All That Really Matters

All That Really Matters
BINU SAMUEL

“When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.” 1 Kings 8:10-11 (NIV)

I’m not one for large crowds or detailed planning, so even something as simple as hosting a baby or bridal shower gives me stress. “How about I make the spinach dip and someone else be in charge? Please!”

So you can imagine how I felt when it came time to plan my wedding. My big family Indian wedding! There were lots of decisions to be made and even more details to be ironed out. With a guest list narrowed down and a Yellow Pages phone book in hand, the planning began. Keep in mind, this was before the internet became the great resource it is today.

In 1 Kings chapter 6, we read about the construction of an even bigger pre-internet project … the construction of God’s temple. And King Solomon was the man God appointed to the task.

With interior walls lined with cedar boards, planks of pine covering the floor, pure gold covering the inside of the temple, and doors made of olive wood for the entrance of the inner sanctuary, every inch of the temple was filled with detail.

After the completion of the project, Solomon summoned the priests to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary. “When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple” (1 Kings 8:10-11).

Talk about a mic-drop moment.

I wonder if at this point, Solomon breathed a sigh of relief. Seven years of hard work would have been in vain if God failed to show up to His own house dedication. Scripture tells us God’s presence was so thick, the priests had to literally stop what they were doing. How awesome it must have been!

The psalmist writes, “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1a, NIV). And in Exodus 33:15, Moses essentially says, Lord, I’m not going unless You go with me.

In other words, we can build the most magnificent buildings, we can put together the most beautiful wedding, we can plan out our present or map out our future, with every detail in place, but at the end of it all, what really matters is the peace and presence of God.

In the end, after about 10 months of planning, my wedding day came and went. Not everything went exactly like I had planned ... it started a few minutes late, my hair went flat, and the chicken wasn't as tasty as it was during the taste-testing ... but that’s OK. My husband and I were married, and God was with us.

God's School of Obedience

God's School of Obedience

By Dr. Charles Stanley

1 John 1:3-6

Starting at age five, our children are enrolled in school and given lessons to learn each year. We are students too. At salvation, we became participants in the Lord's school of obedience. There, we are discovering the necessity of trusting Him and waiting for His direction. We are taught the importance of commitment and learn to search His Word for guidance. God also wants us to learn these lessons:

• Listen attentively to the Spirit's promptings. Our God does not speak in an audible voice, but He makes Himself heard quite clearly through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said the Spirit is our Helper who will bring to mind Scripture passages we have studied (John 14:26) and show us how they apply.

• Obey the next step. Abraham was called to leave his home and journey to an unknown destination (Gen. 12:1). He obeyed even though the way was unclear to his human mind. We, too, must step out in faith even when we do not know all the details of the itinerary.

• Expect conflict. We can't live obedient lives without having trouble with the world (John 16:33). Our friends or family may drift away when they realize certain interests of ours have changed. Some may hurl criticism our way or call us unkind names, while others may reject us completely.

Practicing a lifestyle of obedience doesn't mean we'll never make mistakes. But it does require diligence if we are to succeed. Obeying the Father was Jesus' priority and purpose in life, and we should make it ours as well. Which of these lessons do you want to tackle first?

Tell Everybody!

Tell Everybody!
by Anna Kuta

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds (Luke 2:15-18).

Every December my church puts on an event called Bethlehem Walk, an interactive living nativity of sorts that takes people through a recreation of first-century Bethlehem and then through scenes of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Thousands of people from the community and even all over the state come each year to hear about the real meaning of Christmas. I’ve been a cast member almost every year, but this year for the first time I played the part of a guide, who leads groups of people through the city and from one drama scene to the next.

If I thought it would get monotonous saying the same lines, hearing the same story and seeing the same things acted out on repeat for 20 hours in one weekend, I could not have been further from the truth. One of my favorite parts was seeing the reactions of people in my groups to each of the scenes, especially the kids.

After the group watches the angels appear to the shepherds in the field and tell them of Jesus’ birth, we hurry with the shepherds to the stable to see it for ourselves. After we learn that this baby really is the Messiah, the guide is supposed to tell the group, “Come, let us go tell others what we have seen!” (From there, the group stumbles upon the three kings and points the way to them.) One night, however, I had a group of kids who were as enthralled with the whole story as anyone I’d ever seen. When we got to the manger, they crowded in close, eyes wide, like they’d never seen anything like it. They watched with awe as Mary sang “Silent Night” and rocked the baby Jesus in her arms. And just when she finished and I opened my mouth to speak my lines, I was upstaged – one little boy in the front jumped up and shouted, “It’s Jesus! We gotta tell everybody!”

Sure, we all crack a smile, but the little boy had it absolutely right. Tell everybody! The shepherds did just that after the angels pointed them to baby Jesus – they made it “widely known,” according to Luke 2:17. How could they keep quiet, having seen what they had seen? How can I keep quiet, having been redeemed by Christ?

If you, like me, ever feel unqualified or unworthy to share the Gospel, remember the shepherds. They were the most unlikely messengers of the Messiah’s birth – rough, poor, dirty; outcasts of society. God could have sent the angels to proclaim the news to anyone, but he chose the shepherds. He used them as the first-ever preachers of the Gospel.

Just as the shepherds could not keep quiet about what they saw when they found Jesus, so it should be for us. This Christmas season, share the good news – not just of Jesus as the baby in the manger, but of Jesus who came to save us from our sin.

Intersecting Faith & Life: With whom can you share the good news of Jesus?

