Here I am returning from a fantastic vacation with my family. Christmas in sunny warm Orlando, Florida, was a sharp contrast to the normal cold snowy ones in Duluth, Minnesota.
The weather was green and balmy outside any where from 50-80 degrees. ♥
While inside, the decorations were warm and cozy.
Even though we took time off from our regular daily schedules so far from home, it is wonderful to know there is One who NEVER takes a vacation.
He won’t let you stumble,
your Guardian God won’t fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel’s
Guardian will never doze or sleep.
Ps.121 4-5 MSG
When God has a plan for His loved ones, He will carry it out, you can rest assure of that. How he chooses to do it is completely up to Him. Why?
He is God.
Bringing the Savior of all mankind into the world by birthing Him in an animal stall is not exactly what most people would call a good social promotion move. ( What was He thinking? His own Son born in a barn???)
To be totally honest, aren’t we a little two faced sometimes? We have a problem and finally decide to say a quick prayer. A precarious predicament comes about and we don’t know what to do. We then actually ask God what He wants. We receive the answer to the prayer and our response is : “ AWWW NO” or we look at what He expects us to do and our reaction is: “You have got to be kidding”!
Tenderly the gift is still extended. The loving hand never recoils.
“God has never failed. He’s never not delivered. He has an amazing track record that is completely trustworthy. Skylar Turek Message Duluth Vineyard 12/31/16
In Orlando, we each had a wonderful but challenging opportunity. Before Christmas Day, we were to write on a piece of paper, a gift we wanted to give Baby Jesus.
What would you write on that sheet of paper?
On Christmas Day shared our gifts.
This was mine…
“We don’t just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives. 2 Cor. 13:9
My limitations keep me from rejoicing and running at times in the freedom I have in You. I see age, causing memory dips, hearing rips, physical blips, not allowing me to boldly run the race as I once did. To be honest, it makes me sad.
As I read 2 Cor. 13, V 9, I offer a strange gift to You. I offer my Fear. It is not a pretty gift. It is not a majestic gift. In some respects, I see it is similar to a piece of coal which you definitely do not deserve.
A piece of coal is worked with until it finally becomes a beautiful gem. With this gift of fear, I see the same process happen. Work with my fear and through my fears so all the worship and creativity You are so worthy of, is free to express itself.”
Tears came flowing because I knew my weakness was not a pretty gift.
It was also not one He rejects.
Each time I hear, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Cor 12: 9-10) New Living Translation will I be able to boast? To be honest, probably not all the time. I still see through a dirty lens at times. God does not recoil His Hand. His gift is still extended.
In beginning this new year I will ask you a few questions:
- What would you have written on the sheet of paper as your gift to Jesus?
- Have you ever answered God with a “You Have Got to Be Kidding!” to His response when you pray?
- If you wish to share one of your own “God amazing love stories regarding His unfailing track record”, I would love to hear it.
Creativity and Worship are expressed in life through bounteous forms. We have a Magnificent God lovingly drawing out what He put inside.
What stops us from living the wonderful, creative worship filled life available to us?
This next year through creative stories, personal adventures, your input, we will go on a journey to open doors. We will discover ways to say yes and what barriers keep us from seeing God’s extended hand. This will release not only life in us but to share what we receive with the world.
I returned to snowy Minnesota.
good!