|
“Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12, NLT)
The week before Christmas is a whirlwind, isn't it? Memories flood back, activities fill our schedules, and there's an avalanche of things fighting for our attention. Amidst this flurry, it's vital to pause and remember the true essence of this momentous time.
The coming of Jesus Christ into the world stands as the pinnacle of history. It's the fulfillment of prophecies, the answer to prayers uttered across centuries. The anticipation leading to this moment stretched across millennia — a beacon of hope illuminating the hearts of God's people through the ages.
It is in that light of Christ’s coming, that light that illuminates the hearts of God’s people, that we also take this time to reflect on the state of hearts as we approach this week. The words of Hosea call us to examine the areas of our life that are the hardened ground, to examine the areas of our heart where we’ve become hardened, bitter, unforgiving, stressed out, and even resentful.
Hosea 10:12 forces us to ask ourselves this question honestly: Are we nurturing kindness, compassion, and love in our interactions with others?
Because of sin — the sins of others and our own sin — we struggle with that question. We struggle with that hardened ground, and we all have our reasons. But we also all have opportunities, especially at this time of year, to approach that ground differently because of who came for us on Christmas. The love that was shown to us on Christmas was the heart of the child that lay in a manger on Christmas night.
Lay at the feet of Jesus that hardened, bitter, resentful, and stressful ground in our lives. With hearts that have been forgiven themselves, “seek the Lord” during this most busy week. Let the light that shone for you on Christmas in Jesus Christ shine through you into the lives of others this week as well.
To do that at this time of year takes humility, takes selflessness. But most of all, it takes the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to transform our lives and our hearts, remembering that we have been set apart for a sacred, holy use. Taking the hard ground and letting the Lord come and reign, or, in Hosea’s words, “rain” righteousness in our lives so others may see His love for them.
May we pray that we approach this week with a sense of purpose and anticipation, not only for the festivities but also for the spiritual preparation it offers. May we break up the fallow ground in our hearts, allowing room for the seeds of faith, hope, forgiveness, and love to grow abundantly. As we anticipate the joyous celebration of Christmas, may we also anticipate the transformation God desires to bring within us, remembering the dear love God has for you in His Son.
| 
