“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”  (John 1:14-18)

 

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” The word translated “dwelt” here means to encamp with us, to reside with us as God did in the Tabernacle, a symbol of protection and communion, literally to “pitch His tent” with us. In Jesus, “tabernacle” transforms from a noun to a verb. The God of the universe took on flesh to dwell with us.

 

My mind flashes to a wonderful night “tabernacling” with a good friend in a dodgy, wet, dirty tent on a hilarious camping trip with buddies. There in the dark, we freely shared so many unedited thoughts, feelings, ideas, hopes, dreams, struggles, as well as enormous amounts of laughter--which is why we pitched our tent so far away from the others.

 

In pitching his tent with us, Jesus invites me into far greater companionship, communion, and connection. He left His throne and took on messy human form. Christmas means that God broke into our world to tabernacle with us. Why would He leave the glory of heaven to camp out with us? A love beyond anything we can imagine. A love that will not let me go.

 

He is El Roi, the God who Sees. He is the Paraclete, who comes alongside to comfort, teach, encourage, advocate, and guide. He is the High Priest, who leads us to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. He is the Good Shepherd, who calls me by name. I often wonder, "How does anyone do this life stuff without God?"

 

The LORD said, "I

• have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and

• have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I

• am aware of their sufferings.

So I have come down to deliver them…”

(Exodus 3:7-8)

 

He enters into our world and our struggles. This same term for tabernacling is used here as “dwell” in one of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture:

 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. "And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." (Revelation 21:3-5)

 

May I spend the rest of my life camping with Him and drawing near. That is the invitation of everything we do in Psalm One Ministries.

 

Let me dwell in Your tent forever;

Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.

(Psalm 61:4)

 

Let every heart prepare Him room, now and always.

 

Grace and peace,

Linda

 

Ways to camp out with Psalm One:

 

• Begin 2024 with a clear mind and a full tank. Come away for the January 19-21 Refocus and Refuel Retreat to rest, reboot, revel, relax, recollect, reconsider, revive, return, recommit, remember, receive, recover and rejoice. For more information and to register for this Cincinnati event: https://www.psalmone.org/refocus-and-refuel For men and women!

 

• Could you use time in the Word and encouragement to keep your head, heart, and hands following hard after God? Join an encouraging, joyful community of men and women from all over the US and sometimes the other side of the planet Tuesdays at 7:30pm ET for the Psalm One Bible Study. Stay in the loop to receive the links and resources: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study

 

• Online Day of Refreshing! Yes, we miss the Days of Refreshing out among the woods and gardens of Oregonia. I know it’s not the same, but we will be having an online getaway February 24. This means that men and women from anywhere—not just SW Ohio, not just the States—can join us. Registration will begin soon. Space is limited. Watch your email.

 

• Soul Care Retreats for Pastors’ Wives:

A large part of what I do within Psalm One is to come alongside pastors, missionaries, and their families. Ministry is a great privilege, but it also has unique stressors. Where can a ministry wife who is trying to juggle ministry, marriage, children, career, home, and so many other hats go for a safe place of friendship, support, fun, and a listening ear? Our soul care retreats have become a lifeline and a shot in the arm for these amazing women who love Jesus, the church, and their families.

 

How can you help?

·         Invite a pastor’s wife from your church. https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives

·         Help us provide scholarships and blessings.  https://www.psalmone.org/donate  Please designate donation for “Ministry to Pastoral Families” on the drop-down menu or your check.

·         Pray for those on the front lines of ministry. Respond with “Prayer Team for Ministry Families”

 

For pastors’ wives:

Scroll down for info and to register: https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives. This is for any woman married to a full-time pastor, no matter which multiple hats she wears. You may be pastoring, teaching, counseling, working elsewhere, raising kids, or using your gifts in a myriad of ways. This is a relaxed getaway for you to be heard, refueled, and encouraged with others who understand the weird and wonderful world of ministry life.

·         Cincinnati, Ohio: February 9-11, 2024

·         Green Lake, Wisconsin: April 19-21, 2024

 

• Invest in Psalm One. Have you been encouraged, strengthened or blessed through the ministry of Psalm One? We depend on the giving of individuals, groups and churches who believe in the work we are doing with Bible teaching, Christ-centered Spiritual Formation, and caring for ministry families in Ohio, across the US, and around the world.. Psalm One Ministries is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, so all contributions are tax deductible. Online https://www.psalmone.org/donate or by check (payable to Psalm One Ministries) at  P.O. Box 653, Mason, Ohio 45040-9998. We are so grateful to all the people who make this ministry possible.