Lord

The sovereign God used Augustus to move His chosen couple from Nazareth to Bethlehem. As the Proverb says, “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him” (Proverbs 21:1).  

We all need a Savior to save us from the sins that separate us from God. That’s the eternal salvation that Jesus came to give us! Once our eternal salvation is in place, we can trust Him for the other issues. But we must start with first things first.

God chose a small-town girl for a big-time mission. John Donne described it as “immensity cloistered in thy dear womb.” Through Mary, the eternal God made His way into the temporal world. Indeed, the Lord was with her.

Are your emotions bouncing off the wall? Are all the sounds distracting you? Is the hurried pace isolating you from others? Are you visually exhausted? Close your eyes. Jesus is alive. The resurrected Lord is here. Listen to His voice.

The resurrected Lord brings His cross-work to meet you wherever you are. Rich…and empty. Poor…and needy. Successful…and searching.  Fallen…and struggling to get up. Jesus meets you where you are and carries you all the way to eternity.

For some reason, Judas couldn’t grasp forgiveness. The shame drove him deeper into his guilt instead of to the forgiving Lord. He took matters into his own hands and ended his life. Judas not only betrayed Jesus, but he also ran from the One who could forgive him, even after the kiss.

Have you walked away from God? Have you betrayed the Lord? Have you turned your back on Jesus? Stop running. Don’t place your life in your own hands. Come to Jesus…and find the life you’ve always longed for.

It is the Spirit who directs us when we are confronted with these types of decisions. He is our Counselor who opens our eyes to see the right path to take. It is His ministry to lead us into all truth. David said, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7). Even when we close our eyes in rest, the Spirit speaks to our hearts.