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receiving from God this Christmas


Matthew 1:21  NASB
She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

Several weeks ago I was walking around our new / future campus praying and asking God for resources as I came upon something that grabbed my attention.  The place was where I took the picture above. 

It is the side of the building where our children’s ministry and youth ministry will be one day soon.  There are 2 doors with loading docks that were used much when homes were being built on the property.  One of the doors has a sign over it that says “RECEIVING”.  That sign caught my attention.

Often times we are so busy in life that we miss receiving or forget about receiving.  It might be a package being delivered that we miss.  It could be a conversation that we totally miss.  It might even be an event that you were to attend that you miss.

Then my mind turned to the plan that God has for our lives.  How many of us are so busy or so not focused on God that we miss receiving from Him?

We miss reading His word, the Bible, and don’t receive the wisdom, insight and blessings that the Bible gives.

We miss worshipping because our schedules are packed with stuff and even good things but not God.

We miss the things that mean much to those around us like the kid’s concerts or games where God intends for us to make memories and be an example.

God wants to give to His children.  He wants to bless our lives, our families, our work, the churches we are part of and our hearts that He intends to mold in to great receptacles and great avenues of His glory.

Matthew 7:11  NASB
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Don’t let the busy season around us keep us from celebrating the reality of Christmas.  Our focus has to be on God and on Him alone.

In that focus will come family.  In that focus will come the reality of changes like the absence of my mom since she passed away this year.  In that focus will the ability to receive the things, the people and the life that God intends for us to receive from His gracious and giving hand.  We do have a very generous God.

Stop and spend some time at the receiving door.  Some people around you would like to bless you.  Don’t rob them of a blessing.  Your God would like to pour in to your life.  Let Him pour.

May we so receive from God that the natural response is to let His glory and His goodness overflow on to the people around us this Christmas season and far beyond.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

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