Casandra Martin

What was the best gift you ever received? Stop and think about that moment. Can you remember the day? How you felt when you opened it? The face of the person who gave it to you? I don’t know if your favorite gift was extravagant or homemade. Maybe it was a small gesture or a grand presentation. It could have been a moment of quietness or a time of great festivity. Whatever gift you received, it probably isn’t the “what” that made it special. It was the “who”. Someone took an extra measure of time to think about you. They put thought and care into choosing something that spoke straight to your heart. The gift said something about how special your relationship is and how they value you and what you share together. Something about that special gift revealed a sacrifice made by the one who gave it to you – a sacrifice of time, money, energy, creativity, or love. That is what makes it the very best gift of all. They gave themselves to you.

We usually view sacrifice in grand and noble terms – big moments, extravagant surrender. Sacrifice is simply a gift of yourself. We give ourselves because the person at the other end is worth it. We are willing to give more, go farther, and dig deeper to give another a glimpse of our hearts. That is what Jesus did for us. He gave us Himself because He thinks you are worth it. He went to extraordinary lengths to show you His heart. It was for pure love and deep joy that He offered Himself as the very best gift. He fills today with the gift of His presence.

My Jesus Resolution today is to take time to open the gestures of love He places in my path today. I don’t just want to enjoy the “what”. I want to look for the “Who,” and say thank you. His presence in my day will be the best gift ever.

God showed me something important about my heart this morning. My dog and I were out for our morning walk. We get up early, starting our rounds as the sun comes peeking over the horizon. My dog walks faithfully by my left side. She sticks close, and we enjoy the time together before the busyness of the day sets in.

Shelby (my dog) doesn’t like sprinklers. She was a rescue dog so we don’t know what happened in her past that made sprinklers the enemy, but she is terrified of them. She watches for them. She can hear the sound of a sprinkler turning on a half a block away. And she goes out of her way to avoid them.

Walking early in the morning inevitably means we encounter sprinklers. This morning, the gushing of a sprinkler sent Shelby scrambling. She moved from my left side to my right side. Not a big move from her perspective, but for me it was scary. A car was coming up fast on my right side.

Shelby is okay, but God used the moment to teach me an important lesson. How many times do I scramble to avoid something that makes me uneasy, only to move into a far more dangerous situation? God wants me to stay by His side. Sometimes He has me walk into circumstances that I would rather avoid because walking another way would not be what is best for me. I grumble and complain about the sprinkler, while God has His eye on the speeding car.

My Jesus Resolution today is to trust God in the sprinkler moments of life. In walking by His side, I will always be safe. He will lead me the right way. He will guide my steps and guard my paths. He is watching out for my best, moving me in the way that is going to bring me closer to His heart. I might have to walk through a sprinkler today, but I am going to trust God’s perspective rather than listening to my own wisdom. I would rather get a little wet with God, than try to walk it on my own.

It is the only thing written in the back of my Bible. It simply says, “I don’t know all the answers, but I know Someone who does.”

We live in a world of questions. We live much of our lives in search of answers. Sometimes the questions are simple. At times, the questions touch the deepest part of who we are. Many times the questions echo our pain and confusion. There are moments when our questions call us to examine our hearts. So many questions.

Answers can be hard to come by. We sometimes struggle with our inability to answer the questions that define our lives. We think that having answers will give us a sense of peace or a shred of control over our lives. If we can just fit all the pieces together, make sense of it all, understand the whys, whens, and wheres that arise, we will be able to move forward.

The truth is we aren’t always able to figure out all the answers. And that is okay. There are pieces I will never be able to fit together, mysteries I will never be able to solve, and circumstances I will never be able to control. I don’t have all the answers, but I know Someone who does.

Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

My Jesus Resolution today is to remember that my best answer is always Jesus. He sees all the whens. He is present in all the wheres. He knows the reasons for all the whys. I don’t have to know all the answers. I just need to know Jesus. I can put all the pieces in His hands, trusting that He will fit them together in me in the way that best brings His image to bear in my life.

We are on the way to the dentist this morning. A recent check-up revealed the presence of a couple of cavities. Despite faithful brushing and flossing, those little cavities now threaten the health of someone I love.

