This evening I finally felt ready for Christmas to come. Which is the first time in over a year that Christmas didn't feel like an obligatory event I had to attend. Don't get me wrong I like Christmas just haven't been in the mood. Here is what knocked me out of my rut. I heard a cover of Silent Night by MercyMe. It made me want to celebrate the Christmas. Normally when I hear a Christmas carol I change radio stations because I am not in the mood for them. This one changed my mood. Maybe it was because the song really felt like a celebration to me or maybe it is because I have seen so many acts of grace this holiday season that I cannot help but celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The holiday season is not about getting a bunch of new toys, or going skiing or not going to school or work for a few days. It is is a time where we recognize the blessings in our lives and doing what we can to bless others and let them know how special they are to us. This is the time where we surround ourselves with friends and family and enjoy each other. In doing so we are giving glory to God for what he has given us. Nobody should be alone during this season. As a community we should surround those who are away from family and become their family.
Finally Christmas is about the anticipation and the birth of Jesus Christ. This is an exciting time, it is something that was foretold and looked forward to by many people for a long time. We remember that time now. I forgot how exciting this time is and exciting this celebration is of the Christs' birth. Let us celebrate our savior by showing those around us, (those we know and don't know) the grace given to us by our God and savior.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Isn't it nice to be looked after and cared for?
So I went for a hike the other day. As I was about home I noticed that I had a bunch of seed pods from a plant stuck on my jeans. My first thought was isn't that cool God created these seeds to stick on to things as they passed by so that they could spread and grow. Normally this is not my first thought however this day it was. Then I thought about how other plants spread their seed. Some rely on birds to drop it in flight, others rely on chipmunks and squirrels to bury the seed and forget about it. Then I thought I wonder if the creatures of the ground don't really forget where the seeds are but plant one or two and leave them be. If they really do forget then God really does have a sense of humor, setting up a system of reproduction that requires another to completely forget where they placed their dinner. Anywho I think that is funny.
Then I thought about how much I am provided for by my family, friends, my job, the strange things that just happen to work out for no good reason. And I remember Jesus telling me "Do not worry about your life." (Matthew 6:25) because God cares more for me than he does for the birds and the plants. And when I stop and think about it, and stop thinking the world owes me something because I exist I realize I am very blessed, we are all very blessed, we have just forgotten that we are.
God tried to teach the Israelites this after the exodus from Egypt when he told them to only gather enough manna for that day. When they did not listen the manna from the previously day went bad. However God provided for them, all they had to do is believe and have faith. Is the promise God has for us today any different? Why then do we think that if we don't make more money we wont eat the next day. Why do we think that simply because we exist that we are owed an allowance. God gives us everything we need and more as a gift of grace.
You are looked after. You are cared for. You have more than you know, and you have it not because you deserve it but because it is a gift of grace. How will you use your gifts? Will you let others know how much they are cared for? Will you pass on that gift of grace to others? Will you look after and care for those around you who are hurting and just want a hug? You are covered by grace whether you realize it or not, so let others know that they are covered in grace too. How? That is up to you.
Then I thought about how much I am provided for by my family, friends, my job, the strange things that just happen to work out for no good reason. And I remember Jesus telling me "Do not worry about your life." (Matthew 6:25) because God cares more for me than he does for the birds and the plants. And when I stop and think about it, and stop thinking the world owes me something because I exist I realize I am very blessed, we are all very blessed, we have just forgotten that we are.
God tried to teach the Israelites this after the exodus from Egypt when he told them to only gather enough manna for that day. When they did not listen the manna from the previously day went bad. However God provided for them, all they had to do is believe and have faith. Is the promise God has for us today any different? Why then do we think that if we don't make more money we wont eat the next day. Why do we think that simply because we exist that we are owed an allowance. God gives us everything we need and more as a gift of grace.
You are looked after. You are cared for. You have more than you know, and you have it not because you deserve it but because it is a gift of grace. How will you use your gifts? Will you let others know how much they are cared for? Will you pass on that gift of grace to others? Will you look after and care for those around you who are hurting and just want a hug? You are covered by grace whether you realize it or not, so let others know that they are covered in grace too. How? That is up to you.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sometimes it feels like a grind...
I'm talking about life. Sometimes life is a grind, we get up, we go to work, or school or both, we come home, we go to bed and we do it all again the next day. I heard a very profound saying the other day, "sometimes success can be just showing up the next day."
There are days we don't think we can go on. We are bored, we don't see a reason to do the same thing day after day until we are exhausted and beaten down to the point where we don't care anymore. Sometimes life is great, sometimes life is not so great but we must endure. Why? We must endure because as Christians we have another task, to spread God's love to all people.
Last year during Lnt I tried to fast during the day. It was going well until I felt like there was no point in continuing the fast because I was not growing spiritually, or so I thought, so I quit the fast. However looking on that experience now I see I was missing forgetting something very important. Sometimes spiritual growth is a grind. There are times we don't see the growth, we think we are not moving, but in fact we are moving, just maybe not in the direction we thought we would move.
If there is one thing I have learned since that experience is that there is a discipline required to live life. This discipline is what makes us show up on that day when we feel like there is no point. When we don't think something is working but we have committed to it we stick with it because of discipline. Being a Christian is a discipline and a commitment, are we fulfilling our commitment? Are we practicing our discipline? Or are we taking the easy way out when things get tough, or when we don't understand why we are doing something.
Submission is a discipline and it is humiliating but it is necessary and comforting because we gain a sort of protection from our master. We are given gifts and all our needs are cared for, all we have to do is have faith that we are loved by a completely loving God.
So I ask you, will you show up tomorrow? Will you show up when it all feels empty and routine? And will you be there when that time comes for you to do the job only you can do? You cannot be there if you don't get out of bed, if you don't ask God for strength when you feel that you cannot go it alone that day. All you have to do is be there and God will be there too, and He will use you when you least expect it. Just you wait and see.
There are days we don't think we can go on. We are bored, we don't see a reason to do the same thing day after day until we are exhausted and beaten down to the point where we don't care anymore. Sometimes life is great, sometimes life is not so great but we must endure. Why? We must endure because as Christians we have another task, to spread God's love to all people.
Last year during Lnt I tried to fast during the day. It was going well until I felt like there was no point in continuing the fast because I was not growing spiritually, or so I thought, so I quit the fast. However looking on that experience now I see I was missing forgetting something very important. Sometimes spiritual growth is a grind. There are times we don't see the growth, we think we are not moving, but in fact we are moving, just maybe not in the direction we thought we would move.
If there is one thing I have learned since that experience is that there is a discipline required to live life. This discipline is what makes us show up on that day when we feel like there is no point. When we don't think something is working but we have committed to it we stick with it because of discipline. Being a Christian is a discipline and a commitment, are we fulfilling our commitment? Are we practicing our discipline? Or are we taking the easy way out when things get tough, or when we don't understand why we are doing something.
Submission is a discipline and it is humiliating but it is necessary and comforting because we gain a sort of protection from our master. We are given gifts and all our needs are cared for, all we have to do is have faith that we are loved by a completely loving God.
So I ask you, will you show up tomorrow? Will you show up when it all feels empty and routine? And will you be there when that time comes for you to do the job only you can do? You cannot be there if you don't get out of bed, if you don't ask God for strength when you feel that you cannot go it alone that day. All you have to do is be there and God will be there too, and He will use you when you least expect it. Just you wait and see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)