One in a Million-Igniting Intimacy

I hope to find a bit of Christmas cheer to photograph each day this month.  

Last night I enjoyed meeting these three sisters in their matching outfits at a church concert.

There was a love and kinship between them that was precious.

They  love Jesus!

December 1-2
When troubles come and it seems the sun will never shine again, do we worship or do we whine?
In the One and a Million study Priscilla Shirer says:

"Our responsibility is not to figure out or fix the wilderness. 

Our responsibility is to yield to the wilderness."

Shirer started out this fourth chapter with a dirty diaper story.  She expressed how her husband didn't want to hold their very stinky baby close to him and she went on to write: "Unholy humans cannot fellowship with a holy God as long as the filthy stench of sin hovers around our lives.  When our souls stink with the putrid odor of rebellion, the Father is forced to hold us at arm's length....When we accept Christ, God adopts us into His family. If we continue to sin against Him, He still loves us but He restricts fellowship with us.  He creates Sinai (Exodus 19) experiences to refocus our attention on God.  They cause us to desire Him more than the sin and selfishness that pollute our relationship."

We all long for an intimate relationship and to be loved.  God made us that way on purpose. The God of the universe can fill that longing beyond our belief.    In James 4:8-10 he tells us to humble ourselves in His presence and draw near to Him, then He will draw near to us.  God has a mighty work he wants to do in our lives.  Listen to these words in Ezekiel 36:25-27 from The Message:
For here's what I'm going to do...I'll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you,.  I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed.  I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You'll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You'll be my people!  I'll be your God!

 This past week I feel as if I have been in a dry and parched land. Definitely not much time for intimacy with the Lord. It has literally taken me six days to attempt to decorate our house.  Ten years ago I could have knocked this out in a day.  I've also been trying to come up with some fun gift giving ideas for our children and their families. Yesterday, was the first day all week the UPS, Fed-Ex and mail lady didn't come down our road with boxes and each night has been wrap, wrap, wrapping...I'd rather have been rap, rap, rapping with the Lord.  I miss Him! No matter how clean and festive I have our home looking, what matters is what my heart looks like to God.
He and I are having a do over today!  Psalm 139:23-24 is a good place to start.

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me;

Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about;

See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong-

then guide me on the road to eternal life.

How can we make this approaching Christmas season intimately all about Jesus?

If we get ort tree up today, I will begin my daily "Tree Talks" with Jesus.  He talks, I listen.
Where can you get away and celebrate Jesus' birthday month with Him?