The Hallway In Between

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Ahhhh! The week after Christmas!

The hustle and bustle is over and a much needed pause is enjoyed. We always reflect on the times we have enjoyed together and give thanks to God for time spent with family and friends. The last page of the Advent book is closed and tucked away until next year as we reach for the new devotion book to step into the new.

The pause quickly fades as new thoughts and new “to do” lists move in like a train bursting through our minds as we gear up to finish the old well and make preparations for the new. It’s time for the decorations to come down and be hoisted back up into the attic. Stacks of receipts must be dealt with, not even to mention the abundance of leftover food.

Glorious Pause where did you go?

This one week stretches out like a hallway connecting the old and the new. As I stand here, I remember the cold dark hallway in my grandparent's house. It was fun to leave the one room where most of their living was done, because the front rooms were unused and held undiscovered wonder. Wanting to explore the new meant I had to leave the warm nest where everyone cozied together.

As our heads turn from Christmas to New Year’s there are many emotions stirring within. Yes, there is comfort in this end of the hallway, even when it holds things we are so ready to be completed and forgotten. The walk down this hallway holds many uncertainties, but we take the hand of the Sure and Certain Jesus and make the faith journey into the new.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Even though the little ceramic nativity is safely tucked away, Jesus can never be packed away. He is born in our hearts and He is alive and we are alive in Him. We carry Him and He carries us into the new. He is there waiting for us.

Obviously the front room of my neighbor’s house also held wonder for her grandchildren. In the midst of food preparation, the little ones came running in, “Mimi, Mimi, we found Jesus in that room. Come and see. Come and see Him and Mary and Joseph too.”

It is by faith that we move step by step into the new, amazed to know that He is already there. As we journey this hallway together this week, let’s rejoice in the goodness of the Lord. It may look dark, cold and a bit daunting, but we know that He is there and the future with Him is filled with wonder and adventure.

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you,

that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5

While transforming turkey into soup and chaos into order……

While sweeping up pine needles and folding gift bags for reuse….

While hauling off donations making room for the new……

Let’s not forget to prepare our hearts…

Toss out some old hurts and wounds.

Throw away hard feelings and negative attitudes.

Forgive the hurt and move on down the hallway.

Unpack some new goals and by faith step into the wonder.

Live out of the new heart Jesus gave you as a gift

Into My Heart

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The sweet chorus from my childhood found it’s way back into my heart. I sang it as a child and today I sing it with a child like heart.

“Into my heart. Into my heart. Come in to my heart Lord Jesus.

Come in today. Come in to stay. Come in to my heart Lord Jesus”

As I pondered the details of the familiar Christmas story, I pictured Joseph going from door to door searching for a room for Mary to give birth to a son, whose name was Emmanuel – God With Us. The scripture says, “they could find no room in the inn”. I picture them knocking on doors, longing to find one who would not only make room for Jesus to be born, but one who would recognize that this was not just any birth.

When all possibilities produced only closed doors, the divine door opened to the prepared labor and delivery room. It had not been sterilized and sanitized like our modern day delivery room, but was purified by the holiness of God. It was just as God intended with every detail in place. According to His sovereign plan, Jesus was born in the open door stable.

God prepares open doors for His presence to be born into. He comes to the doors of our heart and knocks, longing not only to be born into our hearts, but to daily experience deep, intimate relationship with us.

“Behold, I stand at the door and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

How does He find your heart this Christmas? Is every room filled leaving no space for your Savior, your King?

Emmanuel – God With Us

He came to be with us. To be Life to us. To be Savior, King, Lord.

Will we swing wide open the doors of our hearts? Will we live like an open door stable giving Him free access to our hearts from any angle you look at it?

What can I give Him?

I give Him my whole heart to be filled with Him in sweet intimate fellowship.

“Into my heart. Into my heart. Come in to my heart Lord Jesus.

Come in today. Come in to stay. Come in to my heart Lord Jesus”

Come And See

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I find myself pressing repeat and singing the same Christmas song over and over this season. I keep pressing hard because I want the chorus to press down deep into my heart.

For now the song is “Light Of The World” by Chris Tomlin and Lauren Daigle.

“Noel, Noel! Come and see what God has done. Noel, Noel! The story of amazing love! The light of the world, given for us.”

It started that very first Christmas at the birth of our Savior. The Spirit of God beckoned shepherds and kings to come and see what God had done.

As the Shepherds were doing their normal, everyday job, suddenly the sky lit up and the heavenly choir began to sing. I imagine the Shepherds stood more erect than a line of toy soldiers as they said to one another,

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”(Luke 2:15)

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:16-18, 20)

Have you ever thought about the rest of the shepherd’s lives? Is there any way they could have ever gotten over this night in the fields? How about when they found Mary, Joseph and Jesus just as they had been told?

How can we get over it? How can we ever forget what God has done? And yet we do!

We see here in scripture that when they “went and saw”, it so greatly affected them that they “went and told”. They glorified God and praised Him for all they had heard and seen. I need to press repeat and stare at the miracle of the birth of my Savior. This story of amazing love is mine forever. I will never get over it personally and I want to reflect this shining light to a dark world in need of the Savior.

Let’s return to the manger in our hearts. Let’s stare at Him. Let’s be overtaken with this glorious love story that we are a part of. And let’s get up and go tell what we have seen, heard and experienced. We can join in on the great chorus,

“Come and see what God has done.”

Repeat

“The story of amazing love! The light of the world, given for us.”

Repeat