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Greetings Faithful Ones!
A New Year has begun. Welcome to 2025. I don’t know about you but I’m choosing to begin this new year with a heart filled with Hope.
My hope is coming from the celebration and conclusion to the advent of waiting for our Lord to arrive. We have just received him in complete humility at the sight of the manger where the news of his arrival sounded out through the heavens and spread ever so quickly.
This arrival was a special delivery arrival from the heart of God. God shared his perfect love for us, sending our Savior Jesus without holding back.
The verse I want to share this month comes from Philippians 2:7-8. “But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Consider for a moment the truth of all that Jesus did to come to this world in human flesh and likeness and be here for our sakes.
Jesus temporarily gave up all of his riches and luxuries to be close to us. This thought might take your breath away or it might confuse you. Why would Jesus, who shares deity with God himself, walk away from all of his divine privileges to come to this sin soaked world? Would you? He didn’t do it for rewards for himself, he didn’t do it because he had to. He did it so he could pay our debt and redeem us back to himself.
He demonstrated for us perfect humility and became a perfect servant. This certainly isn’t the kind of job opportunity people would fall all over themselves to get to first. Why do we hesitate to show humility? Why are we always attempting to out shine or outdo the competition? If you consider yourself a follower of Christ, then you have been called to follow his example, to reflect in His love, to daily die to yourself and serve others without judgment in complete humility.
Instead of doing the things that bring us comfort or seem to bring us joy, let’s seek finding true joy by giving up our own tv schedule or social media time. Let’s lay our busy schedule aside or our own me time. Let’s bring hope and make an eternal impact on God’s children around us who are in need. Instead of waiting for God to send opportunities our way, seek out those who are desperate to find Him. Help them see why God occupies such a special place in your life.
Let’s serve like Jesus and voluntarily lay aside our own personal desires and bring Jesus to someone searching.
Here you will find great hope in the world.
Pastor Kathi Kraus