by MeredithNMills | Dec 25, 2016 | Identity in Christ, Uncategorized, Walking by Faith
“Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and they will call Him Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us’” (Matt 1:23) NET.
God.with.us.
Those three words astound me.
For thousands of years, God had been worshiped from afar. His holiness stood in stark contrast to mankind’s sin. A thick veil separated His earthly presence in the temple from those who approached Him.
Until Emmanuel.
His arrival changed everything.
The Eternal One stepped into time and wrapped Himself with humanity. The Creator became one of us. The King who controls armies, who sets up and tears down nations, that King made His first appearance in an unceremonious stable.
And such would be His life – a homeless Miracle Worker, a traveling Teacher, a King rejected by His own people.
He came not impress us, but to save us. Not to condemn us, but to restore friendship with God.*
He came to do what we could not do – to keep the Law of God, and die as if He hadn’t. To taste death for us, then render it powerless so we could be set free.
He came to tear the veil that separated a holy God from His people, and to make us holy, too.
This is Emmanuel – a God so in love with His people that He would walk among us, know our pains, experience our emotions, and die in our stead.
And He beckons us, even today as we celebrate His birth, to draw near to Him as well.
As we give and receive gifts this Christmas day, may we remember the greatest Gift of all time. And may we offer ourselves back as a gift to Him.
Merry Christmas!
This changes everything
* If you’re curious about how to begin a relationship with this Jesus, please check out In Case You’re Wondering.
Related Posts:
The Sunrise of Christmastime
The Wonder of Christmas
What’s Inside
by MeredithNMills | Sep 23, 2016 | Family, Identity in Christ, knowing God, Uncategorized, Victorious Living, Walking by Faith
by Meredith Mills @DazzledByTheSon
Don’t you just love rainy days?
rainy days
There’s nothing quite like curling up with a good book and a cup of tea on a dark and rainy day. So cozy and comfortable. Ahh…I love rainy days.
Unless I have to run errands. With three kids in tow. Of those rainy days, I am not a fan.
Yesterday, I had a list of several places to go in a short window of time. I was a bit uptight and stressed. So when it started raining on the way to Walmart, my heart sank. And of course, there are never close parking spaces on rainy days. Seriously, they should have designated parking places for moms with more than one tagalong.
We grabbed our single umbrella and climbed out of the car. Gathering my little people close, we walked toward the store.
“Do you need an umbrella?” I turned toward the voice to see an older woman standing beside the open door of her car. She had a pleasant expression on her face as she offered us a bright yellow umbrella.
“Oh, I think we’re fine,” I replied.
“Are you sure? I have a sort-of ‘umbrella ministry,’” she said with a smile.
rainy days
I returned the smile, not quite sure what to say. I’d never heard of an “umbrella ministry” before. While I hesitated, she walked over and handed us her yellow umbrella, then returned to her car. “God bless you,” she said warmly.
We thanked her, opened the umbrella and again walked toward the entrance.
This unusual encounter made quite an impression on my heart. Such a small act of kindness, yet so very thoughtful.
I bet the “umbrella ministry” is not included on a list of outreaches on any local church bulletins. She probably doesn’t consider herself to be a missionary. I wonder how many people even know of her ministry?
And yet this generous woman is a vital member of the Body of Christ, lovingly meeting needs in creative ways as God leads. She was a beautiful reminder to me of how “outside my box” God is.
He has important work to do through each of His own in advancing His kingdom. We’ve all been given various gifts and callings, as well as different opportunities in differing seasons. Sometimes our “ministry” will look just like what we’ve imagined. Other times it may seem small or insignificant.
But whatever we do in the name of Jesus is beautiful and meaningful and precious to God. As we walk close to Him, humbly following His lead, He lives out His heart through us.
How about you? Do you ever wonder if your life makes a difference, if God could possibly be pleased with how “daily” your life is?
Be faithful, my friend. Walk with Him. Listen to His voice. Do whatever He leads you to do – whether it seems significant or not.
in Jesus’ name
Has anyone ever ministered to you in an unexpected way? I’d love to hear!
Related Posts:
Redefining Success, Pt 1
Redefining Success, Pt 2
When I’m not Enough
by MeredithNMills | Jul 29, 2016 | Family, Identity in Christ, knowing God, Uncategorized, Victorious Living, Walking by Faith
By Meredith Mills
@DazzledByTheSon
“You can’t deny that one’s yours!”
