Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross

In the past several months, I have enjoyed sharing hymns or songs that I enjoy. Here I am again, sharing another hymn.

As a harpist and as someone who loves good, Godly music, music is a large part of my life. There are so many beautiful, Christian songs, both old and new, that I enjoy playing and singing. 

I grew up singing many of the old, beloved hymns. So many hymns are near and dear to my heart. 

Every year, I always love remembering the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. And I love songs surrounding that theme. 

And every year, there seems to be a song that stands out to me in a special way. 

This year, a very familiar hymn was on my mind: 

“Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross” 

Last Friday, April 3rd, I paused around 3:00 p.m. that afternoon to remember our dear Savior’s enormous sacrifice for us. I spent a few minutes in prayer, thanking the Lord for the shed blood of His Son. The Lord Jesus is our Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God. 

I sat down behind my large harp in our living room and played the old, beloved hymn. The words to that hymn echoed my heart. 

Jesus, keep me near the cross,

There a precious fountain;

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calvary's mountain. 

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the Bright and Morning Star

Shed His beams around me. 

Near the cross! O lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

Near the cross! I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever;

‘Till I reach the golden strand,

Just beyond the river. 

~ Fanny Crosby 

I have been so blessed to see where our Lord Jesus died in Jerusalem, Israel. I have stood at what I believe to be the exact spot, the exact location, inside the grounds of the Garden Tomb area in Jerusalem. Naturally, my mind went to that place. I thought about what that Passover day must have been like nearly 2,000 years ago. I thought about our dear Savior hanging in agony on that old rugged cross. I thought about that cross this year. 

Like other times in the past, I wondered what kind of wood that cross was made from. Was it wood from an olive tree? Or was it wood from an almond tree? Or an oak tree? Or a cedar tree? 

And I cannot help but wonder where that tree once grew? The tree that would hold the Savior of the world upon it as He died and shed His blood for all mankind. We may never know what kind of tree it was, and that’s okay. But I thought about it. 

Even more than that, I thought a lot about the precious body of our Lord Jesus. I thought about that more than anything else this year. 

His body was beaten, whipped, scourged, and pierced for us. He gave His body for us. That is how much He loves you and me. 

The human body is very precious to God; God is the Creator of the human body. 

Yeshua willingly gave His body to be sacrificed for us. I thought about that for a long time. 

Such love! 

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross. 

I desire to stay near that cross and to remember it often because, in the shadow of that cross, is a God who loves us more than we can imagine, so much that He gave Himself for us. 

I will never get over that. 

He rose victoriously from the tomb He was laid in three days later, never to die again! 

I love the Scripture in Revelation where He says: 

“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen…” 

Revelation 1:18 

Last weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, we enjoyed some beautiful weather with many trees and flowers in bloom around our home and neighborhood. I enjoyed going on several walks in our neighborhood to enjoy the beauty of it all. 

Springtime is a miracle to me, a miracle that becomes normal to us every year. 

Last weekend, seeing new plant life as buds and blossoms everywhere, all of creation seemed to proclaim that Christ has risen from the dead! 

Below are some pictures I took of some trees and flowers in bloom near our home. 

I love these small, delicate, white flowers on a tree on our neighborhood. I wish I knew the name of this tree. 

New life! New buds springing forth on another tree. 

Our white lilac bush usually blossoms sometime in April every year. This year it blossomed just in time for Resurrection Day! 

Our purple lilac bushes are just beginning to bloom now - a whole month early! We have had unusually warm weather here this spring. Our lilacs decided to bloom early.

These lovely pink blossoms were on another tree in our neighborhood. All of creation praises their Creator! 

I also loved the special paper plates and napkins my mom purchased for our special meal last weekend. The flowers on them fit well with all the trees and flowers in bloom around us! 

I always love to remember and celebrate that we serve a risen Savior! 

But I also love to remember the enormous price that was paid for you and for me - the blood and body of our dear Lord. 

I want to stay near that cross every day. A verse from this beloved hymn says it well. 

Near the cross! O lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

An Irish Hymn

The month of March makes me think about Ireland and Irish things, including Irish hymns. 

During the month of March, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in the United States which is why I tend to think more about Ireland and Irish things. 

Although he was not Irish, St. Patrick was a very Godly man who became a missionary to Ireland. March 17th was the date of Patrick’s death. 

I’m not someone who follows the “national day” calendar, but occasionally, it is fun to look at. 

I like the idea of having certain national days to celebrate such as: National Strawberry Day. 

I love strawberries. I’m looking forward to fresh, sweet, juicy strawberries this spring and summer. 

National Strawberry day falls on February 27 and National Strawberry month is in May. 

