We love to feature a devotional, book review or testimony ~ a “Devotional Spotlight”, written by a woman in our ministry! We hope you are blessed in reading Anne’s devotional! Winter Bible Studies start next month! If you would like more information about the studies being offered and to register, click HERE. AND our Women’s Conference is a month away (early-bird special ends December 31)! Don’t miss this amazing weekend with Angie Smith and Selah ~ January 20-21! Click HERE to register!
“Seeking Him With All Your Heart”
The Lord blessed me with a divine appointment the other day. A few sweet friends were walking the track at church and I literally almost walked into them. I love these ladies. They bring joy to my soul and breathe life into my heart with such words of encouragement. How precious and kind the Lord is to me to put people in my life like these ladies.
As we chatted about life, I shared how “un-Christmasy” I was feeling. Our life this year is unexpectedly busy and my time is being filled with other necessary things. But to be honest, I am not sure I wouldn’t fill it with other things anyway. One dear friend shared how she had been soaking up Luke 1… she had been sitting in it for over a week. She shared how this year she felt so connected to the spiritual side of the season. Oh how I longed for that! We started talking about Mary.
Mary was a ponderer. I don’t doubt that after her visit with Gabriel there was little else she could think of! Once Jesus had been born and the shepherds came to the stable we find in Luke 2:19, “…but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” (NLT). Later in Luke 2:51 we see her “…storing these things in her heart” after searching for a 12 year-old Jesus for 3 days (He was in the temple). As I sit here thinking of verses about the heart, isn’t that really what God wants from us? To have our hearts…to the point that we store Him there and think of Him often? When someone truly has your heart there is relationship. People can tug at your heart strings and even make your heart flutter. But, when someone is woven into your heart, there is no turning back and you would have it no other way. This is the kind of relationship Jesus wants with us.
So, if like me, you have been struggling with the “stuff” of life getting in the way of Christ this Christmas, let’s try following Mary’s lead. Store up His love, truth and grace in your heart and think of them often. The overwhelming blessing of being His will flood your soul and fill your heart and mind. Sit in the moment. Be still…and…be blessed.
Oh, and one more thing…remember Mary and Martha? The sisters who prepared a meal for Jesus and the disciples? Guess which one sat listening at Jesus’ feet and not running around preparing the meal? The one who chose wisely was…another Mary.
