Born to Set Us Free

Here we are and Christmas is over.  Time to finish off the year of 2015 and look forward to and make plans for 2016.  In the aftermath of the Christmas rush  I remember that it's not all about the gifts, the baking, the readying the house for family and friends and countless other things we add to our to do lists.  It IS about the birth of Jesus and about the Hope that He brings.  He redeems the broken, He puts the lonely into families, He is our Hope, Jesus heals the scars of abuse and brokenness.  Just as He offered living water to the woman at the well, He offers to be that which satisfies our souls.  So why?  Why do we look to other things that don't heal and that don't even come close to safisfying that longing in our deepest parts?  We settle for a short term escape, when He calls us to come to Him for healing.

If we were all honest we'd admit that we need someone to save us from heartbreak, from addiction, insecutities, emotional scars, from the things that take God's rightful place in our lives, even to save us from ourselves!  I shared part of this passage in my earlier blog this month, but take a second look and let it soak in:

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:2, 4, 6-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I'm so thankful Jesus came to save us from all the horrible things that sin has brought into this life!  Without Him there would be no power to resist temptation.  There would be no healing for the emotional scars that sin brought us.  Jesus came to break the strongholds of addiction and all the weapons the enemy of our souls brings against us!  Join me in asking God in the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 to heal what is broken, to restore what was taken and to renew hope!

With this final thought I want to leave you. Just as the days were dark and filled with oppression before Jesus came as a baby, so they are today.  Everywhere we look, we see broken homes, abuse, addictions, hate, depression and so much more.

He is coming back to be the LORD of everything. One day every knee will bow and everyone will admit that Jesus is the Lord of all. He is coming soon!  Just as I encouraged in my last post, that now in the darkness is the time to shine, now is also the time to seek God like never before.  Now is the time to share the light that Jesus brought to this broken world.  Now is the time to share the love of Jesus,the hope and joy that He brings!  Now is the time to bring anything that would hold us back from seeking God and ask God to free us!  Now is the time to, "... Seek the Lord while He can be found". Now is the time to pray like never before for the people in our lives that are not ready for Jesus to come back! Simply and honestly let us be in expectation as those living in the days when Jesus came to be the Savior of the world.

COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS

Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.


Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to thy glorious throne.

---

Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788 Music: Rowland H. Pritchard; harm. from The English Hymnal Tune: HYFRYDOL, Meter: 87.87 D

The Darkness Has Not Overcome

 When I reached my teen years and became passionate about following God and seeking to know Him, God began to do something each year of my life.  Each year since then as I've taken time to reflect on the Christmas story God has brought a different aspect of the story to life for me. There are so many amazing different components of  how Jesus came to earth and how the story of redemption began that night!  I love that God sent angels to the shepherds, the common people of the day.  I love that God chose Mary, a humble young woman who found favor in Gods eyes!  These are just a sampling of the story of the birth of our Savior.

This year there especially seems to be a couple of common themes that keep coming up in my daily life.  This blog will be "part 1" of a two part Christmas blog. Both themes are meant to encourage anyone on this journey in life that seeks to follow after Jesus.

As this world becomes more and more evil it just feels like we are living in dark times.  You surely must feel it too, when you turn on the news or read the paper. There is no doubt that evil is out there. But thank God for His gift! “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus came to live a holy life in order to be the sacrifice for our sin.  Because He lived with no sin, He alone could pay the price that would save all who accept His gift of forgiveness! He came to bring Light to the world! John say's it this way, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:4-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬
The last part of verse five grabs my attention!  " . . . and the darkness has not overcome it"
Yes this world is full of darkness but the darkness has not overcome the Light!
Now is the time to shine!  Now, as evil is on the rise, we who claim the name of Christ have the opportunity to shine all the brighter!

How do I do that? By taking time to reflect on God and the things He's done in my life.  Prayers that He has answered, His power to hold our marriage together, giving us a son, daily provisions, friends who help and encourage, these are just some of the  things I see my Gods' hand involved in our lives. God somehow shines His light through us when we seek Him in quiet time by reading His word and talking to Him in prayer.  He shines in us when we choose to do what's right, even when everyone else is doing what's wrong.  He shines when we choose thankfulness instead of complaining.  He shines through us when His Joy sustains us even in or especially in the hard times!

Jesus, simply and honestly, as I prepare my heart for Christmas, may this triumphant story of how you came and brought  light into this dark world remind me to keep my light burning bright!