In the grand world of dentistry, cavities are not a big deal if they are caught early. It requires an extra trip to the dentist, some time, discomfort, and expense, but it can be remedied. The dentist puts a filling in place, we can go back to our activities, but the tooth is left with a reminder of the invasion.

Cavities in our teeth work in the same way sin works in our souls. Sin worms its way in, many times without us even realizing it has taken hold in our lives. God’s Word, the Spirit’s work in our hearts, and spiritual friendships all provide mirrors for us to see the invasion. Checked regularly and caught early, the damage is minimal. Left unchecked, giant holes can begin to eat away at our core.

Brushing and flossing are tools against cavities in our mouths. God gives us tools to help sin from building up in our lives. Worship, prayer, Bible study, quietness, service, and connection with fellow Christians all work together to provide a defense against sin. We all understand the importance of brushing our teeth every day. We teach our children to do it from the time they are very young. Investing ourselves daily in these spiritual disciplines works in our hearts in the same way brushing works on our teeth.

There is one more absolutely essential piece to good dental health – you have to see the dentist. He is the expert. He sees things we don’t see. He uncovers the problems, diagnoses solutions, and steps in to heal the damage. Jesus tells us in Mark 2:17, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Spending time in the presence of the Great Physician is the best antidote to sin. He will uncover it, cure it, and pay the bill. He will move in our lives and transform our hearts so we will be a little more resistant to sin the next time, if we will just settle in and let Him work on us.

My Jesus Resolution today is take time for a check-up. I am going to sit down in His presence and open my heart. I want His Word to shine brightly into the crevices of my life. I want to be transparent with my friends, so they can help me see what needs the touch of Jesus. The best part – when Jesus takes care of the sin in my life, it isn’t a patch job or a filling. He gives me a fresh start with a brand new heart. One He is shaping to look just like Him.

I am traveling today. On the road, I am blessed to see new sights, meet new friends, and have new adventures. Traveling opens my eyes and allows me to see God’s hand in fresh ways. It is an opportunity to stand in a new place and witness the fascinating ways that He is working in places I have never been before and in people I am just meeting. Traveling is great, but I will be honest – I miss home.

While I appreciate all the opportunities I have to travel, there is something about home that just pulls at my heart. It is where I am most intimately known and most deeply loved. My heart longs for the familiar voices, the sweet smiles, the warm hugs, and the comfort of knowing this is where I belong.

Traveling highlights the truth that I am just a visitor to this part of the country. Here I take up residence for a few days, enjoy the blessings of experiencing new things and meeting wonderful people, and put my head on the pillow at night counting the hours until it is time to go home.

Sitting in an airport or sleeping on a strange pillow reminds my heart to reorient itself toward home. The ache I feel for my family and to be at home is just an echo of the longing I have to really go home. You see, even when I am at home, I am not yet at home.

My Jesus Resolution today is to set my sights on home. While all the words and songs about mansions, golden streets, and pearly gates are great, those are not what make my heart long for home. I want to be with the One who knows me best, loves me the most, and names me His treasure. I long to hear His voice and see His face. I am just a traveler, a visitor to this place. I want to go home.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11a

This is a day made especially for soaking in the beauty of God! Take a look around and notice all the ways that His splendor fills the earth. Each one is a chance to stop and notice the presence of God. Pause in praise today. Sit still in silence. Walk in wonder. Kneel knowing that God wants to pass by you today.

Use today to reflect on the extraordinary gifts that He gives each one of us. With each blessing and opportunity that God places in our lives, we are also given a choice. Will we open the gift and take a step of faith, or keep it safe in the box and never experience the power of God at work in our lives? It always seems so much more logical, reasonable, and realistic to stay in our comfort zones. Faith, by its very definition, trusts God to do things in us and through us that we could never even imagine. Where in your life is He calling you to trust Him? What step of faith will bring you closer to His side?

My Jesus Resolution today challenges me to open all the gifts God sends my way today. I am going to pay attention, noticing how each one calls me to move deeper into His heart. I want to step out on faith – trusting, depending, and relying on His great love for me. Faith is an adventure. His presence is a gift. I’m opening mine. How about you?