There have been a few constants in my life for the past year. The first one John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. 

We can complicate things up pretty good, but at the end of the day, all He asks is that we stay connected to Him. His Spirit will flow through us, not by our own effort, but because of His grace. He sent His Spirit so that we may know life and life abundant… and through His flowing of Spirit, good deeds will pour out. If we make the deeds the conquest, we miss the point. He is where we keep our eyes, and let Him work though us as He sees fit, not as WE see fit. 

This brought me to an obvious conundrum; when I fail to look to Him, which happens, how much am I thwarting His plans. When I take things upon myself, even if my goal is ‘good’, how much am I inhibiting His purpose. This little perplexity ate away at me. I don’t want to be getting in His way all the time. I started praying about this and a conviction of my heart began to spring up… which leads directly to the next constant.

It’s not my job to right every wrong. It’s my job to show up, wherever I’m at, full of His Glory and light, and let that light shine. (See vine and branches again.) There are an innumerable amount of conflicts and problems and injustices in this world that arise every day. If I spend my time focusing on those broken pieces, I lose hope. I lose patience. I lose peace. The fruits of the Spirit slowly melt away. I am no longer focusing on Him. I am staring and being consumed by the injustices, the darkness… and then while I’m staring at the darkness, I’m depriving the world of the light that could be filtering through. God is just. He will enforce justice from His holy righteousness. My job has not changed, I must simply look to Him. James 4:12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor. 

Which leads me right into the third constant, defining the infinite with finite. James 5:19-20 says If someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. This verse could easily be taken to mean, it is my job to ‘right that wrong’… but I was so sure that was not part of my job. I was simply to look to Jesus and let His Spirit pour forth. Now, I’m being charged with the task of leading sinners back to Christ. This happens consistently throughout scripture. I feel sure about one way and then that way is always challenged… by Him. He keeps speaking the same truth into my heart: these words are finite, they have limits; I am infinite. God can not contained in words – no matter how good the words are. There is always more to the story. God is just, but He is also merciful. 

Which leads me right back, full circle to John 15:5. I’m not to try to fully understand or contain Him, I’m to open my heart, look to Him, trust Him, and let His Spirit light my way. 

Thank you Lord, for sending your Son, so that we may know You, walk with You, and rest in You. In Jesus name, I so humbly pray – Amen.

Merry Christmas.