December 2005 Devotion
Standing in Line
By Jill Besse

It has been the usual busy time for me and my family this November – you might call it our “X-
games” home edition!  Along with Halloween and Thanksgiving, we celebrate birthdays for
both of our little girls.  It’s fun, but hectic.  I find myself in lots of retail stores, getting just the
right party decoration, just the right gift, or that last minute ingredient for a recipe.

Well, I began feeling the usual accompanying “drain” as well.  First, exhaustion, plus a little
of that frenzied “overboard” spending, and certainly some spiritual short-circuiting.  I am
accustomed to a certain depth of relationship with Jesus, and when I am distracted by the
affairs of the moment for too long, I just don’t get the same quality time that I need with Him.  
I spoke to Him about it today – after all, there’s nothing we can hide from Him! – I professed
my love for Him, but as well, my need to complete the important tasks at hand…

Such a gracious Friend is He.  He is not “wired” to be distracted like we are, He never leaves
us.  No matter what.  I know because He says in His love letter, "I will never leave you nor
forsake you", Joshua 1:5.

One morning, just before a birthday party that I was hosting, I was sitting in my seat at my
women’s bible study.  Oh, what a blessing these studies are!  It’s like making a date with God –
we’re less likely to miss a formal date with Him!  That morning as I sang along to worship
music in my van – I quietly asked God to take hold of me.  I said “please impress upon me
anything that I need to see”.  Please understand, friends, that I ask in FULL assurance of
faith.  I know Him well, and I know He is able to do whatever I ask, in His good and perfect
will.  When we seek Him, He will be found.

Our study leader had planned for us to take communion that morning.  I thought, “how
lovely”, it had been a while for me.  Now – our study consists of about 300 women – so they set
things up so that we could pray quietly for a while, then approach the front in a line-up to take
communion.

As I prepared to take my place in line, I was first of all struck deeply by how wonderful it was to
be in a room with so many lovers of my Jesus.  Really – we sing together, we worship together,
and no matter how big a group it is, we are given the one Spirit and that unites us no matter
the size of the group.  We are all sisters in the Lord, and that to me is Amazing!

I took my place in line.  And then, in a series of flash images in my mind, God reminded me of
all of the lines that I’d found myself standing in lately.  All of the line ups full of myself and
other people, wanting to take home the trinket or treasure that we all thought we needed.  And I
thought of the
singular importance of what the bread and wine symbolizes for us.

I was there, waiting in line with my “family”
to be reminded of the life that was given as a baby to be poured out as a man, so that my soul
(the only soul I shall ever be) could be set free. Forever free.  Free of charge for me.

The greatest and most precious gift we can receive came without grand merchandising
techniques, without fancy packaging or coupons to redeem.  He came as a baby, born in a
stable, surrounded by filth.   He came to earth because He loves, and can't stand the thought of
being without us.  He came because he wanted us to get to know Him, He wants to have a
personal and intimate relationship with us.  And, unlike all of the so-called treasures of this
world, the more time you have with Jesus, the more valuable He becomes to you.  Moth and
rust can’t touch the treasures that come out of our relationship with Jesus.

What a poignant image.  What a gift to me that day.  Each time I am in line to buy something
now, I will remember that moment, in my church, with my friends, remembering that the only
purchase that will matter to me in the long run is the exchange of His blood for my soul that
day on Calvary.  Once, for all.

Thank you God, for being so magnificent, yet so personally invested in me.  You amaze me.

Jill and I would like to wish all of you, a very Merry Christmas full of God's love and His peace.