Advent Meditation

ADVENT MEDITATION

I appreciate Bill Welte allowing me the privilege of writing the weekend Freedom Fighters-especially during Advent. This is a wonderful time of the year when we stay focused on its origin and purpose. The season is all about Jesus and His arrival in our world.
Losing that focus disallows us of the hope, peace, love, and joy that Jesus intends us to know.

Mary didn't lose focus. We've focused our Advent thinking on her and her responses to Gabriel the Angel. During these last two days of Advent, I want us to think about those responses in a particular way.
Most of us are far too self-willed. We want our way. We want what "the Joneses" have. We want makes us feel good. We're convinced we know best what we need. All those "we's" keep us from hearing God ask us to let Him do His best for us.

While talking with a friend earlier this week, he described Mary's words to the Angel, "Let it be to me according to your word," as "relinquishment." Mary "relinquished" her plans, her agenda, even her reputation to God's plan for her life. Nothing mattered as much to Mary as God's plan for her life. In her willingness to "relinquish" all that was important to her, she discovered the truth that her son, Jesus, would later teach. Jesus said "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39)

We may not have a more important lesson to learn from the Advent season. All of us who crave control and think we know best how to run our lives can learn to "relinquish" everything for the sake of Jesus. We'll never find the abundant life Jesus promises us without yielding our lives to Jesus' agenda. That's always a wise decision.

Christmas is just a few days away. What do you and I need to "give" Jesus? What do we need to "relinquish" to Him so that we can discover His best for our lives? Mary made the right decision. May God help us make those same right decisions. (Pastor John Strain - First Baptist Toms River)

Great Quote: You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father's face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift.

John W Rice