Everything looked different in McMinnville under a covering of ice fog yesterday. The ice covered world made it appear to be more like a winter wonderland. Even so, I am holding out for the whole Bedford Falls-it’s a wonderful life-covered-with-snow type of day. I want and wait for it every winter, hoping for a true wintery transformation. I’m not going to lie, it rarely happens in the world I live in. But. When it does, I insist on having a cup of hot chocolate to watch the snow come down while quoting great statements from one of my favorite movies about perspective of life, Frank Capra’s, It’s A wonderful Life. The movie tells the story of how George’s problems had blocked his view of the gift of life, it did not seem worth living to him. In the end, George comes to see he has received the gift of a wonderful life.There are some great lines like: “You've been given a great gift, George: A chance to see what the world would be like without you.”
We see things differently when we look beyond our circumstances. When you get down to it, our perspective is driven by whether or not we see the presence and power of God. When we let an encounter with God impact our perspective to the point it changes us, we see the gift of life and know nothing is routine when we live with God. I’ve learned this kind of perspective comes from trusting God fully, without any reservation. When we hold back trusting God, we mess things up.
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.(Luke 1:39-44, NAS)
The word, haste, speaks of the urgency Mary had. The harsh reality for a young unmarried pregnant woman was shunning, stoning, and even death. Mary needed to be with someone that saw the bigger picture, the gift of the presence of God. She had to trust God to guide and work out her circumstances. The Spirit of God confirmed through Elizabeth, Mary’s elderly cousin, God was present. Her circumstances were the same; however, she knew God was present and at work in her life.
Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
We see things differently when we look beyond our circumstances. When you get down to it, our perspective is driven by whether or not we see the presence and power of God. When we let an encounter with God impact our perspective to the point it changes us, we see the gift of life and know nothing is routine when we live with God. I’ve learned this kind of perspective comes from trusting God fully, without any reservation. When we hold back trusting God, we mess things up.
Trusting God is looking beyond the stuff and seeing the unseen work of God purposefully bringing all details together for good.Mary’s life changed after she encountered God. Most likely, if, she had gone back home, no one would have seen the presence of God in her, but instead they would have viewed her as a sinner. Consider what Luke wrote in his account:
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.(Luke 1:39-44, NAS)
The word, haste, speaks of the urgency Mary had. The harsh reality for a young unmarried pregnant woman was shunning, stoning, and even death. Mary needed to be with someone that saw the bigger picture, the gift of the presence of God. She had to trust God to guide and work out her circumstances. The Spirit of God confirmed through Elizabeth, Mary’s elderly cousin, God was present. Her circumstances were the same; however, she knew God was present and at work in her life.
Do you see God? Refuse to let your circumstances block your view. We see God through trust, regardless of how messy life gets. Surrender all that is holding you back from trusting God; give every detail to Him. The thing is . . . when we trust God in all of it . . . we see a wonderful life is not based on our circumstances but on the presence of God. Celebrate: God is present. It's a wonderful life!Learning to Kickstart the day seeing the gift of a wonderful life.
Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)