“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” – Psalms‬ ‭29:2‬ ‭

This Thanksgiving/Christmas season has been full of deep joy and deep exhaustion; deep joy from much life-giving time with family and friends, deep exhaustion from travel and all the physical and emotional realities that accompany the last few weeks before giving birth.  In truth, it’s been a joyful, exhausting year – full of higher highs, lower lows, and greater intensity than I’ve ever known.  It would be easy to dwell in detail on all that 2019 has entailed – trials, triumphs, and lessons learned – but instead, today’s thought is a simple one.  For the deepest, most abiding joy – the deepest, most abiding, contented rest in the midst of exhaustion or anxiety – has come through looking beyond the horizontal events and circumstances of life and learning how to truly “behold the King of angels.”  Oh friend, do you appreciate the breathtaking loveliness of the Lord Jesus?  Do you love to dwell on His magnificent character and attributes?  Do you love Him just for who He is, and not only for what He has done or can do?  That is my praise from this year: that Christ has revealed more of Himself, and increasingly I find that He Himself is all I could want or need.  I have shared this quote from Spurgeon before, and I share it again here: “Let not love appear to thee as a stern duty, or an arduous effort; rather look to Jesus, yield thyself up to His gracious charms till thou art ravished with His beauty and preciousness.”  I pray this for myself, and I pray it for you too, for 2020 and beyond – to look to Jesus and be utterly captivated by what you find in Him.    

“O come, let us adore Him – for He alone is worthy – Jesus Christ the Lord!”