By Brenda Jank
What does God want for Christmas this year?
God wants, well, everything.
God is jealous. We were made for him, but live separate and distant lives.
The list, God’s Christmas List, reveals the true measure of his heart and passion for each he calls his own.
This Christmas, this year, this day, this hour, God wants…
- My fears … each one
- My failures and my broken pride
- My dreams and desires, the longing of my heart
- My sin that separates and divides. Each weakness, every fault
- My attitude
- My default setting – my “mode of operation” that keeps me stuck in various emotional places
- My thinking and my thoughts. Every pattern of my mind
- My perspective
- My priorities
- My pursuits and passions
- My ideals
- My relationships – the good ones, the strained ones, the ugly ones
- My heart
- My hope
- My hands and feet, my eyes and ears
- My strength
- My home
- My things – His name tag belongs on every item I own and everything I want
- My confidence
- My time
My response? Man-o-live, I’ve got some work to do!
Nothing in my life escapes Jesus’ claim, desire and pursuit.
My surrender in all things, my gifting to God my all in all, is to him, the greatest gift of all.
What paves the way? Not my own ability, but the resurrection, NEW LIFE, power made possible by the entry of God into the world 2,000 years ago and my world, today.
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Wow! Yes! I was pondering John 21 where Jesus is talking to Peter. Jesus asks Peter “Do you agape me more than these?” Agape love is a love that is a decision made to love, an act of the will. That is a lot of powerful love! Peter says “Yes Lord, You know I phileo you.” Phileo love is brotherly love. It’s the kind of love that can be changeable. Now, I thought, am I looking at the baby Jesus and saying what a precious child?
Oh Betty, I was in John 21, too this week.
That’s the question! Does my love stem from an agape love or a phileo love.
Oh Jesus enter in. I need You.
I love You.
Best of all – You love me. And Betty. And any other who reads this post.
Making our way to Bethlehem – !
*Brenda Jank* Executive Director 260-239-1297 http://www.runhardrestwell.org
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