Day 16 of Having a "Mary" Christmas in a Martha World
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11; 1 Corinthians 7:23; Matthew 19:26
Imagine coming into your living room on Christmas day and under your Christmas tree, or where ever you see/ put the gifts, you see one that you didn’t see there the night before. You’re intrigued. These thoughts run through our mind: “Where did this gift come from?” “Who is this gift for?” “What is it?”
Now, think of the best gift you can receive this Christmas. Something you have always wanted or just really want right now. Not something you wanted as a kid but something that would be amazing to have right now. Something that can be purchased. Yes, right now, take a minute or two and think about it. Continue reading when you thought about that gift.
Ok, now going back to our Christmas day scenario: Everyone starts making their way to gather to open gifts. Your family/ friends are there and everyone is opening gifts. Then someone reaches for the mysterious Christmas gift and low and behold, its for you. You are excited and really cant wait to see what it is. You rip open the wrapping paper and you holding in your hands is the ultimate gift you wanted! Be that keys to a new car, a pair of gorgeous earrings, a rifle, what have you, You got what really wanted!
Getting an amazing gift, especially one we wanted or didn’t know we wanted until it was in our hands is an amazing feeling. Think of those emotions you feel at that moment: giddy, excited, loved, overwhelmed, taken aback. This is the ultimate you gift after all. Ok Image how you would feel towards the person who gave you that gift. You would be so appreciative and loved. You would feel known and heard and listened to. Imagine if you didn’t know that person that gave us the gift. We might even feel more gratitude toward that person because maybe for a moment they listened to us and gave us the best-unexpected gift! You would want to tell everybody! Regardless of who gave it to you, you got the most amazing gift and we cant help but want others to share in that joy with us!
Ladies, our faith is just like that! It’s not free, it was purchased for a price (1Cor.7:23). When we receive it by it being a gift to us or being shared as a gift to others, there is much joy and gratefulness. This gift of faith and relationship with Christ is such a blessing as you know but also as you know, we should be just as excited to tell whole world about our gift! When someone else received the gift of faith from your telling or example. There is no amount of money that can repay that gift.
When we give a gift, we are free to give it. When we receive a gift we are free to receive it. When we share a gift, we feel that same freedom. Why is it so hard to share our faith sometimes if it’s freely given and received (because it/we were already purchased and a price was paid for us). Do we not feel we have that same freedom to share? What might be holding us back from that? Take some time to journal about what it is that might be holding us back from giving the most amazing gift we have received. There is nothing more precious and life-giving than our gift of faith. Then there is a challenge to go beyond that and pray about/ journal about what we can do to overcome those things that hold us back from sharing the gift of faith and to put them into practice. With God, all things are possible.
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