He Came to Show Us
I know – I’ve been absent. For the first time in ten years. I’ve been a bit lost. How about you? It’s that time when all is glitter and lights and good cheer. Only sometimes…it’s not. I see it all around our broken world.
Yet today I learned this from another devoted follower of Messiah: “That place where you feel abandoned…is really where God has placed you to be met by Someone — Him.” (Ann Voskamp) Dear one, we’re never alone, never forgotten, never going through the mess with no purpose.
“While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.” (2Corinthians 5:4 NLT)
I’m thinking since God was willing to have His Son come into a rough and brutal world, leaving behind glory and perfection, to be found in a weak, needy baby body – might I be willing to walk through this time of pain in my body?
Might you be willing to walk through your loss? Your hurt? Your shame? Your agony? Sermons remind me, books explain to me, and the Word shows me that He has lived all these things. We couldn’t believe He understood all our hurts, so Jesus came to show us that we could trust Him. “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.” (John 12:46 NLT)
It is hardest in the darkness, right? In the middle of the night when sleep evades and fears loom, we must let the Light pierce through. There’s a portion of Psalm 139 that is often skipped over. David speaks of how numerous God’s thoughts about us are and that we are precious to Him. He finishes with a simple phrase: “And when I wake up, You are still with me!” (Psalm 139:18b NLT)
The Light – Jesus, Prince of Peace – enveloping us in Light we might not perceive now but will someday bask in forever.
So, yes, MERRY CHRISTMAS – because even if this Christmas seems anything but joy-full, the promises are still true. His guarantee unbreakable. May we hold on tight knowing: “God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit.” (2Corinthians 5:5 NLT)
parisrenae 
I’m sad to hear you are experiencing physical pain, Paris! I pray the Lord brings healing, wisdom, and grace in the midst. One thing that helps me if I’m dealing with sleeplessness is to listen to an Audio Bible. The Passion translation and NASB are my favorites. That way my spirit and mind are being renewed while my body unwinds or until my tiredness outweighs aches and pains.
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Thank you for the good words and the prayer. What a blessing to be part of a family that prays for each other though we’ve never met. Merry Christmas and may Jesus blessings abound in the New Year!
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Paris, praying for a lightening of your load even as I type this. Merry Christmas, and thanks for sharing the NLT version of 2Corinthians 5:4. I hadn’t read it in that particular version before. It spoke to me.
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Oh, thank you, dear one in Christ, I appreciate your prayers. Hoping you had a wonderful time celebrating the GIFT, He is the best. Lately I have loved seeing the NLT version of verses. May the New Year be filled with Jesus peace and comfort as He leads.
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Thank you for all of your posts. Merry Christmas.
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Sorry for the slow response, celebrating with family the BEST GIFT slowed me down. Praying you had a lovely celebration and that the coming year will be Jesus filled with wonder and peace.
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