Well, we are definitely in the swing of "Christmas" here in Colorado. I feel like I'm nearly fighting the current to stay afloat, so that I don't get washed under all the (hype, spending frenzy, getting instead of giving mentality) overall focus on all-things-snowman/santa. I earnestly want to live in a way that I'm truly making Christmas about Christ, and not about me, my budget or even about the gifts I'm giving.
So, what is the point of annually remembering Christ's birth, you may ask? Well, I think we could easily minimize the impact and depth of what his death means if we don't recognise the eternal significance of his birth... Over and over throughout the Old Testament, it was foretold that One would come, to redeem us. And over and over throughout the New Testament, we see how Christ is the fulfillment of those promises.
Who among us would not wish to be redeemed? Who among us can say with full confidence, that we need no one or nothing outside of ourselves for fulfillment and true Life? I love that Jesus said "I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10). I also love that the abundant life that he talks about, is something to be sought after and found... not just dropped in our laps the minute we acknowledge our need for Him.
The Christian walk for me is like a scavenger hunt. You start off with one note, one point of direction, and you go forward. Through trial and error, and learning the heart of the One who organized the scavenger hunt, you begin to get the bigger picture of the final prize, even before you've actually found it. Under the surface, I begin to uncover the heart of my magnificent God, and that he deeply, earnestly, cares for me. AND, now that I've found him, he's eager to use my hands for his work.
If people out there can't see Him or don't want to, He can use us to put things before others that would help them to better understand His love. What a risky thing for Him to do though, when you really think about it. We could totally screw up His attempt to embrace the world. Lord, help me to hear you, share your HEART for your people, and not get stuck in myself along the way.
Merry Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment