“O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.” Psalm 139:1-3
I was the kid that my parents would send back to bed at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning because I was way-too-excited to celebrate Christmas. One year I spoiled Christmas because I found a way to the top shelf in my parents’ closet and found the gifts that they were going to wrap for us at Christmas. Now I’m all grown up, but I’m still a big kid at heart, and I get into things that I shouldn’t. As I sipped on my coffee, pet my dog Camper, and began praying and giving thanks for Jesus and for all of the gifts that He’s given me over the years, I thanked God for Jesus, and I thank God for you!
As I walked into the kitchen, I noticed a unique gift that a farmer had grown for us. It was a heart-shaped potato.
As people are celebrating Christmas and unwrapping presents that are under the tree, the most important gift that you could ever give someone is your heart. It’s precious. Jesus longs to come to you this day and melt your heart with His love and grace. Jesus gave His life so that your heart can be forgiven and be free to love again.
If you’re like me, I spent way-too-much of my life unwrapping what I had no business unwrapping. I tasted of things that were not meant for me. I destroyed my life, my brain, and my body just trying to win or to get what I wanted to make me feel good.
I tried everything under the sun, and I hated myself. When I finally stopped fighting God’s tenacious love, He finally broke through all of my barriers and pain and problems and melted my heart with His love. Jesus told His followers that they’ll be better off when He goes to heaven because He’ll send the Holy Spirit, The Counselor, to live in the hearts of those who believe and follow Him. In fact, our hearts and lives only work and become free to love when God’s loving Spirit resides within our hearts.
You may be thinking that you have had way-too-much that’s happened to you. You may be so absorbed in your story and your grief or pain that you have given up on you, and you’ve been unable to freely give and live from your heart. Maybe you think of all of the scars and trauma and toxic pain that you’ve survived, and you wonder how anyone could love you and even want to come into your heart. Maybe you even struggle to look in the mirror because you hate what you see or what’s happened to your life.
If you have the courage today to go look in the mirror and keep looking into your eyes and into your heart, you will find a unique person that God has designed. From His heart of love, God uniquely made you and your heart to work in sync with His heart. He made your heart to receive His love and to give His love to those around you. Jesus gave His all to forgive, heal, and restore your heart. Jesus is a stranger to self-hatred. He melts bitter and broken hearts with His love. Jesus is waiting for you to say “yes” to the best-ever gift: Jesus, the Son of God, who came to save you, love you, and restore you.
My heart is now Christ’s home. He lives in and through me. My life is no longer my own life. My heart is owned and operated by the love and grace of God’s Spirit living in me. If you wonder if it’s true and if it’s possible, the answer is “yes.” Your heart, too, can and will be Christ’s home when you surrender to the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Giving Jesus your heart will change everything. He will melt you and change your heart. He’ll help you to forgive and to love again. Not because you or others deserve it, but it’s God’s nature to love and to forgive. And when you invite Jesus into your heart, He’ll teach you to love and to forgive just like He loves and forgives you.
“God, today I pray for all of your kids who have wandered off. I pray for those who have questioned You or have rejected Your love and forgiveness. I pray that You will change and melt and heal them. Only you can draw rebellious children back to You. Please go after Your stubborn kids until they surrender their hearts and parts to You. I ask and pray that You will do miracles today in and through Your kids of all ages who are scattered across Your world. Thanks for all of Your kids who love me and whom You have given me to love. Help me to love them well with Your love. Please remove anything in my heart that gets in the way of Your love being reflected and known and felt by people around me. I pray these things in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
Amen!!