The Son is Always There

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5b

Have you ever seen the sun shine when it's raining? It is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. It is a natural phenomenon, a lot like the Northern Lights. The rain pours down, with big grey drops, and showers the earth with its downpour. But, as the sun peeks through, the raindrops that fall are no longer grey. They are bright and shimmering, like little yellow stars falling from the sky. Even through the clouds and the rain, the sun is able to shine.
 
More often, we don't see the sun when it's raining. However, that doesn't mean it isn't there.
 
In life, it takes rare perspective to realize the sun is still present despite the rain. It takes an even rarer perspective still to see Jesus in the midst of our most difficult circumstances. We often see He had been in our midst long after, in the insight we gained after the circumstance or event occurred. The "sun" that gives light and warmth to the earth is a great reminder of God's Son, who is always with us.
 
What can cloud our vision? Love of money, self-doubt, bitterness, rejection, condemnation, fear, greed; there are so many things that can cloud our vision from seeing the presence of the Son of God with us. We have to learn to break past those things that blur our vision to go to a place of faith in God. It takes faith to know our God is there - even when we can't see Him, and especially when it appears as though the world is falling down around us.
 
Jesus is the Son behind the clouds. In the midst of our 'clouds' and rain, He is present in our time of greatest need. We have to remember to look for the light of the Son from behind the rain. He promises to ALWAYS be there, as long as we have faith in our promise in Him.

Pulling Away from the Crowd

"After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone..."  Matthew 14:23
 
Life really does get crazy sometimes.  TV, radio, text messaging, phone calls, Twitter, Facebook, the Internet - there is so much to keep up with in our post-modern society!

But, every now and again, we need to have time to be "away from the crowd."

Jesus had just finished feeding the crowd of five thousand with just five loaves and two fish. After everybody was fed, Jesus insisted that His disciples get into the boat they were using for travel and head home as He sent away the multitude of five thousand.  It was then that He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.

It is interesting to note, that, after Jesus' solitary time on the mountain praying, He performed a miracle in which the disciples really recognized that He was the Son of God.  Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed. (v. 33)

It is so essential that we take time aside to spend quiet time to pray and be with our God.   This "inner court" time fuels us for the "outer court" ministry where people can discover that Jesus really is the author of our faith, and He can be the Lord and Savior of their lives.

Have you pulled away from the crowd lately? Set some time aside to be with Him.  Our time with God is the biggest weapon we have against the kingdom of darkness in this day and age.

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

"How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice!"  -Song of Solomon 4:10

"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: 'This is what the LORD says: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown."'" -Jeremiah 2:2

All throughout scripture a beautiful love story is interwoven between all of humanity and her bridegroom, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Every great love story has this plot of the handsome prince saving his princess, fighting off evil enemies in order to rescue her and gain the chance to win her hand.  In modern times, Beauty and the Beast, Allie and Noah, and Bella and Edward have been the forefront characters... but all great love stories involve a certain mystery, a certain magic, and a certain struggle that the man must endure and overcome to win the heart of his bride.  And continue to win it.

Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross was payment for every sin on this earth.  No one is without sin, and so we desperately needed a Savior who would be willing to lay down His life for us so we would not have to endure eternal death.

In this, as we realize just a piece of what kind of sacrifice was required, we learn to love a God who gave up His Son Jesus so that we wouldn't have to die.  Every great story has a derivative of this narrative; that's what makes it so great, and so compelling. 

As the story goes, Jesus is coming back for His bride one day, in a glorious wedding ceremony.  "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." -Revelation 21:2

But in order for Jesus to return for His bride, we have to be ready.  "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." -Revelation 19:7

Do you know your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?  Pray that He would reveal Himself to you, and that He would win over your heart. We need to be found ready, so that His glory can be revealed in all those who believe in Him - His bride, the Church. 

The Greatest Gift

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23
 
Have you ever seen the movie It's a Wonderful Life?  It has to be one of the greatest American movies of all time, released in 1946.

The film stars George Bailey, a man whose dire circumstances result in a depression so bad he makes up his mind to take his own life on Christmas Eve.  Just as he is about to jump off a bridge, George's guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, makes himself known to George and intervenes on his behalf. Clarence then takes George on a journey,  showing him the impact his life has had on others and how their community would've been vastly different if George hadn't been born. George realizes that his life has immense value, no matter his circumstances.

We are so blessed to live in a country where we can celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as a national holiday. His birth, His death, and His resurrection made it possible for us to have the gift of eternal life.

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." -Col 1:17
 
When we receive this precious gift, when we confess our sins and believe that Jesus died for our sins, we then carry this same gift of hope, love, grace, truth, and salvation wherever we go. God sends us as His representatives to a hurting world where His life and hope are needed. When we realize Jesus is the hope of our salvation, and when we realize just a piece of the depth of his love for us, we realize how much we matter. Jesus wouldn't have given His life for us if ours didn't matter to Him.

Do you know for certain you have received the gift of Jesus' salvation? Ask Him into your life today if you aren't quite sure. The gift of His son Jesus is the best gift we can receive in this life, and is the best gift we can give to others.