Opening Eyes to See

 

 

Facebook reminded me of a post I wrote a few years ago about a time when I collected Santas and a time when I was obviously confused about God and Christianity, not to mention Santa Claus.  In those days, some of my friends called me the “Church Lady.”

I attended a church weekly and took my kids. I taught Sunday School. I was volunteering at a homeless shelter. I was on the administrative board of the church. It seemed to others that I was always there.

Yet, I had a collection of over 100 Santas decorating my home every year.

 

I see now that I was clueless about God. It was all about me. But, I can look back and see the path God took me down to show me my need for Him. I did many of the works I was doing because I had come to understand (through one sermon and  Christian radio) that I was a sinner. I tried to do more and more for the Lord so I would get into His good graces!

Then, there came a time when God showed me that my sin was never going to be outweighed by my works. I understood, for the first time when I was in my early thirties, that only God could give me the faith that would take away the penalty of death for my sin.

The words from Matthew 1:21 hit me, She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Not my works, Jesus came to save me from sin!

It was a fairly slow process for me to understand that it was God who was opening my eyes to see that the reason for Jesus’ death was because He was being punished for my (our) sin. When I finally accepted that He was the only way to forgiveness, there was a change in me.

I was free to live for the Lord. I could accept that others did not have to agree with everything I said and did. God had changed my thinking and then my behavior.

Some “blamed” the Bible preaching church we started attending for the change. Some blamed some sort of crazy understanding of who God is. I knew, and am grateful for, the understanding that God saw my faithless attempts at earning forgiveness through good works.

He opened my eyes to who Jesus is and what He has done in dying on that cross. How many years had I heard that story and had no understanding of the depth of truth I was missing!

The truth that we are sinners and Jesus Christ came to save us from that sin, is the basis for our faith. It is not the finish line. It is the starting place for doing work that now counts – work that grows the Kingdom of God and is for the good of our neighbors.

I’m grateful for faithful friends who spoke truth into my life back then. Is there someone you or I need to point away from Santa and to Jesus this Christmas?

If you are where I was, having no understanding of faith in Jesus for salvation, message me, let’s have coffee and talk about it. Not close enough? I have Skype and I know how to use it!