Christmas Wish

I went to a woman's night thing at church last night with my mom and heard a lady share her reflections as she read the Christmas story from the Bible. First of all, it was awesome and encouraging and challenging and I loved it. Second, she said something that shook my heart. In her closing prayer, she said "Lord, you know the desire of my heart is to know you and live by great faith. That is my Christmas wish this year." That statement may seem simple and common to some people, but let me explain my thought process as I heard those words. The first thing that popped into my head was, "That can't be true. No one's hearts desire can be that pure...doesn't she understand that we are sinful people and capable of nothing good!?" Even writing this I see my great unbelief of the Gospel. I've been reading through a few chapters in Isaiah this week (40-42) and the Lord speaks beautifully to my heart about this in these passages:

"Lift up your eyes on high and see:

who created these?

He who brings out their host by 

number,

calling them all by name,

by the greatness of His might,

and because He is strong in power

not one is missing." - Is. 40:26

THIS God, the God who created the entire universe with His mere breath and the God who SUSTAINS everything in each moment with the greatest might and strongest power, this is God who created, sustains, and saved ME. THIS God lives in me. I cannot separate the truths that He is THIS mighty, although even this portrayal surely does not do Him adequate justice, and that He died, arose, and lives in me; that He is also MY power and MY strength. My initial thought about Mrs. Carol's prayer was one of defeat, and that certainly doesn't belong anywhere near THIS God of Isaiah 40.

"You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off;

fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Is. 41:9-10

"I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water...

that they may see and know,

may consider and understand together,

that the hand of the LORD has done this,

the Holy One of Israel has created it." - Is. 41:18-20

Again, THIS God says that He has chosen me, is with me, is my strength and my help. Oh how my thought is such a lie to discredit His power and committment! There is some truth of it though, for He also says that there once was a wilderness and dry land, which WAS my heart before His saving power entered. But the beauty and grace of Jesus is that He DID NOT leave it that way! He changes, purifies, justifies. And newsflash to me, its a REAL change!!! Not a theory or nice thought, its REAL and tangible life change!! My thought, was one that preached a powerless and weak Savior and a powerful flesh. But you see, the truth is, my flesh is dead. "How can we who died to sin still live in it?' - Romans 6:2. And why this truth? He tells us: "that they may see and know, consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this." FOR HIS GLORY. That people may look and know and consider and understand that there is something great and mighty and holy about the change in Becky Broersma's life. And that they would see Christ as glorious and beautiful and powerful and something they desperately need. How beautiful can a Savior be in those He saves walk in defeat? I can almost see how that is Satan's trick...his lie for believers...how unfortunate for him that I have a book full of truth and a God who doesn't let me go.

"Thus says God, the LORD,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:

'I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you;

I will give you as a covenant for the people, 

a light for the nations,

to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

I am the LORD; that is my name;

my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols." - Is. 42:5-8

He created and sustains and saves to bring FREEDOM to those (me) who were once captives, USED TO BE hopeless and incapable of any good. HE does that. And He sends us to take part in the greatest purpose of all time, to tell other captives of the hope and freedom we've found, that they might glorify the LORD and be free. We're just surrounded by glory and freedom. No defeat here :)

And so that too is my Christmas wish...a little cheesy, yes, but true nontheless. To know Him deeper and walk in great faith and life-changing belief. Because when I really see truth, its the desire of my heart as well.