I admit, I find those dates a bit odd because June is peak season for strawberries in much of the United States. I’m surprised June isn’t national strawberry month with national strawberry day being on June 1st or June 27th. Perhaps whoever decides those things will consider changing those dates someday. 

I’m also surprised there isn’t a National Harp Day or National Harp Month. Whoever decides those dates might take those into consideration as well? 

I might suggest March as National Harp Month? 

And maybe March 17th as National Harp Day? 

Why the month of March? 

The harp is very much connected to Ireland, hence my reason for suggesting the month of March. 

The Celtic Harp, also known as the folk harp or lever harp, came from Ireland. Lever harps are the type of harp that I play. 

The harp is so connected to Ireland that the official instrument of Ireland is the harp. And Ireland’s official national emblem is also a harp. 

Ireland is the only country in the world that has its national emblem as a musical instrument. Their harp emblem appears on their passports, coins, coats of arms, and government documents.

My name Erin means: “Ireland” 

Erin is essentially another name for Ireland with various spellings for the female name Erin. 

Erin can also mean: “Peace” 

I like the latter meaning of my name a little more. 

But I do find it ironic that my name literally means Ireland, and I play the national instrument of Ireland which is the harp. 

My parents chose my name only because they liked it. It was kind of a popular name in the United States when I was born in the early 1980’s. 

My parents had no idea when they named me that I would play the harp someday. I don’t think they knew the meaning of my name either. We are primarily English, not Irish. 

Sometimes I wonder if the Lord does things like that with names and their meaning? 

My full name is: Erin Lynn

My first and middle name both end with the letter N which is special to me. In English, that makes my names rhyme. 

In Hebrew, every letter has a meaning. What is really special to me is the meaning of the Hebrew letter N. I have one in my first name and two in my middle name. But that is for another blog post.

I think about Ireland a lot during the month of March because my name and the harp are both from Ireland. 

There are many images on the internet depicting Ireland with a woman named Erin, wearing a dark green dress, and playing the harp. Those images make me smile. 

Ironically, dark green is one of the best colors on me, though blue is my favorite color.

The color green is also connected to Ireland, depicting Ireland’s lush, green, fertile land. 

I would love to visit Ireland someday.  

There are many hymns that Christians sing to the tune of Celtic or Irish melodies. 

Some of those hymns are: 

“Be Thou My Vision”  

“The King of Love” 

“Let All Things Now Living” 

“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” 

Sometimes, I think of hymns like these during the month of March around St. Patrick’s Day with his connection to Ireland as a missionary. 

The hymn “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” is frequently sung to a Celtic/ Irish melody called Kingsfold. The melody is so very beautiful. 

Click here to listen to this melody on the harp. 

Recently, I read the words to this lovely hymn, one that I did not know, and I was deeply moved. 

The words are precious, so precious that I decided to share this lovely Irish hymn in a blog post. 

So many people are hurting and suffering these days. Sickness seems to be everywhere, along with sadness, anxiety, and depression. 

Just going into a local grocery store, I see sadness, brokenness, and depression in people’s eyes. People need the Lord.

Even those who know God and walk with Him need His presence, strength, and love every day. 

If you love names and the meaning of names like I do, when you see the name Jesus in this hymn, you can also use the name Yeshua, His true name. 

He loves you so much. 

Consider these precious words: 

 I heard the voice of Jesus say,

“Come unto Me and rest;

Lay down, O weary one, lay down

Thy head upon My breast.”

I came to Jesus as I was,

Weary, and worn, and sad;

I found in him a resting place,

And he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,

“Behold, I freely give

The living water; thirsty one,

Stoop down, and drink, and live.”

I came to Jesus, and I drank

Of that life-giving stream;

My thirst was quench'd, my soul revived,

And now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,

“I am this dark world’s Light;

Look unto me, your morn shall rise,

And all your day be bright.”

I looked to Jesus, and I found

In him my Star, my Sun;

And in that Light of life I’ll walk,

Till trav'ling days are done. 

~ Horatius Bonar

The King of Love

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about hymns that I enjoy and love playing on the harp. 

In my last post here, I shared my favorite hymn: 

“My Shepherd Will Supply My Need”

That made me think of another hymn I love, one that I enjoy playing as a medley with that hymn:

 “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” 

Sometimes, this hymn is just simply titled:

 “The King of Love”

I played those two hymns as a medley on my first harp recording titled:

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

The lyrics to both hymns are similar in that they are both based on Psalm 23. And although they are different, the melodies to both hymns have a similar, melodic feel to them. 

In a broken world filled with so much sadness, sorrow, and care, both hymns bring a sweet, soothing balm to the heart. 

Our God is a God of love. That is the very essence of His nature and character. That is who God is. 

“… For God is love.” 

1 John 4:8 

There is a video on YouTube of this lovely hymn played on harp and flute with orchestra and choir. 

