January's Emanuel

We open our eyes to a new morning and a new year.  Most of us probably reminisced a bit as December scrolled to its splashy finale, thinking about good things we experienced in the past year.  We are now probably focused on fresh beginnings and hopes that “better” will come in all the “not yets” of our lives.  But scroll back just a week to Christmas dawn when we celebrated His arrival.  As we may now be inclined to lean in to our list of resolutions, our successes won’t likely be found in renewed efforts to improve ourselves, though it is certainly beneficial if our wills are alert. 

The Christ of Christmas is still with us, astonishingly close, ever present, still the Anointed One ready to pour out His oil on us as we open space in our minds, hearts, and wills to receive, ready to live out the calling for our lives.  If He is already a week away from your thoughts, pause for a moment to refocus and sit again at the side of the manger.  Let your heart swell again in the realization that a majestic Prince of heaven thought you were worth coming for.  And though He is reigning once again, He hasn’t forgotten you, and He isn’t far away.  He isn’t blind to how your year finished or what the new one will hold.  He is devoted to you.  He sees every need.  He will not be absent in a moment of all that will be wrapped up in whatever 2015 unfolds to be in each of our small stories and His immense one, all of them somehow miraculously woven together.

I pray that the eyes of our hearts will see Him more clearly this year.  I pray that these eyes will see those around us as He sees each one.  I pray that we will also see ourselves more closely to how He sees us.  I pray that we will attempt to look at our circumstances through His lens.

I had a couple of hours of conversation and coffee this week with an old friend I don’t often see.  One thing I noticed, and was so grateful for, was that in the midst of all we discussed of some difficulties we’ve experienced and the faithfulness of our God who is good, the eyes across from me were able to reveal both the glistening of a tear and the dancing light of hope.  Denial isn’t a noticeable part of my friend’s mindset, but cynicism hasn’t been given room to dwell there.  

We will all undoubtedly have troubles of one kind or another in 2015, but we also always have a reason to rejoice every day, for the God who cares so deeply is with us.  We will never be alone in our struggles if we let Him be our companion.  He will bring wisdom as we ask, help for each day, and provision as we have need. 

He is good and His love endures forever.