2013 – Reflection & Celebration

As the year draws to an end many people think about making improvements to their lives. Most of the “New Years Resolutions” are short lived. True changes don't come from will power but seeking God and the power He provides for us in the sanctification process. The following exercise is helpful to me not only to focus on the future but also being grateful for the blessings God has given to me during the past year. A receiving heart is a grateful heart that quickly points to the graces God has extended to us. Join me in reflecting and celebrating!

1. Reflect and Celebrate 
Look through your calendar or journal. What are some of the highlights and accomplishments?

• Write down one success for each month

• What breakthroughs did I experience? Thank God for each of them!

2. Learning

•  What did I learn about God?  
•  What steps forward did I take?
•  What values did I live out?

3. Hard but good

• What losses did I experience?

• What disappointments did I encounter?

4. Looking ahead

• What goals would I like to achieve?

• What new skills would I like to acquire?

• How would I like to experience change in myself over the next year?

• What spiritual gift do I want to focus on and grow in?

• Do I need to unlearn a habit or behavior?
  
  Enjoy what God has done in your life this past year and even more so enjoy Him who loves you!      "Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!"

2.  God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 reveals an amazing fact about God's love for us. He gave himself into death so we can live! Pretty radical isn't it? Sacrificial love is one of the most beautiful ways to demonstrate love! Giving of self starts with choosing to put another person's needs over your own. You “fight” for another person's advantage rather than your own. That takes great courage and willingness to put someone other than yourself into the center of your universe. Your thinking and feeling stops circling around yourself but makes another person the focal point of your attention. This is how Jesus loved and loves us! He removed at great cost whatever was in our way to receive the Father's love. Now His love can flow uninterrupted into our hearts.
   

The amazing thing for me is that Jesus did that before I ever knew Him. Nothing I did convinced Him that I would be a worthy cause to die for. None of my gifts or accomplishments impress Him to do something so radical for me. My “good deeds” outweighing my “not so good deeds” was not a consideration of His in giving himself for me on the cross. He died for me because of the Father's love for me! “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. (John 3:16 The Message)




Did you ever do something out of love or did you ever stop doing something out of love? Something that was costly to you, something that involved a disadvantage for you and a benefit for the other person? (Giving up the right to be right! Taking the first step to reconcile! Not to criticize or blame the other person...) Think of how you can love like this today. Becoming like Jesus is loving like Jesus! Pretty awesome to consider and act in a divine manner!

Conversations with God

GOD says, “I love you.” You reply: “Really? How have you loved me?”



God's reply: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Long before I laid down earth’s foundations, I had you in mind, had settled on you the focus of my love, to be made whole and holy by my love. Long, long ago I decided to adopt you into my family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure I took in planning this!) I wanted you to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of my beloved Son.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you. I, God demonstrates my love for you in this: While you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, you are free —free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!
I, God have made you my friends again. I did this through Christ’s death in the body so that he might bring you into (my) God’s presence as a person who is holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which I can judge you guilty. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.


My love has been poured out into your heart through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to you. I, the Lord your God is with you; the mighty One will save you. I will rejoice over you. You will rest in my love; I will sing and be joyful about you. Be still, and know that I am God.”
Malachi 1;2 (MSG) Jeremiah 31;3 (NIV) Eph. 1;3-6 (MSG) Isaiah 43:4 (NIV) Rom.5;8 (NIV) Eph. 1;7&8 (MSG) Col. 1;22 (NCV) Rom. 8;1 (NIV) Rom.5;5 (NIV) Zeph.3;17 (NCV) Ps. 46;10 (NIV) in all passages I took the freedom to adopted the pronouns accordingly and made slight changes, without distorting the meaning of scripture.

The love of the Father


I remember well when I asked Jack Miller, the founder of World Harvest Mission, what his biggest struggle in his Christian life was. Jack, without a doubt, was one of the godliest men I have ever known. Humble, kind, and gentle in the way he encountered people. Passionate for the lost, focused on the Kingdom of God and willing to laying down his life for the glory of God. I was surprised by his answer: “Maria,” he said: “My biggest struggle is to receive the Father's love!” My startled look told him that I was not prepared for the simple but most profound answer. Years later, as I visited his grave site, I read on his tombstone 1 John 4:16, “We know and rely on the love God has for us.”


Yesterday at church I was reminded of the interaction I had with Jack many years ago. Among other things, our Pastor talked about receiving the love of God. He pointed out that fellowship with Christians and memorizing scripture about God's love for us are key components to receiving the Father's love.


As I meditated today on why it is so difficult to receive the Father's love, several thoughts came to mind. 1 John 4:16 was central to my insight.

1. I realize I don't know enough of the love the Father has for me. Too often I interpret 'his love' through my own understanding of what love is or my understanding of how I feel loved or want to be loved. To know the love of God as 1 John says means that I need to know the love that is demonstrated by God himself for and to me. Questions arise like: “How do you, Father, think of me? What are his feelings toward me? How does it impact my heart to know God, the Holy One, loves me? What do I believe deep down in my heart that He actually thinks of me? Does He really love me? Is He fond of me? Does He really know me and how can He still love me? Accept me as I am?”
   

If you have read this far, would you take some time now to think about these questions too. Sit quietly for 10 minutes and think that God loves you. Maybe you need to recall an emotional memory when you felt love and acceptance. When someone truly loved you, how did you feel about it? What was or is your emotional response to it? Similarly, can you feel that love from God?!


If your mind wanders from thinking about God, don't be disappointed, every time you turn away is also an opportunity to turn towards God again. He is a welcoming Father, let Him embrace you!