Filled…

     Three last days, to fill up stockings, refrigerators…hearts.

Christmas Day is just about here, we’ve been anticipating it for the past few weeks, and soon we will leave it behind for another year. Is that how it’s supposed to be?

Maybe the next few days we should fill ourselves up: “…to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19 NIV) When all the world continues on oblivious to God, when all the world crashes in and takes away our ‘merry’, when all the world fills our heart with trembling instead of jingling – will we despair? We might, but if we are filled up with all the fullness of the love of God, a love that surpasses any experience or knowledge we have…then maybe despair will quickly fade to hope, joy peace.

This is the stuff of Christmas: hope in the Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God, joy because of the Everlasting Father, and peace from the Price of Peace. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

Whether we have much or little to put under the tree this year, we can have much to fill not only our hearts but those we hold dear. This is the stuff of faith: “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” (1Peter 1:8 NIV)

After all the packages are opened, the shiny paper discarded, the leftovers put away – don’t let Christmas fade away. Christmas is every day because Jesus didn’t come and fade away, He came that we could be forgiven, that we could have eternity. He came and gave His life and now His Holy Spirit reigns in the hearts of all who believe. This is the Good News of Christmas for all our days, let us say together:

Praise be to His glorious Name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen (Psalm 72:19 NIV)

 

 

 

 

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October 17, 2014 Shadows…

     In shadows things are never as clear… We say ‘the beautiful afternoon was shadowed by the recent news of serious illness’. ‘A shadow fell over the room as she told of her addiction to prescription drugs’. ‘The shadows under her eyes told of her sleepless nights’. ‘Shadowy figures lurk in the alleys’. So many references to shadow – in the clear light of day fears aren’t as overwhelming, but when we find ourselves in the shadows our fears loom larger…

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness.” (John 12:46 NIV) Yes, we will find the shadows trying to blur our circumstances. Those worry clouds will gather. When we call on the Light and ask a simple “Father??” He is so gracious to shine into our darkness – dispelling those shadows… Don’t stay in darkness…

“For God, who said ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) On our darkest night we can see clearly if we are looking to the Light. We may stumble, panic may grip, despair may whisper but truth is brighter – leading us out of powerlessness into His strength. Lighten my heart…

“…That you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (2Peter 2:9 NIV) Recall your sunniest day, the one where your skin warmed and the air was fresh, the one where you closed your eyes and breathed softly, the one you long to call today. His wonderful Light shines like that even when we think we are in the shadows, He is there shining…He is there casting away shadows…He is there making a way… Til someday we are where He is and all shadows are gone forever and our way is clear and His light warms and we breathe..

And we declare His praise…