Walking With Christ

14 days until Christmas.

Isaiah 12:2-3 (2)Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. (3)With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.(ESV)

The birth of Jesus was not the first proof that God is real or trustworthy. It is, arguably, the biggest bit of proof. God promised to make a way for us to be reconciled against the debt of sin that we each owe. The death of Jesus on the cross accomplished that. He promised salvation. He delivered. He fulfilled all of the promises He made about salvation in the old testament. It’s because He always delivers that we can know He is our salvation and we can trust Him. With that trust comes protection from fear. Not to over simplify it too much, but just by believing and trusting in Him enough to build the relationship that He wants, we are saved.

It took twenty-eight generations for God to fulfill His promise to make a way for us. Thankfully, that way transcends time and applies to all who have come before us. It was the joyful anticipation of that salvation that often formed the basis of faith before Jesus, and it is the life of Jesus that builds our anticipation for those things He has promised all of us. The entire bible is full of stories of building anticipation that leads to the release of fulfillment. Like a balloon filling with water on a hot day, we are looking forward to bursting with joy when we first step foot into heaven.

Before we get there, though, we still have some filling left to do. In Jeremiah 29:11 we see that God knows the plans He has for us. Just like with the coming and birth of, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to pay for our sins, God takes care and jealously guards the plans He has for each of us. He knows with the certainty of hindsight what our choices will be and has prepared the way for us. This promise in Jeremiah was given during a time of real difficulty and uncertainty during the exile. The promise of God wasn’t given with an expiration date. It’s not like it was only for a certain person or generation. No, this promise is for all who believe.

The fact that Jesus came to earth speaks to how intimate God’s involvement with our lives can be. Can be. Those are the operative words. God is bound by His promise of free will and will not force us into a relationship. Jesus spoke of living water in John 4 and said that whoever drinks of it will never thirst again. The well of salvation IS the source of that living water. That well is Jesus, whose birth is the reason we celebrate Christmas. That well never ends. It never runs dry. It’s always available. All we are asked to do is to trust in the one who gave the promise enough to drink from the well.

Get into the word daily. Pray daily. Pray constantly. Find a church if you don’t have one. Get into a small group or life group because we are meant to do life together. Reach out to friends and neighbors to show them the love that we’ve been given. Reach out to others if you are struggling. You are not alone. Sing. Dance. Clap your hands. Praise however works best for you. This season is about relationships. God wanted one with us so badly that He sent His son to die on the cross to pay for our sins. We should love ourselves and each other enough to be open to relationships. When you make a way for the Lord, the Lord makes a way for you. He loved us before we knew what love was. He loves us despite our flaws. We should love ourselves and each other in the same way.

Father,
Thank You for the bottomless well of salvation. Thank You for Your good and holy promises that You will keep always and forever. Thank You for being a personal God who wants to have a relationship with us. Some of us, our cups are empty, Father. Open our eyes to the lie of the enemy. Our cup may seem empty to us, but the truth is that the emptiness we see is the potential for us to fill our cups from Your well. Help us fill our cups to overflowing as we celebrate the truth of Your promises and Your steadfast nature. Pour out Your spirit on those of us who are grieving or hurting during this season and remind us that we are never alone. You grieve with us. You hold us when we hurt or are weak. You give us strength, rest, and peace. Pour out blessings on this group like never before to remind us of where those blessings come from. Tear down strongholds and open doors. Loosen tongues and overcome fear and pride so that we may lift each other up in love for You, Lord. Help us to remain focused on the reason for our joy this season as we continue to sing Your praises.

In Jesus name we pray, amen.