the face of love

...experiences, observations, and thoughts from today's local baptist associational Christmas gift give away for needy children...

...some people God just brings across your path and says, "GO to that person, they need you!"
and not until you go do you realize what an incredible blessing you would have missed had you not obeyed.

...one lady sat crying with her head in her hands because she had just received a phone call telling her that her aunt, who had been battling cancer, had just passed away. all she needed was someone to be there for her, hold her, comfort her, cry with her, and let her know God hasn't forgotten her. she left with a trunk full of gifts for her two small children and a smile on her face, saying she knows God is with her and thanking Him for His blessings.

...a day-long service project should not be attempted without breakfast and coffee.

...all it takes is a glad heart and a cheerful smile to show people that Love has a face.

...if good deeds are done without love or without any outward demonstration of it, it's NOT love, NOT in His name, and better off not being done. (1 cor. 13:1-3)

...God will reward our slightest effort to be His hands and feet and respond to the people and situations around us the way Jesus would if He were walking here on earth. two ladies in a difficult situation financially and transportation-wise responded with grateful hugs and tears when i was able to help them work it out.

...music is everything when it comes to setting the mood for Christmas cheer!

..."mild He lays His glory by..." "...pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel..."
the beauty of the Christmas season is not about toys, gifts, goodies, decorations, shopping, parties, or even family. the beauty of this season we go to all lengths to celebrate is summed up in this passage -

"the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." (john 1:14)

lowly and undeserving as we are, ungrateful as we may be, our Savior, the King of the Earth, and the Owner and Creator of it all, humbled Himself and came to where we lie in our own blood and filth simply to reach out to us with His love, hope, and truth. to bring us His peace and joy.

surely what we as Christians, so-called "disciples" of His, should be most about as we celebrate His coming, (as well as every day we live!) is emulating our Example by coming down from our pedestals, laying aside our prejudices and pre-conceived assumptions, and living, loving, and serving alongside the people surrounding us who still walk in darkness.

"for what what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake. for God, who said, "let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
(2 cor. 4:5-6)

on true faith and simple trust

recently God is teaching me a lot about faith. not the kind of faith that depends on itself and the good feelings it can generate and muster up when things are going as close as possible to expectation and desire, but the kind that holds on to God even when it seems foolish and naive to do so. when it seems God is going against His own character and dashing to the ground every last promise He has ever made. or when you know He has a "plan" and it's "all for our good" but with the human eye we just can't see at all how He is orchestrating all these random, jumbled up, messes of our lives for anything that could possibly bring Him glory.

today i came across this illustration while reading charles spurgeon and it spoke to me. praying God might use it to encourage someone else...

*"in this mortal life trust God for all things; and trust Him alone. this is the way to live. i know it by experience. God's bare arm is quite enough to lean upon. i will give you a bit of the experience of an old laboring man  once knew. he feared God above many, and was very deeply taught of the Spirit. my picture will show you what kind of a man he was—great at hedging and ditching; but greater at simple trust. here is how he described, faith:—

"it was a bitter winter, and i had no work, and no bread in the house. the children were crying. the snow was deep, and my way was dark. my old master told me i might have a bit of wood when i wanted it; so i thought a bit of fire would warm the poor children, and i went out with my chopper to get some fuel. i was standing near a deep ditch full of snow, which had drifted into it many feet deep—in fact, i did not know how deep. while aiming a blow at a bit of wood my bill-hook slipped out of my hand, and went right down into the snow, where i could not hope to find it. standing there with no food, no fire, and the chopper gone, something seemed to say to me, 'will richardson, can you trust God now?' and my very soul said, 'that i can.'"

this is true faith—the faith which trusts the Lord when the bill-hook is gone: the faith which believes God when all outward appearances give him the lie; the faith which is happy with God alone when all friends turn their backs upon you...may you and i have this precious faith, this real faith, this God-honoring faith! the Lord's truth deserves it; His love claims it; His faithfulness constrains it. happy is he who has it!"*