Just Who Are You, Anyway?
Yesterday we left off with Caesar Augustus issuing a decree that everyone had to participate in a census that ordered each person to return to the city of their
birth to register. We'll keep reading from Luke 2...
And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. --Luke 2:3
Caesar Augustus needed information. Their empire needed revenue and they needed to know who they could get revenue from. The only way to track the people was to make them all register. It is likely they had to register not only who they were, but everyone in their household, their income, the land they owned and all of their assets. Sounds familiar, huh??
Can you imagine walking up to this big desk to fill out your name and every other detail of your life while making sure your donkey doesn't wander off? I despise going to do "official business", it makes me nervous, and this was official business. If you were to have to go somewhere to register, who would you say that you were?
What could you register as truly yours?
Everyone had to go his is "own city". Going back to where you came from can often be painful, both literally and spiritually. I have never attended any of my high school reunions because I don't want to revisit who I used to be. It's not that I have this dark past or anything really to hide, but for some reason, I don't want to go back there. Maybe it's because of the things I thought of myself back then or what I thought people thought of me. Maybe it's because I went through those years not realizing the worth being a child of the King automatically gave me. I don't know, but I couldn't have accurately "registered" back then, because I had no idea who I really was.
If you were to "go back" to "your own city" of life, who would you tell your own city that you are?
How would you register? Would it be the old you? Or is the old you no longer living?
I am still growing spiritually, but I am confident that I am no longer who I used to be. To register as the old me would really be a lie, because I have been made brand new. The old me is gone, behold new things have come.
We don't have to register as the "old us", we get to register as a child of the King.
Can you imagine walking up to this big desk to fill out your name and every other detail of your life while making sure your donkey doesn't wander off? I despise going to do "official business", it makes me nervous, and this was official business. If you were to have to go somewhere to register, who would you say that you were?
What could you register as truly yours?
Everyone had to go his is "own city". Going back to where you came from can often be painful, both literally and spiritually. I have never attended any of my high school reunions because I don't want to revisit who I used to be. It's not that I have this dark past or anything really to hide, but for some reason, I don't want to go back there. Maybe it's because of the things I thought of myself back then or what I thought people thought of me. Maybe it's because I went through those years not realizing the worth being a child of the King automatically gave me. I don't know, but I couldn't have accurately "registered" back then, because I had no idea who I really was.
If you were to "go back" to "your own city" of life, who would you tell your own city that you are?
How would you register? Would it be the old you? Or is the old you no longer living?
I am still growing spiritually, but I am confident that I am no longer who I used to be. To register as the old me would really be a lie, because I have been made brand new. The old me is gone, behold new things have come.
We don't have to register as the "old us", we get to register as a child of the King.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. --Revelation 2:17
Since names are so significant to God, I wonder what name He has in mind for me and for you? I can't wait to find out what my new name will be. How about you?
Your seventh gift in this December to Remember.
Almighty God, you have made us new and You have a name so special and significant that you have written on stone. A white stone at that. I wonder, Father, is it a glistening diamond, maybe mother of pearl, who can even fathom the stones You have in Heaven, but I believe it will be beautiful. I also believe that since our new name will only be revealed to the one who receives it, that it is something very special that you share specifically with each of us. I praise You that You count us who are insignificant as so significant to You. I just can't adore You enough.
I sure hope you come back for Day 8, I just can't wait to tell you about it! It's one of my favorite things about this series!
Your seventh gift in this December to Remember.
Almighty God, you have made us new and You have a name so special and significant that you have written on stone. A white stone at that. I wonder, Father, is it a glistening diamond, maybe mother of pearl, who can even fathom the stones You have in Heaven, but I believe it will be beautiful. I also believe that since our new name will only be revealed to the one who receives it, that it is something very special that you share specifically with each of us. I praise You that You count us who are insignificant as so significant to You. I just can't adore You enough.
I sure hope you come back for Day 8, I just can't wait to tell you about it! It's one of my favorite things about this series!
