Today’s Reading: John 18:25(NIV)
25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
Good morning!
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the giving and receiving of greeting cards. I enjoy reading family newsletters, and catching up with the people I know and love each year. I especially enjoy seeing family photographs. Jeff and I will sit on the sofa together near the fireplace, and look at the cards together. I’ll say, “Jeff! Look at this picture! Oh my, how the children have grown - it hasn’t been that long since we’ve seen them, has it? Do you remember baptizing this little boy? How he looks just like his Father! There’s no denying who this child belongs to!
We had the privilege of reconnecting with a child that Jeff had baptized nineteen years ago at the Lindenwood coffeehouse this fall. When Lindsey was three years old, her parents moved from Missouri to New York and it was there that she grew up. We were surprised when we realized that Lindsey, now a sophomore in college, was the baby girl Jeff held in his arms on her baptism day. She has changed a lot in the last nineteen years! Lindsey is an intelligent, talented young woman, and she reminds us a lot of her mother, in physical characteristics and in her sweet disposition. Lindsey is an avid photographer. We asked her to take a photograph of us for our Christmas greeting cards, and she happily obliged. I dare say it is one of the best Christmas photos we’ve ever had made. She didn’t have a lot to work with, but dear Lindsey found a way to make us both look pretty good! That is truly a Christmas miracle!
Isn’t it funny, how we human types try to deny who we are, yet, our life’s snapshots somehow seem to give us away. We cannot cover the mark of the Savior upon our hearts. We are the spitting image of our heavenly Father, recognizable by the love of the Son living within us. Simon Peter was doing his level best not to be recognized that night as a follower of Jesus, but there was no denying it! The crowd couldn’t help but recognize and see the Lord He loves living in him.
There’s just no denying it! You are a child of the King! You bear His resemblance, and everything that makes you special is a direct reflection of the One who gave you these unique attributes! You cannot deny who you are: a child saved by grace, forgiven, and redeemed. Your family photograph is a direct reflection of the One who loves us all.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
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