Rom.8:31-32 says "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
This Christmas I decided I wanted to be in a singing event. I used to be in a big choir and miss that. So I joined a women's chorus who do acapella four part singing (barbershop style). We have learnt nine pieces and will sing them this Sunday afternoon. There are two carols and one NZ Christmas song. The conductor called Silent Night a 'sweet' song. I was moved in my spirit by it - after singing Christmas ditties like 'I'm dreaming of a white Christmas' 'Rocking around the Christmas tree" etc. !! My husband rolls his eyes at all this Christmas cultural sentimentality, but he will come to the performance. I am even wearing a necklace of flashing lights for the occasion!
So much of Christmas is sentimentality - apart from the cultural elves, reigndeer, etc etc. We are touched by the 'little baby' - the stars and angels... the shepherds delight and the wise men's wonder. But the verse above tells us something so uch more profound - this child became the man who died for us - and lives for us - and is the doorway to "all things"!
David, my husband, preached on Sunday on 2 Cor 9:6-15 (have a look at it) and verse 8 says "And God is able to make all grace abound (overflow) to you, so that having all that you need in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." LOOK AT ALL THE ALLS!!!
The point here is that the coming of Jesus released to us ALL that we need - for all situations - at all times. Not just for our sins, our past, our entrance into eternal life, but for all of life. We have but to receive that grace (his ability) in all of life situations. A number of times this week we have been stretched and began to react to some perceived injustice or blockage to what we had presumed would happen... and I have had to stop myself and say that verse "God IS able to make all grace abound to me, in all things... so I have all I need..." And everything changed within me as I said that. I came to inner rest.
His coming to us - to be our life - our death - our resurrection has released to us FAR, far more than we realise. ALL we need, in fact. All the grace, courage, wisdom, insight, rest, peace, patience, generosity.... we will ever need. It goes way, way beyond sentimentality, being moved by a song, writing a few cheques for the needy. ALL things, at all times, in all situations. He's got it all covered. Christ in us is his perfect life in us. We must sink back into him when under duress. Sink back into him for every moment to be his life and not ours. I have for a few years now felt that this is God's most (MOST) ingenius solution to our sinful ways - to put the perfect life of Christ IN US as our substitute. (Too big a topic to explore now - breakfast awaits!!)
But get hold of the 'all things' this Christmas. It will transform how you view your day, your challenges, your impossibilities. All grace - for all things. Wow! Worship out of that wonder.
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