Seeking the Savior

For the past several Christmas seasons our family has sat down to watch the classic nativity story. Over the years we’ve gotten into the habit of skipping through the two-hour movie to watch our favorite scenes—which never fails to include all the wisemen scenes!  

This December I've been thinking on the wisemen. Though the Bible details little specifically on these wise old men, I imagine it took an incredible amount of faith for them to journey to see Jesus. Though they were rich, I can’t imagine a journey of months was without great discomfort and problems—aches and pains that would have been avoided if they had just stayed in the East. But they didn’t. Just think: The Israelites had been eagerly waiting the coming of their Messiah, but when he came they missed Him, because they were seeking after what Jesus could give them, not who he was. While the Israelites demanded something of Jesus, the wisemen sacrificed to see Jesus. 

My very favorite scene in the nativity story is when the third wisemen approaches the manger. When he finally sees Jesus, all his complaining and second-guessing vanishes because he knows without a doubt that Jesus, the Son of God, is worthy of sacrifice.  As Christmas comes to a close this 2015 year, my prayer is that in 2016 I would sacrificially seek after the Savior. For 2016 it may mean giving up sleep, time, desires, or comforts and it will most certainly mean having my sinful heart exposed. But, as the third wisemen saw, that’s all ok if it means that in 2016 I see the Savior! 

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

• What are you willing to sacrifice to see Jesus?
• What discomforts will you endure just to see Jesus? 

Christ In Me

As Christmas continues to approach at a rapidly increasing pace, I continue to contemplate the beauty of the manger. What has captured me the most this season is the mere importance of Jesus birth. I believe I often peg the cross as more significant than Christ's birth. It dawned on me, this Christmas season, that the presence of Jesus in me sustains me throughout the entire year. I have confidence in Christ—despite circumstances—because I know that Christ is IN me! I can trust him when things are difficult, I can fight sin because he is with me—all of these things are based on the fact that he came! And that is so glorious! 

This December Christy Nockles song “Everything is Mine in You” has really resonated with me as I look back over 2015.

Everything is mine in You

Even when my heart is breaking

Everything is mine in You

Even when my hands are empty

Everything is mine in You

Oh, in You

Everything is mine in You

I can trust You with my longing

Everything is mine in You

Even though the road is lonely

Everything is mine in You

Oh, in You

‘Cause You are, master over all

And You say, You are my inheritance

And in You, I have everything I need

And You are, seated in the heavenlies

And You say, forever You’re my hiding place

And in You, I have everything I need

Everything is mine in You

And I know my future’s bright

Everything is mine in You

Past or present, death and life

Everything is mine in You

Relishing God's Word

A couple months ago, Revive Our Hearts held their 2015 conference entitled Women Helping Women. Allison and I didn’t attend, but we set aside Friday & Saturday to live-stream the conference. Boy was it worth it!

If I had to pick a favorite speaker I would choose Jen Wilkins. Jen’s heart for the word was contagious and inspiring. I was challenged to start thinking deeply about God’s Word in order to feel deeply about God!

During the conference Jen said “We should feel deeply about God but that feeling should come from thinking deeply about him.  We are transformed not by our feelings but our thinking. Right thinking should inform right feelings.” Her goal was to show us that deep feeling about God comes from studying him in the word. We don’t often rush to meditate on God’s character when we read a text of Scripture; I know I don’t. I rush to the application—what can I take away from this passage to get me through the day? What God has shown me is that when I see Him in his Word it will affect my life. I can’t behold God and not be changed.

In light of Jen's sessions, I was challenged to start asking these three questions while reading the Word.

1. What do I see about God in this passage? 
2. What does this passage say about me in relation to God? 
3. How should seeing God in this passage change me? 

A second thing Jen Wilkin said that stood out to me was, “The best tool you can give women is to pray. Any study of God’s word that doesn’t involve prayer before, during and after will not be felt deeply. We become what we behold—stop and look at Jesus.”

It hadn’t really dawned on me the importance of praying that God would show me himself before, during and after I read the word. I pray for God to show me more of himself often, but not alongside reading the Bible.

Guess what? The Review Our Heart conference sessions areavailable online! I hope you’ll take time to listen to at least one of the sessions that you too may be challenged and encouraged by the Word!

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

• Do you cherish your time in the Word?
• Do you rush through your Bible reading to get to the daily application?
• Are you ready to think deeply about the passage you read?

A Call to Remember

Exodus is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It begins with hope and a promise: God has not forgotten His people. I scan the first 14 chapters and find an incredible story of God working through history to save His people from bondage to Pharaoh. And He does it all for His own glory. Exodus 15:1-18 is a song of praise, sung by the Israelites. Just listen to a few phrases they sing:

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation…

Pharaoh’s chariots and his host He cast into the sea.” (vv. 2a, 4a)

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?” (v. 11a)

“You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed.” (v. 13a)

Yet it breaks my heart every time I read Exodus 15. The chapter doesn’t even end before the Israelites have forgotten the praises they sang to the Lord. By verse 24 they are grumbling. I’d like to think that I’m immune to the sin of forgetting. Unfortunately, I’m not. In fact, I might be faster at forgetting than the Israelites.

It is because of the Israelites' tendency to forget that God frequently calls them to remember.

Unrestrained Grace is a place for me, Katlyn, to publicly remember. I like to think of it as a log of faithfulness. I hope and pray that God will use our words to touch and challenge you, but to be honest, Unrestrained Grace is first and foremost for my own heart. I want to remember the things God pressed into my heart, the Scriptures He brought to mind, the sins He brought into the light, and the grace He has shown to me. I want to remember that God does indeed work in the good and the bad.

I pray that Unrestrained Grace will be a place for me to remember that God fills every day with unmerited mercy. Every day with grace.

“My grace is sufficient for you...”

2 Corinthians 12:9