All tagged Always
It’s now the day after Christmas, and today we celebrate Jesus, the Christ, living here among us. He has been born, and is growing physically towards the time when He will achieve His mission; God’s plan, and God’s will for Him. This is the same mission He will ultimately give His disciples... take up your cross, and follow me. This is how He sent them, and also how He sends us when he says... go into all the world.
How sweetly, and with what love does our Lord beckon us to come to Him. Do you hear Him, and yet ignore His invitation? Does the call and allure of the world drown out His loving words, and appear more enticing to us? Friend, there is no earthly love or passion that can equal those of God. His love is forever, and His passion for our lives is full to the brim with goodness and mercy... He never disappoints.
Have you sought after the blessing of Pentecost and yet it has eluded you? Have you prayed, wept, and pleaded for the Holy Spirit to reveal himself in you through tongues or other gifts... yet you feel unfulfilled? Or, maybe, you suddenly feel separated from the Spirit. When this happens it is not necessarily that you are unworthy, or no longer the child of God, but that the Lord has a lesson for you that can only come by a continued and determined seeking within yourself.
How is your memory these days; specifically, how is your memory of Jesus Christ? Do you need to be reminded to think of Him as you go about your day, or is He at the forefront of your thoughts always? Well, before you answer my question think long and hard. Our memories may not totally fail us, but there are so many times when they momentarily lapse, or perhaps we put things out of our minds.
This morning I am contemplating the humility and love I have for my fellow man. I ask myself a simple question to get at the heart of it... “do I humble myself before God in prayer, only to leave that humility in my prayer closet when I leave it?” So often I see someone perform a single act of love or kindness for another and think that by doing this one thing it defines them, but it takes more than that... loving your neighbor should be the rule of your life, not the one-off exception. Be loving always and to all people.
As you move through your day do you feel as if God is there with you? As you work to obey and perfect the character of Jesus, can you sense Him inside you as well? Does the Holy Spirit speak to you of their closeness? Is your fear relieved at the very thought that they are with you now? These questions should guide you, and this one thought of closeness should change how you live your life today, causing you to refocus your priorities, and life.