Open lines.

She … spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)

Have you ever looked around in church and noted the many different age groups present, all worshiping together? Well, the ability of the Church to reach young and old alike originates long before our time. In fact, today’s readings show us that from the very beginning, Jesus has been calling generations together, asking them to minister to each other.

Here is Anna at age eighty-four, well past the average life expectancy for her time but still active and alert. She sees Mary and Joseph enter the Temple courts with their baby, and all of a sudden, three generations intersect. How did she know that Jesus was the Messiah? Her heart was tuned into God’s heart. She “worshiped night and day” in the Temple (Luke 2:37). And so she was able to look Mary and Joseph in the eye and proclaim the purpose for which this little child was born.

Because Anna’s whole life has been dedicated to worship, her spirit was open to the Lord and his revelation. She kept the lines of communication open, and that’s what enabled her to offer words of encouragement and prophecy to Mary and Joseph and to the people around her.

How are you doing in the area of praise and worship? You don’t have to spend your whole life in church, mind you. But you should try to make worship a key part of your daily prayer. As you focus your heart on the Lord and his goodness and redemption, you’ll begin to experience a new joy. You’ll find yourself more open to God’s word and more ready to trust his plan.

Recall all the good that the Lord has done in the world and in your own life. Thank and praise him for his love and faithfulness. Picture him on his throne, surrounded by all the angels and saints. Lift up your heart to the Lord, and you’ll find your whole perspective changing. Like Anna, you’ll become a prophetic presence to the people around you. You’ll find just the right words to say to them, no matter what their age or background. All because you have become a worshipper of the Lord!

“Lord, teach me to proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.”

taken from wau.org

Stirred and Formed

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. (Luke 1:15)

What an inspiring thing to hear about John the Baptist! Wouldn’t you want to be filled with the Spirit from your very first days? Well, maybe if we compared John and Samson, whose story is told in today’s first reading, we may have second thoughts. Both were instruments of the Holy Spirit, but their lives teach us very different lessons. 

Look at Samson. Like John the Baptist, he was born to a devout childless couple. He was to be set apart for the Lord and would be blessed and stirred by his Spirit. But if you fast-forward through his life, you see that Samson was compromised by his involvement with foreign women, most notably, Delilah. And even though he was supposed to be the beginning of Israel’s deliverance from the Philistines, his lack of self-control put the whole nation in peril (Judges 13:5). In the end, “stirred by the Spirit,” Samson acted heroically. But his story shows us that maybe being stirred by the Spirit wasn’t enough.

On the other hand, John the Baptist was formed by the Holy Spirit, not just stirred. The Spirit moved in him from the womb, just like Samson, but John responded by going into the desert so that the Spirit could teach him. He chose an environment where distractions were fewer so that he could keep his attention on God.

And what a difference that made! John may have been an unusual figure, but his testimony rang true. Because he learned to listen to the Spirit, he could speak words of repentance that drew crowds of people back to the Lord. 

The closer we get to Christmas, the busier we can get. So many things can distract us. Don’t let that happen! In this week before Christmas, make an extra effort to set aside time for the Lord. Put aside the distractions of life, and focus on him. Ask the Spirit to do more than just stir you; ask him to transform you. Then see how his fruits of joy, peace, patience, and kindness shine forth from you this Christmas! 

“Holy Spirit, I don’t want to be satisfied with occasional stirrings from you. I want you to form me and train me so that I can be your instrument!”

taken from wau.org

Its what I do

Recently, a friend was wandering and contemplating why God loves her/us so much regardless of the many times we fall and go against His will and wishes. I ravaged my mind for a suitable and comprehensive answer, trying to arrange a flurry of verses which were suddenly coming forth. Then I happened to listen to a song, by divine guidance I believe, by Kirk Whalum and Lalah Hathaway which spoke of the same subject. Honestly, it brought tears to my eyes, though I had listened to it before on so many occasions .

I pray it speaks to you just as it spoke to me. Kindly open your heart to receive His love, because its whats He does. Amen.

Authority

Who gave you this authority? (Matthew 21:23)

Have you ever seen people wearing dark glasses when there is no bright sunlight? It makes you wonder about their motivation. Perhaps they want to be able to look into other people’s eyes without being seen themselves. Or perhaps they think it’s “cool.” In any case, they surely can’t be seeing what you’re seeing. Because they see only a bland version of reality, they are missing out on much of the beauty in God’s creation.

Those unfortunate people are like the Pharisees who asked Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things?” (Matthew 21:22). They just couldn’t seem to see God at work in him. He wasn’t one of the “established” teachers, and he talked too much about loving the poor. He made outrageous claims about God being merciful to everyone and expected the people to be just as forgiving. So although Jesus’ question about John’s baptism challenged them, they weren’t about to lose any credibility in front of this upstart!

There are times when we can become blinded to Jesus’ authority—and to the authority he has given us. We don’t necessarily question his awesome power. We’re just not sure he’ll use us to demonstrate it. We may have an “inner Pharisee” who tells us, “Keep your faith to yourself” or “You’re too sinful to be a good example.” But if we focus too much on ourselves or what others think about us, we will become reluctant to step out and take a risk.

But Jesus needs our witness. The world needs the living testimony of people who go about “doing the stuff” of Christianity with joy, peace, and confidence. It may be hard to believe, but you can become one of those people. It may not happen overnight, but it can happen over time. 

Start today. Look for one situation where you can inject a sense of hope. Even if all you do is tell someone in a rough situation that you will pray for him or her, you are opening a door for the Lord to work. Step by step, you’ll gain more confidence in God’s grace—and in his ability to work wonders through you.

“Lord, open my eyes to authority you’ve given me as your child: authority to speak and act boldly in your name. Give me the courage to proclaim your truth and love.”

taken from: wau.org