The Gift

I love this time of year! There’s just something in the air. Last night I finished wrapping the Christmas gifts and now can hardly wait to be together with family to celebrate.  As I was wrapping, a memory from long ago came to mind – not that I remember actually but, I remember the story being related to me over the years, especially at this time of year. The story is about a little girl, two and half years old, who caused quite a stir one Christmas. Oh yeah, that little girl was me.  My parents, baby brother and I had been invited to a friend’s home for dinner a couple of days before Christmas. Apparently the dinner conversation at the table was so interesting that the adults did not notice that the little girl had slipped away and had not been seen for quite some time.  Hmmm… where could little Mary be?  My parents got up to look for me, followed by their friends. And then they found me… in the living room, by the Christmas tree sitting in a pile of wrapping paper and ribbon having a wonderful time. I had ripped the paper off of every present under the tree! I wasn’t at all interested in the gifts, but in all the shiny paper and ribbon. I cannot imagine how mortified my parents must have been! These friends had no idea now what presents were for whom, or who had given them what.  Of course, I was oblivious to all of that.

I’m wondering today how many of us overlook the Gift at Christmas. We get caught up in all the hustle and bustle, the glitter and glee so easily. Just as I, so many years ago sat amidst the shiny paper not aware of the things of more value – the gifts that had been enclosed in the paper, how many today overlook what is the most valuable gift of all? Christmas is the celebration of God’s gift to mankind, in the person of Jesus. The gospel of Luke recounts the angel’s message to the shepherds: “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” John 3:16 tells us “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

So as we enjoy the giving and receiving of gifts, the wonderful family time, good food and celebration, let’s be mindful of the reason for the season – the coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Messiah. Let’s not forget the Gift.

Merry Christmas everyone !!!

Decisions...

At our church we have several home groups that meet on Sunday nights.  The Fall sessions started last night and my husband and I joined the group studying the subject of knowing God’s will and how we can discover what God’s will is for our lives. 

As I have shared with you before, sometimes the Lord gives me a ‘picture’ in my mind that helps me to understand something or that helps me to commune with Him. Below is one such time. It is from my journal, written a few years ago, about a time that I was struggling with knowing what God’s will was for me in a certain area.

“I have a picture in my mind that I’m sitting in a boat.  It is evening and I’m looking at a beautiful sunset over the ocean.  The water is very peaceful.  I am alone with Jesus.  I am very happy and at peace there.

As I was thinking about this I began talking to Him about how I feel stressed about my circumstances.  I feel torn in two somehow over the decision I must make.  I feel so much better alone “in my little boat”, but, I am thinking that while it is good to be alone with God that there is much to be accomplished.  So I feel guilty about not doing more.  This turmoil has been in my heart for some time.  God help me to see your will and purpose for my life, and to walk in your will.  [Galatians 6:9 – Let us not become weary in doing good...]  I feel weary even though it seems I’m not doing anything.  I trust God is working this out.  I turn it all over to you Lord.  I will watch and wait for an answer.  Open my ears that I might hear, and my eyes that I might see.  Pour your oil over me Lord and heal my broken heart.  Thank you for letting me float along with you in that little boat and contemplate your beauty.  I love you Lord.

It is when we quiet our hearts before the Lord that we are able to put words to our thoughts, to bring them before the Lord and commune with him.”

Yes, God is always faithful!!!  He did help me and gave me direction for the circumstance quoted above. Do you know one of the things that I so love about God? It’s that I never have to be afraid of what He will think of me when I talk to Him. I can tell Him anything. I can say to Him exactly what I think, what apprehensions I may be having, what I don’t understand – what I love and what I hate; anything at all that I might be feeling. He knows all about it anyway, doesn’t He?  I can bring Him my questions, no matter how simple or how difficult, and yes I can ask Him to help me with decisions that I need to make and then trust Him to guide me on the right path.

Take a quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of life and sit with Jesus for a while.  You will find peace there, peace that passes understanding.

The Chair...

You know those emails that circulate at the office sometimes, or that friends post on social media from time to time – those sentimental stories? Well this is one I received this past week, and because it brought something to my remembrance of what I had personally walked through a few years ago, many years ago now, I wanted to share it and my story with you…

MOM'S EMPTY CHAIR

A woman's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her mother. When the minister arrived, he found the woman lying in bed with her head propped up on two pillows, an empty chair sat beside her bed. The minister assumed that the woman had been informed of his visit... ‘'I guess you were expecting me’, he said. ‘No, who are you?’ said the mother. The minister told her his name and then remarked, ‘I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up...’

