“Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, from me, since I have it firsthand from the Father. No one has seen the Father except the One who has his Being alongside the Father—and you can see me” (John 6:44-46 MSG).
(Adapted from post published December 25, 2009)
A friend send me this as her Christmas greeting. I think it’s really good – so appropriate for where we are. I share it and pray, too, for a new, real, Holy Spirit-led unity, mercy, and grace to fall upon us.
“Something happened this year, I am not sure what. The economy crashed. We were daily deluged with news of wars, rumors of wars, global warming and pending environmental catastrophe. We watched politicians battle in ways that cause children to be sent to their rooms, or students to be kept after school in detention halls. My job became overwhelmingly stressful. It rained much of the summer… I don’t know, something…. Suddenly it is Christmas Eve, and I have not made cards or baked, have not put on Christmas music, have not felt that “Christmas Spirit” that usually comes to my heart this time of year.
“So this morning I am pausing for an attitude adjustment. I step back and consider this beautiful planet, all the peoples on her, and all the sources of hope they are. It is my faith that God is, that God is watching, and that everywhere a human soul looks up and opens their heart, right there the Spirit can enter the fray of all our troubles – with kindness, compassion, giving, innovation, creativity, solution. I am sure the answers for all the woes that plague us exist in God. They just need to be found, discovered, implemented by those who will stop the rushing about and hear/heed the Spirit’s whisper.“
Looking back on the last thirteen years, I could add many things to the list of changes, wickedness, challenges, poor decisions, and many other things that have corrupted our world. Yet, these things are still true:
God hasn’t changed in the last 13 years. “Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 AMP).
His answers are still there. “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NASB).
His mercies are still new each day. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV).
His heart for us and his messages to us are consistent. “Come to me, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NKJV).
Christ said, “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear“(Matthew 13:16 NIV). It is my prayer for us all this Christmas season that we will stop for a minute to just observe and listen; listen for the Voice of Spirit, the faithful Voice that is always inviting us to come to him for rest, answers, and peace.
May our eyes and ears, hearts and minds, be open, Lord Jesus Christ, to your Voice, your Spirit, your answers, your Wisdom, and your Peace this day. We ask in his name, Amen.