New Christmas Hymns - Lowly Shepherds
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The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
Isaiah 40:8
Our world is constantly changing. Kingdoms rise and fall, political power changes hands, and cultures shift and change, for good or ill. Sadly, today our culture is sliding away from Christ. Truth is seen as relative, dictated by personal feelings, which shape many people’s moral choices. Scripture contains numerous passages warning us about this reality. Consider these two verses from Saint Paul’s second letter to Timothy:
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. (2 Tim 3:1–5)
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. (2 Tim 4:3–4)
There is only one answer to such falsehood — God’s eternal, unchanging, perfect word. Evil will fade away, but God’s word — God’s truth — remains forever. We as Catholic men must take a stand for the truth. God’s holy word is our anchor in the stormy sea of uncertainty that is our world today. Being men of Christ-like character demands that we honor our Savior by living out the spirit of strength that he has poured out into our lives.
Questions for Reflection
In the midst of constant change, not only in the world around you but in your own life, are there Scripture passages that give you comfort and hope in God’s abiding presence? What are they?
Where do you need to take a firmer stand for truth? What Bible verses can help?
How can you be a witness to the truth of Jesus Christ in a world that denies him?
Praying with Scripture
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1).
You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE
You can watch and listen to this devotion HERE
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
