December 1, 2024
Beloved of God,
We often resist acknowledging it, but the truth is… we’re not self-sufficient!
We owe our being alive at all to a Power from outside of us. No thanks to us, we were brought into existence.
We owe our being newly alive in the Holy Spirit to a Person beyond us. No thanks to us, we were brought into such a salvation.
Self-help cannot make us right enough to be right with God!
Christmas is the story of God the Son taking the initiative, entering our sin-sick world, coming down to our level (eyeball-to-eyeball) in our brokenness and lostness and, if we trust Him, lifting us up in ways we could never do for ourselves.
That story is a story for everyone – and we get to write an addendum to it if we like. We can, in Jesus’ name, take the initiative, enter the world of those living at a distance from Him, and invite them to see what following Him looks like – and how it might be something they’d want to give a try!
None of this need involve anything fancy or impressive. We might invite someone to join us in a church social event – such as the Christmas Tea put on by the women on Dec. 7th or the Christmas Dinner the Cutters and their friends will be enjoying on Dec. 15th. Or we might offer to pick them and bring them with us to a fun activity such as Movie Goers on Dec. 1st or the Sanctuary Carol Sing on Dec. 15th. Or we might ask if they’d like to sit with us in worship some Sunday in Advent or on Christmas Eve.
This outreach is hard and fruitless only if we do it under our own power alone. If, however, we pray for the Lord to help us and to reach out through us, we might have more good responses than we expected.
So let us embrace our needing help from beyond ourselves and turn to Him with faith-filled expectation that He will make something marvelous of even our modest efforts.
And let us remember that December is a season that by itself softens hearts and makes people open to exploring the spiritual. If we invite them to do so with us, who would, even if they decide to decline, mind our gracious, generous offer?
Warmly in Christ,
Rob & Adele
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