It’s a wonderful week to celebrate Jesus! Merry Christmas! One couple shared a not so merry Christmas story that somehow speaks of joy!
Futility speaks of exhaustion that results from chronic dissatisfaction of worldly pursuits apart from God. A frustrated existence lacking purpose doesn’t come from being weary of pain. It comes from being weary of pleasure. Futility is exhausting your every dream, and still feeling barren and empty.
God brings our gifted design and our deepest desires into alignment when we are awakened to his purposes. Every person has a unique calling coupled with God-given gifts to fulfill their call.
God wants to have deep, meaningful conversation with us. Isn’t that exciting? What does that look like? What is it like to have a conversation with one who (according to Ps 139) knows your words before you speak them and your thoughts before you think them? You can fool all of the people some of the time; and some of the people all of the time. But you can’t fool God anytime, ever.
As we celebrate Christmas we celebrate the reality that unto us a child is born and a son is given. God is so conversational that He sent His Son as “the word made flesh”. It’s almost as if he was saying, “I’d like to have a word with you, forever!” We are created for conversation with God and others.
We’ve entered into a new season together where we will begin exploring deeper more meaningful conversation with God and with people. Words are powerful! God created everything and sustains it all by his word. God sent his WORD to redeem us and awaken life-giving conversation that transforms us and everyone around us. In this season will grow in more effective conversation with God and with others.
In a society that has grown so relationally disconnected, an invitation to Biblical hospitality might be one of the most compelling and irresistible aspects of Christianity. The heart of hospitality is about creating space for someone to feel seen and heard and loved. It’s about declaring your table a safe zone, a place of warmth and nourishment.
What if the solution to our society’s biggest issues has been right under our noses for the past 2k years? When Jesus was asked to reduce everything in the Bible into one command he said: Love God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself. What if he meant that we should love our actual neighbors?
