I absolutely LOVE Christmas!
The lights, the sites, the songs, the sounds, the smells. The busy shoppers scurrying around in search of that special gift for someone they love. The tree, the decorations and the sweet memories we unpack with each decoration we take out of the box.
Frosty, Rudolph, Reindeer and the North Pole. And then there’s the big guy with the white beard and the red suit whose name is St. Nick.
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Isn’t it? But if we were to be honest, very little of what we celebrate is really about Jesus.
I’m convinced that our cultural Christmas of consumerism has prevented us from really worshipping the Christ of Christmas!
We say Jesus is the reason for the season, but it’s often so hard to focus on Christ when Christmas itself vies for our attention.
My friend, Dawn on I have an annual tradition…we go shopping together on BLACK FRIDAY. The funny thing about it is that neither of us like to shop, but it’s a great excuse to hang out, drink coffee all night and laugh until our stomachs hurt and our jaws ache.
One year, my husband, Donald and my youngest son, DJ decided to go on a reconnaissance mission to try to find out what we were buying them for Christmas. They were VERY DISAPPOINTED when they found us standing and talking in the automotive aisle at Walmart for over twenty minutes with an empty cart.
They couldn’t take it anymore, so they jumped out from behind the display case and asked, “What in the world are you doing? You said you were going shopping! We’ve been watching you and you’re not shopping at all…you’re not even close!”
I wonder how often Jesus peeks down from heaven and thinks, “You said this was supposed to be all about ME, but I’ve been watching you and you’re not even close.”
Recently, I spoke at a women’s Christmas event and absolutely LOVED meeting those precious women. The message I shared was, He Is I AM. The purpose was to pause during this busy Christmas season and take some time to consider Christ. To reflect on who He is and all He has done for us.
You see, we often think of Jesus as that baby in a manger. But it was so much more than swaddling clothes that He came.
SO… today, will you slow down, quiet your heart and thrill your soul with the wonder of who He is. Jesus ~ the Messiah ~ the Savior of the World ~ the Everlasting Father ~ the Prince of Peace ~ the Great I AM.
He is I AM…
He is the Alpha and the Omega…the Beginning and the End.
He is the Almighty God, yet He humbled Himself and became the Suffering Servant.
He is the Bridegroom, the Branch and the Bright and Morning Star.
He is the Creator and the Sustainer of Life.
He is He is the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God.
He is the Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
He is the Foundation…the Chief Cornerstone.
He is the one who is Faithful & True, Holy & Pure.
He is the Great High Priest and the Great Shepherd.
He is the Light of the World and the Lord of All.
He is our Righteousness, our Redeemer and our Rock.
He is the Lily of the Valley and the Rose of Sharon.
He is Elohim and El-Shaddai.
He is Jehovah-Maccaddeshem – The Lord our Sanctifier
He is Jehovah-Rohi – The Lord our Shepherd
He is Jehovah-Rapha – The Lord our Healer
He is Jehovah-Jireh – The Lord our Provider
He is Jehovah-Roi – The Lord who Sees
He is unstoppable, unchangeable and incomparable.
He has no beginning – no end – no limitations – no equal. He alone is the Lord & we are constrained to revere Him by the sheer essence of His being.
He is the God who binds up our wounds and heals our broken hearts. (Psalm 147:3)
He is the God who gives strength to the weak. (Isaiah 40:29)
He is the who comforts those who mourn, replaces sorrow with joy and forgives all our sin.
He is everything we need and He is all we need. He is I AM.
We find God, Himself, defining Himself as “I AM” when He was calling Moses to go toe to toe with Pharaoh and set His people free.
If you have your Bible with you turn to Exodus chapter 3. Here we find Moses doing what he did every day. Shepherding sheep and on the back side of Horeb, the Mountain of God…Then the Lord showed up in the form of a burning bush.
It was there where a flawed and fallible man would meet with a holy God. It was there on the back side of the Mountain of God where Jehovah God would place His call on Moses’ life and identify Himself as, I AM.
Look at the discourse between God and Moses in Exodus 3:11-14,
“11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
This is the first time God introduces Himself to a man by name and He says His name is, I AM.
But it’s not only in the Old Testament that we find this name for God…you see, if you go with me to the Gospel of John, you’ll find Jesus makes 7 I AM statements that reflect on His deity.
1. Bread
“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger.” John 6:35
2. Light
“I am the light of the world; he who fallows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
3. Gate (Door)
“I am the gate; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9
4. Good Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.” John 10:11
5. Resurrection and Life
“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.” John 11:25
6. Way, Truth, Life
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6
7. True vine
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1
Today…will you stop long enough to worship Jesus. He is worthy of all praise, glory and honor. He is I AM…and He loves you SO much that He came. He came for you and He came for me.
Today, will you be wowed by Him again!
Yes. He wows me! And I’m so thankful He loves even me.
How about you? SHARE WITH US AT LEAST ONE THING THAT WOWS YOU ABOUT JESUS TODAY.
* Excerpts from one of my talks (He Is I AM)
JOIN the THOUSANDS of MOMS, MENTORS & MINISTRY LEADERS who subscribe to The MOM Initiative and get your monthly newsletter!
CLICK HERE to request to join our FACEBOOK GROUP and CONTINUE the CONVERSATION!
- Ch…ch…ch…CHANGES Are Coming in 2017 for TMI - December 27, 2016
- What New Thing Are You Ready to See God Do in Your Life in 2017? - December 26, 2016
- Heaviness and Newness - December 23, 2016
