaria,” a term used for a distant province populated by another people group.
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Acts 1:8 See Matt. 24:14.
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Acts 1:9 Or “A cloud came under him and took him up from their sight.” The Aramaic is “A cloud accepted him and covered him from their eyes.” He did not start from a cloud and ascend to outer space. He started from their visible presence, and disappeared from view in a cloud, ascending by that means into heaven. And when he returns it will be a reverse order. We will see him appearing from out of a cloud and descending back into our visible presence where we can see him and be with him.
The Tapestry
God is the needle, Holy Spirit is the thread
Woven into the material where I am led…
Jesus is the frame when all is complete
Joy for the journey, praying life will be sweet!
Tiny stitches, forming my life, giving me hope to face each day
Allowing Jesus to have his way…
Each color a design, created through God’s hand…
Surrendering as he gives each command.
Traces of footprints, and stained with tears, giving me courage
To overcome my fears…
Creating love, so there’s no place for hate…
Bringing joy as He weaves, while I surrender and wait,
What will the tapestry reveal?
Each thread that’s given forms the scene
Of a life where only the artist can see what it means
To be a tapestry made by God’s hands.
Yes! Is my answer when he asks of me…
Will you be still? Will you stay true,
When all is finished while I’m creating you?
One last stitch and you will see,
You’re a masterpiece formed by me…
Child, you are now complete!
Framed by the one, who made me, you see,
Jesus, I am your tapestry!!!
~ Marla Shaw O’Neill November 19, 2020
Ephesians 2:10 New Living Translation
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
I dedicate this poem to Lisset Sanchez. Your post about unity inspired me.
Definition of Tapestry: a piece of thick textile fabric with pictures or designs formed by weaving colored weft threads or by embroidering on canvas, used as a wall hanging or furniture covering.
“paneled walls hung with old tapestries”
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used in reference to an intricate or complex combination of things or sequence of events.