‘Oh yeah, the chair,’ said the bedridden woman. ‘Would you mind closing the door?’ Puzzled, the minister shut the door. ‘I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter,’ said the woman. ‘But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head... I abandoned any attempt at prayer,’ the old woman continued, ‘until one day four years ago; my best friend said to me, “Prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, ‘I will be with you always’... Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now...” ‘So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though.  If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.’

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old woman to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with her, anointed her with oil, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her mama had died that afternoon. ‘Did she die in peace?’ he asked. ‘Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, she called me over to her bedside, told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found her. But there was something strange about her death. Apparently, just before Mom died, she leaned over and rested her head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?’ The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, ‘I wish we could all go like that.’

This story touched me because I remember one time that I actually did this; pulled up a chair to the table and asked Jesus to sit with me because I so needed His help. It was at a time when I was going through a crisis of obedience to what I believed that the Lord was leading me to do – write a letter of forgiveness to someone very close to me. I remember thinking, ‘Lord I know that you are with me always, but how I wish I could just see you sitting on a chair next to me and that I could talk to you just like I would with a close friend. I can’t do what you are asking me to do without Your help.’

Here I was at the table with the paper ready and pen in hand; my obedience to His word to me had gotten me that far, but it was so difficult! How would I find the words, make them the right words and make them sincere words that truly came from the heart?

So I pulled up a chair next to me and talked, poured out my heart and asked for my Friend Jesus to sit next to me and help me write this letter. The more I wrote, the more my own heart was healed of the brokenness I had felt for many years. When the letter was finished I knew that truth was contained in the words that were on the page, the truth that I had truly forgiven all by the grace and ability that God had given me to do so. My Helper and my Counselor was indeed with me.

I mailed the letter, which again was hard to do because I was thinking ‘What will they think? Will they understand? Or will I be crushed again?’ I am so thankful to be able to say that through that letter God worked a healing in the brokenness of the other person too and that that person and I became close, as God had always intended for us to be.

I just want to encourage you, friends, to obey if you have felt God prompting you to do something in any area of your life. He won’t ask you to do it alone. He’ll help you all the way. Just take a step of obedience. Talk to Him like He’s your very best friend. He is!!! – a closer friend than anyone who could sit next to you on a chair.  

All is not as it seems…

I had a telephone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Security Systems saying they were calling me because of a malicious virus infecting computers. I knew this was a scam but for some reason I let her talk for a while and asked her questions like "So you're telling me that everyone running windows is infected?" Yes "So you are calling the millions of people in the world to advise them?" Yes. “Wow you must have some staff there!” She wanted me to go to the "run" box of my computer and type in a code. Well, of course, I did not. They sound very convincing and quite adamant that they are legit – how she was doing me a favour and was saving my computer. Ha!

Now, why would I write this in my blog???? I can certainly see a spiritual application here. The Bible tells us that the enemy (Satan) goes around looking for those who will fall prey to his schemes, those he can devour. He is the biggest scammer of all time. His goal is to kill, steal and destroy. The Word tells us there will be false signs and wonders; that he can even make himself appear like an angel of light. In other words what he dangles in front of your face looks like, smells like, seems like the truth, or a good idea, BUT it is NOT, it will lead you away from God and all that is good.

While discussing this with my husband he very wisely said “Test everything by the Word”.  Now there’s a word of wisdom !!!  Which brings me to another point. How can we test everything by the Word if we don’t take the time to study it – at least read it regularly?  When we are tempted what should we do? – go to the source for help, to the Word of God and in prayer ask for guidance. In the book of James the Word says that God WILL give wisdom to those who ask. The Lord is our helper, our deliverer, the lover of our souls, closer than our breath and a very present help in time of trouble.

We always go to the Source, the Word of God, on the matters of life, and the decisions we are faced with every day. If you are feeling a ‘check’ in your spirit about something you are considering, consult the Lord. He will guide you on the path of LIFE.

