Thursday, December 22, 2011

"Let Loose"

I'm taking a break from the preggers posts/updates to share something on my heart this Christmas season. I'm sure many of you, if "many" even read this, are doing a victory dance due to growing weary of my growing belly pics and updates-ha!

This Christmas season has been especially meaningful to me. I don't know if its because we've been knee deep in ministry preparing for services for our 1st Christmas as B being on staff, or because I'm pregnant with our first born son, or maybe its the hormone rollercoaster-ha. But my Spirit has been more sensitive than ever before. As I've been digging in and studying the Christmas story, Luke 2:19-20 challenged me for this season and to carry on into this new season of our life.

Luke 2:19-20 "Mary kept ALL these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and LET LOOSE, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It truned out EXACTLY how they had been told." MSG

The words "let loose" stuck out to me, as it was written in this translation. What do you think of when you think of "let loose?" I think of jumping up and down, screeching/laughing in celebration, and of course DANCING. Whatever picture you get, its letting go of all inhabitions. You can't be inhibited and "let loose." Why did they do this? It was all an expression of praise to God for ALL they'd heard and seen regarding the birth of Christ. They'd found the birth EXACTLY how the heavenly host proclaimed. God's plan was coming to pass, just as the prophets foretold, and the angels proclaimed to them. They were praising because he had finally sent Jesus; the Saviour, Lord, and Christ. And their response was just as ours should be today; they LET LOOSE. How many Christmases do we let go by and simply awknowledge (if that) our Saviour's birth? When was the last time you (or me) truely LET LOOSE in our response to the birth of our Saviour and the saving grace through Him? When was the last time we couldn't contain our joy of the coming of our Christ, but had to SHOUT it from the rooftops or we'd explode? The shepherds provide such a clear picture of what our response should look like this season: LET LOOSE: let go of all your inhabitions, dance in joy, screech/laugh in delight, and then SHARE it. Let the JOY of your Saviour and salvation LET LOOSE this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas from the Opperman's!


1 comment:

Mom said...

Punkin,
Your writing is a blessing to me! Well spoken!
Much Love,
Mom:)