How about we try a little self-experiment over the Advent. Let’s give of ourselves as God calls us. Let’s explore being true disciples. Let’s take in what that really means.
Sometimes the things you think matter the least to your family are the very things they hold near and dear. The food you serve, the Christmas puzzle that takes the entire season to complete, cookie decorating, drinking hot chocolate, decorating the tree while watching Charlie Brown Christmas, volunteering, and opening presents together are all traditions that are important to families
Let’s try and leave our smartphones, tablets, laptops and smartwatches in the drawer, if only just to spend a few festive hours attending to our family and loved ones. How about we try and resist the urge to live-tweet Uncle Dave’s witty remarks and keep our followers up-to-date with pictures of our dogs in their Christmas outfits. Who knows, we might end up having a conversation without technology coming between us.
What kind of disciples did Jesus choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus’ work – he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position of power or fame in society. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special marks of education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would become under his direction and the power of the Holy Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus calls each of us to be his disciples, we must not think we have nothing to offer him in exchange. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom.
Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?
Get to work! Live with intention the next 24 days.
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