Sunday, November 26, 2017

The story is beautiful but...


The Christmas story is beautiful!

As I decorated our Christmas tree with silver and gold crosses, I pondered the irony. 

I'm celebrating the birth of a baby who was born to die for me.

I'm celebrating the long awaited Savior who came as a helpless baby and lived a short life ending on a cross.

I'm celebrating God leaving eternity to step into His creation, reaching out to sinners who mock Him.

As a believer, I join with others who want to share the beauty of this story. I join with those who desire for Jesus to be known and loved. For some strange reason, I want to share my most precious gift.

Too many have tried to persuade people to follow Christ with promises of a comfortable, happy life filled with good health and abundance. 

Not true! Jesus said this world is filled with trouble. His promise is that He will be by our side, providing the grace we need to overcome the ugliness that confronts us.

We should be telling people that following Jesus is not for the faint of heart! 

It requires recognition of our brokenness and our utter helplessness to do anything about it.

It means we give our lives away. We can no longer live for ourselves. We can no longer live as our flesh desires. We must allow God to change us from the inside out.

It includes sacrifice but not dutiful sacrifice. Rather a joy filled sacrifice.

It recognizes that we cannot hold on to anything tightly. We have been given gifts to enjoy but are required to share.

It means we share in the sufferings of Christ. And He suffers over the poor and the broken-hearted, the oppressed and abused, the brokenness in the world, and mankind's desire to fill empty places in our souls with things instead of Him. 

It requires we give up the comfortable and go where He sends us.

It ask that we forgive those who hurt us and that we are kind to those who are downright mean.

Why would anyone want to follow Jesus? I understand that it seems foolish. Foolish to follow an unseen God. Foolish to claim a living relationship with Him. Foolish to believe that He made a way for us to stand in the presence of Holy God. Foolish!

Awww…There is so much mystery, but I believe! I believe the Christmas story is good news!

The reason I believe, the reason I follow the One born in a manger long ago:

Life. I've never been more alive. I recognize that the life I once thought was so rich was dead compared to the resurrected life I walk today.

Love. I've never known a love like this.

Peace. I have peace with God and peace with anything that should come my way. It's peace that transcends understanding.

Joy. I have unshakeable joy. It is not contingent on circumstances.

Hope. I have an assurance of what is to come.

Rest. I can rest in Him and His power to do what is impossible.

Confidence. Because of who He is, I now know who I was created to be. My life has value and purpose.

Faith. I am certain. Can't always explain it but I know that I know that I know.

Yes, I have been given much, but nothing compares to the surpassing greatness of knowing Him!

"In those days…" Luke 2:1-20







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