For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
I read somewhere of a little boy and girl who were singing their favorite Christmas carol in church the Sunday before Christmas. The boy concluded "Silent Night" with the words, "Sleep in heavenly beans." "No," his sister corrected, "not beans, peas."
The fact of the matter is that many do not know the true meaning of Christmas. We do not understand its import, its impact, or its infinity. The import of Christmas is Jesus Christ, the sinless babe born in the manger, which grew up as a perfect man for the single mission of paying sin’s price of death. The impact was that through him believers are saved. Any man snatch from hell and bound for heaven is because of Christmas. Finally, its infinity: Christ is forever. The kingdom of God is populated with those who believe Jesus was born the savior of the world. And of that Kingdom, Isaiah says, shall be no end.
It is ironic that the word Christmas, literally means a “Worship Service for Christ” and it was the original tradition of Christians to go to Church every Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Yet today it seems that this is in large part a thing of the past. Christmas is celebrated without Christ. The import has become family and friends, the impact has been indebted shoppers and retailers’ bottom lines, and infinite treasure has been traded for temporal trash.
Why not become an agent of change in your own family? Before you open one gift, take a few seconds and share with your family the real meaning of Christmas in a very easy and simple way, by reading those Classical verses from Luke 2:7-14,
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Merry Christmas
Showing posts with label season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label season. Show all posts
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Instruct Me In The Night Seasons
Psa 16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
What a wholesome resolve. Not only passionate but intellectual – “I will,” yet not only intellectual but passionate – “my reins.” And there is no other way to please God then to remain passionately tied to the word of God in the dark times. Yet this is often when Christians make excuses by appealing to the frailty of our humanity, and are emotionally turned to self-preservation rather than divine dependency.
The wise counsel of God is not as much for day as it is for the night seasons. What need is there to turn to other alternatives in the blissful season? What new source of light is sought in the brightness of day? Temptation dwells in the night, in the uncertainty of the wilderness experience, and in the presence of pain without apparent remedy.
Night seasons are unpredictable and they call for unpredictable behavior. And there is for the believer light in darkness, joy in sorrow, and assurance in uncertainty. Is not counsel given by God, a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path? The word of God instructs us when the day becomes dusk and dusk becomes dark. When what to do is no longer evident and obvious, when everything one thought would help is exhausted, and when all other advisors are at an impasse, what one knows of God remains reliable, stable and sure.
One may have at points blessed his own wisdom. One may have at points blessed his own ingenuity. One may have at points blessed his good friends. All of these bear some level of appropriateness. However, in the night seasons it is time to bless the Lord and Him alone.
The night seasons are not times to turn to the right or left. The night seasons are not times to doubt what God has said. The night seasons are not times to conclude that it’s more than you can bear. The night seasons are not times to conclude that God has forsaken you. The night seasons are not times to fall into fleshly consolations.
In the night seasons, one may have to know like Abraham that the Lord will provide a sacrifice in the place of your son. In the night seasons, one may have to say like the three Hebrew children, “If the Lord will not deliver me from the fire, I still won’t bow.” In the night seasons one may have to do like David after the death of a child, “arise from the earth, and wash, and anoint himself, and change his apparel, and come into the house of the LORD, and worship.” In the night seasons one must be informed by God’s counsel and driven by an unwavering attachment to the same.
What a wholesome resolve. Not only passionate but intellectual – “I will,” yet not only intellectual but passionate – “my reins.” And there is no other way to please God then to remain passionately tied to the word of God in the dark times. Yet this is often when Christians make excuses by appealing to the frailty of our humanity, and are emotionally turned to self-preservation rather than divine dependency.
The wise counsel of God is not as much for day as it is for the night seasons. What need is there to turn to other alternatives in the blissful season? What new source of light is sought in the brightness of day? Temptation dwells in the night, in the uncertainty of the wilderness experience, and in the presence of pain without apparent remedy.
Night seasons are unpredictable and they call for unpredictable behavior. And there is for the believer light in darkness, joy in sorrow, and assurance in uncertainty. Is not counsel given by God, a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path? The word of God instructs us when the day becomes dusk and dusk becomes dark. When what to do is no longer evident and obvious, when everything one thought would help is exhausted, and when all other advisors are at an impasse, what one knows of God remains reliable, stable and sure.
One may have at points blessed his own wisdom. One may have at points blessed his own ingenuity. One may have at points blessed his good friends. All of these bear some level of appropriateness. However, in the night seasons it is time to bless the Lord and Him alone.
The night seasons are not times to turn to the right or left. The night seasons are not times to doubt what God has said. The night seasons are not times to conclude that it’s more than you can bear. The night seasons are not times to conclude that God has forsaken you. The night seasons are not times to fall into fleshly consolations.
In the night seasons, one may have to know like Abraham that the Lord will provide a sacrifice in the place of your son. In the night seasons, one may have to say like the three Hebrew children, “If the Lord will not deliver me from the fire, I still won’t bow.” In the night seasons one may have to do like David after the death of a child, “arise from the earth, and wash, and anoint himself, and change his apparel, and come into the house of the LORD, and worship.” In the night seasons one must be informed by God’s counsel and driven by an unwavering attachment to the same.
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