StriperAddict
Senior Member
This encouragement from John Lynch is worth a hearty look 'round any Christmas campfire.
A merry and blessed Christmas to all...
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(Still true)
...He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake...Which can be pretty unsettling. Because you know you. ...And so does Immanuel. He came to earth for this purpose. ...Because He doesn't want you to feel violated, He chooses to not invade your physical privacy. But He studies everything else. Your doubts, fears, betrayals, dissapointments and wrong responses to hurt. He listens to your sighs. He nods His head in compassion as you replay your regrets and choices you cannot undo. He studies it not to judge or blame. For He loves you more than you love you. He studies it as a lover, who will now invade your experience with His goodness and wisdom. He will reshape your responses. He will enter into the very dregs of whatever threatens to undermine your very being. It is why He can say, "Don't be afraid." For He has walked ahead and seen your course. He does this all as if you were His only concern.
He does not view it only from heaven, but from the center of this new creature He formed the moment you risked to believe, even inadequately, that Jesus is who He says He is.
And so He sees much more. He sees your best moments nobody else witnessed. He sees your best motives in even failed actions. He sees how beautifully others can see you long before you believe it. And He sees what you will do; bravery and capacity to give away that you're not convinced really resides in you. And so He smiles over you. He laughs with you. Often. This is why He says, "To the exact extent that My Father loves Me, so also I love you." If love is primarily the process of meeting needs, and it most certainly is, then Infinite love is endlessly writing your story. A story which can only be seen fully when the final chapter is written. The best stories are full of interest in the early chapters. But the heroic, and magnificent scenes are revealed only later, when there is enough context and backdrop to show the glory of Christ's purity and power in you.
He is never disgusted with you at any turn. He cares more about everything that matters to you than you do. He takes residence in the middle of what happens to you. All that shouldn't have happened, but did. He grieves it with all of His heart. And then never sleeps as He turns that horror into what will make you wonderfully you.
This Christmas perhaps the greatest gift you could give back is to believe such love could be true. For you. You want to do so much more. But He really wants nothing much else. No promises, no groveling, no extra anything. Whatever you get to give back to this planet out of love, He has prepared and is waiting to reveal at a time of His choosing. Ephesians 2:10
Jesus is this wonderful. You are this wonderful. For you are Jesus-in-you. Even when your life seems out of control. He does not dangle an unreachable carrot in front of you. All that nonsense is bad religion, gradually losing its hold.
The quality of your life is not in your looks, income, notoriety, accomplishments or even your agility. The quality of your life is in risking to believe He has made you more than enough. The quality of your life is in learning to allow yourself to receive His love, and then the love of those He has given you.
When you are left alone in your thoughts, and shame tries to hiss that you are missing the best party, the best life, the best relationships, and that ultimately it is your fault, God is whispering this: "You are mine. I am here. And it is finished. Now give Me time. And I will rewrite the messages you tell yourself. I love you."
The birth of Christ ushered in magic over a world where it was "always white but never Christmas."
As you look around it is often hard to see this magic. But it is happening, steadily, unable to be stopped.
And once you have breathed in such goodness, you get to walk out into the night air to find others to remind of this live-protecting and life-freeing truth.
When the gifts are all opened and the last meal of the day is over, nothing has ended. Jesus came for March 3rd as much as for the 25th of this month.
Politics will fail everyone. Self-gratification will never be enough. Even dreams get derailed. But Jesus Christ, the Son of God cannot be taken from you. And, if you allow it, that will be magnificently more than enough.
...Then one day, when maybe you least expect it, this way-station turns into Home. And your eyes will see differently. Your entire being will be instantly incapable of the darkness which once compelled you. For you will turn a corner and there He will be standing, revealing that smile He has waited an eternity to wash over you. And you will be held like you've waited an eternity to experience.
But not yet. There are more seasons of fruitcake and oddly powdered flour-balls to be consumed in this human experience. Enjoy the ride.
Don't beat yourself up if you cannot enter in fully to all He offers. It is enough to sit quietly and see it on the horizon and know that He is actively working in you to experience this life beyond all telling.
