Christmas Countdown 2019…Day 12
I have been sharing texts and messages with several friends and family members the past few days as they encourage me during the preparation for our women’s event tomorrow night.
They know me and thus know the demons I fight as I gather ten million different thoughts scribbled in a notebook and pray for a group of unknown faces that represent a variety of needs and struggles and hopes and joys.
They know that I haven’t had copious amounts of time to sit cloistered in some study room where the outline has come together nicely and a three point message is now typed in 18 point font ready to be delivered with minimal hand motions and the dreaded “uhm’s” between thoughts.
They know me and they love me because they are my people.
In the Luke 12 reading today, I am deeply touched by the way Jesus speaks to His “people.”
Eugene Peterson words it this way in The Message:
By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples.
Luke 12:1 The Message
Throughout this portion of our reading today Jesus refers to the small band of His devoted followers as “dear friends”, “little flock”, “dearest friends”, “My little group of disciples.”
I love the intimacy of this in the midst of one difficult verse after another.
The account of Jesus’ ministry in the Gospel recorded by Luke is rapid fire. Like the world we live in it is heated and direct and full of unsettling snippets of how to live as a Christ follower in a world that is cold and hardened against Him.
It’s loud out there today, my friends.
There is much clamoring for our attention. Much that would draw us away from following the teachings of Jesus.
Invitations to enter the market place and save money on door busters and gifts that will please our loved ones…opportunities to enter into the great debates of politics of all kinds and add our two cents to the issues which we really have no business in…social issues abound and humanity is offering all manner of ways to solve the problems that we create on the daily…voices in our heads that tell us what our life should or could look like, if only.
If only we tried harder. If only the right people were in power. If only everyone thought like me or behaved the way I think they should.
But there is only one voice that deserves our full concentration.
One Voice, One Spirit, One Way
One God – Three in One who whispers across eternity and calls us His own.
One God who sent His Son.
One God who is the Son.
One God who gave the Spirit of the Son to dwell in us when we receive Him into our hearts.
Immanuel.
God with us.
And He calls us His friends….His little flock…His disciples.
Rest in that today.
Hear His voice over all the other voices and rejoice in His love for you <3