How Do You See God?

Isaiah 43:16, 18-19—Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

God is constantly revealing Himself to us in new ways.  As Christians, we must be open to the idea that we can discover God from a new perspective and that He can come alive to us in new ways as we grow and mature in our faith.  We must also be careful not to define God in a box too small to contain Him.  There exists no human who knows and understands everything about God.  In fact, the whole point of God is the journey of constant discovery.  Once we think we understand Him, we must begin a new journey to uncover another facet.  Of course, this means, that none of us can judge another for our own personal understanding of God.  God reveals Himself intimately and personally to everyone.  How we receive Him is our own personal journey, and judgment of others does nothing to further their spiritual connection with God.  As Christians we can provide a loving community of support for others by sharing our faith and welcoming others no matter where they are on their spiritual journey.  We all have so much to learn as God connects with us each in a unique and personal way.

Today as you pray, thank God for His desire to connect with you and reveal Himself to you.  Pray for a spirit willing to receive knowledge of Him.  Pray that you would seek Him with the fervor with which He seeks you.  Rejoice in the personal intimacy that our God reserves for His Creation.

Find Peace

John 16:33—“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”

Life guarantees no peace.  In fact, most people are challenged and tested through great adversity and problems.  That’s kind of the point of life.  The only way to find peace is through developing a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  But how can a person be at peace with someone who we can’t see or touch? What does it mean to find peace through Jesus? Peace in Jesus comes when we continually seek to understand the world through His perspective instead of our own.  Jesus came to Earth as God to experience life as a human.  He intimately knows our perspective.  But no human knows His perspective in the way that He knows ours.  God sees a picture so much bigger than we could ever fathom. And through His perspective we gain peace because we know that no one problem or trial is the whole picture.  God sees the masterpiece in our struggles – He sees the end result, our growth, our beauty as we are pulled and challenged to grow and mature.  In seeking God, we gain knowledge of ourselves who are created in God’s image, and we grow in our understanding of God’s perspective.  That’s how we find a peace untouchable by any worldly persecution.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, praise God as the peacemaker.  Give thanks for the persecutions and adversity that force you to seek Him and grow in His perspective.  Rejoice in the opportunity to mature and develop in His peace, and ask to be comforted when your humanity needs time to catch up to your spirit.  

Give Thanks

Psalm 118:1—O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!

The holiday season has a way of pulling together all sorts of emotions, both good and bad.  When we pause to ponder our circumstances, though, most of us can see the many ways we are blessed.  As we prepare to go into the new year, we must strive to see God’s hand in all things, trust that His goodness prevails over evil, and seek to understand His ways as they transcend beyond the ordinary. 

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, give thanks for His steadfast love.  Rejoice in the gift of His Son, our Savior, who has taught us the true meaning of communion and relationship with God.  Pray that you would see God’s goodness in all things.

High Class Heart

Luke 2:8-11—In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

It’s interesting that the wonder of Christ’s birth was revealed to shepherds.  Shepherds belonged to one of the lowest classes in ancient cultures.  They lived in the wild with their animals and they were not what you would consider clean or proper.  But the angels didn’t go to the property-owners or the wealthy and powerful.  They did not appear to the religious leaders, either.  The angels went to this lowly group of people who were charged with the care of other creatures.  Shepherds are guardians, and their role as keepers of sheep mirrored Jesus’ role as our keeper.  The revelation to shepherds also reveals God’s nature to seek out the individual regardless of class, creed, or couth.  He’s not impressed by what we have to give Him—He is forever seeking us out to love us, and He delights in our humble devotion.

As you pray and meditate on His Word, consider the status of your heart this Christmas season, and ask yourself if the angels would have revealed the good news to you.  Pray for a guardian spirit that seeks to protect those around you.  Pray that you would live in a way that demonstrates Christ’s love to all those around you.  Rejoice in the gift of Jesus and praise God that you have been chosen to intimately know Him.

Live to Leave a Legacy

Proverbs 13:12—Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

At Christmas time, we tend to hope for a lot of things—time off from work, space to relax, laughter and fellowship with friends and family, giving and receiving gifts.  Lately, though, I’ve been thinking about the bigger picture.  What is our greatest hope?  I think our greatest hope is that our lives are meaningful in a way that leaves a legacy far longer than our names will be remembered.  Each day that we live, we have the opportunity to tune into our great calling, our great hope that there is more to life than just existing.  When we defer that hope by getting caught up in the mundane, ordinary world, it does make the heart sick.  Jesus is our greatest desire fulfilled.  He is our tree of life.  His coming to Earth confirmed that there is in fact more to life.  He lives in each of us, and if we only acknowledge Him, our life will have meaning beyond measure.  He is our desire fulfilled, He cures our sick hearts, and He validates our reason for being.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, praise God for fulfilling our hearts’ greatest desires through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Rejoice in the Living Spirit who still abides in us, around us, and through us.  Pray that you would be a worthy companion and vessel to carry out God’s mission on this Earth.  Let your heart’s every desire come alive as it becomes one with God’s hope and desire for your life.  Thank God for the opportunity to leave a legacy and for His enduring protection and guidance in this world.

