Heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth and all that is in it. Deuteronomy 10:14
 
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors! Luke 2:14
 
God favors each one of us. That is a fact beyond understanding considering how often we turn from the ways God would have us to go. God is always awaiting our return to the ways God would have us to go.
 
In Deuteronomy, Moses  is talking to the Israelites as they are gathered on the other side of the Jordan, waiting for their entry into Canaan. Moses wants his people to remember that they are God's chosen people and that they are to worship God, and only God. God owns the earth and all that is in it. They are to follow the laws that God has laid out for them.
 
The verse from Luke is the song that the angels sang to the shepherds who were out watching their flocks at night soon after Jesus was born. Earlier the terror the shepherds experienced when the angels appeared is described. What a glorious message to these frightened shepherds! Part of the wonder of this encounter is that the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus instead of just staying in the fields with the sheep and discussing their encounter only with one another.  Instead the shepherds went to see Mary, Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. Then they told many about their experience. All who heard them were amazed.
 
Our earth and all that is in it is a gift from God. It fills us with gratitude, wonder, and awe. We can hardly understand all that God has created for our lives here on earth. What God has planned for us beyond our lives on earth is beyond our understanding. What an amazing God we have who includes us in his plan to bring us to our heavenly home as soon as we accept God into our lives!
 
Dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Thank you for including us in your earthly creation. We believe that we will be part of your heavenly creation in the future even though we have limited understanding of what that means. Fill us with peace from knowing that we are yours and that you love us beyond our understanding. Help us to share your good news with others. Amen.
 
Florence Smallfield          
Ministries
Teaching Mission Party