The last week I have struggled...God has been leading me in a direction that isn't easy. I am not a person who enjoyes confrontation-at all. God has been preparing me and calling me to do things that scare me. He seems to be saying to me in the upcoming season of celebrating the birth of his son, he wants me to give love....not just to give love through gifts, but to share more of him. I have been praying and studying and everything has become so clear. You see, if we truly experience the love of Christ, a love that he willingly spreads wide and encompasses all that is, has been and ever will be, we should want to share at all costs.
We put so much time into making sure we buy the "perfect gifts" for our family members. We buy coordinating wrapping paper and bows, we fuss over our decorations, spend huge amounts of money...y'all know the drill we all do it. Imagine if we spent that much time and energy making sure of our loved ones salvation. If you love someone and haven't shared the love of Christ with them, are you loving them at all? Is it superficial? True love will cross the boundaries of fear and embarassment and call you to do things you aren't sure about! I would like to ask my blog followers to do two things in the next week. First of all, take some time to be truly alone with GOD and just listen. Now, I know how hard that is. In my house, my Five year old is attached at the hip....make time. Sit in a closet if you have to...allow yourself to be intoxicated by his holy spirit. Allow your love tanks to be filled with the love that covers sin and ask for him to show you his will for your life. I can promise you it might seem strange, even scary, but it is renewing.
Secondly, I ask that you reflect on the real reason for this upcoming Christmas season. Sometimes I forget that my relationship with Christ is extravagant. In our never ending quest to "one up" our neighbors, we lose sight of the luxuries we have in him that are free! True friendship, unending love...the list goes on and on. Will you share true extravagance this season or will you try to capture the ways of the world?
You're absolutely right! Have you seen the latest Narnia (voyage treader or something like that)? It is talking about staying on the straight and narrow and not being taken in by the evil things that try to get into your spirit. If not, you need to see it as it was a great reminder for me. Let's really focus on concentrating on the birth of Christ instead of materialism. Let's be the female Linus's!
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