Donna Arcieri – Renewal Fellowship

What Have We Accomplished?

Donna Arcieri — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 04:10:00 +0000

Recently, I was sitting on my couch thinking about my upcoming fiftieth birthday and what we would do to celebrate it. I recently moved from Canada to the Netherlands, and I was missing my own family and friends. I now have a new loving family and wonderful friends surrounding me, I am safe and living in a beautiful country, and I have a beautiful garden where some of God's creatures visit me daily — the birds, the stray cats, the hedgehog, the butterflies, and the bees — and I thought, Wow! I am blessed. I am grateful!

But then, I started to reflect: What have I accomplished in my five decades? That got me thinking about the contrast between my paltry achievements and the effect that Jesus had in only thirty-three years.

Matthew 9:35-36 – Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (NIV)

What can we do to make a lasting impact in our lifetime in this world, preparing us for our eternal world? Can we have compassion for others? Can we take time to speak to people we meet and spread the good news of our Lord? Can we take time out of our day to speak to Him and pray to Him? Jesus was always busy with many things, teaching people, praying with them, healing them, eating with them, and being with them.

Let us try to be more like Jesus daily and realize that it's not the number of years that we have in this world, but it's the impact that we leave on it as we prepare ourselves for eternity. Let us be good to others and kind to God's creation, so that those who follow us can enjoy all that we accomplished while they are here on earth.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to humble ourselves daily, not thinking only of ourselves, but of all those around us. Help us to make their lives better. Help us daily to prepare, knowing that in the end, we will be with You, our eternal Father, in Your glorious house where the beauty and splendour is unimaginable. Amen.

Standing In This World

Donna Arcieri — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 04:10:00 +0000

I have had the opportunity to do some sightseeing in Europe. We travelled to Drielandpunt in Vaals. This is a three-country point, where the borders of Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany meet at a small monument marking this geographical place. I stood there in wonder and awe and asked myself how it is possible to be standing in one spot but to be in three countries all at once. I hugged the marker and took a picture to share my wonder with friends and family.

Later, someone pointed out that Christians stand at the intersection of three spiritual countries. Let me explain.

Firstly, although we live in this world, the real homeland of Christians is in heaven; we are only passing through here. We are in the world, but not of the world, and our real home country is heaven.

John 15:19 – If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (NIV)

John 14:2-3 – In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (NIV)

Secondly, God's kingdom is wherever people obey Him as King. So, the challenge that we have is to live fully obedient to God, while we have one foot planted in the territory of this world.

Thirdly, when we become Christians, Jesus transfers our citizenship from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:13 – For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. (NLT)

When we obey the Lord, we stand in the territory of light, but when we disobey Him, we are in the territory of darkness. So again, we stand at the intersection of three spiritual countries, with one foot in the territory of this world and the other in either the world of light or the world of darkness.

How can we prepare ourselves for our real home in God's country?

Are we kind to God's creation?
Do we speak God's glorious name, praise Him, and sings songs to Him?
Do we pray with others and help them to prepare for their place in the house of God?

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help us in our everyday journey on this earth to prepare ourselves and help others to prepare for our final home with You. May we live lives worthy of such a glorious place. Amen.

Anticipation

Donna Arcieri — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 04:10:00 +0000

I moved to Nederland last year, and due to COVID-19, I did not celebrate any Christmas or New Year's Day festivals. This year, I found myself so excited about anticipating the coming of Sinterklaas, a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children, whose name date is December 6th. He arrives by boat, supposedly from Spain, on the first Saturday after November 11th with his white horse, Amerigo, and his friend Piet. Children leave a shoe at the door every night and sing songs by the chimney in hope that Sinterklaas hears. They wait in anticipation to see what arrives in the morning, such as a candy, a speculaas cookie, a chocolate letter, a mandarin orange, or a small gift. On the evening of December 5th, they gather with friends and family for pakjesavond (gift evening). Sinterklaas leaves a sack filled with toys, but only if the children are good. So, for the whole period of Sinterklaas festival, the children are good and obedient because they want to receive gifts.

Luke 2:11-12 – Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (NIV)

I found myself so caught up in the spirit of Sinterklaas that I lost track of the true meaning of Christmas. I was so focused on sharing in the tradition of Sinterklaas that I forgot the true gift at Christmas.

I was reminded by my friends that the spirit of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and to prepare ourselves for His soon return. We humble ourselves daily to God to thank Him for the sacrifice of sending His only Son in the form of a human being, so that we may be saved through Him.

John 3:17 – For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (NIV)

What can we do every day to prepare to meet Him when He returns? Through our actions, we can be kinder to others, pray together, speak the name of Jesus to those who do not know Him, sing hymns to Him, and reflect on His words, remembering that He is also watching us.

John 14:6 – Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (NIV)

We see through the Scriptures that the truth comes from God. Therefore, until the Lord returns, let us wait in anticipation, read His words, and be able to recognize Him when He arrives.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the reminder through others that our focus at the Christmas season is to anticipate the celebration of the birth of Jesus and His soon return. By Your grace and through faith in You, we are to share in eternal glory. Help us to remember that the true meaning of Christmas is in Christ, and not to be caught up in the retail gifts of Christmas but in the gifts of the Spirit. Amen.