About (specific portions of) the Bible and what it says to us today.
Christmastime is my favorite time of year. I’m sure it is for may be for many of you as well. Even though the days and nights are filled with business, there seems to be so much excitement and love in the air that it makes the chaos tolerable and even enjoyable.
The year was 1954. The U.S. Billboard Chart ranked “Little Things Mean a Lot” by Kitty Kallen the #1 song of the year! Laced with simple lyrics about little niceties and endearing smiles, this tune captured the essence of how significant the smallest of gestures can be to the person on the receiving end.
In today’s society however, we are hard-pressed to find people who value simplicity. We have become over-indulgent, materialistic, and self-gratifying. We long to flaunt our success and look impressive, having the finery and luxury that will cause others to envy. We are hurried and at times even frantic people, often going nowhere fast! Sadly, it is not “the little
things” that we value!
“Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.”-Hosea 6:1-2
Have you ever looked back on your life and thought to yourself, “Wow! How did I survive all that?” Most of us have a story to tell reflecting God’s love and mercy and so did Joseph.
We have our schedules and agendas filled with never-ending appointments and to-do lists. We are
busy for God, but we have rarely time with God. Any recognition? Continually saying yes to everything does not make you Wonder Woman, it will make you tired!
Imagine for a moment that you are John the Baptist, you are walking the walk and talking the talk. You are fulfilling your calling when all of a sudden the one who can take away ALL the sins of the world shows up! Jesus! The one, the only!
How would you respond to God made flesh now walking toward you?
I have never been an early-riser! In fact, I am not especially fond of the early morning jarring as the
alarm clock sounds off disturbing me from the comforts of my down pillow and favorite blanket.
Grab a mirror. No, seriously, do it. Look into that mirror. Who do you see? Who do others see? Who
does God see? There is a meme that floats around on facebook from time to time. It says something
along the lines of “nothing you do goes unseen.” Let’s think about that. Nothing you do is done
without God seeing it.
In Luke chapter 13: 10-13, we read about a woman who had been bent over by a spirit for 18 years. As I was reading, I was trying to imagine this woman’s circumstance…having only the ground and the dirt as her view. How horrible her walk through life must have been. Then I realized that this has been me so many times in my life. I have allowed satan to have free reign over my mind causing me to drop my head in shame or from a sense of unworthiness. Believing the lies of satan and coming into agreement with him, will only give us a hopeless view of ourselves and our lives. Why do we believe his lies? Why do we choose to give him so much power over us?
Silence….it is a wonderful thing when we are sleeping, reading or thinking…but when we are in the midst of a trial, silence from God isn’t what we want at all! We want to hear Him loudly and we want to hear Him quickly! Sometimes, most times, that just isn’t the way God operates. When we are going through a test it may be because God desires to have an encounter with us! It won’t be until we completely surrender to Him with our faith and obedience that the silence will be lifted and His voice will be heard.