I have to admit something. I have an absolutely ridiculous amazon wish list. I think it’s like 20 pages long and for every one item I buy from there, I add three more. I’m just crazy like that. But I also have a wishlist for my non-cyber world, too.

I wish that people wouldn’t be so quick to seek the negative and look for things to criticize in others, but would show more forgiveness and grace and look for ways to build each other up.

I wish people would stop using the Bible to prove other people wrong, to win arguments, to condemn, and to boast in their own knowledge, but instead would use it to glorify Christ, to seek to know Him more, and to show His love to the world.

I wish that we as Christians could talk less about what we believe and live it more. I wish I could do better about sharing what I believe with those I work with.

I wish we would stop using faith as a political platform or as a means to get “our” people elected, but instead live it as a lifestyle of thankfulness to the God who saved us.

I wish I were a whole lot better at trusting God and waiting on His promises instead of working so hard to help Him out and messing things up.

I wish my friends could see themselves the way I do, or better yet, the way God does. I wish they could see how much Jesus loves them and how He sees Himself in them and is very proud of them.

I wish chocolate was naturally fat-free. Ditto for all Italian food.

I wish and I pray and I hope that I see revival in my lifetime and that the Holy Spirit would burn inside us to love each other better and love the outcasts and downtrodden and needy in a radical way.

I wish everything on my amazon wishlist could be 90% off tomorrow (ok, that one was silly).

I wish all of you would fall in love with Jesus and see how crazy in love He is with you and be captivated and transformed by that love into people who are willing to live surrendered and give their lives away for the Kingdom of God.

Amen and amen.