‘If the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself. When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s (Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Romans 8:10-11).’
Reading: ‘For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17).’
My friends, we are heading into the home stretch, just about one more week until Christmas Eve!
Perhaps you’re swimming in the ‘Christmas spirit?’
Perhaps you’ve been swamped by the ‘Christmas spirit?’
And these days, boasting a ‘Christmas spirit’ has mostly become synonymous in our culture with ‘fuzzy feelings’. You know, sweet, sappy, sentimental, full of story book Hallmark movie feelings?
What passes as ‘Christmas spirit’ in our culture is everything that is cuddly and cutesy, like the ‘roly poly nativity’ sets erected in our homes – this perfect, most holy family, three Magi, angels, shepherds, and stable animals, all looking fat, happy, and content to be trapped inside a smelly barn.
If this is how you’re feeling this year, great! Enjoy every second of it!
However, at times this type of ‘Christmas Spirit’ is hard to come by, and this year, for many, it may be near impossible.
The good news is that the true ‘Christmas spirit’ is something quite different and doesn’t require you to feel all fuzzy inside. The good news in Christ, is that no matter what you are going through, the true ‘Christmas Spirit’ is a FREE spirit. A spirit that is FREE to feel whatever it is that you need to feel at any given moment.
The true ‘Christmas Spirit’ is this ‘freeing spirit’ St. Paul speaks of above. It frees us from what, and when, and where we used to be, and opens us up to a whole new idea of what’s, when’s, and where’s because we have Christ in our midst.
It’s one that frees us from fear, frees us from shame, frees us from failure, and frees us from all the nervous energy that that we bring upon ourselves during this time of year.
So take a deep breath and breathe in the peace-giving presence of God through the incarnate Christ. And know, truly know, that you have received ‘a spirit of adoption,’ and as a child of the Most High, you are loved.
Practice: This week simply contemplate all the ‘feels’ you are experiencing this holiday season, bringing them before God. Consider journaling, and in a stream of consciousness be bold before your Abba, your Papa. Don’t censure your thoughts, just let them flow freely and uninterrupted, for he listens to his children without condemnation, but in confidence and love.
(Dancing in God’s Glory by Prophetic Art Paintings)
Visio Divina: Take a few minutes and look at this painting. What catches your eye? What feelings and emotions are evoked in this piece of art? Invite the Spirit to lead your heart in a prayerful response in regard to what you you’ve read and what you are seeing.
God of comfort, sometimes life is full of pain. Sometimes it hurts like hell. Sometimes it’s filled with fear and loneliness. May we be present for those who are alone, comfort those who are hurting, and find joy in the simple things. And please help us remember that in these times of ache, it’s okay to ask for help – because we need each other. Amen.