Christmas Pep-Talk


Tomorrow is December 1 and I realize I have come to a place in life where I know I have a relationship with God, but seem to have forgotten how I have that relationship to begin with. I, in my history brain, have subconsciously locked the person of Jesus to the past. Sure, he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, but silly Betsy, he is still alive! Who is he, really, not just who was he? If he is the only way to the Father, he is worth knowing deeply as an individual member of the trinity. The father I know. The spirit calls to me in nature and worship and ties me through prayer to the father. But what about Jesus? Anyways, this may seem like a "duh" situation, but for me it is hitting hard, especially at the beginning of the advent season.

My point is, this season, I want to fall deeply in love with Jesus for all he was, is, and will be forever. He is more than a bridge to the father, and more than a role model. He is my savior, my brother, and my dear friend.

This Christmas season, I invite you to pursue awe. May we all be awestruck at the miraculous solution to our deep need. May we all see with fresh eyes the greatest story of all time and the grand and humble entrance of the Character who would change the course of events for all time at exactly the right moment, in exactly the right way, according to the perfect plan of a father in pursuit of his children. May we see growth in our faith. May we cry out in both belief and unbelief. May we sing, "Glory to God in the Highest!" with the heavenly host over flocks and fields. May we enter in, because Jesus made a way. Merry Christmas, and I pray each day of this season leaves you breathless in the beauty of your place in history and your role through Christ in the story of all eternity.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Appointed Portion

This past Sunday, I heard a sermon that mentioned we need not go in search of new, grand revelations about God. We need to open our Bible and revel in what has already been given to us. I need to put that into practice. So, this early evening, as I lazily and finally opened my Bible app to get some truth in me, like a spiritual vitamin to boost my health, I wondered how God could use 1 Samuel to speak to me. I'm listening and reading through the Bible cover to cover, and it can often feel like reading a work of history in these early books and not the divine truth of God Almighty. Here, sceptical as I came, God spoke. Normally, I encourage more than I quote in this blog, but then again, it has been a long time. Things have changed. I have changed. So, the following section of scripture will speak for itself, and I will tack on my reflection as if it were a patchy, red "Betsy Approved" stamp on the back of a stunning Monet. The word speaks. I am just so freshly aware of
Read more

Whole before Full// the Christian prayer

Recently, I read an article on Facebook that was an open letter of sorts from "Mr. Right" for Christian women. In this article, the author writes for the reader to let God make her something whole and complete, as well as her Mr. Right, before entering into a relationship or seeking after one. This sparked a line of thought for me that doesn't necessarily have to do with relationships on earth, but our relationship with God.  For a while, my prayer has been that God would fill me up with more of him, that I would be overflowing with his peace and his love for this world. But I noticed something. I would have periods of my life where I would feel so full of love, and soon find myself empty and broken, wanting more and more from God and wondering why I couldn't hold onto joy through life. Here is what I realized recently, after a summer of whole and pure love from God. Broken vessels don't hold water.  Likewise, broken souls won't hold the Living
Read more

Human Nature & Divine Creator: Provision, Power, and Pride

A snowday Luke 4 reflection-- When Jesus goes into the wilderness, after John baptizes him, he is full of the Holy Spirit. As he is in the wilderness, the devil tempts him by targeting 3 specific things that we all as humans are drawn to: provision, power, and pride. Jesus, the same man who as a boy ran to the temple of his Father to learn the scriptures, now full of the Spirit too, combats each temptation with scripture. What struck me most were those 3 temptations: provision, power, and pride. 1. We as people have a desire to have provisions, for survival and beyond that for comfort. Jesus counters by pointing himself (and throigh reading, us) back to God as the source for humanity's deepest need. 2. We want control- of our lives, of our surpundings, of others even. We want money, power, security, respect, even dominion in our world. Jesus counters by calling himself first and foremost a servant of God, not a king of peoples. Furthermore, he (by extension, we) is to adore in
Read more