Sharing

I was born an identical twin. My sister and I looked exactly alike as we were growing into adulthood. I don't remember ever being without Terry when we were at home. The school wouldn't let us be in each others class but everywhere else we were together. Most of the time we loved it this way. Most of the time we didn't mind sharing each others space and anything we had. We would tell each other everything as well. We were open books to one another. 

As we grew into adulthood and started moving in different directions, that changed. Don't get me wrong, we still were close but as we started dating and then moving on into marriages and different homes there were lots that we did not share. We had private things from one another. It became even worse when Rodney and I moved to Indiana, leaving Terry behind in Kansas.

We did not like that this was happening but nothing could be done about it. We were busy making homes and families of our own. Then Terry died. After the funeral her daughters and I went through some of her things. They wanted me to take some items that I felt were special. While I was trying to decide what I could take that would go back on the plane with us I discovered so many wonderful things about her that I had not known before. She was a poem writer and had drawn some wonderful sketches. She had not shared these things with me because, her girls told me, she didn't think she was good at either. This made me even sadder. I wish that I had shared myself with her more so that she could have felt comfortable enough to share more of herself with me. That is a regret that I will carry till she and I can be back together in heaven.

Our world is like that. We don't feel adequate or we feel that someone else is not.  We feel like we have nothing that we are good enough at to share. Or we have drawn into our personal lives so much that we don't want to share. We are not the kind of friends that make others want to show their true selves to. We are not the kind of friend or neighbor that shows Christ, and His love, to others. 

The scriptures are pretty frank about this issue.....

Galatians 6:2-3

The Message (MSG)

Nothing but the Cross

6 1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Hebrews 13:16

The Message (MSG)

16 Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.

Christ brought all that he was to this earth. He lived, and died, for others. He gave himself daily. He was the example that we all need to be. He shared God the Father with everyone and others couldn't wait to share who they were with Him. People were drawn to Him because He went out of His way to make them comfortable enough to be themselves. He was the only perfect man on this earth, yet He was the least judgmental of any man on this earth. 

I know that we all have regrets about someone or something. But if Jesus doesn't judge us why are we so hard on ourselves? So hard we think we have nothing to give. Hey we are forgiven children of God.  He sees us as perfect. He sees us as people He wants to spend time with. We need to show the same love to others around us so that they can feel the same worth we should be feeling. 

Also let's not get ourselves so involved in our own little part of the world that we miss out or become so self absorbed that we don't see the wonderful gifts from the people that God has placed all around us.

No regrets!!!

Blessings!

Hanukkah

I have the privilege of  facilitating a Tuesday morning and a Thursday evening ladies Bible study group with the name of WOW. I have learned so much from these  "Women Of Worth". Their dedication to and the love of studying the scriptures is very inspiring and makes me have to stay on my toes and learn more and more to keep up with these warriors of the Word of God.

Tonight we finished up our latest study. It was on the Feasts of the Bible. I have to say that this has been one of my favorite studies. I loved the history behind all of the feasts. I loved being reminded of how God brought His people out of captivity and kept them safe through the many dangers in the desert. I loved being reminded that even if we stray from the path God has set before us He can and will bring us back with love, traditions, and even the calendar.

The last feast we discussed tonight was the "Feast of Dedication" which is more commonly known as Hanukkah. Now this feast was not one that was set with the other feasts in the laws that were handed down. This feast came about as the temple needed to be purified after the Maccabees defeated  Antiochus IV and took it back. It was in about 165 BC. Pigs had been sacrificed on the alter and a statue 
of Zeus had been placed in the Holy of Holy's. Jewish worship could not begin again in the temple until cleansing took place.

The Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual olive oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still sealed by the High Priest, with enough oil to keep the menorah in the Temple lit for a single day. They were so anxious to begin worship again that they did not want to wait until they could make more consecrated olive oil. This process took eight days, so they used the one day's worth of oil having faith that God would keep the flames going until the purified oil could be finished. He did just that and the Feast of Hanukkah was born.

We can find this feast mentioned in the new Testament in John......

John 10:22

The Message (MSG)

22-24 They were celebrating Hanukkah just then in Jerusalem. It was winter. Jesus was strolling in the Temple across Solomon’s Porch. The Jews, circling him, said, “How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you’re the Messiah, tell us straight out.”

John 10:22

King James Version (KJV)

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

Since this feast was in the winter it is celebrated close to Christmas. As we were discussing the closeness of these two traditions a questions was given tonight. What if the Jews had not defeated the Greeks? What if the Jews had eventually been assimilated into the Greek lifestyle? Would Jesus still have come from this nation? Would we even have Christmas? Something to think about.

But the wonderful thing is we do have Christmas.  The Jews do have Hanukkah. We all have a God that is so dedicated to His people that He would give up living in Holiness, for a time, and let Himself be given for us, so that we can have the chance to be purified ourselves.

So the next time you see a Menorah, even as a Christian, maybe you should say a little prayer, thanking God for His never ending love, dedication and especially Jesus!!!!

Blessings!