Tag: Remembering Jesus

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“Busy, Busy, Busy”

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All busyness is not good. Any productivity expert will tell you that if your busyness pulls you away from your goal instead of toward it, then it is just that—busyness. In the end, it amounts to nothing when it works against the results we desire.

So let me ask you: What are your desired results for this season?
Is your busyness bringing you closer to them?

This time of year is always full—and often too full. As Christmas approaches, our schedules tend to get thrown off balance. There are extras of everything: extra celebrations, extra events (especially if you have children performing in pageants, plays, or musicals), extra shopping with extra thought given to meals and gifts, and extra planning for all the details surrounding this special season.

These “extras” have become synonymous with Christmas. And while celebrations are wonderful, it’s worth asking: If all these extras distract us from our main reason for celebrating, then what is their purpose?
Have they drained the joy from the very reason we should be joyful?

Everyone carries their own expectations for this season, but perhaps it’s time to realign our hearts. Maybe we should adjust our perspective until we can look beyond all the preparations and remember the true Reason for the season: the birth of Christ.

Maybe it’s time to set the busyness aside and carve out quiet moments of reflection. We might reread the biblical account of our Lord’s birth slowly and meditatively. We could spend time with writings that highlight the true story of Christmas, or watch films and performances that tell the narrative of the nativity. Immersing ourselves in these stories can reawaken the wonder we often lose amid the rush.

Celebrations are good, but the reason for celebrating is greater, and it should never be overshadowed by our agendas. Let us remember where our true joy comes from:

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
—Isaiah 9:6

May He be the desire of our hearts—not only in this season, but all year long.

Blessings~

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Matthew 1:18-23 – “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

Luke 1:30-35 – “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Luke 2:7-14 – “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

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Temples Won: Flipping Tables for Hearts

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Victories look different depending on the battles or contentions fought and won. The victory our Lord Jesus Christ gained on Calvary was nothing short of a miracle that could never be replicated again. But the fight to win the world, the battle to cleanse temples and hearts, didn’t start on the day the nails were driven into His hands. Holy Week is remembering the significance of each day that led to the cross and the sacrifice of our Lord.

Therefore, being Monday, we look back to the cleansing of the temple. Jesus could not bear the unholy manner in which the Father’s house was being treated. All respect, all honor for the sacredness of His place had been replaced by merchandising and swindling of those who sought to truly honor and worship before our Heavenly Father. Jesus, coming into the Temple, was appalled by what He witnessed.

In Jesus’ day, the temple of God, specifically the outer courts where the Gentiles worshiped (supposedly), was turned into a kind of marketplace. A meeting place of money and merchandise rather than humble hearts looking for a graceful God.

Can we imagine trying to worship and pray to God, sincerely lifting hearts up to Him, listening to the ding of a cash register going off and people asking for price checks while others barter over cost and quality of product? Well, there may not have been the ding of a cash register in Jesus’ day, but this disturbance in the meeting place of God was just as real. People who were seeking the Lord, in the place where they are told He may be found, were not able to connect with God as they should have been able to because of all the business going on.

Surely, this was not His first time there and witnessing the unashamed way people were being hustled, but as He was marching toward Calvary, He would make another attempt to redirect the hearts of those around. For Jesus, this event was about what was going on in the temple of people’s hearts, as well as the brick and mortar building of worship. Previously, I wrote:

“Unashamedly and without regard for roving eyes and the tsk tsk tsk of the people’s lips, He flips tables over and starts throwing people out to get His Father’s house back in order.  With holy force, He sought to reclaim what was rightfully God’s.

But can I tell you, His fight didn’t stop there.  He wanted more than a building to reclaim for God, He wanted people that rightfully belonged to Him.  He wouldn’t gain that by flipping over tables, rather He flipped over the gates of hell.  He wouldn’t get there by driving people with wrong intentions away, but with force, He drove the enemy of our soul away and crushed him under His feet. He wanted to win the temple of people’s hearts for His Father and this fight could only be won on the cross.” (©When Jesus Cleansed Our Temple/WordforLifeSays.com)

God has always intended His house to be a special, holy place where He and man can meet. And, from the time of Genesis, God has always had it in His mind that all men, from all over the globe, would be invited to come to Him and to worship: “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people“ (Isaiah 56:7; emphasis added).

You and I, coming to the Father through Jesus Christ, were worth fighting for. Every leg of His battle, every scar, wound, and contention had Him focusing on a better future for us: “… who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Friend, your heart is the temple Jesus fought most to win. “Your heart wants God.  Your heart will never be happy with anything or anyone else. You may not completely understand how it all works, what it all means, or what this is all supposed to look like, but your heart wants God.” (©Your Heart Wants God/WordforLifeSays.com)

With that, the beginning of this week can be the start of a brand new life or a recommittment to Jesus Christ. Today, all the noise of this world can be silenced by the call to salvation: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16, and “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

Many battles have been fought through the years, but the greatest battle fought and won is the battle for the hearts of people everywhere. Will you let Jesus in your heart today? Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20). 

Father God, thank You for every leg of this Christian journey Jesus fought for and accomplished in our lives. Thank You for being so mindful of us that You didn’t mind flipping over tables and hell to win our hearts. Thank You for the holy determination that drove the Savior’s love for us to do the impossible, eventually laying His holy life down on Calvary’s cross to free us from our unholy life. Today, we don’t take for granted this remarkable love shown. You have done the impossible in our lives. May our hearts ever reflect on the sacrifice and love commended toward us during this Holy Week of remembrance.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.