"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

There's a tremendous humility and bravery that the psalmist displays in this challenge. He gives the Lord permission to search his heart and to look for impurity and wickedness so that he might be led into a more righteous life.

It takes great courage to confront the sin in our lives honestly. We find it easier to rationalize, excuse or ignore it. But there's nothing to be gained from this approach. It builds a wall between us and God that hinders us from living the abundant life Christ died to give us. We can never grow into the person we are meant to be if we are harboring sin in our hearts.

And once it's been acknowledged, rooting out the sin is even harder. We develop patterns of thoughts or behaviors that become integrated into our identity. On our own, we are powerless to overcome them. It's easy to feel hopeless and defeated. And this is one way the enemy maintains his power over us. But through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can conquer even the darkest and most stubborn sin.

It begins with the earnest desire for God to search our hearts and reveal the sin that needs to be dealt with. Then we must sincerelly pursue intimacy with Christ--it's the only way to achieve drastic life changes. As we draw near to our Creator, he can shape us into something new and beautiful.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45 NIV

I always get choked up when I hear the song, "Mary Did You Know?" As Mary cradles her precious infant to her chest, how could she fully understand that he was God incarnate and that he had come to bring salvation to past, present, and future generations? Or that it would be achieved through a brutal death? As she kisses his soft brow, how could she imagine that one day it would be pierced with thorns? It would have broken her heart.

But we know that her sweet baby grew into a man who healed the sick, made the blind see, and fed thousands of hungry people--only to be sentenced to death on a cross. If that had been the end, how tragic a story it would be, both for Mary and for the world. But after three days, Jesus rose from the dead and conquered sin and death forever.

When we sing "Away in a Manger" or look at the darling child in the nativity scene, we know the full story. Without the cross and the resurrection, there would be no reason to celebrate Christmas. And had Jesus not chosen to accept the limitations of human form and enter the world in a dark stable, there would be no Easter.

As we celebrate the Christmas holiday, let's keep the cross in perspective as it shadows over the manger. Jesus gave us the greatest gift that could be given: forgiveness and the opportunity to enter into a relationship with the God of the universe.

"Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." Isaiah 55:7 NIV

We've all made mistakes that we've later come to regret. At the time, maybe we didn't realize the choice we were making was a sin. Perhaps we acted out of impatience, lack of trust, or envy. We all have a different story to tell of life-altering failures with far reaching consequences.

But God is gracious and desires to give us a second chance. Though we may have to live with the consequences, when we acknowledge our sin and turn from it, God is merciful and eager to forgive us. His love is so endless, powerful, and deep. And when we experience the blessing of a second chance, we are experiencing a gift of his love. It leaves you feeling awed, humble, and grateful.

The Pharisee, Saul, was determined to exterminate the new set of heretics known as the Followers of the Way. His sole purpose was to glorify God as he acted out terrible persecution against believers in Jesus. While his passion for service was admirable, he had it all wrong. And Jesus personally revealed himself to Saul on the road to Damascus and set the record straight. After that, Saul became known as Paul, one of the apostles of Christ, and went on to change the world with his witness.

God didn't just save Saul. He gave him a second chance to spread the gospel with as much determination as he had previously persecuted the church. If God has given you a second chance, don't take it for granted. Live like you are grateful.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear." I John 4:18 NIV

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him," John explains. Love--God's pure and perfect love--sets us free. Where we might have been intimidated by someone smarter or prettier, God sets us free to love. Where we might have been resentful toward someone who has hurt or betrayed us, God sets us free to love. Where we might have been fearful to let down our walls, God gives freedom to risk loving anyway.

God's love for us is deep, sure, and unwavering. John states that the reason there is no fear in love is "because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." When we accept Jesus as our savior, our sins are wiped away forever by the sacrifice of blood that he made on the cross. Jesus already took our punishment. We are now sheltered in the arms of love forever. We may know consequences or correction, but the final punishment has been spared us.

If we have experienced this powerful love of God, it should set us free to love others in the same way that we are loved. With loving comes risk. Not everyone deserves our love; not everyone will reciprocate our love; not everyone will appreciate our love. We are free to love anyway, and to love without fear--with wisdom and discernment, certainly, but not with fear.

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

"And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering." Mark 5:25-29 NIV

Twelve long years this woman suffered. She spent all her money seeking help, but the doctors failed her. She had nothing left. Her money was gone. Her health was gone. And this culture, her bleeding would have labeled her "unclean." She was probably a social outcast. There was no hope left for her.

Then she heard about Jesus' healing power. He was her last resort. She was desperate for healing--desperate enough to quietly creep up behind him and touch his cloak, hoping that his power could be tapped in that way. She wasn't courageous enough to ask him face to face. Maybe she felt unworthy.

But Jesus knew her worth. It wasn't his clothing that healed her. It wasn't her desperate hope, either. "He said to her, ' Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'" It was her faith in him that made the difference.

Sometimes it seems we've carried our burdens for so long that there simply aren't any options left. We've tried everything we know to do, and nothing's worked. The scars and the pain linger until we begin to wonder if we even deserve to be healed. But Jesus is waiting with loving patience for us to simpoly reach out to him. He wants to bless us with the same benediction: "Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."