As I enjoy the Christmas season, I am hearing more than ever before, that our celebration is not only of the babe that came to die but of the King who is coming again. I am being challenged even in my devotions to do what is right in my walk with God.
Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of the priest Jehoiada. – 2 Chronicles 24:2 NRSV
I love the fact that even though I have been a follower of Christ for almost 45 years, the Holy Spirit continues to work on my walk, continues to challenge me to be holy. I am surprised, but I shouldn’t be, that even in the book of Revelation God has witnesses still bringing people into a relationship with God.
And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, wearing sackcloth. – Revelation 11:3 NRSV
I completed a spiritual assessment and then had my daughter complete one for me as well. She is 27, so I felt she would assess me honestly. Interesting how she noted that I tend to be a closet Christian. She felt I needed to express my walk with Christ more openly with others. Being invited to express some of my walk here in this blog has helped me do that better. I am looking forward to sharing more next year too.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. – Zechariah 7:9-10 NRSV
Is a closet Christian a bad thing? Not really. When I use the term I mean one who spends a lot of quiet time with God – listening to His voice, engaging Him every day in conversation. I like getting to know Him and having Him work in my life. But I do realize that I need to take Him with me into the real world.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. – John 10:3 NRSV
Father, I love you. Already knee-deep in Christmas celebrations and You are still talking to me and challenging me to be more like Jesus every day. Thank you. As I take You out in the world with me, I pray that the gospel – the good news – of Christmas will be an easy message to share and that there will be open doors for those conversations to happen. Amen
evanlaar
Sixty-six books in a year 