Click the link below to listen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6ea7VFyn9to

Our God is a good Father, and a good Shepherd, One who loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die so we could be brought back to Him. 

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

John 10:11 

Consider these beautiful lyrics: 

The King of love my shepherd is, 

whose goodness faileth never. 

I nothing lack if I am his, 

and he is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow, 

my ransomed soul he leadeth; 

and where the verdant pastures grow, 

with food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, 

but yet in love he sought me; 

and on his shoulder gently laid, 

and home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no ill, 

with thee, dear Lord, beside me; 

thy rod and staff my comfort still, 

thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spreadst a table in my sight; 

thy unction grace bestoweth; 

and oh, what transport of delight 

from thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days, 

thy goodness faileth never; 

Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise 

within thy house forever. 

~ Henry William Baker 

My Favorite Hymn

I remember the first time I played my favorite hymn on the harp in a public setting. It was at a church my family and I attended at the time. 

The church had stained glass windows, though the windows were nothing grand compared to other stained glass windows I have seen. 

It was November of 2001, and I was 19 years old. 

I had been playing the harp for exactly 2 years then - a year and a half on my own and about half a year with a professional harp teacher. 

That Sunday morning, I wore my favorite color, a slate blue dress with small, white flowers that I made. And I played my own arrangement of my favorite hymn: 

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

I was nervous to play in front of a crowd of about 100 people that morning at church. I was so nervous that I wasn’t sure whether my hands or my harp strings were shaking more. All went well despite my nerves, and the memories of that Sunday morning will stay with me forever. 

My harp teacher had a recital for her harp students around that same time in the music building at Colorado State University where she taught some of her harp students. The crowd there was much smaller with no more than 50 people. 

I did not take my harp lessons there, but I went there for the first time to play in my teacher’s recital. If I remember correctly, that music building also had some beautiful, old windows. The sound of my harp echoed through that room with acoustics that were heavenly. 

I was extremely nervous that day, so nervous I could hardly eat lunch at home before hand. Despite my nerves, the recital went well, although I can’t remember everything I played that day. I do remember wearing a dark rose colored dress with small, white flowers that I made. I also remember playing songs from my two harp books. I think one of the songs I played was: 

“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”  

Sadly, I don’t have any pictures of my first harp performance at church or my first harp recital. 

I played at church a second time a month later. Someone took a picture of me playing, that time, wearing a dark green dress with small, white flowers that I made. 

That Sunday evening I played the familiar carol:

“What Child Is This?”

Playing “White Child Is This?” on my 31 string Gothic Harp.
Age 19. December 2001. 

Such precious memories now, enough to evoke tears. How I loved that first harp of mine, made by Marini Made Harps in natural cherry wood and with a lovely, hand carved rose on it. 

That harp was a gift to me from my parents for my 17th birthday in October of 1999. I owned and treasured that harp for over 20 years. 

One of my favorite songs to play on that harp was my favorite hymn:

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 

For years, whenever someone would ask me to play a song on the harp, that was a song I frequently played. 

And if someone would ever ask me if I had a favorite hymn or song, I would always answer: 

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 

The words always touch my heart, and the melody matches the words beautifully. 

~

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge -

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Do your friends despise, forsake you?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee;

Thou wilt find a solace there.

~ Joseph Scriven 

Such a comfort these words are, like a healing balm for the soul. For years, this has been my favorite hymn. 

But in more recent years, I have come to love another hymn just as much. 

“My Shepherd Will Supply My Need”

Instinctively, whenever I sit down to play the harp, I usually begin playing a song that I love. 

The hymn “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” has become my new favorite. 

The words are such a comfort and the melody is so incredibly beautiful! I love to play this hymn on my large 40 string harp. 

Below is link of another harpist (ironically, named Erin) who plays this beautiful hymn on the harp. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kHDdSiYGMDo

This hymn was written by Isaac Watts and is based on Psalm 23. 

Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar and well loved Psalms out there. Psalm 23 is not just about green pastures and quiet waters. 

This Psalm also mentions very hard and painful things. Things like enemies and death. 

This Psalm mentions so many things that people face in this life - good things and hard things. Guidance. Provision. Renewal. Comfort. Death. Enemies. Goodness. Mercy. God’s Presence.

As we began the year of 2026, I asked the Lord if He had anything special He wanted me to keep in mind for the coming year? 

The simple phrase “The Lord is My Shepherd” was impressed on me once again. 

Like the past several years, God impressed on me that He is my Shepherd. He loves me. He is with me. He is guiding me. 

All I need is to stay close to Him. He will be with me through the good and the hard. 

He is our good Shepherd. 

~

My Shepherd will supply my need:

Jehovah is His Name;

In pastures fresh He makes me feed,

Beside the living stream.