The Great Gift Challenge

Matthew 2:11—On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Christmas is the time of year when we give and receive gifts.  In our consumer-obsessed culture, gifts tend to be tangible, often-times expensive, and frequently numerous.  Even as I’m considering gifts for my own children, I’m struggling to find a balance in the melee of stuff they “want” and “need.”  Giving doesn’t seem to mean as much, though, when we are giving things to people who don’t really need more things.  So, I’m challenging myself this Christmas season to reimagine giving.  I want to give to those who really need it.  And for my loved ones, who fortunately are not in need of things, I want to give them something that touches their soul, that feeds their spirit, and that makes them a better them.  Will you accept the challenge to give in a way that makes a difference this Christmas?

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, praise God for the perfect gift of His Son.  Rejoice in God’s divine imagination that He would give us such a beautiful and life-changing gift.  Ask God to inspire you to reimagine Christmas this year so that your giving would advance His Kingdom and change the lives of those around you.

Jesus Chose You

Isaiah 7:14-15—Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.

At Christmas, we often look back this passage in Isaiah and focus on the prophesy of the Virgin birth foretold in verse 14.  But when we read the full context in verse 15, we learn that the baby born of this Virgin birth will “eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.”  Have you ever considered that Jesus might have had a choice, the same choice we all have?  God had a choice in coming to Earth at all, but the act of coming as a baby, just like we all do, created a lifetime of choice for His Son, Jesus Christ.  At any time, Jesus could have said, “You know what, these people are simply not worth it.”  But He did not.  He chose a sin-free life so that He could save us and show us the way to intimate connection with God.  He chose to surround Himself with people living on the edge of society, to show love and compassion to people who had felt nothing to but rejection and isolation.  His best friends did not really understand who He was.  He had no earthly companion who could truly understand Him or His Ways.  Despite all that, He still chose to suffer for us.  He still chose to bear the weight of our sin, to pay the debt we incurred – a price He did not have to pay because He chose to live a sin-free life.  We should never, for one moment, think that His choices, His pain, or His suffering were easier for Him because He is God – He came to experience life as a human, and every part of His existence was just as hard for Him as it is for us. 

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, give thanks to God for sending His Son Jesus to live and experience life as a human being, with all the same questions and temptations that every human experiences.  Rejoice in the brilliance of His divine plan to send His Son as a baby who had a choice and who chose to save us.  Praise God for His undying love and devotion to you, His creation.

Jesus is Love

Matthew 5:17—“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”

The purpose of all the laws in the Old Testament was to guide people in their relationships with each other and with God for the sole purpose of bringing them closer to God.  God is love, and in keeping the laws we necessarily show love toward others.  But by the time of Jesus’ birth, the laws were starting to get in the way of relationships.  People were using it to exclude others; they were manipulating the law for selfish gain to the detriment of others.  When Jesus came, He was questioned about whether He was abolishing the law because, after all, there were many laws He did not follow (for example, He healed on the Sabbath and He picked grain to eat on the Sabbath).  But Jesus said He came to fulfill the law, not abolish it.  You see, the law has always been about love.  It is man who has contorted and twisted it to fit our limited perspective and understanding.  Jesus came to walk on Earth to show us that love is the true law and by obeying all of God’s laws we continually become closer to others and Him.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, praise God for His loving spirit.  Rejoice in His law that is intended to fortify your relationships with your fellow man and with God.  Pray that you would be filled with love toward others.  Ask God for renewed understanding of His simply perfect master plan that we would reunite completely with Him one day.  

The Law of Love

Galations 4:4-5—But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.

