"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I
may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the
beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." (Ps 27:4 NIV)
How I would have liked to be there in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. I can
imagine falling on the ground in worship. The King of kings had left his
infinite Kingdom to be with us. TO BE WITH US! We are that important to Him! I
am that significant to Him! Wow!
Though there was great rejoicing in Heaven the night Jesus was born, it was more
than likely bitter-sweet, because all of the heavenly host was aware of why He
came and what would transpire during His time on Earth. They were aware that He
not only came to spend personal time with us, which is God's favourite pastime,
but also to pay our debt in full, a debt we could not pay ourselves. Thanks to
Him we can be guaranteed that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus." (Rom 8:1 NIV)!
Wow! How I would have loved to be there, gazing upon the baby's beauty!
Though these events transpired over 2000 years ago, I was able to find a living
witness of the child's birth. Although he isn't exactly located in Bethlehem, he
was alive at the time, and the rumors of the One who came from heaven spread
rapidly all over the world. God had come to us! Wow!
The witness I found was on the Northern island of New Zealand. His name is Tane
Mahuta, and he is considered the Lord of the forest. He is the largest living
kauri tree in New Zealand, and he is considered to be more than 2000 years old.
His total height is 51.5 meters, and his trunk girth is 13.8 meters.
I couldn't help but refer to these trees as "he and she", as I am mesmerized by
their beauty, and as I stood on the Northern island of New Zealand admiring him,
his presence brought me back to the time the Christ was born. I imagined how
tiny Tane Mahuta must have been, barely a sapling, and his presence made me
aware of God's vision for each one of us. God doesn't want us to remain tiny
saplings! He wants us to grow to become what He has destined us to be! Just like
Tane Mahuta!
There are no excuses for why we can't reach up to the heavens! Nothing can stop
our growth, as long as we keep our focus on the One who created us and saved us.
It is true that these mighty kauri trees have their weak spots. Their roots are
shallow and delicate, and anyone stepping on them could eventually kill the
tree. This is why protective platforms and pathways have been built through the
Kauri forest, to protect them from extinction.
In just the same way, we also are filled with weaknesses. This is why Jesus came
to this earth, so that we could grow without having to fear of what lies ahead.
He is the One who promised us "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of
the age." (Matt 28:20 NIV)
Thank You Jesus, for having come for me. You changed my life so completely that
now I am filled with inner peace and joy, no matter what my circumstances. I
stand in awe of what You have done for me, and what
You continue to do on a daily basis. Thank You for breaking me free from my
prison, for opening the doors wide to real living, a life entwined with Your
love. I love You Lord!
What is your biggest wish?
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.