Steps Into Tenderness
Tuesday December 10, 2013
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12 NLT)
God is well aware that there have been, and may still be, dark times in our lives. God understands confusion, darkness and troubled times. God understands empty places. In fact, it is in these places that God is so ready to comfort and restore us. God promises to be light where we experience darkness. God promises to protect us from danger. God promises us peace in the midst of storms.
So, how are we to respond when we experience life as more than we can handle and situations that just don't seem to change despite our best efforts? We have to recognize that things are not the same as they once were. In the past we walked alone and in darkness. Now God is with us. We walk in the light of His presence and He watches over us. We may not see Him but we have His Word that He will show us how to live life in peace, joy, and blessing as we follow Him.
“I am GOD, your God, who teaches you how to live right and well. I show you what to do, where to go. If you had listened all along to what I told you, your life would have flowed full like a river, blessings rolling in like waves from the sea. (Isaiah 48:17-18 MSG) Jesus came from heaven to earth to show us God's tender care. Because God cares for us, He has made a way for us to walk safely in light rather than stumble around in the darkness. Instead of sitting in despair and darkness wishing we could die, God pours the hope and the security of His faithful love into the deepest parts of our hearts. Joy awakens again in us as surely as dawn's light breaks through the night to bring morning.
The Christmas invitation for us today is to open our hearts to God's tender mercy, to welcome the light of hope Jesus brings, and hand-in-hand with Him, walk out of the shadow of death into God's glorious light.
Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79 NLT)
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