“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Eph. 2:10 New Living Translation
Ever wonder what God means by the good works He has prepared for us? How are we supposed to figure out what we are to do? What if, this Christmas, the Sovereign Lord of the universe actually has our next 30 days already planned out for us, and it’s up to us to just walk them out?
So how do we know what to do?
Our first clue is found in the text, He has created us anew IN Christ Jesus. Have you been created anew? Does your life reflect HIM? When you wake up in the morning do you think on the finished work of Christ and how the atonement is reflected in your life, or are you thinking on what you lack?
I recently heard a powerful testimony from Lysa TerKeurst with Proverbs 31 ministries about the joy and thrill of walking in faith. Her story began one night when she loaded up her kids to go hear a concert with the African Boy’s choir. She described the night as ordinary, getting in her ordinary car, in her ordinary town, to an ordinary church, with her ordinary family, only to be met by the extraordinary presence of the Spirit of God that evening.
She watched 12 young orphan boys from a war-torn country of Liberia, sing and glorify God with all their heart –literally from the depths of their souls. Smiles radiated their faces and joy inexplicable filled their hearts and the church auditorium. The story of these children is unimaginable to those of us from the Western world. Ravaged by war, Liberian villages and entire towns were decimated by war-lords who came and murdered every living older child, man and woman. Babies were left to fend for themselves among the slaughtered families. Tens of thousands of children were abandoned. One man came after the war-lords left and rescued many of the orphans and opened up several orphanages. The Liberian boy’s choir was filled with orphans who had been rescued as babies and were being raised in these orphanages.
They had nothing according to this world’s standards.
No home. No money. No family.
Nothing but Jesus.
And they were the brightest lights in the room. Full of love, hope, and joy inexpressible. Not because of what they had, but because of who they KNEW.
She goes on to describe her personal experience hearing them sing as she wept and enjoyed the music. The Lord whispered to her heart,
“Lysa, two of those boys are yours”.
She testifies how, after wrestling initially with the Lord, her family started the process and adopted two amazing sons from that Liberian orphanage.
I believe she found that “good thing he planned for us long ago”.
This Christmas, I want to know the Lord in a deeper and more intimate way. I want to be able to love those around me with HIS love, which is perfect and selfless: Repenting for thinking that “someday” life will be better when we have “blank”. I want to KNOW Him, the Risen Savior, so that my life will point others to His gift of salvation and redemption.
I want to sing like those orphans, from the depths of my soul, and glorify Christ this Christmas.
To learn more about Lysa’s story, visit her website and Proverbs 31 ministries!
Let’s determine in our hearts this holiday season to know Him better, and be concerned about the ordinary around us less…come on over to Facebook and share with us how your family is seeking Him this Holiday!
Laundry Mom~Erin♥
