According to local weather reports our area has not seen our current record snow fall and cold temperatures for over forty years. When we moved to McMinnville, Oregon, a little over a year ago, I assumed we would have little or no snow . . . since I love snow . . . I had a sense of disappointment . . . but not any more. I have renamed our little community to be Bedford Falls taken from Frank Capra's movie, It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Seriously, looking down the town streets with the Christmas Lights, old fashioned store fronts and the pile of snow . . . I can almost hear the angel, Clarence, telling George Bailey, "You've been given a great gift, George: A chance to see what the world would be like without you."
There is no mistake . . . the world would be different if you and I would never have been born . . . whether for good or bad . . . our life impacts this world.
How do we make sure that we live a wonderful life, a life that:
Counts
Has purpose
and
Makes a difference.
We do not have a lot of facts about Elizabeth, Zechariah's wife; however, we know that God chose her not only to birth John who would prepare the way for Christ but to make a difference in Mary's life. Apparently, Mary did not want to be home after receiving the message from God So, she went to Elizabeth, who spoke truth, gave encouragement, and set the tone of celebrative joy:
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.(Luke 1:39-44, NAS)
Mary needed to know how to manage the task of being the mother of Christ, God with us. Elizabeth helped Mary to see the wonder of being called out by God to carry Christ into the world. Elizabeth focused on the blessing and joy of being used by God. At the end of the day, life is not wonderful because of wonderful circumstances but the ability to impact lives.
As the story goes . . . George Bailey dreamed of traveling and building around the world. Even so, he never left his hometown, Bedford Falls. He invested his life in his family and friends. Until he reviewed his life, it appeared that the result of staying in his hometown would be the loss of his business, bankruptcy, and imprisonment. At the end of the story, George realized that his life had counted, was purposeful, and had made a difference.
Clarence told George, "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends."
Determine to live a wonderful life today.
Make your life count for Christ.
Be purposeful.
Find a way to make a difference.
Give up one thing (fast) until the New Year for more time and clarity with God . . . ask how to make your life count, how to live with purpose, and how to make a difference in this coming year.
Learning with you that it's a wonderful life.
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
