FreerangeFriday: Wrapped in God’s Love

Wrapped in God’s Love….

The week before Christmas is filled with TO DO lists and expectations. For some, it means traveling to visit friends and family. For others, it means working longer hours at restaurants, stores, and churches. Some To Do Lists are fun, and involve things like making cookies and wrapping gifts, while others bring more stress and anxiety, more frustration and less rest.

In the midst of these next few days, I invite you take time to rest in God’s love for you.

Use the image of Mary holding Jesus and wrapping him in swaddling clothes to help you connect with God’s love holding you, and protecting you. Use the painting above or below, or find one on line that resonates with you, to help you with this  Ponder this image. What do you see? What do you notice? How does Mary look at Jesus? How does Jesus want to look at you?  Use these images to pray with this week.

Imagine Mary,  holding Jesus in her arms and singing him a lullaby. What if Jesus wants to sing a song of love and comfort to you these last days of Advent and into Christmas?  Can you hear him? What Song is Jesus singing to you? Find a lullaby and play it as a reminder of God’s love holding you close.

Imagine how safe a baby feels in her mother’s arms. Allow yourself to be held in the arms of God. How does it feel to be held and comforted? Will you allow Jesus to hold you in the days ahead?

Put a blanket around your shoulders. Let the blanket remind you of Mary wrapping her baby in swaddling clothes to keep him warm and protected. Sit with this image. As Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes, Allow Jesus to wrap you in his love this holiday season. Each time you wrap up in a blanket to watch tv, read a book, or add a blanket to your bed for warmth, allow this to be a symbol of Jesus wrapping you his blanket of love and safety.

The blanket is symbol of the love of Jesus surrounding you.

The blanket is a symbol of Jesus holding you close and loving you just as you are!

Be wrapped in God’s love this Christmas. As Mary wrapped Jesus in bands of cloth, let the love of Jesus wrap around you and remove the stress and fear, the anxiety and expectations others .

Allow God to hold you close, like a mother holds her child.
Breathe in Love
Breathe out fear.
Breathe in Belovedness.
 Breathe out self doubt.

Breathe in love for the unique creation you are.Breathe out comparison.

Breathe in Love.
 Breathe out stress.

Breathe in Love.
Rest in this great Love.
 Be wrapped in it!

Merry Christmas! ©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com