The gift, a friend, a child, a grandchild, your spouse, your parent, or a pet. Unconditional love. That is the gift. Sent from God. Who in your life represents God’s heart and love? Who have you shared God’s heart by loving them? Who needs to know that love?
So happy to know God’s unconditional love, His forgiveness, His Son, Jesus my Redeemer and Savior as our example, role model. No one else is the Perfect role model. My Jesus. Your Jesus, too.
I watch the snowflakes flutter softly from the gray clouds while the deceptive sun rays warm through the window. It is very cold outside this January Sunday. The way the song birds are feeding this afternoon, the flakes will grow in size, and accumulate to become a white cover. I suspect to see a pure white landscape by early morning. I love snow, the subtle uniqueness of each snowflake in contrast to the energy and excitement it generates. Our 13-year old Labrador prances in this white fluff, old bones and all.
Snow also reminds me of what Jesus has done with my sin, and yours. Isaiah 1:18 says “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” and the Psalms tell me “… wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” There has to be a time to recognize sin for what it is, in order to be washed whiter than snow. Anger that is out of control is sin. Jealousy towards those seemingly more favored with a relationship, talent or possessions, unforgiveness towards another, disbelief in God’s promises, sex thoughts that linger beyond the marriage vow, impatience with the simple-minded, and using food, alcohol, uppers, downers, or whatever rather than listening and obeying God’s Word is sin. Anything that separates us from God is sin. Exam oneself. Take the time now … Today am I right with my God and His people?
Those gaps in life, my shortcomings and downfalls are bridged with Jesus. I can pray to God with confidence because of Jesus. Jesus, God’s Son is the only example of the life without sin. And the Gospel message “He who is without sin cast the first stone”, Jesus scolded the crowd surrounding a “sinful woman”. Jesus could have cast the stone, but He did not and does not. He chose to love. Have you been that woman feeling the stones hit with the gossip, rumors, lies, judgement, abandonment, assaults, or disassociation? Or are you the one throwing the self-righteous stone? For each, Jesus is there to make you “whiter than snow.” The saying “pure religion is love in action,” reminds me to smile at all people who cross my path no matter if they smile back, be faithful to the faithless, give without expecting in return. Be the one that goes beyond the dirt and finds the gold inside the unlovable. Be Jesus’ hands and heart to those placed in your life.
As a gardener, I understand the need to let some of my herbs go to seed in the autumn season. The once green, edible plant produces seeds, then becomes brown, and dies with the winter chill. But that seed or seeds have the kernel inside, drops to the fertile soil, and with the right conditions will produce another herb plant. Every year I have voluntary lettuce or basil emerge from the cold soil. Sometimes seeds are intentional gathered to be sown into the fertile soil. Burkee, Seed Savers, and the like make a profit with seed gathering. Yes, undesirable weeds survive with the same process. But the point is something has to die to produce more life, plentiful life. “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24
Jesus Christ is our example for the Christian life. He lost His life, so that all of us could live eternally. So what have you lost? What have you lost to only gain more later? Sometimes much later, maybe in the next life. “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” Philippians 3:8.
Can you be happy for those who win, even if it is like all the time? At some place or season in your friend’s or brother’s life, they lost, too. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15. This is how we conquer our insecurities and jealousy. Don’t compare your life to your brother’s. “To everything, there is a season.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
Time, energy, money, and prayer spent on yourself is not a waste. We women spend so much of our resources and reserves on others. “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete,” quoting Jack Kornfield. Our granite strength can crack underneath if we neglect yourselves. With our Rock foundation, our lives are built with love, accented with care, and yet at times splats of doubt, insecurity, and fear appear on our walls.
We each are a treasure to behold and admire. “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware”, 2 Timothy 2:20. The vessel holds nourishing water until a leak forms. “Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.“ Philippians 3:12. Seal that leak with your Maker’s salve of mercy, forgiveness, grace, trust, hope, faith, and love. And your cup will overflow again …
Woman Warrior 