Jesus--Our Greatest Gift!

   This Christmas season I want to praise Jesus for all that He has done and continues to do in my life. As His follower, every Christmas should be better and more special as the years go by because of being more satisfied and in love with the greatest gift--Jesus! When you already have the best gift, you can appreciate all the other gifts and blessings that He gives you so much more.

   It's hard for me to express how much I love and cherish my Savior. As I've mentioned before, I know that Jesus wants me to share my heart here, to be vulnerable, to help others see how much they need Jesus not religion, rules and trying harder. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I need to share that I don't have it all together--that I struggle--that I mess up--so that others will know that they're not alone in their struggles and that they have a Savior who loves them unconditionally, who delights in them and promises never to leave them and to help them in those struggles.

Recently, I shared one of my journal entries with some friends to encourage them by reminding them of what Jesus has done for me in those struggles and what He wants to do for all of us. I can relate to Paul so well. In Philippians 1 he talks about wanting Christ to be exalted in his body, whether by life or by death. He says in vs. 21-26:

   "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." 

   That was my desire: that as I shared from my journal what Jesus had reminded me of, that their joy in Jesus would overflow. One of those friends encouraged me to share that entry here which was an answer to my prayer of "what should I share, Lord? You are teaching me so much!" 

   So...from my journal entry testifying to the amazing gift we have in Jesus and His Word. All of our journeys are different, but Jesus is enough for all of us and waits patiently for us to REST in Him in everything.

    Journal entry of Oct. 22, 2013

   From McArthur commentary:
   "The key and the only key to a righteous life is keeping the Word of the living God. Jesus told the Scribes/Pharisees that they "invalidated the Word of God for the sake of their tradition" (Matt. 15:6). On the surface it seemed that the traditions made the law harder, but in reality they made it much easier, because observance was entirely external. Keeping the traditions demanded a great deal of effort, but it demanded no heart obedience and no faith in God."

   In many ways that's how I lived much of my life. I wanted to do things "right" but my motivation was more from "being the good girl" and "because I should" than of wanting to obey, honor and glorify Jesus because of my love for Him. Again--it was more out of duty than relationship although I didn't see it that way at the time. I didn't hunger and thirst for righteousness and to know Him better nearly as much as I hungered to fit in and be accepted by others and the world. My focus was definitely on this world and being comfortable here than on my true home in heaven. My peace and contentment rested in people, circumstances or events and was not consistent. Such a contrast from now when I have peace, joy and contentment continually regardless of my circumstances or what others people in my life do or say. That has come from choosing to seek and draw near to my Savior in His Word and make Him my #1 priority--a choice that has to be made every day sometimes many times a day as we have so many choices on how to spend the time He has given us. As I have heard others say when their greatest treasure on earth is taken away: "it's not until everything is taken away (for me it was Ty, my greatest earthly treasure) that you realize you have everything you need in Jesus!" He truly is enough. Does that mean that every day is easy--NO--but it means that I never face any moment alone, that He has promised to never leave me or forsake me, that He is the God of all comfort, that His plans for me are perfect, that He is my strength when I'm weak, that as I trust Him He gives me a peace beyond my understanding, that I can choose to REST in His loving arms every minute, that His love for me never changes no matter how much I mess up, that I can enjoy each day one at a time and not worry because He holds my future securely in His hands, because all things will work together for good because I am His child, because He delights in me, because He brings sunshine to my heart even on a cloudy day, because of the security/contentment I have in my relationship with Jesus that I enjoy everything and everyone more, because He is my Rock, my Fortress, my King, my Shepherd, my Savior, my Lord, my Shelter, my Redeemer, my Refuge, my Father, and now my Husband--what more could I ask for? He is enough--more of Him was what I was searching for and needed for much of my life. Now, for the rest of my life here, I want to honor and glorify my best friend and Savior by sharing what He has taught me through His very special love letter--His WORD--the Bible as I have chosen to run to Him over and over and over again in times of extreme loneliness and times when I thought my heart would break because I missed Ty so much. I felt like giving up so many times, but the God of all comfort--my Savior--was forever faithful, and I am forever thankful. Now I just want to help others to understand that they do not need to fear anything because the thing I feared the most happened to me, and I am continually amazed at the faithfulness and love of Jesus and how He has and continues to change my heart and give me a continual joy and peace that is truly way beyond my understanding and of greater worth than ANYTHING this world has to offer! I am blessed and more thankful every day for the TRUE RICHES which can only be found in an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and from fellowship and encouragement from others who are His children.

   I pray for each of you who will read this--that you will find HOPE in Jesus --the greatest gift--this Christmas. As you celebrate His birth, I pray that you will hunger for more of Him during this busy time and take time to be still, to open His Word, to share your heart with Him and to get to know Him better. Time spent with Him is never wasted time and will help you notice and cherish all the blessings that He gives you each day. Every day is a very special gift when you walk hand in hand with Jesus!!

   The song that I'm sharing with you this month was one we sang in church last Sunday called "Lord, I Need You" I need Him desperately every minute of every day. I love the line in the song that says: "And where You are, Lord, I am free" as well as "without You I fall apart, You're the One that guides my heart."  

   Have a blessed Christmas with Jesus, family and friends!