He brings my wandering spirit back

When I forsake His ways,

And leads me, for His mercy's sake,

In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death

Thy presence is my stay;

One word of Thy supporting breath

Drives all my fears away.

Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,

Doth still my table spread;

My cup with blessings overflows,

Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God

Attend me all my days;

O may Thy house be my abode,

And all my work be praise.

There would I find a settled rest,

While others go and come;

No more a stranger, nor a guest,

But like a child at home.

~ Isaac Watts

Near to the Heart of God

During different times and seasons of my life, different songs have encouraged my heart. 

Lately, I’ve been blessed by a hymn I’ve known for a long time. Near to the Heart of God.

I played this hymn on my first harp recording as a medley with Sweet Hour of Prayer. 

To me, prayer and being near the heart of God kind of go hand in hand. 

Consider some of the words in this lovely hymn: 

There is a place of quiet rest, 

Near to the heart of God. 

A place where sin cannot molest, 

Near to the heart of God. 

O Jesus, blest Redeemer, 

Sent from the heart of God, 

Hold us who wait before Thee, 

Near to the heart of God. 

 

~ 

Earlier this month, an older sister in the Lord took me out for supper one night at a local restaurant. 

While enjoying warm sandwiches and a cup of soup, we shared hearts. During our time together, I shared different things with her. 

One thing I shared with her that evening was something the Lord impressed on my heart recently. That is the importance of prayer. 

To me, our world has changed tremendously in the past five years, and sadly, not for the better. 

Yes, we live in a fallen world. Things haven’t been good ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God. 

But things seem to be getting increasingly worse. 

I remember people saying things like that years ago when I was a girl and a young lady. True, our world is in a sad state, but I never focused on that. 

Ever since I was a girl, I have always looked for the good in people, for the good in this world, and for the good and the beautiful things of life. 

I get excited over flowers and beautiful sunsets. I relish in all of the good gifts around me from God. 

But in the past few years, I have noticed a major shift in our world. Something is different. I can’t walk into a local grocery store right now without seeing the name “Wicked” written in bold letters on a box of cookies. It is so sad. 

I continue to focus on God’s blessings and gifts all around me. But I also cannot ignore the evil, the ungodliness, and the brokenness I see in this world. It’s everywhere. And it breaks my heart. 

Perhaps I am just getting older (also true), but our world is getting worse exactly like the Bible said would happen before the return of Christ. 

Prayer is so important. I felt the Lord impress on me recently that it is extremely important for me to pray before going to bed at night. Pray over my family. Pray over our home. Pray for our nation. 

It is also important to stay very close to God and near His heart. 

What are things that make me feel close to God and near His heart?

I feel God’s presence out in nature, His beautiful creation, no matter what time of year it is. 

I love to go to my favorite nature area as often as I can. For me, it is like hitting a reset button. 

The late autumn/ early winter sky around sunset is so beautiful. I love to walk here. 

Godly music makes me feel close to God. 

Playing my harp makes me feel near God. 

My large harp. 

Reading God’s Word makes me feel close to Him. 

I love Psalm 91. 

And as mentioned above, prayer especially makes me feel close to God. 

As we approach the close of another year, naturally, I’ve thought back over this past year. 

This year of 2025 had many blessings in it, but overall, it was a harder year for me. 

This year, I was reminded of the power of the tongue. The Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21)  

We can bless and encourage others with our words, or we can hurt others with our words. 

Our words have tremendous power. 

This year, I had many unkind words said to me. Those words hurt deeply. 

I choose to love, to forgive, and to go forward. 

But I am seeing another Bible prophecy come to pass in these days before the return of Christ. 

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

Matthew 24:12 

Love is waxing cold. 

I cried out to my Heavenly Father so many times this year because of unkind words said to me. 

God is always there to listen. He is never mean. He is never cruel. He is never harsh or quick to judge.

My favorite book of the Bible became even dearer to my heart this past year. The book of 1 John. 

“…God is love.”

1 John 4:8

Such simple words, yet so profound. God is love. 

God’s love makes me feel close to Him. 

God’s love is the greatest thing there is. God’s love is what I want to share with others. 

He loves you. He loves me. 

In these days before His return, God’s love is where I want to stay. 

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Jude 1:21 

A picture from a nature walk recently. 

The Birth of Christ - The Promise Fulfilled

Earlier this month, I shared a post here titled “Enlarge Your Tent”. In that post, I shared about my trip to Missouri in October for the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as Sukkot. Tents are common during that Biblical holiday.

I also shared about a portion of Scripture that specifically mentions a tent. Isaiah 54. 

Isaiah used a tent as a metaphor in that chapter when speaking to the house of Israel about the tremendous growth (numerous offspring!) that would come from them because of a promise God made to their father, Abraham. 