The Manger Was a Clue

The Manger Was a Clue
By Paul David Tripp

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:2-5

In truth, that beautifully decorated tree, those gorgeously wrapped presents, and all that tasty holiday food, which make us happy during the Christmas season, are poor representations of the world into which Jesus was born and what his everyday life would be like. Jesus didn’t show up for a celebration. He wasn’t here for a vacation. His world wasn’t well decorated, and he surely wasn’t well fed. He came to a world that had been dramatically broken by sin, and his calling was to expose himself to the full range of its brokenness. This is where the details of Christ’s birth are important. It means something profoundly important that the cradle of his birth was a feeding trough in a borrowed barn. You are meant to pay attention to the fact that he wasn’t in a palace, attended to by servants. It’s important to notice that the first smells that entered his infant nostrils weren’t oils and perfumes, but animal smells.

These seemingly unimportant details set up a sharp contrast between our celebrations at Christmas and the true conditions of the Messiah’s entry into our world. Most of us would be in a complete panic if we had to birth a baby in such conditions. But none of this was an accident. These conditions were God’s plan. They announce to us that the Messiah came not to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Since he came to rescue sufferers, it was essential that he suffer too. And his suffering wasn’t reserved for the cross; it started the moment he was born. Everything he suffered was on our behalf. He would suffer but not lose his way. He would suffer and not quit and walk away. He would suffer and not grow bitter and angry. He would suffer and not respond with vengeance. He would suffer without thinking, desiring, saying, or doing even one wrong thing. He exposed himself to our world, to live as we could not live, so that as the righteous One, he could pay the penalty for our sin and give us not only peace with God, but a ticket to a future where suffering would be no more.

Jesus suffered because he did not demand what was his right; he endured what was wrong so that we may be right with God.

The manger of his birth is a clue to what he came to do and what every day of his life would be like. The way God chose to rescue sufferers was by becoming a sufferer himself. Every moment of his suffering was done with us in view. Every dark moment of physical, relational, societal, and judicial suffering had a high and holy purpose to it: our salvation. You see, Jesus came to suffer because he came to be our Savior.

There’s nothing wrong with the shiny ornaments and bright lights. Your celebration of what Jesus willingly did for you should be a festival of overflowing joy. So celebrate the blessings you’ve received, the best of those being the gift of Jesus, by passing that blessing on to others with gifts of love. Eat wonderful food, but let it remind you of the lavish spiritual food that God feeds you with every day because of the willing sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.

A Prayer for Those Who Feel Weary and Burdened this Christmas

A Prayer for Those Who Feel Weary and Burdened this ChristmasBy Debbie McDaniel

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28

We rub shoulders every day with people who are hurting, lonely, or desperate. Sometimes we notice, but many times we don’t. Maybe we’re often too busy, preoccupied, or overwhelmed ourselves.

And to be honest, many days, “we” are those people: the hurting, the lonely, the desperate. Just needing someone to notice. To slow down. To take time.

Sometimes in the rush of the holiday season, it seems that more people appear stressed, on edge, weary and worn, tempers are short. What's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year can often feel more like madness - in the traffic - in the crowds - in the shopping frenzy.

We’re busy. We’re pressed for time. Running full sprint, straight through the holidays.

For many of us, being busy comes naturally – active, moving, going – it’s what we’re all about. We’re rewarded for how much we accomplish, especially in short amounts of time. We live in a culture that places value on the busy. We tend to get impatient with those who are too slow about anything.

And nothing wrong with being “on the go.” Or being active. Except this one thing.

We often never stop.

We’re too busy to stop. We even forget what it feels like. So much so, that when we finally do, we feel like we’re wasting time. We feel guilty for being “lazy.” Slowing down takes work. Stopping and just breathing deep…takes practice.

But God is not so interested in whether we "get it all done" with a few days to spare before Christmas. He's interested in "us," in our hearts, in our lives.

Jesus came many years ago, right into the midst of chaos and weariness. And to a dark world, He brought peace and great hope.

He still brings it today. He lifts our burdens and heavy spirits and promises rest for our souls.

May God help us to reflect that same heart of peace and grace to our world today. Giving a simple gift, a smile, a kind word, a meal, or just taking the time to listen to a friend who’s hurting, or letting someone in through a long line of holiday traffic. Just the little things can be more meaningful than we could ever know, to another who feels weary or burdened.

Breathing in His grace today. And taking time to notice those around me.

Hope you are too.

Dear God, 

Thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light.  Thank you that you promise to give to us, those who feel worried, hurried, pressured, and stressed; deep rest and peace for our souls - if we'll just come before you. Thank you for your reminder that we don't have to carry it all. Forgive us for the times we try to be self-sufficient, for not taking time to rest. Thank you for the refreshing that comes from your Spirit, filling us with joy, covering us with your shield of favor and blessing, leading us forward with hope.  Equip us to be those who notice the lonely, the hurting. Help us to slow down, to take time, to point others to you.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

One Thing God Wants You to Remember at Christmas, Sharon Jaynes

One Thing God Wants You to Remember at Christmas
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV).

Friend to Friend

With Christmas, it’s easy to get so busy with the cooking, decorating and shopping that we forget why we’re doing all this in the first place. Sometimes, the very people we love get lost in the hustle and bustle of packed schedules, holiday parties, and Christmas musicals.

Several years ago I wrote a Christmas version of 1 Corinthians 13 to help me keep my focus on what Paul deemed most important of all… love. As part of our family tradition, I pull it out and post it somewhere in our home as a reminder of what’s really important during the holiday season. And since you are now part of the family, I’m pulling it out for you.

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style

©By Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of your way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, on that starry night in Bethlehem. I am still amazed at Your great love for me. May I never lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, but celebrate Jesus’ birth with joy! Help me to give as You gave—with love.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

What are some ways that you can make sure to love your family well this holiday season?

Are there any activities that you need to eliminate from your busy schedule in order to alleviate over commitment? If so, what are they?