About Todd D. Nystrom

Christ's Servant, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, USAF Veteran, MSU Alumni, Hiker, Backpacker, Explorer & Aspiring Photographer of God's Amazing Creation Psalm19:1 | Romans 1:19-20 | Mark 6:31-32

Through the Heavens

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Christmas Eve

Hebrews 4:14-16 – Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The International Space Station passes through the skies over Glacier National Park, Montana on August 13^th, 2012.

Though this passage from Hebrews is not one typically associated with Christmas, I find it rather fitting on December 24^th to reflect on the two natures of Christ that these verses illustrate. First, there is his divine nature. He is the “great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.” And yet, despite his divinity he took on a second, human nature. He became a man, born into the humblest of circumstances. Because of his humanity, we have a “high priest” who is able “to sympathize with our weaknesses” and “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

We have in Christ a Savior who is both fully God and fully man, Creator of the universe, yet also the babe in a manger. By his divinity he was able to be a perfect sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, and yet, because of his humanity, he was able to be a substitute qualified to die in our place. He humbled himself to come down and dwell with us so that we could be reconciled to God through his life, death, and resurrection.

On this Christmas Eve we do well to remember Christ’s dual nature, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). – Matthew 1:23

Read more about my “God is Revealed…“ category of posts

Reconciled

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Footbridge across the Little Miami River. John Bryan State Park, Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Depending on the parks and trails you hike, you may have the luxury of finding well-built footbridges that allow you to cross rivers and streams with ease. In more remote locations, however, where there are no bridges, fording fast-moving water can be a dangerous and potentially deadly task. If you have never forded difficult water and are unsure what to do, your wisest choice may be to go back the way you came. (See Safety Tips for Fording Streams and Rivers)

Fortunately in our Christian walk the bridge has already been built. The cost of constructing this particular bridge was very high, though, nothing less than the blood of God’s own Son shed on the cross. Christ, who was sinless, took on our sins “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” But, without Christ we are completely cut off from God; we have nothing to rely on but our own good works and righteousness, which, if examined honestly, we will find completely lacking. The good news is that it does not depend on our efforts because, “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.”

The bridge is already standing, God calls us to the other side, and once there we have responsibilities that, as followers of Christ, we are expected to fulfill. He “gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” he “entrusted to us the message of reconciliation,” and now “we are ambassadors for Christ.” Again there is good news, it is not upon our own efforts that we must rely, because “in Christ” we are “a new creation.” And, as we read in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Read more about my “God is Revealed…“ category of posts

Nazareth to Bethlehem

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

4^th Sunday in Advent

Luke 2:1-5 – In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Stopping for lunch and giving our feet some rest at a scenic spot off of Rough Trail. Red River Gorge, Slade, Kentucky.

I have never had the opportunity to travel to Israel, but thanks to the technology of Google Maps I was quickly able to determine that the distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem, via modern day roads, is about 100 miles. Although the Bible provides no details of Joseph and Mary’s journey, their likely means of travel given their social status, was either by foot or possibly, in the best of conditions, riding on a donkey. Either way, it was a long and difficult trip.

More than 700 years before the birth of Christ the prophet Micah foretold the place of the Messiah’s birth, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2) The reason Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem in the first place was because of the decree from Caesar Augustus, someone who did not even acknowledge the God of the Israelites. If not for his decree there would have been no reason for a poor carpenter from Nazareth and his pregnant betrothed to make the difficult trip to Bethlehem. When you stop to consider the events that took place to ensure the fulfillment of this prophesy you realize just how incredible they are, and perhaps you can begin to understand the sovereignty of God.

Now translate that understanding into the circumstances of your own life and you may begin to think differently about the things that take place on any given day. When you put your trust in Christ you are turning your life over to the sovereign God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the one who had planned, in great detail, the birth of a Savior for his people, “whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

Read more about my “God is Revealed…“ category of posts

From the Rising of the Sun to Its Setting

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Psalm 113:1-4 – Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! ² Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! ³ From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! ⁴ The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!

Setting sun over the Appalachian Mountains, viewed from a scenic overlook on Skyline Drive. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.