December 5, 2008

Read Psalm 16

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.—Psalm 16:1

In Psalm 16 David reveals his trust and reliance upon God in this life and in the life to come. Since God is always trustworthy, we can place our confidence in Him and depend on Him in every aspect of our life. God has already proven how much His love can be trusted by sending
Jesus…the ultimate gift and the ultimate sacrifice.

At Christmas we are reminded that this ultimate gift has already been prepared for us. We view a holiday or a birthday with great anticipation and we trust that something good is going to come our way. We are excited about the gifts…cards, hugs, telephone calls, wrapped presents, offerings of love and good will. Remembering these acknowledgements and knowing what we mean to others help us during those dark moments in our life. Placing our trust in God evokes the same feelings as receiving a gift.

We have received the best gift…the gift of the everlasting love of Jesus Christ and understanding the significance of that gift is life sustaining. This eternal gift which offers inner peace, forgiveness, strength, and redemption is ready for us every moment of the day…24/7, 365 days a year. As you see, we do not have to wait for a holiday, birthday, or special event to receive this gift. We simply have to ask and the gift is given.

Pray: Christ is reborn whenever we trust and open our hearts to love. Today I ask that the wonder and joy of the birth of Christ be renewed within me so that by my actions I give this gift of love to others. Amen

Michael Muren moved to St. Louis in November of 2007 and joined The Gathering in June.