I concluded that post by encouraging people to rejoice in and prepare for God’s promise. 

God has given His people promises in His Word. Those are things we can stand on and hold to. 

God also gives people personal promises sometimes. That can be so many different things. 

A new house, a new vehicle, a new job, a new church, moving somewhere, a spouse, children, healing, financial blessing. These are all things God might impress on or promise to people in personal ways. The list is endless. 

We have a very personal God who knows and cares about us, personally. I find comfort in that. 

After writing and sharing that post, I had friends wondering if I was trying to hint at something. 

To be honest, I had a friend in the back of my mind when writing that post. She has been an encouragement to me, and I desire to encourage her and anyone else I can with my blog. 

All of us wait on God for different things at different times of our lives. But when God gives you a promise, you can count on it. To prepare for a promise from God is acting in faith. 

It is like “enlarging a tent” as Isaiah put it. That was the heart of my post to anyone reading it. 

Me personally? 

I did have an impression regarding something this past summer while enjoying a lovely nature walk with August sunflowers in bloom. 

Was my impression from the Lord? 

I don’t know. 

Sometimes, our mind can come up with things, and it is not from the Lord. 

Other times though, the Lord truly does give an impression or a promise of something to come. 

How do you know if something is from the Lord or not? 

The Word of God is the will of God. That we can be certain of. God’s Word is our guide. 

But what about personal promises, like Abraham had? You can’t always look up a chapter and verse for those. 

Abraham could not look up a chapter and verse in the Bible when God was giving Him personal promises of things to come. 

We can read about those things in God’s Word, but Abraham could not. 

Abraham was human like we are, and after God gave him some incredible promises, Abraham asked God: 

“And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?”

Genesis 15:8 

Even Abraham asked God, how do I know this is from You? How do I know this will happen? Can you confirm this to me somehow? 

Asking God, like Abraham did, is a good thing. God has ways of confirming things to us. 

God answered Abraham. 

The proceeding verses in Genesis 15 talk about how God confirmed that promise to Abraham. 

How did God do that? 

God did that by entering a covenant with Abraham. A covenant is a solemn promise, but in Bible times, it went another step deeper. (literally) 

In the Bible, when someone made a covenant with someone else, it usually involved blood.

That is exactly how God confirmed the promise He made to Abraham.  

God told Abraham to get certain animals and to lay them a certain way after killing them. To be sure, blood was very much involved. 

Bible teacher, Ray Vanderlaan, explained something I had never heard before about how covenants were made in Biblical times. 

When people made a covenant with each other, as God did with Abraham, there was blood involved. 

You would promise something to each other, and then walk a blood path (from animals), just as God did with Abraham, as if to say: 

“If I break my word to you, you can do this to me.” 

“And if you break your word to me, I can do this to you.” 

It was very serious. 

Blood was involved simply to make a point. Breaking your word, your promise, to someone else, would result in death. 

This is something we don’t do today. But then, that is how promises or covenants were made. 

Bible teacher, Ray Vanderlaan, went on to explain that, when Abraham entered this blood covenant with God, he would have been terrified because he knew if he or his descendants broke God’s covenant, they were dead! Abraham knew he was not perfect; Abraham knew he and his descendants could fail God. 

The covenant that God made with Abraham can be read in Genesis 15. I understand this passage of Scripture so much better than I did before thanks to Bible teacher, Ray Vanderlaan. 

God walked that blood path with the animals Abraham cut up to confirm to Abraham… 

If I break my covenant, my promise to you, you can do this to Me. 

And if you, Abraham and your descendants, break my covenant… I will pay that price for you. 

Wow. This was not your typical covenant. God was promising that if Abraham or his descendants broke His covenant, God would pay that price? 

Yes. 

God promised Abraham that he would not only bless him with numerous offspring, more than he could count, but He also promised Abraham that if he or his descendants broke His Word (and they did!), God Himself would pay the price! 

In that moment, God was promising Himself to be a Redeemer to Abraham and his seed. 

That promise was fulfilled when God sent His only begotten Son into the world through the womb of a virgin girl named Mary. (Miriam in Hebrew) 

The Lord Jesus was not only God’s gift to all of mankind, He was also the promised Redeemer. 

The Lord Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) was God’s promised fulfilled to Abraham. 

Mary knew that her baby was a fulfillment of a promise from God which is reflected in part of Mary’s song in Luke 1.

“He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Luke 1:54-55

 

God not only fulfilled His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of numerous offspring, God also fulfilled His promise to Abraham that He would be their Redeemer. 

God paid that price when His Son died on a cross and shed His blood for the sins of the world. 

God’s gift of salvation is free. All we have to do is come to Him in true repentance for our sin. 