Mini-me
That was the comment we heard as my husband carried our littlest into the church where he would be speaking later that morning. It’s true – she definitely bears his image. In fact, I’ve been told she’s the female version of him as a child. There’s something really special about seeing ourselves in our children.
It’s pretty amazing, this image-bearing business.
Even more amazing is the fact that we bear our Heavenly Father’s image.
In the beginning, God set out to make humanity as a reflection of Himself. He wanted creation’s climax to resemble Him. And they did.
But then sin entered the picture. The pinnacle of creation, the creatures after His likeness, the first man and woman chose the one thing God had forbidden. And God’s image in mankind was distorted.
God’s image was distorted.
Instead of reflecting His purity, they were infected with the nature of sin. This new nature would be passed on to every human ever born (with the exception of the God-man, Jesus).
Instead of reflecting God’s eternal nature, their spirits died instantly and their bodies began the fatal process of aging.
Instead of reflecting God’s sacrificial heart of love, they became self-protective and accusatory, pointing fingers to conceal their guilt.
Instead of uninhibited friendship with God and each other, they felt the pangs of shame, so they covered up and hid from God.
At that decisive moment, everything changed.
Well, not everything.
The relentless, unfailing love of God stayed the same. And His sovereign plan still reigned supreme.
For you see, all was not lost. His image was defiled, but it was not destroyed. Repeatedly in the Old Testament, God reminds us that humanity still bears His image. In fact, that’s the basis for how we’re to treat one another – we all carry His likeness, so we’re to honor each other as fellow-image bearers.
Yet His image was marred, so He would fix that. He would not leave us this way.
In the greatest recovery mission of all time, the Son of God stepped into our world – in human flesh, yet exactly representing the Father. He lived and died and rose again – all to redeem a people made in His image. All to restore His true likeness in mankind.
That’s us, fellow Jesus lover! We’ve been made in His image at conception, reborn with a new nature at salvation, and are being transformed into a true picture of our God!
He can be seen in us in so many ways…
- When we love that difficult person, we look like our forgiving Father.
- When we endure the hardships of this life, we model our Suffering Savior.
- When we enjoy the good things He’s given, we show the world a Daddy who delights in His children and loves giving good gifts.
- When we engage in our professions, we reflect various aspects of His character. He’s our Parent, Teacher, Healer, Counselor, Helper, Leader, Judge, Creator, Designer… Whatever we do on a daily basis, God’s image can be seen in us.
That gives so much meaning and purpose to my daily life. Wiping noses, cooking meals, teaching children, cleaning up messes, putting thoughts on paper, building relationships – it all can be a picture of God. It’s an overflow of His image in me.
Every person looks like God to some degree or another. But those redeemed through faith in Christ – we can become more like Him each day as we participate in His Spirit’s work in our lives.
I don’t know what a heavenly reception looks like, but how awesome would it be to wake up in the arms of our Daddy and hear whispers going through the crowd – “We can’t deny that one’s His! She looks so much like Him!”
Oh, how I want to look like my Daddy! How about you?
Transformed into His image
How do you reflect God’s image in your daily life? In what ways have you seen Him transform you? I’d love hear!
Related Posts:
It Wasn’t Supposed to Be This Way
We’re Free!
Welcomed Home
by MeredithNMills | Jun 24, 2016 | Family, Hope in the Midst of Heartache, Identity in Christ, Uncategorized, Walking by Faith
“What did you swallow?” the triage attendant asks incredulously.
I brace myself and repeat for the hundredth time. “I swallowed the tab from a soda can.”
“What did you swallow?”
“How’d you do that?”
I know. I already feel stupid. Who does this sort of thing?
I’m not your everyday ER patient. I’m not a child who put something weird in her mouth. I wasn’t drunk or otherwise impaired. I’m just a mom who was watching her kids at swim team practice.
Earlier that morning, when I grabbed a can of La Croix and dashed out the door, I had no idea how the day was about to change. When the darling, adorable child pulled off the tab and dropped it inside, I didn’t know I should throw the can in the garbage right that very moment. It never crossed my mind that one could actually swallow something as big as an aluminum tab – before even realizing what had happened.
Nope, I didn’t know any of that – until today.
Now I’m rather an expert on such things.
Two sets of x-rays, 5+ hours in the ER and an endoscopy… still no tab. It left its mark – I can feel the scratch down my throat. But the tab itself has officially gone into hiding.
