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“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. . .and whatever other commandment there may be, [are] summed up in this one rule: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:8-10 NIV)
This is the beginning of the Christmas season. This is a time when we believers celebrate the greatest act of love, the greatest gift ever given — ” The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. . .” (1 John 4:14) And what is the way that the Father asks us to illustrate that gift to the world? By loving our neighbor as ourselves.
As we decorate our homes and our yards, have we noticed the senior on our street who lives alone and has trouble even raking the leaves out of his or her yard? Would they maybe like some Christmas cookies, or a wreath for their door, or something Christmas-y for their table?
What about the single mom, struggling to make ends meet. She has no time or money for decorations and frills. Would she like a tree for her house, or some cookies for her and her kids?
There are several opportunities to show love this Christmas season. In every communitiy, the fire and police department have some sort of Toys for Tots program. The local food banks are always looking for help at this season. Rescue missions or Salvation army shelters have practical ideas.
If you are one of my Foothills readers, we will be distributing food boxes at Christmas. Pick up a card with a family name on December 7. Pray for that family. Involve your family. Make this a fun time of giving.
My prayers are with the family and friends of Jdimytai Damour, 34, of Queens, New York, who was trampled to death as he was opening the doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart on Friday morning.
I wonder if the people involved that morning, some who had been standing in line since 9p.m. Thanksgiving night, think that plasma TV or latest video game was worth it . . .
I know that I have referred in the past to the blog “Of First Importance” in which a quote is presented that points toward the gospel and Jesus. Today’s post was such a great reminder:
“If we are to change we must be regularly preaching the gospel to ourselves and believing it. We must be continually showing ourselves, and those we counsel, the depths and greatness of God’s love for them. We must stop wasting our time trying to convince ourselves that we are lovable, and instead rest in the glorious fact that we are loved. It is this message which God uses to change us at the motivational level.”
. . .we must stop wasting our time trying to convince ourselves that we are lovable, and instead rest in the glorious fact that we are loved. . .
Talk about a stop-dead-in-my-tracks statement. The fact is, I’m not loveable a lot of the time. Jesus didn’t save me because I was such a “great catch.” That’s a self-centered mindset. My salvation, our salvation, has everything to do with God and His covenant love.
1 John 4:9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (NLT)
And Jesus was not just any sacrifice — He was the atoning sacrifice, the only sacrifice that was sufficient to satisfy the just wrath of God on my sin. Because of Jesus, my sin isn’t just tossed in the corner — it is totally removed.
Then the apostle John continues. . .
1 John 4:11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. (NLT)
The resulting action of God’s infinite, unconditional, sacrificial love, is not to be enamored with myself, not to concentrate on how “loved” I feel, but I am to concentrate on giving love to others.
Our culture is so self-centered, we don’t even realize how much it has permeated our thinking. God continually says in His Word that our concentration should be on God, and not on ourselves. Know what God thinks about me; know how God loves me. Believe what He says. Then, give that kind of love to others. Don’t concentrate on what others can do for me, so that I feel special. I am the most precious jewel to God; I am His treasure; I am His beloved child. No mere mortal can top that kind of love.
Let’s stop wasting precious time. I want to concentrate on Believing God. Then I can serve and love others without the petty score-keeping or feeling used or any of that other “junk” that so clutters life and makes it miserable.
Will you choose to belive God with me?
Proverbs 16:3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Yesterday morning we were going out of town for the holiday weekend. Then my weekly injection made me more ill than usual, and I was wondering how I was going to last in a car for 12 hours AND be pleasant to be around for a weekend;
then, my husband called with the news that not just one, but 2 wheel bearings were bad on our van (that we just brought in for a routine maintenance check) and had to be replaced. Oh, yes, and the part wouldn’t arrive for at least another day;
then, my husband felt a little “twinge” in his back. He spent last Saturday shoveling and spreading bark dust with our church group at parks all over our community. He has a couple of herniated discs in his back that “act up” from time to time, and he was certainly giving them reason to “act up.” Oh, and did I mention that our out-of-town trip was to paint my parents’ house and my husband was doing much of the painting?
then, last night our house/animal sitter called and had to cancel;
so, this morning we made the decision not to go. There is a reason that we are supposed to be in town this weekend. I don’t know what it is, but I do know the One Who does, and He is faithful and loves me completely and knows what is best. I can trust Him.
I think my husband and I are going out to breakfast in the morning, but. . . plans can change . . .
p.s. we got our van back, and God has provided the money for it to be fixed; my husband’s discs, so far, are staying right where they belong; I’m feeling a little better, but still happy that I’m staying in my backyard this weekend; and we don’t need a sitter because I enjoy my kitties and dogs!
Micah 6:6 What can we bring to the LORD?
What kind of offerings should we give him?
Should we bow before God
with offerings of yearling calves?
7 Should we offer him thousands of rams
and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?
8 No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God. (NLT)
God has given each of us a life purpose. My current struggle is that I’m not especially happy with the purpose that God has planned for me right now. There, I said it. I’m not perfect. I don’t have it all together. I struggle. I argue with God and tell Him that I think my plan is better, or I want a different choice. Sort of like, “no, I want the red popcicle, not the purple one; or I want a creamcicle instead.”
What is a suitable life? What really does God want from each of us who claim to have given Him back control of the lives that He already owns, and whom He sent His only Son, Jesus, to buy us back from sin and hell? The prophet says here that, in a nutshell, we are to do what is right (seek justice), to love mercy (to look for ways to show kindness and love), and to walk humbly with God (cling to Him, be in relationship with Him through reading — and obeying — His Word, and talking — and listening — to Him in prayer).
God is not impressed with how many people attend a workshop I am teaching, or that the classroom or auditorium is filled with people waiting to listen to me teach. For me, teaching is easy. I can just give a lecture, say some encouraging words, and walk away. Walking humbly with God means numerous one-on-one conversations with a woman struggling with forgiveness after a lifetime of abuse and hurt. Providing short-term housing to a mom and small children who are leaving a physically violent husband. Mentoring young women who want to be godly wives and mothers.
Walking humbly with God means being willing to be where He is — everywhere that He is. Walking humbly with God means being content with the life He has given me, and with the task He has given me to fulfill. Even if that “task” is to be content and satisfied and joyful in God despite constant pain and exhaustion.
God, in this season of my life, has ordained that my “suitable life” be one of prayer, of writing, of studying, and of encouraging and mentoring others. It’s not so much an active, “doing” life; it’s more of a “being” life, a life of relationship more than activity; of silence more than noise; of quiet conversation more than large-group lecture. Writing this is helping me see that my life truly is full and meaningful. It’s different from what it was 10 years ago, but I’m different from who I was 10 years ago. My life is full and meaningful because I have God, and He is my treasure; He is my joy; He gives my life meaning.
This is a little off the beaten path, but nevertheless. . .
I looked at the calendar and realized that Valentine’s Day is next week. My husband and I normally don’t make a big deal out of the day, but most of the time we will go out to dinner. One year I surprised him with a night at a nice hotel (he had been working extra hard and we both needed some pampering). This year, though, we have some obligations to fulfill that require we be more frugal, and I was pouting a bit until . . .
I thought, and then I said, “you know what I want for Valentine’s Day?”
“No, what?” (he says with the no, we can’t already coming out in his voice)
“I want this,”
“That I can do,” he said with a relieved smile.
Now I just have to be patient and wait until Thursday (and really be careful so somehow I can justify the 610 (!!!) calories . . .
