Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Be A Doer



It is time to take down the Christmas decorations. Every year, in an effort to hold Christmas close a little longer, I put it off as long as possible. I am reluctant to silence the music, shelve the stories, turn off the lights. I love the anticipation - the waiting for the precious promise to be fulfilled. But I begin to wonder if it is something else that keeps me standing firmly planted in that comfortable, familiar place.

If I am honest, it is the way I live much of my life. This verse from James comes to mind:

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
James 1:22


I love to read about faith - good books, blogs, Bible Studies, stories. I am captivated by good teaching and like nothing better than having discussions on matters of faith. It is the living it that is the difficult part.

The best of intentions crumble under life's pressures. It is so much easier to read about other peoples' successes, to look at someone else's life and aspire to be just like them - all the while standing firmly planted in the comfortable familiar place.

It is time to put the Christmas decorations away - to take the Babe out of the manger and follow after Him. He didn't stay in the comfortable place. He lived out the call of the Father on His life. It was a call filled with more pressure than anyone has ever had to bear. He did it for the joy set before Him. He did it for us.

Blessings,
Linda

I am linking to Emily's imperfect prose.