Advent: God With Us from The Village Church on Vimeo.



I just wanted to share this amazing video. I have already listened to it twenty times tonight and transcribed it. The video's message of waiting is a great example of one of the hardest forms of obedience. God's plan and timing is always perfect, but so often we struggle to understand or accept it. Sometimes our only response or answer is simply.... waiting, while knowing that a perfect and loving God is orchestrating all things for His glory and if we are called according to His purpose, our good. Thanks be to the good people at The Village Church and Vimeo for sharing this beautiful poem.

God had made Himself known for the glory of His name

and this child would one day rise as King

but it would not be by the sword or an insurgent regime

it would be by His life.

A life that would revolutionize everything the world knew

He would endure temptation and persecution all while staying true

humbly healing the broken, the sick and hurting, too

ministering reconciliation, turning the old to new

a life that would be the very definition of what life really cost

saying, “if you desire life, then your current one must be lost.”

and He would portray that with His own life as His Father would pour out and exhaust

and He would be obedient to the point of death, even death upon a cross.

We serve Him who created us...

Father, as I undertake this calling that you have placed on my heart, please use the Holy Spirit inside of me to inspire and bless the thoughts of my mind, the desires of my heart, and the work of my hands according to Your will and not my own. I pray and ask everything in the name above all names, Jesus Christ. Amen.

We serve Him who created us...

Colossians 1:15-17  "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." -ESV

Just in case you are not familiar with these verses, Jesus Christ was God's agent in creating all things and all things were created for him. Jesus was eternal with the Father (John 1:1) and he holds all things together even to this day. How can we stand before the one that not only created the universe, but came to live with us (John 1:14), suffered humility and death (Philippians 2:8) for us (Romans 5:8)? Today, I was overwhelmed by this truth and the only response I could manage was to hit my knees in complete submission to the sovereignty and greatness of our Lord. How can anyone hope to maintain their pride and selfishness in the light of His glory and grace? I believe that we, like others before us, have forgotten that Christ is our Lord. We need to be reminded of our obligation and the joy that can only be found by obeying him in every aspect of our lives. 

John 6:46 "Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?" -ESV

Obedience is typically perceived to be a noble and yet somehow, a negative word. I believe it is often seen in a negative light because obedience typically requires us to do something that is against our will or our plan. It is no small wonder that we modern, willful Christians in a fallen world struggle so much to bow our heads and our hearts to recognize the sovereignty of our Creator. Obedience to God is in direct opposition to the will of our flesh, while the will of the Holy Spirit inside of us cries out in anguish as it yearns to serve the Lord alone. When the flesh tempts us to do something that we know is outside of God's will, we should dive into God's word and put on the entire armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18). I urge you, brothers and sisters, to offer yourselves as a living sacrifice every moment of every day.

Romans 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." -ESV

In all things we are called to obedience and it should be our heartfelt joy to always do so. Imagine that someone offered you a great gift, something that you absolutely needed in that moment, but in order to receive it you would have to do a service for the one who gave you the gift. Would you not gladly do a kindness and a service to the one who has blessed you with their generosity? How much more should we be willing to become a servant to the God who created us and to His Son that paid the debt that we owe and in doing so gave us eternal life?!? Serving Jesus and worshiping Him on bended knee is a greater joy and carries a greater reward than all the trivial and temporary pleasures this world can offer. Please, I exhort you brothers and sisters to serve in obedience the one that you call Lord, Lord.

Philippians 2:3-8 "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." -ESV

I will leave you with this thought.... the greatest among us, Jesus Christ, came to suffer pain, humiliation, and even death so that he would be in complete obedience to the Father's will. Have we suffered for the sake of doing our Lord's will? Have I truly laid all of my earthly desires at the foot of the cross and left them there so that I might go and serve others and share the Gospel as I was commanded? I can tell you that I have not, but the joy that I feel in my heart this moment is immeasurable because I know that I am finally taking steps in the right direction to serve my Lord. I can only ask that he would direct my path and give me the words to use according to his purpose. I pray that you chase after Jesus, hit your knees and scramble merely to touch the hem of his garment so that you may know the power, the goodness, and the love of our merciful Master.