Thursday, October 22, 2009

Is it time for you, too?

One of my favorite movies of all time is Elf. Shortly after Buddy the Elf, Will Ferrell, arrives at Gimbles’s “North Pole,” Buddy hears news that, quite literally, has him jumping for joy. “Santa,” he is told, “is coming to town.” A childlike smile overtakes his entire face. “Santa,” Buddy exclaims, “I know him. I KNOW him!!!” Even the bells on his over-sized, elf shoes join him in this joyous chorus: “Santa is coming to town.” With all of his heart, Buddy loves Santa, and he is extremely proud to tell anyone and everyone.

My whole life, I have been involved in church. I have claimed to love Jesus with everything that I am. Never before, though, have I ever jumped up and down shouting, “Jesus, I know Him! I KNOW Him!”

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!” -2 Corinthians 5:17

I realized today that I should no longer be ridden with the expectations of this society. These old ways of mine—being worried about whether I have a great body, whether I am beautiful, or whether I have value—all these have passed away, and the new has come. It’s time for me to become consumed with God—His love, His grace, and His mercy. It’s time for me to let go of my worries about what others think. After all, “God does not see the same way people see. People look at the outside of a person, but God looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). It's time for me to love God more than I love my own self.

Like Buddy the Elf, I can exclaim, "Jesus! I know Him! I KNOW Him!" because no longer do I rely on others for my value. I rely on God. I find my beauty in God. I find my acceptance in God. I find that I am made perfect in God (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). I also know that I have value from God because He sacrificed His very own son in order that I could "become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). What a great reason to be overflowing with joy.

It’s time for me to show that I am proud of my faith. It is finally time for me to shout from anywhere and everywhere, to anyone and everyone, at any time and every time, proclaiming the good news. It is time for me. Is it time for you, too?

1 comment:

  1. Sarah, this is profound. Keep up your writing, Sweetie, because God is using you NOW! Much love, Aunt Susie

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