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Author Topic: Save and Serve
knowHim
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Ever remember saving Newspapers to wrap gifts at Christmas Time. Or saving The paper someone had sent a gift in to use for the next year. Or perhaps saving ribbons for another time. We knew nothing about recycling but we did it because money was not easy to come up. JESUS, was GOD's ultimate gift. HE came in a unique package. In that first Christmas gift, GOD revealed HIMSELF to a fallen place and a fallen race. Yet is it profoundly more than that. If GOD had only wanted to reveal HIS magnificent existence, HE could have chosen any of a million different options.

What HE chose to do was to wrap HIMSELF in the likeness of men. John 1:14 says, "The WORD became flesh and made HIS dwelling among us; and we have seen HIS glory, the glory of the ONE and ONLY who came from the FATHER, full of grace and truth." Because of this fact HE knows me, understands me, and can empathize with me. HE is not a stranger to my stuggles; he knows my joys and sorrows. Even now I know that HE represents me before the FATHER with an understanding heart, because HE was wrapped in the likeness of men. That is the promise I have according to Hebrews 4:15-16.

All of us as children and even adults have snooped around wondering what was to be ours on Christmas morn. However, one look at GOD's gift and that tells me that it holds something for me. In Philippians 2:6-8 Paul says. "Who, although being essentially one with GOD and in the form of GOD possessing the fullness of the attributes which made GOD GOD, did not think this equality with GOD was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained. But stripped HIMSELF of all privileges and rightly dignity, so as to assume the guise of a servant or slave in that HE became like men and was born a human being. And after HE had appeared in human form. HE abased and humbled HIMSELF still further and carried HIS obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

Those markings on GOD's gift reflect JESUS commitment to serve me. All the way to the cross--to the shedding of HIS blood. As a servant, JESUS becomes relevant to my need, providing liberation from the bondage of sin, death, and hell and the assurance of heaven gained. I rejoice in the personal knowledge that JESUS is mine. However, I am also reminded that all of us are wrapped in some kind of paper. In fact, most of us spend most of our lives wrapping and rewrapping ourselves in clothes, cars, houses, positions, social circles, and other symbols we think will enhance our appearance. If the paper we choose is made only of these worldly things we have missed the vital meaning of the Season of Christmas. The fact that our Savior wrapped HIMSELF in my likeness as a servant carries certain implications for living.

Those of us who have received JESUS as a gift from GOD are likewise to wrap ourselves in the spirit of understanding, empathetic, even sacrificial, servants, We should wrap ourselves with HIM, that we might bear HIS likeness to a watching world. We are to give of ourselves as a gift to others. When it comes to JESUS, there is something terribly wrong with taking the gift adn throwing the wrapping away.

May your holidays be Blessed with Wonder and Care

Serving JESUS as we serve others.

Mary at Bearer Ministries

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Plow on, plow on...
David Campbell

Posts: 426 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator


 
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