Day 18 Matt 2:10-11 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
One of the questions asked this day was where are you on your journey this season? I'd just the day before been thinking on this very matter and honestly I realized I'm on a new journey, one wherein I am trying to do and not just think of what I should or could do. I made that decision about two months ago and the openings God has brought to me to be real and prove I mean to walk the walk has been scary, funny, strange...
I have a feeling the Magi felt much the same on their journey. But then they arrived and found the new born King.
I have a feeling the Magi felt much the same on their journey. But then they arrived and found the new born King.
We all have a star before us, calling us to travel into strange places and do things that might easily, and will quite possibly, be hard. Where is your journey taking you?
Day 19: Hebrews 12:1-2 And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The question that most moved me today and which caused the most thought was this one:
How would the choices you make today look different if you shifted your focus to being motivated by joy?
Honestly time here. Nine out of ten times decisions and choices I struggle the hardest to make all involve fear. Seldom do I look beyond that fear to the end reward. Sometimes, I don't even know if there will be an end reward. All I can see is the vastness of the journey before me, or anticipate the pain I might experience in jumping too far from my comfort zone. And let's face it: my comfort zone exists about 2 inches all around me and everything else is out of it!
I cannot imagine how my Savior faced the physical pain he experienced, nor the mental anguish he suffered, and yet he said "She's worth it, " about me. Me.
Oh Lord, please help me to 'count it joy' and stop looking only as far as the end of my own nose at my fear!
Day 20: Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people."
I think sometimes we get so focused on saving the lost that we fail to notice the hurting right in among us. That's where God is pushing me to focus of late. In among the Christians who are being devastated or wearied by just life stuff. A widow. A divorcee with limited access to her family and no support system about her. A divorced man raising children on his own away from his family. All Christians but how weary they must get on their own journey.
Still reaching out to strangers is hard. Hard. You just never know how they will respond to you. Do they feel ashamed, angry, depressed? What exactly are you opening yourself up to?
"Do not be afraid..." Good news. Great joy. For all.
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