In the very beginning, humans lived in a perfect relationship with God in the Garden of Eden.  But all that changed at the Fall when sin separated us from God.  Ever since that time, we have been struggling to find our way back, and God has reached out to us in myriad ways.  Before Jesus came, humans were in a pretty vicious cycle of messing up, making a sacrifice, asking forgiveness, and receiving God’s mercy.  Tons of laws were laid down that were intended to guide our relationships, both with each other and with God, and for the purpose of bringing us closer to God.  This system was flawed, though, because the law actually got in the way of relationship.  That’s why Jesus had to come.  He came to experience life under the law and show how to love through it, despite it, and because of it.  The miracle of the gospel is that God showed up to lead by example.  We shouldn’t be caught up in interpreting laws, now that Jesus has come.  Rather, we should be caught up in loving others, especially those on the edge of society.  When we love others, God is alive in us.  We connect in a tangible way with the life force of the universe.  And Jesus is the One who made it all possible.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, declare your desire to be consumed in Jesus’ love.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to loving others.  Rejoice in the Spirit that takes away judgment and replaces it with grace and mercy.  Pray that you would demonstrate a merciful spirit to those around you.  Resolve to intentionally love everyone around you – especially those who might seem unlovable.

Immanuel

Isaiah 7:14—Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

We know Jesus by many names, but my favorite is Immanuel.  It means, “God with us.”  The prophet Isaiah foretold of Jesus’ coming through a young woman, and He said that this would be God’s sign to us.  This time of year, we tend to become so preoccupied with the festivities and end-of-year responsibilities that we forget that Jesus was a sign to us that God is with us.  He is here, even now, as the Holy Spirit.  He lives in us.  He lives with us.  And because He sent us His Son, we can never forget, we can never un-know, we can never deny that God is with us. 

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, praise God as Immanuel, God With Us.  Thank Him for coming to Earth to commune with us.  Welcome the Holy Spirit into your life with renewed dedication to live the life God has called you for.

Nesting, in a Stable?

John 2:6-7—While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

I don’t know any woman who would opt to give birth in a stable.  They aren’t the cleanest of places, the smells are unpleasant, and there are no beds.  But a stable is exactly where Mary gave birth to our Savior.  Can you imagine how she and Joseph must have felt?  Even in our modern age, doctors don’t allow women to travel late in pregnancy.  And here she was making a journey on a donkey right before she was due to give birth.  Aside from that, they had no hotel reservations—hotels didn’t even really exist back then.  So there was great uncertainty the entire way to Bethlehem about where they would stay.  Then, upon their arrival, there was no room anywhere.  The only place anyone would offer them was a stable full of animals.  What tremendous faith this couple must have had.  Here came the world, imposing on them this trip so they could register for the census.  The world created a terrible inconvenience, but the entire time Joseph and Mary obeyed.  Their ability to trust God to resolve all and meet every need was steadfast.  And God did just that—He revealed the miracle of life, the miracle of salvation, in the least miraculous of places. The manger, a feeding trough, is emblematic of how God seeks us in our lowest places. He doesn’t tower over us, distantly commanding us.  He joins us where we are.  He came to serve knowing He would experience the lowest of lows, beginning even with His birth.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, rejoice in the miracle of Jesus’ birth.  Thank God for the brilliance of His plan to join us in our lowest places.  Praise Him as the God of relationship who would go to any measure just to know you.  

Congratulations, You're Going to be a Mother!

Luke 1:26-38—In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

I can’t even begin to fathom the fit of emotions Mary must have felt when Gabriel came to her.  To begin with, the mere act of seeing an angel, in person so to speak, and have a conversation with him is enough to throw any of us for a loop.  But when we think about what she is told, I am in awe of Mary’s faith.  Let’s imagine this conversation from her perspective for just a moment.  Here is this young Jewish girl who we know is faithful to God.  She is engaged to be married, but she has not ever engaged in sexual relations.  It is physically impossible for her to be pregnant, yet Gabriel tells her that she is in fact going to conceive a son.  She must have been mystified, and perhaps happy that she had been chosen.  But her son is not just any baby—this baby will be the true Son of God, a holy child.  What in the world must she have been thinking? Feeling?  I’m guessing fear might have been at the top of her list, along with anxiety, trepidation, elation, wonder, and a host of others.  But let’s talk about fear for a moment.  Even when parents plan to have children, learning of the pregnancy triggers fears about preparations and parenthood.  But beyond that, she must have been scared about how in the world she would explain this to her fiancée?  What fiancée would believe that his soon-to-be wife had been faithful, yet she’s pregnant?  Even if he accepted her story, how could he ever be adequate enough to raise a holy child?  And Mary must have felt the same way.  How could she possibly bear the responsibility of not only keeping safe God’s Child, but also of raising this holy child to be the Savior of the world?  But despite her fears, or maybe because of those fears, Mary said “yes.”  Would you have said “yes”?  When faced with fear, we can either submit to it and be paralyzed by it, or we can conquer it through faith in God.  The truth is, each day God presents us with opportunities to give life to His Miracles.  We only have to listen and say “yes” to be part of His perfect plan for this world.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, give thanks for Mary’s willing spirit to face her fears as God’s servant.  Praise God for the opportunity to serve Him and the grace and patience He shows for us as we face our fears.  Rejoice in the daily miracles God works through you.  Pray for a willing spirit, like Mary’s, to courageously say “yes” when God calls.