Merry Christmas dear ones.
A merry and blessed Christmas to all...
------------------------------------------
(Still true)
...He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake...Which can be pretty unsettling. Because you know you. ...And so does Immanuel. He came to earth for this purpose. ...Because He doesn't want you to feel violated, He chooses to not invade your physical privacy. But He studies everything else. Your doubts, fears, betrayals, dissapointments and wrong responses to hurt. He listens to your sighs. He nods His head in compassion as you replay your regrets and choices you cannot undo. He studies it not to judge or blame. For He loves you more than you love you. He studies it as a lover, who will now invade your experience with His goodness and wisdom. He will reshape your responses. He will enter into the very dregs of whatever threatens to undermine your very being. It is why He can say, "Don't be afraid." For He has walked ahead and seen your course. He does this all as if you were His only concern.
He does not view it only from heaven, but from the center of this new creature He formed the moment you risked to believe, even inadequately, that Jesus is who He says He is.
And so He sees much more. He sees your best moments nobody else witnessed. He sees your best motives in even failed actions. He sees how beautifully others can see you long before you believe it. And He sees what you will do; bravery and capacity to give away that you're not convinced really resides in you. And so He smiles over you. He laughs with you. Often. This is why He says, "To the exact extent that My Father loves Me, so also I love you." If love is primarily the process of meeting needs, and it most certainly is, then Infinite love is endlessly writing your story. A story which can only be seen fully when the final chapter is written. The best stories are full of interest in the early chapters. But the heroic, and magnificent scenes are revealed only later, when there is enough context and backdrop to show the glory of Christ's purity and power in you.
He is never disgusted with you at any turn. He cares more about everything that matters to you than you do. He takes residence in the middle of what happens to you. All that shouldn't have happened, but did. He grieves it with all of His heart. And then never sleeps as He turns that horror into what will make you wonderfully you.
This Christmas perhaps the greatest gift you could give back is to believe such love could be true. For you. You want to do so much more. But He really wants nothing much else. No promises, no groveling, no extra anything. Whatever you get to give back to this planet out of love, He has prepared and is waiting to reveal at a time of His choosing. Ephesians 2:10
Jesus is this wonderful. You are this wonderful. For you are Jesus-in-you. Even when your life seems out of control. He does not dangle an unreachable carrot in front of you. All that nonsense is bad religion, gradually losing its hold.
The quality of your life is not in your looks, income, notoriety, accomplishments or even your agility. The quality of your life is in risking to believe He has made you more than enough. The quality of your life is in learning to allow yourself to receive His love, and then the love of those He has given you.
When you are left alone in your thoughts, and shame tries to hiss that you are missing the best party, the best life, the best relationships, and that ultimately it is your fault, God is whispering this: "You are mine. I am here. And it is finished. Now give Me time. And I will rewrite the messages you tell yourself. I love you."
The birth of Christ ushered in magic over a world where it was "always white but never Christmas."
As you look around it is often hard to see this magic. But it is happening, steadily, unable to be stopped.
And once you have breathed in such goodness, you get to walk out into the night air to find others to remind of this live-protecting and life-freeing truth.
When the gifts are all opened and the last meal of the day is over, nothing has ended. Jesus came for March 3rd as much as for the 25th of this month.
Politics will fail everyone. Self-gratification will never be enough. Even dreams get derailed. But Jesus Christ, the Son of God cannot be taken from you. And, if you allow it, that will be magnificently more than enough.
...Then one day, when maybe you least expect it, this way-station turns into Home. And your eyes will see differently. Your entire being will be instantly incapable of the darkness which once compelled you. For you will turn a corner and there He will be standing, revealing that smile He has waited an eternity to wash over you. And you will be held like you've waited an eternity to experience.
But not yet. There are more seasons of fruitcake and oddly powdered flour-balls to be consumed in this human experience. Enjoy the ride.
Don't beat yourself up if you cannot enter in fully to all He offers. It is enough to sit quietly and see it on the horizon and know that He is actively working in you to experience this life beyond all telling.
Merry Christmas dear ones.
