December 25, 2013

Good morning all-

I am awake with the anticipation of a little child.  As I write today, I'm staring at a birthday gift from my brother of wise men and the light inside looks like the North Star.  I'm amazed by it's beauty and majesty!  It says wise men seek God.  It reminds me that once upon a time wise men followed and we are now to follow.  Wise men walked the night to see the baby Jesus.  Why?  Because they were told too and to their wonder, there He was in the manger.  I doubt anyone understood the power of His birth or the meaning of it over 2,000 years later.

Christ came upon this earth, probably in the summer but we celebrate His birth when the ground is wet with snow.  Purified from the heavens, snow reigns down and it reminds us of a time long ago where a baby slept in a manger.  What a night that must have been but only a few knew the impact it would have on their day.  Today, we can watch the impact.  It's everywhere and while men and women are sleeping; I'm awake thinking about the wonder of that night.

O, Holy Night came from this wonderful event.  You can hear the Christmas carols throughout the land on Christmas Eve.  No one goes caroling anymore for fear they would be shot.  But in a simpler time, people left their homes and sang to God the Most High and thanked Him for His Son's birth.  Today, it's done in church or behind closed doors, kind of like the way we live our lives.  Jesus should be shouted from the rooftops but instead like mice we sit and only speak of Him when we feel comfortable.  The wise men knew to speak of Him and proclaim His birth for they saw first hand the wonder of the Son!  We need to do the same thing.  Beyond the presents under the tree, we must put Jesus at the forefront of our lives, not just on Christmas but every single day.

Our lives are a reflection of Him.  We are being watched from a far.  No one really knows whose watching but they are.  They wait to watch us make a mistake, say a wrong thing, or just have bad behavior.  As I've told my best friend, Christians aren't perfect, we really are just sinners.  So don't depend on them for your moral compass, depend on Jesus.  Because if you're looking for all of us to be perfect, forget it.  We were saved the same way others will be, by confession of our sins.  The only difference between us and the world is that we are confessing our sins to our Savior.  We still have them and with His help we will overcome them.

Please take time today to reflect on the power of the birth of Jesus.  It has more power than you realize.  Christ was given to the world to save us from ourselves.  God sacrificed His own Son so that we would know eternal life.  I often think about Paul, who murdered and tortured the men that followed Jesus.  On a road to Damascus he was struck by a light, blinded and could not see.  Jesus sent men to Him and as they came near and prayed, the blindness was lifted and Saul realized he was a sinner that needed a Savior.  Our prayer this season should be for men, women and children all over the world to know Him.  He is not just a story or an ordinary man.  He didn't just walk as a prophet that knew a lot about God.  He was the Son of the Almighty, born to save YOU and ME!

He deserves our time and our proclamation!  He isn't just our Savior at Christmas but every day we live on this earth.  Be warriors with hearts for Him, proclaim the cross and see what Jesus does.  I'm watching, are you?

Be well my sisters and love one another!