Of the many paintings at the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Michelangelo’s portrayal of Adam and God is probably one of the most well known and easily one of the most magnificent. Sure, you’ve all seen it, but have you looked at it closely? Studied it? Given more than just a passive thought as to what it’s supposed to be representing? I’d like you to take such a look at it with me now, because this particular work of art holds a profound message which happens to be very important to us as people, and more importantly as Christians.

Look at the figure that represents God. Notice how his body is stretched out and twisted, his muscles are taught, his finger is pointed and his eyes are gazing directly into Adam’s heart and soul. Notice how the painting depicts the sense of urgency that God and all his creation has to connect with mankind. Do you see it? Now take a look at Adam, the representation of mankind. His posture is a little different, isn’t it? He appears laid back. His muscles aren’t taught, the posture of his hand is saying, “Well, I’m not sure I want to lift that finger.” His finger is just kind of laying there, there’s a gap between his hand and God’s, and it almost looks as if Adam, mankind, is waiting for God to do a little bit more to close the gap. And God did. He gave us his son, Jesus Christ. What else could he do? We weren’t being obedient, we weren’t in tune to his love, so he made the greatest demonstration of love possible by sending his own son to die on the cross for us.

Friends, sometimes I think we live this way. God is rushing at us, passionately pursuing us so that we may come to know him. He wants us to experience his love in compelling ways, and we’re just passively living our lives, saying, “Yea, I’m a Christian.” Even while knowing that he’s given everything including his own son Jesus Christ for us, we ask for more. As we begin this new year in 2009, I’d like to invite you into a life of passion and urgency to know God with the same sense of urgency in which God wanted to know you. The distance between us and God at any given moment is small, and all he asks us to do is respond by receiving through grace his gift of Jesus Christ, and by faith trusting him with our lives.

The past year has brought terrible tragedies to thousands of people, me included. In this new year, I challenge you to revamp your faith, to persist and prevail in prayer, and to succeed in doing God's mighty will. This is a terrible situation we're in, and it's going to take some miracles to get out of it. Go with God, and be the miracle.

I’m sure by now you all know the deal. My hours have been cut to 32 per week, and I’m being laid off. Being that my current financial situation is beyond dismal, and finding a job in this economy is virtually impossible, I begged God for a miracle. And God delivered! But I didn’t just get one miracle, I got several.

Miracle #1: The severance I’m getting is two weeks for every year I’ve been employed. I’ve been working at my current job for almost four years now, but I quit in January of 2007 to go to school. I went for one semester, and then returned to the same job where I’ve been working ever since. It was because of this that I should only be getting severance for one year, but since I was only gone for a few months, I’m still in “the system” as having started in August of 2005!

Miracle #2: A few weeks ago, my shift lead called me up and asked that I call my supervisor about an available job. I called him up to find that he had a friend (a local hardware store employee) that was getting rid of some people at his other job at a food manufacturer and was looking for several new warehouse workers. Knowing that I had warehouse and SAP experience, my supervisor recommended me for the job. I applied, I got the job, and now all I had to do was request my severance early.

Miracle #3: Yesterday I called my HR representative to inquire about receiving my severance early, and found that she had to okay it with a few people before she would know for sure if I could. She said she would call me back tomorrow (which is now today) with an answer. Well, this morning, my supervisor called me to tell me that there was to be a meeting at 2:30. I was totally passed out when he called because this was the first day this week I’ve actually been able to come home from work and sleep rather than having to go fill out paperwork, or take a drug test, or whatever else I had to do before starting my new job, and my phone was on silent so I missed the call, and the meeting. However, when I woke up and saw that I had three missed calls, two text messages, and two new voicemails (the calls and the voicemails being from my supervisor), I gave him a call and found out what the meeting was all about. Apparently they’re going to put those scheduled to be laid off on paid leave (at 40 hours a week, which is more than I’m working now) until their scheduled release date, at which point the severance package will be given.

What does it all mean? It means that I will be receiving my severance for three years of working time and putting it straight into the bank, getting a new, full time (with benefits) job right away at a decent salary, and for one month I’ll be getting paid for 40 hours a week at my current job and getting paid for 40 hours a week at my new job!!

I have been praying to no end that I might survive all of this, and God listened. He heard my prayers, and saw my persistence, and met my needs as I requested. I am so happy right now I can’t even think straight! God bless all of you, as he has blessed me, and, again, I can’t thank those who prayed for me enough.

Miracle #4: My friends on Xanga. You guys really mean a lot to me. Without your help and prayers, I believe none of this would’ve happened. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Can I get an Amen?