A Body, a Time, a Life ... Prepared

"A body hast Thou prepared me..." (Heb. 10.5)

The words speak primarily of Jesus' coming to this world, and of His birth among men.
But they are true of every life which breathes the air of this earth.

A body, and by extension, a Life, is given of God.
   It is prepared in the plans of  God.
        It is formed by  the hands of God.
              It is given into our hands to steer through the years of our lives.

"A body prepared..."
The phrase covers all our existence,
     all our abilities,
          all our time, 
               all our circumstances.

There is Nothing which has to do with our life here on earth which is excluded  - God has prepared all.

At all times and in all places, the enemy is insistent in his attempts to destroy this sublime God-given gift of life - it is the focus of all his attacks.
     He seeks to infiltrate our feelings.
     He seeks to confuse out thoughts.
     He seeks to blind our eyes to the World which is given us by God.
    
As we think of Jesus coming to earth we do well to think also of that which is God-given in our lives, 
     Days to seek, to believe, to possess and fill with purpose.
     The task will test our surrender, our obedience and our faith.
       The path may lead through loneliness and suffering, but the end will be glorious.

It is attributed to Ugo Bassi, (who was Garibaldi's chaplain before he was captured, tortured and executed,) to have once touched upon this theme of our earthly purpose when he said (speaking of the area of suffering):

But if, impatient, thou let slip thy cross,
Thou wilt not find it in this world again,
Nor in another; here, and here alone
Is given thee to suffer for God’s sake.
In other worlds we shall more perfectly
Serve Him and love Him, praise Him, work for Him,
Grow near and nearer Him with all delight;
But then we shall not any more be called
To suffer, which is our appointment here.
Canst thou not suffer then one hour,—or two?
If He should call thee from thy cross to-day,
Saying, It is finished!—that hard cross of thine
From which thou prayest for deliverance,
Thinkest thou not some passion of regret
Would overcome thee? Thou wouldst say, “So soon!
Let me go back, and suffer yet awhile
More patiently;—I have not yet praised God.” For us too, this world and this time, is all we have. May it be a time of Vision for us, and the coming year be a year of new and greater horizons, as we step into that which is prepared for us.