Those of you who are regular readers of my blog installments may recall that this year I used the Jesse Tree to stimulate my Advent preparation. Well, I am happy to report that being a Jesse Tree Sort of Person brought me to enjoy a very blessed Advent leading me to experience a joyous Christmas and rediscover the vitality of the Word of God!Each morning before hanging the Jesse Tree symbol on the door of my bedroom I would read the corresponding Old Testament passage and spend some time reflecting upon it (with the help of my Jesse Tree devotional booklet). This turned out to be very good for me. Many times when presented with Old Testament stories such as Daniel and the Lion’s Den or the Tower of Babel I would gloss over them thinking, “Oh I know this story.” But this year I was graced to read these familiar stories with fresh eyes doing my best to discover some new gem, uncovering something that God was trying to reveal to me, to teach me. It was fun to read these stories in a new-fangled manner. I was particularly intrigued to relate Noah’s Ark to a floating prison and the rainbow as a promise of parole. I chuckled to think of Abraham and Sarah’s journey through the desert on a camel as a cab ride through an unknown city. The innovative spin on the Anointing of David will stick with me for a long time because like David, and the haul of a fishing boat, we can all use a fresh coat of oil every now and again.Every dawn found me excited to see the story unfold as the tale drew closer and closer to the promised Messiah.What a great Christmas gift – to be captivated by Scripture! 
“The Word of God is living and active.”Hebrews 4:12