"You are the God of the broken,
the friend of the weak,
you wash the feet of the weary,
embrace the ones in need."
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:" Isaiah 9:6. This week I did something different. I used the lyrics from a song as the devotional. This is a bit different but it goes with the season. You see, all of us at some point have been the subject of the songs lyrics. No, I don't mean we have been God. We all have been broken, weak, weary, and in need at some point. Ann, who leads worship at church, played it the other day during service and it really hit me. This is why He came. I mean, I always knew it but this was one of those "moments of clarity" that it all really clicked in a deeper level. Christ came, and was born in a stable, and He himself, was all of these things. When as a baby, He was weak, weary, and in need. Physically speaking. Being fully God, He could have overcame these in a second. Instead He took the form of man, and came down to us and lived like us so that we would see, it is possible to live for God if we just surrender our will over to Him. When His life was coming to an end, He was broken for us, so that we would not have to be. Really though, these lyrics are two fold. The other side of it is, He is God, He is a friend, He came as servant, He embraces us with unconditional love. To be honest, I am more blown away now than when I first started typing! God is everything! He knows are deepest fears and needs, and supplies what we lack. If you really think about it, God is painted in a light that makes Him somewhat of a galactic hit man. He'll get you if you don't act right you know. That is so opposite the nature of the true and living God. Don't get me wrong, the bible is clear that if your not for Him, your against Him. Though people who are wicked in this life and don't accept Him as the Savior prosper and get away with all manner of things, justice will be served one day when those people stand before the judgement seat of God. The God of the bible, is loving, caring, just, and merciful. The problem people have with Him is that His methods are sometimes brutal. I mean come on, how many people did God have the Israelites wipe out from the face of the planet? Then comes the why about that. Listen, God knows what is and what isn't good for His people. He can see the future and also the heart. If you think God would wipe out anyone who He knows would turn to Him given the opportunity, your mistaken. His ways are not ours. When this life is over and those of us who know Him personally get to heaven, we will understand. For now, we trust and obey. The fact is, He loved us enough to come down and be one of us, and to show us the way back to intimacy with God. That's real love. Then to top it all off, being beaten, bloodied, whipped, kicked, punched, then nailed to a cross? I think He was trying to tell us something. People separated from God and going to hell, over my dead body. That's the truth. In order to actually go to hell, you will first have to face the lamb slain and decide. Who is this, and do I believe? I know this may be a little heavier message than what the season calls for, but truly, the time is short and the return of the King is soon. This time though, He is coming back to rule and reign forever. I can't wait.
Merry Christmas: Bob
the friend of the weak,
you wash the feet of the weary,
embrace the ones in need."
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:" Isaiah 9:6. This week I did something different. I used the lyrics from a song as the devotional. This is a bit different but it goes with the season. You see, all of us at some point have been the subject of the songs lyrics. No, I don't mean we have been God. We all have been broken, weak, weary, and in need at some point. Ann, who leads worship at church, played it the other day during service and it really hit me. This is why He came. I mean, I always knew it but this was one of those "moments of clarity" that it all really clicked in a deeper level. Christ came, and was born in a stable, and He himself, was all of these things. When as a baby, He was weak, weary, and in need. Physically speaking. Being fully God, He could have overcame these in a second. Instead He took the form of man, and came down to us and lived like us so that we would see, it is possible to live for God if we just surrender our will over to Him. When His life was coming to an end, He was broken for us, so that we would not have to be. Really though, these lyrics are two fold. The other side of it is, He is God, He is a friend, He came as servant, He embraces us with unconditional love. To be honest, I am more blown away now than when I first started typing! God is everything! He knows are deepest fears and needs, and supplies what we lack. If you really think about it, God is painted in a light that makes Him somewhat of a galactic hit man. He'll get you if you don't act right you know. That is so opposite the nature of the true and living God. Don't get me wrong, the bible is clear that if your not for Him, your against Him. Though people who are wicked in this life and don't accept Him as the Savior prosper and get away with all manner of things, justice will be served one day when those people stand before the judgement seat of God. The God of the bible, is loving, caring, just, and merciful. The problem people have with Him is that His methods are sometimes brutal. I mean come on, how many people did God have the Israelites wipe out from the face of the planet? Then comes the why about that. Listen, God knows what is and what isn't good for His people. He can see the future and also the heart. If you think God would wipe out anyone who He knows would turn to Him given the opportunity, your mistaken. His ways are not ours. When this life is over and those of us who know Him personally get to heaven, we will understand. For now, we trust and obey. The fact is, He loved us enough to come down and be one of us, and to show us the way back to intimacy with God. That's real love. Then to top it all off, being beaten, bloodied, whipped, kicked, punched, then nailed to a cross? I think He was trying to tell us something. People separated from God and going to hell, over my dead body. That's the truth. In order to actually go to hell, you will first have to face the lamb slain and decide. Who is this, and do I believe? I know this may be a little heavier message than what the season calls for, but truly, the time is short and the return of the King is soon. This time though, He is coming back to rule and reign forever. I can't wait.
Merry Christmas: Bob
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