Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!

As I was reflecting on the season of Christmas that is upon us, I was thinking about what Christmas really is and what it actually means. Yes, I know the Christmas story, the wise men, the gifts, the manger and all the rest. I know all about the hustle and bustle the world throws our way. It tends to make us feel obligated to go spend money and buy gifts for people and maybe end up finding out that gift might not even mean anything to them. Yes, it’s good to give, but how much of our giving is because we feel like we are supposed to?

Ok, I don’t want to get sidetracked here, so, what does Christmas really mean?

The thought struck me Christmas is actually, Christ – IN – Us. So out of curiosity I looked up that little word…’in’ which means ‘Expressing a movement or a situation with a result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else.’

Well now, that’s interesting! Someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else…hmm. Think about it for just a moment, you are being wrapped with a nice warm blanket that will protect you from the cold, caterpillars are wrapped in a cocoon, how about food that grows from the ground or trees, they are all wrapped in a protective skin. Ok, think about this one…we are wrapped in a covering of skin. Even new flowers are protected until they bloom and new babies are in a womb until they are birthed.

The more I think about it, the more fascinated I am becoming with such a small word. Everything is ‘in’ something in the natural and physical world. How about in the spiritual?

John 15:1-7 talks about Jesus being the Vine and we are the branches. Branches are ‘in’ the vine. The branches cannot survive or live without the vine. All the food, nutrients and water come from the vine. Abiding in the Vine is abiding in Jesus. It can be very difficult to walk through life’s challenges and hurdles that we face everyday, if we are not abiding IN the Vine, Jesus. Yes, there are definitely going to be times when our branch gets pruned or maybe even cut off. But that just means new growth can begin to happen. New growth is always a good thing! We gain fresh perspective, we experience new things, we are vulnerable and we are young in that specific growth area and our dependence is on/in Him. Without Him we can’t live.

John 1:4 IN Him was life, and the life was the light of men

Acts 17:28 for IN Him we live and move and exist…

2 Cor. 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God IN Him.

Eph. 1:7 IN Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Eph. 1:13 IN Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed IN Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Col. 1:17 He is before all things, and IN Him all things hold together.

Col. 2:10 and IN Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps His word, IN him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are IN Him:

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides IN you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide IN Him.

1 John 4:16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides IN love abides IN God, and God abides IN him.

1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are IN Him who is true, IN His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

So now that I have listed a few scriptures talking about being IN Him, let’s go back and take a look at what that little word meant again…‘Expressing a movement or a situation with a result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else.’

Everything that exists seems to be IN something or someone. So I leave all of us with a couple questions…by what, or by whom am I expressing movement? By what, or by whom am I enclosed or surrounded by?

These last two scriptures are my prayer for us all…

Col 1:27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ IN you, the Hope of glory.

Eph. 1:18 pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance IN the saints (you).

I pray through this Christmas/New Year season that we all come to the revelation of knowing “who” we are IN. I pray that we are wrapped, enclosed, encased and hidden IN the love of God, so that when we go out into the world, the world sees none other than The One we are hidden IN.

When we are IN Christ, we live, we move and we exist. THIS is Christ-IN-us which is living authentically! God cannot express Himself without us, and we cannot express ourselves without Him! All creation groans for the revealing of God in the Sons of God, as they, too, will be set free into His glorious liberty.

I pray blessing and increase upon every household and heart and an increase of abundance for 2015!