Christmas Prayer
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” (Ephesians 1: 18-19a)
I have been looking forward to Christmas…the lights, music, special food, and holiday gatherings. It is a season of anticipation, both of gifts under the tree and seeing family, but also of the glory of the One who came to bring eternal salvation and has promised to return to take us home to be with Him forever.
We live in two worlds, if only we have eyes to see. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” Our life on earth is fleeting and temporal when viewed through the lens of eternity. We experience things like chronic illness, the deep pain and ache of broken relationships, and a world full of strife, anger, and evil. We long to escape the pain and darkness and cry “Maranatha, Lord come quickly!” We anticipate and eagerly await the streets of gold and no more pain or tears because that is the glorious opposite of what life on earth is like.
Until He returns, we must remain here on this side of Glory. While some of the trials that we experience in our lifetime may be lengthy and full of pain, remember that He does not leave us to navigate them alone. Our great Shepherd is with us, strengthening and guiding us through the dark valleys as He leads us home. As we walk by His side, let us remember to “…look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
As Christmas approaches and we enjoy the festivities, let us look past the physical trappings of the world’s celebration of Christmas, to the unseen reality of Christmas. In addition to the physical descriptions the Bible gives us about heaven, scripture also describes our eternal future in the following ways:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)
Emmanuel, God with us
“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21)
King of Kings
“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:2)
Shepherd of His sheep
God “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6-7)
Eternal Father
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
Mighty God, our true Hope of Glory
May the eyes of our hearts truly be enlightened to see the unseen!
Merry Christmas!
Hidden, yet Seen
When is the last time you thought about your thenar muscles? Perhaps you have been particularly thankful for your interossei muscles as you enjoy your coffee each morning lately? Did you know that it takes approximately 34 muscles to move your hand? We see our hand pick up a coffee mug or jot a note down, and don’t give a second thought to those hard working muscles under the skin that make it move in a way that helps us write, greet others, play the piano, or chop an onion.
The Holy Spirit indwells each person who places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and bestows spiritual gifts to be used for the edification of the church and to bring glory to God. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Romans 12:6a says, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly.”
Too often we look at others and make the dangerous mistake of comparing ourselves to them. We forget that one body has many parts (1 Corinthians 12:14) and that “God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” (1 Corinthians 12:18) The reality is, we can’t all be a visible part of the body. Without the bones, muscles, tendons, veins, arteries, and joints, the body would not be able to move.
God blesses some individuals with gifts that are visible and easily identified in how they exhibit Kingdom work. Evangelists lead people to Christ. Musicians bless others and usher them into worship. Pastors teach and shepherd their flocks. Missionaries are called to foreign lands to translate scripture, minister to the immediate needs of others, and to share the gospel and good news of Jesus Christ. Writers are given the ability to write books that exhort and encourage others.
What about the faithful wife and mother who quietly keeps the home and raises her children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? What about the auto mechanic who fixes cars for a living, or a medic on a battlefield? What about someone who does something as simple as taking the time to sit with a friend who is struggling and brokenhearted, and offer a compassionate listening ear and words of hope and encouragement? Does this work count for the Kingdom? Most assuredly, the answer is yes! People need to be fed and clothed in order to be effective in getting the work accomplished that God has assigned to them. People need working vehicles in order to travel to the places where God has placed them to be salt and light. Soldiers injured in battle must receive medical care before being able to re-enter the fight. People need others to come alongside to encourage and pray with them in the midst of a trial.
Every person we encounter in the Body of Christ has a host of people behind the scenes in their life who contribute to making them who they are. Parents, spouses, friends, teachers, mechanics, medical personnel, bankers, etc. all serve important roles in living life here on earth. While some of these jobs may not be obvious in how they further the Kingdom, they are vital nonetheless.
Friend, if you are feeling unseen or unimportant, take heart.
Your life may not be visible, but it is not invisible.
“For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Just as the hand requires 34 muscles in order to move, so the Body of Christ requires its members to use the gifts that God has blessed them with to serve others. No gift is deemed too small, insignificant or unnecessary. All are needed in order to make the Body be healthy and function properly.
Love and serve the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength right where He has placed you. You are there for a reason, and your life and contributions to the lives of others matters. He gives His gifts in order that we might joyfully serve Him and others and bring glory and honor to His name as we contribute (visibly and invisibly) toward to the building and blessing of the Kingdom of Christ.
Bless, bless
When my children were young, life was a bit chaotic at times. Inevitably a permission slip or an AWANA vest would go missing and there would be a mad scramble to find the lost item. To this day, my family would attest to the fact that I would frequently misplace my half-consumed cup of coffee somewhere in the house and then lament that I couldn’t find it! More often than not, my daughter would disappear and then reappear a minute or two later with the lost item and hand it to me! I would make a big show of gratitude by placing both of my hands on her head and enthusiastically saying, “Bless you, my child. Bless you!” Her bright blue eyes would twinkle and her little face would light up with a big smile because she knew she had just been a big helper for Mommy!
It is easy to bless those you know, and those who are loving and helpful toward you, but what about people who act aggressively toward you? Romans 12:14 says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” While our natural inclination might be to lash out, scripture instructs us to bless that person. It is important to note that this command is given twice!
To bless someone is to call earnestly for them to be blessed by the Lord. To curse someone is to call earnestly for evil upon someone. While we may not encounter life-threatening persecution in America, the potential exists for things such as name-calling, doxing, isolation, and general harassment, which are all forms of persecution. As ambassadors for Christ, our business needs to be about bringing light, truth, peace, love, and blessing into every situation we encounter, especially the ones fraught with negativity and darkness.
He is our Shepherd, and we are His sheep. To curse someone is simply to call more darkness upon an already dark situation, which will do nothing but escalate things in the wrong direction. Metaphorically speaking, it would be like a sheep encountering a snarling, aggressive pack of wolves, and calling upon another wolf for help. Our help comes from the Lord, our Good Shepherd. Scripture says the following:
“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)
“The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.” (Psalm 121:7)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3)
Our Shepherd protects and brings peace to His flock. If vengeance is needed, it is His to give, not ours. If someone persecutes or curses us, our response should be to call for a double blessing upon them, thus infusing the situation with God’s light and love.
“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)
Bless, bless…