When remembering the birth of Christ, we remember God’s promise fulfilled to Abraham.

God’s promises are faithful and true. 

Golden Parmesan Potatoes - Recipe

I thought I’d share another recipe here on my blog. This is another “tried and true” recipe - a delicious one. Golden Parmesan Potatoes.

This recipe came from a friend who has shared several recipes with me that have been keepers. 

I love potatoes any time of the year, but I especially love them in the colder, winter months. 

This past summer, I enjoyed all of the berries that came into season. I tend to equate a berry or fruit with each month of the year. For example, I think of strawberries in June, blueberries in July, raspberries in August, and blackberries in September. 

I also think of cherries in July, peaches in August, and grapes in September. I tend to think of apples in October and pears in November. 

Now, going into the winter months of December, January, and February, I think of citrus fruits like clementines, mandarins, oranges, and grapefruit which come into season and are full of Vitamin C. 

Bananas are available and in season all year long, but I tend to think of them more in March with the coming of spring. I think of apricots in April and mangos in May as they come into season. 

God is so good and so amazing! Each season and each month seems to have its own fruit that comes into season - and often when our body needs it. 

When I think of winter, I also think of root vegetables… like potatoes, onions, and carrots. 

I love cooking with potatoes in the winter time - in soup, in recipes, as mashed potatoes, or as baked potatoes where you can add your own toppings. Potatoes are a wonderful gift from God! 

Golden Parmesan Potatoes 

1/3 cup butter 

3 lbs. (6 medium size) potatoes 

1/4 cup “all purpose” flour

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper 

Sprinkle on top: 

1/2 tsp. garlic salt 

dried parsley to taste

Directions: 

• Melt the butter in a 9 x 13 inch dish. 

• Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes in round chunks. (about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick - you can cut the rounds in half or in quarters if you desire) 

• Place the next four ingredients in a large, plastic, ziploc bag and shake well. 

• Add the sliced potatoes to the bag and shake well until coated. 

• Place the potatoes in melted butter dish. 

• Sprinkle with garlic salt and parsley. 

• Cover and bake at 375 for 1 - 1 and 1/2 hours. (until potatoes are golden brown) 

Enjoy! 

Note: For those who do not eat dairy, dairy free butter and parmesan cheese can be used in place of regular butter and parmesan cheese. 

“Enlarge Your Tent!”

In the past two months, I have enjoyed traveling to different states to visit friends. 

In October, I flew to the state of Missouri. In November, I flew to the state of Tennessee. Both trips were a blessing. 

My Dad was a pilot for United Airlines for over 30 years, and because of that, he still has some perks from his former job. One of those perks is standby airline passes for family members. My Dad is limited on the number of passes he gets, but he can change family members who use them each year. This year, my Dad put my name in the system. I had the blessing of flying to both states for free. The only downside of flying standby is that you have no guaranteed seat until the flight begins to board. To avoid standing inside the airport terminal only to watch your flight leave without you (which has happened before), we look at flights ahead of time to check for open seats. Certain times of the year, travel is quieter. 

When I flew to Missouri in October, I took my sleeping bag with me. I don’t normally fly with a sleeping bag, but this time, I wanted it. 

Usually, I travel with just one suitcase. 

While packing my suitcase, I asked my Dad: 

“I’m allowed two checked bags for free, correct?” 

 

My Dad wasn’t sure about a second checked bag being free. I was relieved when the check in kiosk at the airport confirmed that I was allowed to check two bags for free, otherwise, I may have never seen my sleeping bag again. 

“Can I get a plastic bag for my sleeping bag?” 

I kindly asked the helpful check in agents. 

“Sure.” 

I watched them tie my sleeping bag shut inside a large plastic bag like it had been made for it. I knew those large, plastic bags at airports were available for more than just strollers. 

Securing the second luggage tag on my sleeping bag, the kind check in lady asked: 

“Where are you flying to tonight?” 

To which I replied: 

“Springfield, Missouri”  

Curious, the check in agent asked: 

“What’s in Missouri?” 

Knowing that my sleeping bag had probably gotten her curiosity up, I replied: 

“I’m going to celebrate the Biblical holiday of Sukkot with friends there.” 

The Biblical holiday of Sukkot. 

I’m sure that was an answer she didn’t hear often. I shared with her: 

“That’s what my sleeping bag is for.”

She wished me a good flight, and we bade each other farewell, although that lady may still be wondering what the Biblical holiday of Sukkot is. 

Some reading this post might be wondering the same. What is the Biblical holiday of Sukkot?

Sukkot is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles. 

This Biblical holiday is mentioned in the Bible in Leviticus 23. God told His people Israel to remember this holiday forever. 

Leviticus 23:34 says: 

“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.”

A few verses later, God says: 

“And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.” 

