Wednesday, December 15, 2010

UNWRAPPING JESUS- Faith Barista Jam

Faith Barista Jam

I love getting my Wednesday emails from Bonnie over at Faith Barista (http://www.faithbarista.com/)
They offer the topic of what the Jam for Thursday will be.
And honestly I LOVE getting mine finished before she posts her’s.

Odd right? – well it’s just because of 2 things 1.) I love reading hers and want to do so right away. 2.) If I finish before she posts my thoughts aren’t mixed with hers- and many times we end up right on the same thought line which is just so God to me.

So this week’s topic is “Unwrapping Jesus”

                                 (courtsey of Google Images)

My first thought goes right to the Christmas season and gifts that are given.
And since the whole season SHOULD be revolving around Jesus I think this is a very fitting topic.
The question comes to mind, how do you open your presents Christmas morning?
Are you the type that tears into the gifts quickly? Or are you a slow unwrapper?

Personally I’m a slow one when it comes to Christmas presents. It started this way when I was teenager and my younger sister wanted me to go faster, so I went slower. Not nice I know but I promise I'm much nicer to her now.  These days I just don’t care much about what I’m getting so I'm still slow. Plus I usually know most of my gifts since I do the shopping for others. – I’m picky and hard to buy for so I often buy my gifts for the others.


But when it comes to unwrapping Jesus I think slow is SO NOT the way to go.

When we are unwrapping Jesus we should be like a kid on Christmas morning. Ripping the paper off with reckless abandon.
We should be excited and hyper when it comes to getting this present.
Barely being able to sleep the night before in gleeful anticipation of what the gift will be the next morning.
We can be like that every day- should be like that every day.

Because the gift of Jesus is a gift that never stops giving.

And it’s a gift we should never stop unwrapping.

Pause for a moment on that line. And think about it.

See our faith in Christ isn’t something that once open, once received is done.
Our faith can (and should) grow – daily even if allowed.

In little and big things.

In everyday things.


We should be taking the time to open our gift-via our Bibles, Our prayer lives, our acts of kindness toward others, welcoming the Holy Spirit, and seeking that gift giver.

Not in just what Christ gives but in who He is.

We should be learning more each day, seeking his face not his hand alone.  Seeking what those gifts are that he has in store for us, waiting for us to discover. 

And he will bring all things to us. He will provide for us. Care for us, not just our physical needs but also our emotional and spiritual ones.  He will supply us with Peace, Hope, Joy, Contentment, LOVE, Grace....(you know I could keep going there.)   :o)

But we also need to know, to learn about this gift so we can work the gifts He freely gives us.  Hence the DAILY unwrapping of our gift. 

John 114:13
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Matthew 18:18

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Luke 11:9

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

I know that in my humanity I can often be forgetful. And I need the reminders of who God really is daily.
I also know that I should be learning and growing closer to him daily.
That I should be making time to spend with Him daily.
Do I think he understands when I don’t? When my day was too busy and I forgot.
I do, because he is understanding but I also think it hurts him when I get caught up in the world, and push him aside- intentional or unintentional. Because....


After all God not only GAVE the GREATEST GIFT- He IS the GREATEST GIFT.


And I want to honor that.


1John 2:15

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world you do not have the love of the Father in you.


John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

4 comments:

Lisa notes... said...

It's a gift we never stop unwrapping. I love that thought. I'm a slow unwrapper, too, but you're right that Jesus is a gift we should tear into it.

Joy said...

Hahahah. I love the image of ripping the paper off as fast as possible. :)

Sheryl said...

I love this! I've been jamming with Bonnie, too, and NEVER thought of this aspect of opening the gift. Thanks for a new perspective.

Leanna said...

Thanks Ladies! Gald you enjoyed it.
Merry Christmas