Pivot points…

Over the last few days I have watched some of the special programming on the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 – that terrible day, and pivotal time in history. On one program where people who were there on that day ten years ago were interviewed, something one man said really struck me. A man who was working in an office was interviewed. His co-workers said that this man was always smiling; nothing seemed to really upset him at work. He didn’t engage in all the trivial nit-picking and usual office complaining. The interviewer asked the man about it. He replied something like this: “I see my co-workers getting upset for such trivial things, the way I look at it, if you don’t have a passenger jet crashing into your building then you are having a good day at work”. On 9/11 this man was working on the 84^th floor of the North Tower. This man escaped just before the building collapsed.

It seems that this man now bases how he reacts to things that happen to him based on that pivot point in his life where everything changed and was never the same. I admire his resiliency and that he has been able to overcome the terror and trauma of that day, a nightmare from which some that were there have not been able to wake, who relive the horror every day. I pray that God would surround them with His grace and His love, that they would turn to Him that they might be healed.

I was convicted by the testimony of this man. I have found myself complaining over trivial things too, at work and elsewhere. Every day we have is a gift, isn’t it? What kind of an impact am I having on those around me? A positive one or a negative one. When they observe how I go about my day what do they see? – someone who is resilient in overcoming various trials? – someone who has hope and joy? – someone who overcomes evil with good?

We all face pivot points in our lives, some happy and joyful like the birth of a child; and some tragic and sad like a loss of a child. The Bible tells us in Psalm 46 that God is a very present help in time of trouble. I know this to be true experientially.

I pray that I would always turn to Him, my joy and the lifter of my head, immediately when a difficult pivotal time comes in my life so that I will receive the help He extends to me and that I would live my days with joy in my heart so that others would see that God is GOOD, that they would be drawn to this wonderful Saviour, this majestic, powerful, awesome, loving and merciful God – the God who loves each one of them with an everlasting love and extends His arms to them continually.  

I pray also that when I find myself ready to complain about trivial things that I would remember the example of this man who realizes that each day he has is a gift.

I'm praying for you...

What comforting and powerful words!

A dear lady, for whom I have great respect, spoke these very words to me before the church service started last Sunday morning. We didn’t have a long conversation, just a quick greeting and her words “I’m praying for you”.

As I went and sat down, waiting for the service to start it was as if I could feel God’s arms wrapped around me. Ah yes Lord, You are aware of my circumstances aren’t you? – of my being so mentally tired after coming home from work because of the changes that I feel too tired to write, and then feeling guilty because I am not keeping the commitment to write that I made to myself I guess, and to others.

God continually amazes me! He put me on this person’s heart and she faithfully interceded for me. And I have felt His sustaining power over the last few weeks as I struggle to organize and get my head around all that is now expected of me. He truly is my help and through Him I am able to accomplish all that He has brought into my path.

Has God brought someone to your mind lately? Sometimes it can seem like just a thought in passing; sometimes a stronger urging to pray for someone. Let’s be mindful of these invitations to pray – whether it be a quick lifting up of the person to God as we go about our day, or as need be a deeper conversation with God about the person when we have more time. If the occasion arises let that person know that you have been praying for them. Let’s use every opportunity to be encouragers!

James 5:16b (Amplified Bible)

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

Can you smell that?

2 Corinthians 2:14-16a

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to the other the aroma of life to life.

Wow, I’m just wondering how smelly I am – in the good sense, of course (smile)

First of all we are told that God ALWAYS leads us in TRIUMPH in Christ – Good News!!!

And note this amazing fact: through us the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ is diffused every place we go !!! So again my question, just how fragrant am I as I go about my daily life, in my home, at the mall, at my workplace?

F. B. Meyer wrote this about this verse:

Wherever they went men knew Jesus better; the loveliness of the Master's character became more apparent. Men became aware of a subtle fragrance, poured upon the air, which attracted them to the Man of Nazareth.

As we live our lives daily honouring our Lord and His Word, as we are led by the Spirit obeying His promptings, we emit this fragrance (the knowledge of our Lord Jesus – the gospel) everywhere we go. Among those who are being saved it is the aroma of life; to those who refuse to bow the heart to Christ it is the aroma of death. Our job is to be fragrant. The result of how others perceive and react to the fragrance is not in our hands. It is between the person and God alone.

Let’s get out there and smell good!!!