Devotional for the Eleventh Day of Christmas

“Mankind must remember that peace is not God's gift to us; peace is our gift to each other.”

 – Elie Wiesel

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas my true love sent to me:

Eleven Pipers Pipping

Ten Lord a Leaping

Nine Ladies Dancing

Eight Maids a Milking

Seven Swans a Swimming

Six Geese a Laying

Five Golden Rings

Four Calling Birds

Three French Hens

Two Turtle Doves

and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Luke 2:25-39 (Jubilee Bible) - And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he should see the Christ of the Lord. 

And he came by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now let thy slave depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy saving health, which thou hast prepared before the face of all the peoples: a light to be revealed unto the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.” And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him.

And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and she was a widow eighty-four years, who departed not from the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spoke of him to all those that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

And when they had completed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own city Nazareth.