his morning I listened to a wonderful sermon on a live stream. Before I get into this post I just want to say how grateful I am for the gifts of technology that God has blessed us with. Although I'd really prefer to be meeting in person, the fact that I haven't found a place to call my church home has led me to listen to sermons from churches across the country. It's been amazing to hear God's word coming from different churches and pastors around the nation. It's been such a unexpected blessing!
Back to today's topic. One of the points the pastor was talking about was weariness. It's been a year where people have just felt broken down, defeated, exhausted and yes, emotionally and spiritually weary. (There's been plenty of physical weariness too but that's not what I'm talking about today.) That's made this Christmas season a very difficult time to choose joy. And yet it's a joyful season. It's the season of celebrating God's gift to us, His Son. How can we not be joyful?
The fact is that we have a choice. No matter what year it is, or day it is, or what our circumstances or what's going on in the world we are given a choice. Choose to be broken down by a world that is not our home and become weary, or choose to follow our Savior, walk in His footsteps and choose an everlasting joy.
Please understand, I'm not saying it's an easy thing to do. The decision is easy, the actions are harder. Matthew 11:29 says "Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Learning to follow in Jesus's footsteps and how to choose joy is a learning process. We have to let Him teach us. The first time you saw a long division problem in math class did you have any idea how to solve it? Probably not! You had to learn. You had to let someone teach you the step by step process and then practice it until it became a learned skill. This is a similar concept. I don't think we'll every perfect this skill this side of heaven but it will get easier. And we are not alone! The Lord is there to help us every step of the way.
Isaiah 40:31 says "But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."
And Philippians 4:13 says "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."
One more, in the second half of Nehemiah 8:10, "This is a sacred day before the Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!"
Now, I admit that I'm not sure the exact context of the verse in Nehemiah but it jumped out at me because it's a great reminder as we head into this Christmas week. This is a sacred, holy time that we are celebrating. So let's celebrate! The joy of the Lord is our strength and I don't want to be weary this Christmas. I want to choose joy and have a very Merry Christmas. How about you?
Merry Christmas everyone!
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