Influence

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It has been a long while since I have posted anything here. I have been busy completing three years toward my B.A. in English and my senior year is underway. My current class (Creative Writing) has finally given me the space to take off the tight harness of academic writing rules, and it feels SO GOOD!! After reading my first assignment, Mom and Daddy gave it their thumbs up and suggested I make it a blog post, so here it is. It is my story and their story. It's a little longer than my usual posts, but as with everything I have ever posted here, I pray it encourages you to run "up the sunbeam to the sun" (C. S. Lewis). "Follow my example,  as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV I sat above them on the stairs. Looking down through the window-like openings in the partition between the living room and the stairway, I listened to the basketball players, football players, baseball players, wrestlers, track athletes, both the lettermen

Love Wrapped in Flesh



INCARNATION

The Flesh-wearing Word lived and breathed and moved among us, sharing our space-and-time existence, for a span of 33 years.  In that mere blink of history, He spanned the chasm between divine love and human desperation.

Christmas . . . His coming.  We so easily envision His birth, the praising angels, the Joy to the World, the Peace on Earth, the Good Will to Men, shepherds, wise men, drummer boys--the Christmas card comes to life in our mind's eye.  But do we rewind a little further, go back to the moment where He took off His glory like a glistening robe and left it hanging on a hook in Heaven's hallway?  Do we envision the moment He handed His crown to His Father and said, "Don't worry--I've got this!  I'll go!"  Do we reckon with the sacrifice it was for Him to limit all that He had always been to the permanent wearing of humanity, just so He could rescue us from the dragon . . . and ourselves . . . and our ugly sin?
  • He, who was all-powerful, put on helplessness in the tiny, fragile-strong, soft-wrapped body of an infant.  He wanted to know how powerless we feel.
  • He, who created time, accepted the limitations of being clock-bound, living on borrowed time as we do.  He wanted to experience our life of deadlines and finitude, and to know what it's like to have to hurry and be late and feel that there is never enough time.
  • He, who put the machine of space and stars and planets into clockwork motion, had to learn a trade at his father's side.  He had to start from square one to learn how to put muscle and sinew and sweat, hard work and know-how to into carving and building pieces of trees into useful pieces of furniture.
  • He, who is the WORD, the eternal LOGOS, came to put the great "I AM" into words little children like us could understand.
Do we know how far down He reached for us?  No, we really don't.  We can only catch glimpses and make feeble attempts to reach as high as our tippy-toes will let us to know all that He really gave up for the sheer inexplicable love of us.  His love is everything there is.  Nothing else matters.  Nothing else is of any value.


In this season of gifts and gift wrap, I pray that we would remember the very first Gift wrapped for Christmas--the Word was wrapped in flesh and given for people stuck in flesh that wasn't worth saving.  I pray too that we would  unwrap that gift, reach inside and grab ahold with both hands the LOVE He gave, the LOVE He IS, and pass it around to everyone we know.  There simply is no greater gift than this:

"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son."  John 1:14 NLT



What part of His coming blows you away?
How will you grab ahold of His love and share it?
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Comments

  1. There is definitely no greater gift. No one but Jesus would have given up so much for a people so unworthy. But I thank God he did!

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  2. "I've got this." Those are three words I'm going to hold onto this year as gifts from my Savior. Blessings to you, Shaunie, for a beautiful, joy-filled Christmas.

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  3. You are so right about this! I think sometimes the magnitude of His gift is so incredible, so overwhelming, my mind can't even begin to wrap itself around it. You know what I mean? You expressed that so beautifully here, Shaunie. Thanks for visiting Graceful -- it is a lovely blessing to meet you here!

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  4. Jeri @godsdreamsformeDecember 16, 2010 at 6:58 PM

    What blows me away is in His heart I was and am worth all He did. I have to say that out loud every so often and thank Him. The more I let Him love me, pour his mercy and grace into me and over me, I can share it.

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  5. The Word became flesh . . . how mind boggling, but how precious!

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  6. Shaunie Friday @ Up the SunbeamDecember 16, 2010 at 10:43 PM

    You're right Lisa--"no one but Jesus!" Thanking God with you!

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  7. Shaunie Friday @ Up the SunbeamDecember 16, 2010 at 10:44 PM

    Thank you so much Nancy! Blessings to you too!!

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  8. Shaunie Friday @ Up the SunbeamDecember 16, 2010 at 10:48 PM

    I absolutely know what you mean!! Visiting Graceful was a huge blessing in my day and I look forward to coming back again and again! Thank you for your warm encouragement!

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  9. Shaunie Friday @ Up the SunbeamDecember 16, 2010 at 10:50 PM

    Isn't that a powerful truth Jeri?! You're right, the more we open up for Him to fill us with Himself, the more capacity we have to overflow Him to others!

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  10. Shaunie Friday @ Up the SunbeamDecember 16, 2010 at 10:52 PM

    Don't you love that Sheryl--we, as word girls, hear so much in those 4 simple words, don't we?! He is the Living Word about whom we try to write words alive with Him. Awesome!

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  11. Carrie @ comfortedbyGod.blogspot.com

    Hi, Shaunie! Thank you for commenting on my blogfrog post...now Ive found your sweet blog! You have a wonderful ministry and Im glad to follow along. Have a great weekend.

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  12. I really wanted to comment on the mama grizzly bear post but I can't find a place to do so :) I can feel your pain in there. I hate when someone wrongs my children, it definitely brings out the mama bear. I'm so glad God let you talk to your dad and work it out. Such wise words, so hard to do! I have enjoyed reading through your posts. You have a great way with words!

    New follower from (in)courage! Please feel free to stop by: Trailing After God

    Merry Christmas ♥ Mel

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