O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
What makes Christmas hit deep for you? For me, it’s a lump in my throat as I carefully unpack my grown daughters’ handmade childhood ornaments. Or it’s a heart pang when I hear the first slow, somber notes of “What Child Is This?” If I pause and pay attention, I feel deep longings for home, belonging, peace, and hope. How does a baby in a Bethlehem manger unlock the mystery of these powerful feelings?
A look at ancient Israel gives us some answers. Second Samuel 7 records God’s covenant with His nation and His chosen leader, King David. God promised to sustain David’s legacy and lineage, to give His people a protected homeland, and to enable David’s son, Solomon, to build a house for His presence to dwell in instead of a tent (2Samuel 7:10–13). What a promise! God would give His people a safe place to call home, a chosen line of kings to lead them, and permanent access to Himself.
But wait, there’s more. Watch this promise deepen and expand. His genealogy in Matthew 1 tells us that He was born into the family tree of King David, which qualified Him to have a significant leadership role in Israel. Yes, God promised that Jesus was to be included in the line of David. But that pales in comparison to His deeper, divine birthright. The angel told Mary, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David (Luke 1:31–32).
Jesus is the Son of God, “…the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David…” (Revelation 3:7). Jesus, the key of David, unlocked the shackles of sin and death. He faced and fought death—and won.
“I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
—Revelation 1:18
As His people, Jesus frees us from the prison of sin and sorrow and delivers us from brokenness and death itself. He leads us, protects us, and prepares an eternal home where we will dwell with Him in peace. Do you see how God’s ancient covenant with King David expands and culminates in Jesus ruling and reigning forever? Jesus is the ultimate Son, ultimate King, and ultimate deliverer. He brings us home.Notice that when God is speaking to David, we see the word forever three times (2Samuel 7:13,16). In King Jesus, our deepest longings for home, belonging, community, and hope are fulfilled forever, forever, forever! This is why Christmas hits deep. Part of that community touches us right now as we read together and know that we’re not alone in pausing and paying attention to what this week before Christmas unlocks for us. O key of David, come!
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I really love the verse : “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). May we keep the Word. May we strive our best to keep the Word, no matter how frail and weak we are, little strength, but keep the Word with all our strength. I remembered reading the 7 letters to the 7 churches, and the church of Philadelphia (means Love) is the only church that God commends. May we be the church of Love, the one that will not be lukewarm (to be spit out), the church that is led by Love for God, and Love for His bride.
Ladies, I am asking for prayers for a woman that is struggling in her marriage. I went to see her today with some Xmas gifts for her children. I used to counsel her before and was walking with her for about a year, bringing her to church. She has been having marital issues because of the many rebellions and retaliations she has had toward her husband. He is a wealthy and an older man that she married for stability and citizenship, quite an age gap, and she developed resentment toward him throughout the years, and him toward her and he became verbally abusive. She didn’t want to learn skills to have a job herself and that is one of the reasons he resented her. Though so many times before I have given her counsel according to the Word, but she did the exact opposite, rebelling, left the home to go the women shelter for 8 days and took her 3 year old with her, to scare him, etc, etc. The 3 year old boy got really sick at the shelter due to a stomach bug, and he missed his home terribly. They wandered just like homeless people, waiting for a room. They lived in a wealthy neighborhood too. But that was her choice and she planned to do it again if he yelled at her. Today I heard her story, her intentions, and I told her again, serve your husband, honor him and don’t hate. She let the house go, things were all over the place, messy, she gained tons of weight and did not want to work on the marriage, or herself. The look in her eyes worried me, a spark of rebellion, I was afraid that she would just go ahead and do what she liked. She is a believer, her husband is not. I am frustrated as well, but please pray for my friend D that her heart would be softened, her marriage would be fixed, and she would listen and yield to the Word, like we learnt today, keep the Word and do according to it, I pray she would bless those who speaks ill of her (her husband), and she won’t return evil for evil, but return good for evil, though it’s hard but I pray she will do what’s right. Her 2 boys 3 y/o and 8y/o are suffering. Everybody is. Thank you she’s so much.
@KIMBERLY Z: praying you have some breather in this busy season.
@SEARCHING, KELLY (NEO): my beloved. God bless you & your families richly for your dear hearts.
@SARAH D: good health and God’s leading in relationship.
@TRACI: strength and comfort for your mama’s heart. Thinking of my aunt who just lost her son and husband. I am so sorry.
@CHERRY BREWER: thinking of you, praying for joy, peace and comfort to fill your heart.
@TERESA DONLEY: I remembered the verses that God told one of His prophets to speak to the dead bones, and they slowly become a living army (Ezekiel 37:1-10). May God surround you with such vision and faith. With God, all things are possible.
@TANYA EVANS: healing of family relationships, and storage unit clean out to go well.
@ADRIENNE: love your reminder, never leave the house without the KEY (Jesus). What a metaphor.
Be blessed dear sisters!
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Happy Wednesday ladies! Praying for you all today! Feeling like I haven’t come up for air during this holiday season.
Saying an extra prayer for you, may God grant you peace this season❤️
Lord, I pray for Tricia and others that work on Christmas to find Your joy while they work. May their work be as unto You, remembering Your humble beginnings when You left Heaven to be with us.
Thank you ladies. God is so Awesome! He will
Yes come Jesus ❤️
I have to work this Christmas. I’m a RN, and it’s my year to work. I don’t know why, but it just makes it more difficult to really enjoy this time. But, I also know the Joy that sharing Jesus with others on Christmas Day brings to me and to them.
Please pray that I can see how Jesus works even when I’m at work. All for His glory.
Trisha, thank you for working this year. People in hospital often feel scared and vulnerable. Especially at Christmas! God can use you to make a difference as you care for your patients with kindness.
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Tricia I am a unit secretary at a hospital and I work Christmas Eve into the day. This year bc of me being more my Bible as studying more it just doesn’t seem right. I am going to make the most of it, smile, and share the good news!
I’ve been behind in the readings for a few days, and have taken yesterday and today to catch up. What a joy it is to read God’s Word, and realize that He had the perfect plan from the beginning. He knew the names of each person who would play a crucial part in Jesus’ story. And He knows the name of each of us, personally. He knows every heartache, every fear, and every triumph. He knows me – ME, personally. Thank You, God, for loving me enough to know me inside and out; for knowing my need for You each and every moment of every day. Thank You for knowing the plan long ago. Thank You that You have provided a look at the end of the story. Thank you that it is so magnificent that I can’t even imagine it. Amen.
I’m praying for each of your requests, and for those that aren’t spoken. I’m praying for every lonely and broken heart; for those fighting seasonal illnesses, and those fighting terminal illnesses for themselves and for their loved ones; I’m praying for every broken heart, broken relationship, and broken family. I’m praying for each caregiver. And I’m praying that each She feels God in your heart and in Your life as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thank you to each and everyone who has been praying for me. I know beyond a doubt that God is answering your prayers. I haven’t felt that mind-numbing fear that I was carrying for several days now. And I can feel a difference in the symptoms. I’ve been able to communicate better, without so much searching for words and losing my train of thought. I’ve almost felt like I don’t have “A” at all. What a miraculous answer to prayer! I’ve been on a new medication since I saw the doctor, which is supposed to help slow the progression. I’m a believer that God uses medicine, doctors and science to perform many miracles. And I’m thankful that I feel Him answering your prayers by giving me this miracle of taking away the symptoms, no matter how long it short it may last. He has replaced my heart of fear with a heart of joy and gratitude.
Have a beautiful day, sweet She sisters.