Steadfast Love

Hosea 6:4-6—What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

This morning I awoke to a blanket of gray clouds nestled down around me, but as I sat in my office looking out the window, I began to see little patches of blue peeking through.  The sun is now shining brilliantly, warming the earth, and all the dew and morning chill is gone.  In this passage of Hosea, God is expressing His disappointment that Israel’s love and devotion is just as fleeting as our morning clouds, chill, and dew.  In verse 6, He tells us in no uncertain terms what He wants of us—steadfast love.  It is not enough for us to go about doing whatever we want to do, ignoring God and living for ourselves with reckless disregard thinking that it will all be rectified with a “sacrifice.”  It’s not enough that we show up on Sunday to check-in with God—we must constantly steadfastly love Him.  We can’t satiate His appetite to be in relationship with us by making our simplistic offerings on Sunday morning.  We must know Him through prayer, meditation, and reading the Bible.  We must strive to live like Jesus lived – accepting of others, loving others, living compassionately, kindly, and for the good of the whole of ourselves.  Living like Jesus did is the only way to steadfastly love God and to truly know Him.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, thank God for the divine simplicity of His Plan – that we know and love Him.  Rejoice in His desire to be in relationship with you so much so that He sent His Son, His Light, as the judgment to compensate for all our shortcomings and to show us how to know and love Him.  Praise Him as Your Savior and declare your steadfast love for Him.  Embrace His Holy Spirit so that you know Him ever more deeply.

Burned Out

Philippians 3:12-14—Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

During this holiday season, be careful not to get caught up in the “to-do’s” so much that you burn on out on the to-do’s of your faith.  Our whole purpose on this Earth is to connect with God, so whatever interferes with that is going to feel exhausting.  It will make you lose energy for your life mission, and you will lose your connection to God.  In the chaotic times of life, the most critical action to take is seek God.  Everything else will always work itself out because God is in control. 

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, thank God for being in control. Thoughtfully consider your priorities and ask God to help you rearrange them so that He is the focus of your life.  Pray that God would reveal His purpose in your life, and willingly step in to fulfill your calling. 

The Names of Jesus

Isaiah 6:6—For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Long before Jesus’ birth, His coming was prophesied—and what a profound foretelling it was.  Certainly no human could have thought this up.  Only God could plan for the entire authority of the world to rest on the shoulders of a child.  That authority means His Word is above all laws and things that are of man.  He is responsible for all things, including our very salvation.  He came so that He could open a direct pathway between us and God.  And He comes to us with myriad names.  Have you ever wondered why one name was not enough? One name simply cannot capture all that Jesus is for humanity.  As our Wonderful Counselor, He comforts us, He hears us, He feels our pain, and He helps us work through our problems.  As our Mighty God, He is our overcomer and fierce protector.  As our Everlasting Father, He envelops us into His arms and showers us in unconditional love.  I have a friend who once told me she physically felt Jesus’ arms wrap around her in one of her dark moments of depression, and ever since that day she has never questioned the reality of His Presence.  As our Father, He is present in the same for each one of us if we are open to receiving Him.  As the Prince of Peace, He leaves us with the eternal hope of peace worldwide while at the same time infusing our spirits with His own peace.  The more people come to truly know Him in an intimate relationship, the more peaceful their own spirits become, and in that way His peace permeates the Earth.  This is the beauty in God’s Divine plan, that as we live in Christ, others see the peace of Christ in us and come to know Him, and eventually His Peace will fill every crevice, nook, and cranny.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, praise God as the Son, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.  Pray that His Spirit of Peace would come alive in you for all the world to see and that others would desire to know Him because of the testimony of your own life. Ask God to sweep you into His arms in a tangible way so that you might feel His presence all around you.  Rejoice in God’s Divine Plan and give thanks that you have a place in it.

Are You In, or Are You Out?

James 2:1-7—My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

The way we as humans tend to value others is completely at odds with how God values us.  Especially in the United States, where everyone can “live the American Dream,” we gauge success by how much power, money, and status a person achieves.  There is a certain charismatic draw toward the accomplished and wealthy.  After all, who wouldn’t want an expensive car, a large home in the best neighborhood, and the wherewithal to afford anything we desire?  Somehow, we think wealth might rub off on us if we associate with the wealthy, and the converse is also true – we might be afraid of how poverty may rub off on us if we spend too much time with the poor.  Since Biblical times, though, Christians have been admonished not to draw these types of distinctions between people.  The very act of labeling someone initiates a barrier-creation whereby some people will be in and others will be out.  Exclusion in this manner is devastating and truly an act of violence to the spirit.  And just imagine, what if Jesus had labeled you for the purpose of excluding you?  The truth is, He excluded no one because He came to save EVERYONE.  Jesus came to save even those we might think do not deserve salvation at all. 