Quite a frustrating, unpleasant day. Not one I’d like to repeat. Ever.
But it wasn’t all bad. In fact, as I ponder it in retrospect, I’m struck by one thing – the Body of Christ is truly an amazing gift.
My sweet friend at swim team practice dropped everything and drove me home, then cared for my kids all day. My precious hubby cleared his schedule and sat with me in the emergency room. My family and church family prayed. Lots of people sent offers of help via text message. And the GI doctor, who called me after I left the hospital, asked if he could pray for me over the phone. His prayer brought me to tears. He called on God our Healer and Provider and lifted me before the Lord in Jesus’ name.
We Christians have been born again into a truly incredible community!
We are family!
Church friends, long-time friends, new friends, even total strangers…if we’re Christians, we all have one thing in common. We love Jesus. And because of that, we are family.
Right now, story after story is washing over me as I remember God’s love poured out through His people.
Like when our whole church rejoiced at my oldest child’s baptism.
And when concerned friends brought meals during my sick days of pregnancy.
And when a dear man from church sent my little boy a note to say that he’s praying for him.
And when loved ones cried with us as we grieved a miscarriage.
In joys and sorrows, achievements and losses – we’ve been through it all together. This is how it’s supposed to work. This is the Body functioning as God planned. What a beautiful gift!
I know, it’s not happiness and harmony all the time. We the collective Church are human. We’ve been forgiven and made new, but we don’t always act like it. Sometimes we hurt each other – sometimes even on purpose. Oh, how the devil loves to tear us apart!
But we need each other. We need committed friendships and regular fellowship that we aren’t quick to walk away from. It’s worth working at, working through, and working beyond the issues that separate. It’s worth swallowing our pride and admitting when we’re wrong. It’s worth overlooking offenses, extending forgiveness, accepting differences and learning from each other.
Who do you do life with?
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Eccl 4:9-10, 12).
This gift of community is priceless.
So today, I’m asking myself – how well am I contributing to the Body of Christ? Am I as willing to serve others as they have been to me? Am I pursuing growth and unity out of love for Jesus?
How about you? How are you doing? What community of believers do you do life with and how have you ministered to one another? I’d love to hear!
Related posts:
Welcomed Home
I Shouldn’t Feel This Way
by MeredithNMills | Apr 24, 2016 | Identity in Christ, Uncategorized, Walking by Faith
Sometimes our vision changes.
Walking with Jesus
When I set out on this blogging journey, my goal was to chronicle my walk with Christ. I was at the tail end of a pretty dark season. Life had recently come crashing down around me, and everything I thought I believed came into question. (To read more, please check out My Journey.)
“Two things I’m certain about,” I confided in a friend. “The Bible is the Word of God, and I’m saved by the blood of Jesus. Beyond that, I just don’t know right now.” Specific Christian doctrine, practical Christian living…it all needed to be reexamined.
Thankfully, those two certain beliefs are the bedrock of our faith and our God is a Master Rebuilder.
For a time, I thought I needed to rebuild my faith through prayer and Bible study, but then I came across the following verse in Colossians 2:7: “Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith…” All those verbs – they’re in the passive tense, meaning I’m not the one doing them. Rather, I’m receiving the actions of Another.
Maybe that seems trivial, like mere semantics, but it took a weight off my shoulders. I realized that, just as God rooted me in Him at salvation, so He Himself is building and establishing my faith. My role is to abide in Him and welcome His work in me. (See John 15.)
During the course of this rebuilding project, I’ve learned that “identity” is a core issue in the Christian faith – most importantly, an accurate knowledge of God is essential. Of secondary, but also vital, importance is knowing my own identity as a child of God. These two things are like lenses through which I view and interact with the world around me.
Looking at life through the lens of identity
God showed me that my understanding was flawed in both areas. So I’ve been taking notes as I read through Scripture of everything I see related to those two issues. My big, thick journal is almost full because, guess what? God has LOTS to say about identity. (And I’m not even half-way through the Bible yet!)
He longs to be known! And He wants us to know who we really are, too.
So I think it’s time to shift the focus here, or rather to “zoom in” on this aspect of our faith. I’d like to share with you what I’m learning, and I’d really love to learn from your journey, as well. Together, in the Body of Christ, we have the greatest treasure the world has ever known – friendship with God. Because He drew near, we can know Him and be secure in Him.
So stay tuned and prepare to be…encouraged!
Related Posts:
When Life Falls Apart
Identity Crisis
