Let God be a Blessing to you this Christmas!

Several years ago on my way to youth camp as a counselor, our Youth Pastor offered to buy me a COKE (a soda or a pop to those not from Texas). Knowing that he was a ‘poor’, financially strapped young Youth Pastor and that I was a financially stable middle-aged teacher, I promptly replied, “No! You’re not going to buy me a drink. I will buy yours!” To which he promptly (and firmly), replied, “Mrs. Christopher, will you please let me bless you!”  He paid.

A few weeks later, a first year teacher offered to pay for my lunch during Teacher Orientation week (because I had helped her so much that week). I replied the same way as I had a few weeks earlier on the way to camp. She replied the same way our Youth Pastor replied. She paid.

These two dear people in my life just wanted to be a blessing to me…and I wasn’t going to let them.

Yesterday, after reading the Christmas devotional our church is using for the 12 Days of Christmas these two events popped back into my mind, and I saw them from a different light. 

There is Someone else who wants to be a blessing in our lives….and we just don’t let Him!

Emmanuel~God with us….

That is what Christmas is all about! God so loved the world that He…sent His Son to live amongst us on that eventful, hectic morning in Bethlehem so many years ago. He loves us so much that He wants to be a part of our day to day lives. He took the punishment for our sinful lives and rose again, ascending into Heaven, preparing our future home! He left His Spirit to live in our hearts NOW, so that the peace of God can indwell us richly and give us abundant life!  God with us!

The purpose of that devotion was to point out that because of Christmas, we don’t have to struggle with loneliness at this time of the year. God is with us!

Then the devotion writer closed with these words~

"Let your Savior love on you."

As I read those words, I once again heard Pastor Kevin say, “Mrs. Christopher, will you please let me bless you!”

So often our friends are right there when those troublesome circumstances arise in our lives.  Perhaps you yourself have even said these words to a dear friend.

•   If you need anything, just call!

•   I’m here if you ever need a hug!

•   Call me. I’ll be there in a flash!

•   Let me know when you need some lovin’

•   Call us…and let us love on you

Have you heard these? Have you said these?  Have you taken someone up on these? Have you neglected to take someone up on these words?

I have never stopped to think about God saying them. Yet, He does…all the time…all through Scripture…yet, for some reason, we neglect to take Him up on His offer and choose to sit around bemoaning our loneliness.

Let Him ‘buy your COKE’ or ‘pay for your lunch’…

Let God be a blessing to YOU!

Emmanuel~God with us!

This holiday season, let the Savior love on you!

Merry Christmas,

Debbie

Who is Your Epaphras?

I was thinking about my blog series over Colossians 3 from a couple of years back. I am considering expanding this Bible Study to cover the entire book. So, today, I was carefully reading chapter one and thinking through various sections of the chapter. While doing so, a phrase in verse 7 stuck out. As Paul is introducing his letter to the church at Colosse, he refers to his faithful companion mentioned throughout his letters, his friend and co-laborer, Epaphras.

Paul reminds the believers at this church that is was Epaphras who shared the gospel message with them, and Paul acknowledges his labor of love for the Colossian believers.

Paul states, “You learned it from Epaphras….”

That got me thinking…From whom did I ‘learn’ it? Who faithfully shared the gospel message with me some 45 years ago?

I think back on my faithful parents, of course, who shared God’s Word to my brother and me at home and made sure we had the opportunity to hear it at church as well. Then, I remembered faithful Sunday School teachers and other Children’s Ministry workers at our little church in Homestead, Florida. It was a result of all their teaching, their example, and, of course, the wooing of the Holy Spirit that led me to the point of calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:13).  I thank God for those dear folks. Some I have lost contact with, some I may not even remember, others I know have gone on to Heaven, and some continue to be faithful to the Lord to this day!

So, take a minute, and think…Who is the Epaphras in YOUR life? Paul encouraged the Colossians to be thankful to God for Epaphras... so take a moment to thank God for the Epaphras in your life! (And, yes, there may be more than one, but I didn’t want to ‘fight’ with the proper way to make an ‘s’ ending word plural!   Epaphrases?).

And, when we flip the coin, consider this…Have YOU had the opportunity to be an Epaphras in someone else’s life? Maybe you haven’t directly had the opportunity to lead someone to the Lord, but according to 1 Corinthians 3:6, I trust you have had a part!

Thank you “Miss Carroll” and “Uncle Joe”!

Be an Epaphras!

Debbie