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, challenge yourself to see beyond the labels we have placed on those around us.  Pray that God would give you eyes to see the essence of the people around you.  Ask God to open your heart to accept others openly, lovingly, and equitably.  Rejoice in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit who abides in you and with you.

Be in the Light

1 John 2:9-11—Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.

Jesus Christ is the light of Christians, and as Christians we profess that we walk not only with the Light, but in the Light.  Being a Christian calls for us to transcend our human darkness and tendency to judge, hate, and hurt others—we must overcome our vulnerability to emotions like rage and vengeance.  This of course is much easier said than done.  There are times when our human side feels justified in hating someone else – sometimes that hate is aimed at someone who has personally hurt us.  Other times it is aimed at someone committing an injustice against someone else.  The feelings of anger and hate are a natural to humans—but Scripture tells us that hate prevents us from being in the light.  Here are some concrete steps for overcoming hate, anger, and the desire for vengeance when those emotions rear their ugly heads in your life.  1.  Speak love, not hate.  Whether you say it to yourself in a quiet space or to the person directly, it is important to speak uplifting words instead of poisonous and hateful words.  Mantras like “open my eyes to see the good in others” or “my heart is open to love my opponent” will create space in your Spirit to begin to feel love toward others.  It will take time, but sometimes we must speak a new spiritual state into being.  2.  Do love, not hate.  Continue to behave with kindness and generosity toward others, even if you don’t feel like they deserve it.  I’m not saying to let someone take advantage of you.  Rather, consider how your actions can either perpetuate negative emotions and behaviors or transform them into something better.  If you have the choice to be kind, always choose kindness.  3.  Imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes.  It might seem like trite advice, but it really does help to try to understand the other person’s perspective.  So often in my career and personal life, I have found myself jumping to conclusions about why other people are acting a certain way.  Once I’ve taken some time to listen to the other person and observe their circumstances, I’ve come to understand that most of the time their behaviors really have nothing to do with me.  Usually, their attitudes are affected by stressors in their life, and acts of kindness from me can help to change their attitudes, alleviate their stress, and make them feel better about themselves.  4. Pray. Some people might be tempted to think that prayer is over-rated.  I personally know some people that treat prayer like a slot-machine where they put in a prayer for what they want and expect God to pay out dividends of happiness. That’s not the type of prayer that is likely to heal a broken and hurting heart, though.  When we feel emotions like hate, anger, and the desire for vengeance, we can pray to God and ask Him to help us channel these emotions into acts of love and kindness.  We can ask God for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding so that we can act lovingly toward others.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, take an honest inward look at your heart and ask yourself if you are harboring any anger or resentment toward anyone or anything. Place those feelings before God and confess your desire to convert those feelings into love.  Pray that God would continually keep you in the light so that His love might rain down on all those around you. Rejoice in the love God has shown you and recommit to living in His Light every moment of every day.

Jesus Always Was

John 1:1-2—In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

The Trinity has always existed.  Since the beginning of time, Father, Spirit, and Son have simultaneously and singularly existed.  We often see God referred to in the plural in the Old Testament, evidencing that God is not and never has been a solitary being – He is a God of relationship who in three make one.  Jesus was never just some afterthought that God decided to “create” to send down and save humanity from all our sins.  Jesus has always been, and His coming to Earth was always in the plan.  This passage of Scripture tells us that the Word was with God and the Word was God.  We know from other passages in the Bible that the Word became flesh and walked among us – the flesh being Jesus.  It is sort of mind-blowing to think that Jesus readily relinquished His safe and secure place with God the Father and the Spirit to come to Earth so that He might know His Creation.  And in all the years since His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension He has not left us alone.  The Holy Spirit has been present with us humans for millennia, now—a very real, palpable presence who is with us at all times.  They didn’t have to do this—they didn’t have to come to Earth to be with us.  They didn’t have to save us.  What wondrous love God has for each and every one of us that He would meet us in the midst of our struggles, pains, joys, and triumphs just to love and understand us completely.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, praise God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for breathing you into existence and loving you enough to be present with you at all times.  Worship God for their perfect plan laid out even at the very beginning of time.  Ask God to continue to open your heart to ever more intimate relationship with them.