Faithbase

Hey everyone, we are getting to the last moments here before the new year and this is my last full post before the new year. Tomorrow is Sunday so I won't be posting very much but here in kind of like my end-of-the-year reflections I think it's appropriate that this last Sunday before the new year is the Sunday where we focus on Christ. It's actually a part of the Advent series. Some traditions talk about the four Sundays before Christmas and the Sunday after Christmas or the fifth Sunday in the series of Advent. That is the focus of Christ represented often by a white candle. I think it's also appropriate for the conversations we've been having. Two days ago I talked about this verse in Psalms. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. And then yesterday I kind of shared my own journey with that and then talked about the prayer of recollection. If you'd like to hear more just shoot me a message. I'd love to share more but this whole prayer is centered around affirming our true identity in Christ. He is the one who defines us, who is the pinnacle of all meaning in our life and that's what he wants to be because he gives us good gifts and he tells us true and beautiful and wonderful things about our real identity and who we are. And so today as we turn our attention to tomorrow, Sunday, and New Year's Eve, it's fitting that we focus on Christ. And I think the posture of the Magi is actually one of the most beautiful postures that we can take, especially as we step into the new year. Considering we've done some searching of our souls, we have sat in pursuit and turned our attention to Christ. I love the Magi's first response. It's recorded here in Matthew 2, 11. On coming to the house, this is when they first show up, they saw the child and his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I love that their very first response at seeing Jesus, even Jesus maybe they didn't expect to see a child, was to bow down and worship. And then they offered their gifts. Whatever they had, they gave it to Jesus. Can we do the same this year? No matter what journey we've been on this this last year, we know the Magi spent weeks caravaning to Jerusalem and then weeks traveling home. And we've been reflecting on our own journey this year. No matter your journey, can you bow down and worship at the side of him? No matter what we've been through, no matter what we might go through in the upcoming year, Jesus is worthy of our praise and worship. And there's something about that that sets our heart in the right place, in the right posture. Why don't you take some time to do that? God bless you, friends, and I pray that you have an incredible New Year's Eve and that you find Christ in new ways. Peace.