Leviticus 23:41 

In the next verse, He says: 

“Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths.” 

Leviticus 23:42

The old English word for booth is a temporary dwelling. More simply put, a booth is like a tent.

God basically told His people, Israel, to live in something like a tent for an entire week.

Today, the Jews build a Sukkah, a temporary dwelling, outside with fabric all around it - like a tent. And as God told them, they put tree branches on top to cover it. Jewish people eat all of their meals inside of their Sukkah for a week. 

Some also sleep inside of their Sukkah, but not all of them do. Some sleep inside their home and only eat their meals outside in their Sukkah.

Another fun way of celebrating this Biblical holiday is to eat in a Sukkah and sleep in a tent. 

What is the meaning behind this Biblical holiday? 

It points to a future time when Christ will literally come to dwell among His people again, and “tabernacle” among them. 

This holiday is reminiscent of God’s Presence literally dwelling among His people, Israel, when they were in the wilderness with all of their numerous tents. 

Some might think that this holiday is only for Israel to celebrate, not for anyone else. 

God says in His Word, that someday, all nations will celebrate this Biblical holiday with Israel. 

The prophet Zechariah says:  

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” 

Zechariah 14:16

This Biblical holiday is for all nations. The nations that do not celebrate this in the future will not get any rain. Obviously, without water, things die. 

“And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” 

Zechariah 14:17 

These verses are clear. God has not done away with His precious, holy days, His holidays. 

This holiday is very special to God! This holiday is for all nations. 

This Biblical holiday is a time of rejoicing and of recognizing God as King over all the earth. The day is coming when all nations and all people will bow their knee to the God of Israel, the One true God, the only God, the Creator of heaven and earth. Hallelujah! 

Sukkot is to be a joyful time! It was special for me to celebrate it with friends from my former church who now live in Missouri. 

When I arrived at my friend’s home late one night, I could see their Sukkah outside along with many tents. So festive. So fun. So special. 

Because I have no tent of my own, they gave me a room to sleep in inside their home. I brought along my sleeping bag just in case a tent became available. I will admit though, sleeping in a real bed was quite nice. 

I enjoyed all of my meals with them outside in their Sukkah, and I loved seeing the many tents, friends of theirs, on their property. 

I flew home the day before my birthday. 

The following weekend, back in my own home, I did some special Scripture reading, Scripture reading that specifically mentioned a tent. 

Several years ago, I wrote a post on a former blog. That post was titled: My Torah Portion. 

Sadly, I no longer have that post because that blog is permanently gone. In that post, I shared how the Jewish people have a Bible reading plan that they follow. 

The idea is similar to Christians who have a weekly Bible reading schedule or a weekly Sunday school lesson. Everyone reads the same portion of Scripture and then studies and discusses it at church on Sunday. 

The Jewish people do the same thing, but on Saturday, the weekly Sabbath. Their Bible reading, called a Torah portion, is the same each year. They start in Genesis and read through the first five books of the Bible each year. They add in portions from the prophets and they also read various Psalms during the week. 

Sadly, the Jewish people do not yet recognize Jesus as being the Messiah so they do not have or read the New Testament. But the day is coming when they will. Hallelujah! 

Their weekly Bible reading is on a set schedule every year. I have done it, and it is a joy to follow. I grew up hearing Bible stories from those books of the Bible. 

The Jewish people have chapters to read each week, in order, with a name for each portion of Scripture. 

Many years ago, I was curious which portion of Scripture the Jewish people were reading during the week that I was born. 

After looking, I found it. The Torah portion that was read during the week that I was born is Noah. It is about the story of Noah and the great flood in Genesis 6-11.

The portion mentions the rainbow that God put in the sky as a promise that He would never flood the earth again. 

Along with that portion of Scripture from Genesis, there is a section of Scripture that is read from the prophets called a Haftorah reading. 

During the week that I was born, the Scripture from the prophets was Isaiah 54. That Scripture is always read with the portion of “Noah” because Isaiah 54:9 mentions “the waters of Noah.”

Isaiah 54:1 begins by saying: 

“Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.” 

At quick glance, it might appear like Isaiah is speaking to single, unmarried, barren women.

But that is not who the prophet Isaiah is speaking to or about. Isaiah 54 is not about single women. 

The prophet Isaiah was speaking about and directly to the nation of Israel in this chapter. 

When reading and studying the Bible, it is so important and imperative to understand who a Bible writer is speaking to and about, otherwise, the Word of God can be greatly misunderstood and taken out of context. 

In this chapter, Isaiah is using a picture, a metaphor, an analogy of an unmarried woman with no children in comparison to a married woman with many children. The prophet is speaking to Israel and about Israel. 

