For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NAS95)
The longer I walk with Jesus, the more amazed I become by the God who actually exists. I say, “actually,” because there exists no other God. My imagination remains enthralled by the goodness of our Triune Lord. My heart fills with gratitude to Him and for Him as I write.
As I have grown over the years, my gratitude has shifted from gratefulness for salvation to profound wonder over His Person, from whom salvation flows. God stewards the universe out of love, by love, for love and in love — that forms the good news of Christmas.
I know that because my own life takes new shape from His presence with me, and the transformation He accomplishes in me. I started out in my journey with Jesus as fearful and wanting to please Him out of fear. Today, and I watched it yesterday, I teared up because of what it means to know God through Jesus, and what good that has accomplished in my life. Love not only has touched me, but motivates me, and has fostered poignant and powerful memories with God that I carry in my soul. I started with fear in Christ, but God has stewarded my life toward love and grown my capacity to experience His love.
As I have engaged in conversation with God daily, stepped into His leading, this transformation took place. Brokenness on the way to wholeness, and yes, that remains His desire for everyone on the planet, including Europe. As I share with people, the goodness of God and the love of God toward them in Christ, motivates me because God has formed me by those very same things. I can proclaim His excellencies because I have experienced His mercies deep in my soul.
The fall of man brought fiasco to the universe, yet God continues to steward humankind’s rebellious freedom toward true freedom in His love. Christmas, the goodness of God in Jesus as eternal King born within His universe, reminds me of His stewardship of creation from brokenness to wholeness, into the depths of His love.
God’s stewardship of my life, which has grown my capacity to know, recognize and experience His love, convinces me that this same goodness and love continues to be readily available to anyone who would recognize God in Jesus: Christmas. I call that stewardship by God, making us like Him in His kind of love.
For Reflection:
“How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.” (Psalm 89:15 NAS95)
- How has God’s stewardship of your life fostered your capacity to recognize and experience His love?
- What spiritual practices better facilitate your communion with God in His love?