The nation of Israel had a total of 12 tribes. After the reign of King Solomon, God separated the tribes of Israel into two groups - 10 tribes in the north and 2 tribes in the south. 

This is Bible fact and can be read in 1 Kings 12 where God told them not to fight each other. 

Obviously, one group was much larger because it had more tribes in it. The 10 northern tribes were “the house of Israel.” 

The 2 southern tribes were “the house of Judah” because the tribe of Judah was the main tribe. 

Today, the house of Judah is the Jewish people. 

It is easy to see how Judah got the nickname Jew. Jew is just a short form of Judah. 

Like most people, I grew up believing that the Jewish people are all 12 tribes of Israel. Not true. The Jewish people are only the house of Judah.

Who are the 10 northern tribes of Israel today? They are not Jews, though the Jews are their brother tribes. 

That topic is for another blog post. I will share though that our world has some big surprises coming in the future. If you knew who the larger “house of Israel” actually is today, it would totally blow your mind. It is beyond glorious! 

God has indeed kept His promise to Abraham. 

But going back to Isaiah 54.  

Who is the unmarried woman in this chapter?

The unmarried woman is the house of Israel, the 10 northern tribes, whom God divorced. Israel was, sadly, no longer married to God because of her disobedience to God. The prophet Isaiah compares her to an unmarried, barren woman. 

Who is the married woman in this chapter? 

The married woman is Judah, the two southern tribes of Israel, who was still married to God then. At that time, the house of Judah was obedient to God and because of that, Judah was prospering. 

Why would Isaiah tell the house of Israel to sing? 

Sing because she is unmarried? 

Sing because she is childless? 

No. 

Isaiah told the house of Israel to sing because she was going to have more children than she could imagine! The house of Israel was going to have far more children than the house Judah who was still married to God at that time. 

That is why the prophet Isaiah told Israel to sing!

Sing, Israel, because lots of children are coming! 

Not only did Isaiah tell the house of Israel to sing, he also told her to prepare for what was coming. 

Consider the imagery he uses in the next verse: 

“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.”

Isaiah 54:2

Isaiah was basically telling the house of Israel: 

“Enlarge your tent!” 

Tents. I saw many of them in Missouri the week before I read this portion of Scripture. I saw tents in all shapes and sizes, and each tent usually pictured the number of people inside.

Tents were common in ancient Israel, particularly when Israel was in the wilderness. 

Isaiah was telling Israel to make her tent larger and to strengthen her ropes and stakes because she was going to need room for all the children! 

The next verse confirms this. 

“For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.” 

Isaiah 54:3 

But why? Why would God bless the house of Israel with so many children when the house of Israel was so disobedient to God? 

It goes back to a promise God made to Abraham, a covenant God made with him. 

Abraham and his wife, Sarah, walked with God. They were old and had no children of their own. 

We know the story. God promised Abraham that he would have a son of his own, a son that his wife Sarah would give birth to, even in their old age. 

When Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90, they had a son named Isaac. A miracle from God, the son God promised to Abraham. 

God gave Abraham another promise as well. God promised Abraham that, through his son Isaac, his descendants would be so numerous, they would be like the stars of heaven! 

“And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” 

Genesis 15:5 

In Genesis 17:16, God told Abraham that his wife Sarah would be a “mother of nations”. 

“And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.”

Nations, plural, would come from Sarah, in Isaac. 

In Genesis 22, God repeated the promise that He gave to Abraham by saying: 

“And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore…

Because thou hast obeyed my voice.” 

Genesis 22:15-18

Because Abraham obeyed God, and offered his son to God, God guaranteed that promise. No matter what, Abraham’s descendants, through Isaac, would be more numerous than he could count. 

This meant that, even though His descendants would be in exile one day for their disobedience to God, God was still going to keep the promise He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God also promised to bring them back home someday.

Consider these verses from Isaiah 54:

“For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.”

Isaiah 54:7

Isaiah 54 is all about God keeping His promises. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. Absolutely nothing will stop it from happening. 

God has made so many promises in His Word, promises that He has kept and will keep. 

For the nation of Israel, a promise was more children than they could count. Entire nations, plural, would come from Israel. Isaiah used a large tent as a picture of this. 

God has given us exceeding great and precious promises. This should cause God’s people to sing! 

For those who, like Abraham, have been given a personal promise from God… 

Sing! 

Sing because God always keeps His promises. 

Prepare! 

Prepare, in faith, for what God has promised you. 

Like the prophet Isaiah told Israel, stretch forth your tent curtains, lengthen your ropes, strengthen your stakes. Why? 

Because the promise is coming! 

I also love another thing the prophet Isaiah told Israel in that passage. Spare not. His meaning? 

Don’t hold back. 

Enlarge your tent, in faith, because blessings more numerous than you can count are coming! 

God always keeps His Word.