Christmas Has Come

"Do not be afraid; for see - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord."

~Luke 2:10

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my last post of 2010! I decided this morning as I sat to write this I had to go with this verse from Luke. When I read it I am always reminded of Linus from the Peanuts Gang reading the Christmas story during their Christmas play in the Charlie Brown Christmas (probably my most favorite Christmas movie!). My grandfather was a big fan of the Peanuts and nicknamed me "chuck" and now my Aunt and grandma continue the tradition with snoopy cards for most holidays. But there was always something that struck a chord with me when hearing Linus read these words. I think it was the innocence of his voice and the confidence that he read it with.

It is that attitude that I think we all should have about the Christmas story! An excited innocence that has no hesitation that YES! a child has been born to US and he will be our savior. If you really truly believe that this child is our savior I believe you can't say those words without excitement and joy. And it is through the innocence that allows us to not second guess this, not look back and say well what about this and that. Children have this amazing way of just hearing a story and saying, YES! And isn't it interesting that Jesus, our savior, comes to us in this innocence of a child?

To often we get caught up in the details of life, religion, and the world around us. But if we just look at the simplicity of it all, a child, born to us, our savior, the Messiah, and we don't let all of the complexities through it because a miraculous event of peace, love, hope, and joy! So this Christmas I invite you all to approach the coming days as a child, excited for the simplicity of the message and the event. Come to this day with a heart of innocence  and excitement. See the child that is for us as a child and see the miracle of this Christmas!

May you be blessed with peace, love, hope, and joy this Christmas and New Year. May God bless you with the simplicity and joy of a life filled with Him and His grace! May this child born to us live in you from this day on. Christmas has come! Merry Christmas!

Lying in a Manger

She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.Luke 2:7

All of us should use the gospel to evaluate ourselves. How near or far are we from Christ? How are we doing in faith and love? Many become inflamed with dreamy devotion when they hear about how impoverished Christ was when he was born. They grow furious at the people of Bethlehem and criticize their blindness and ingratitude. They think that if they had been there, they would have served the Lord and his mother. They wouldn't have allowed them to be so miserable. But these people don't even notice their own neighbors who are nearby and need their help. They ignore them and leave them as they are. Who on earth doesn't have miserable, sick, blundering, or sinful people around them? Why don't they show their love to these people? Why don't they do for their neighbors what Christ did for them?


Don't deceive yourself by thinking you would have treated Christ well when you don't presently do anything for your neighbor. If you had been at Bethlehem, you would have paid just as little attention to him as everyone else did. You only want to serve him because you know who he is. Let's say that he were to come, lie in the manger, and let you know that he is the one you now know so much about. Of course you would want to do something to help. But before that, you wouldn't have done anything.


Similarly, if you could see your neighbors now as they will be in the future, and if they were lying in front of you, then you certainly would take care of them. But because you only see them for what they are now, you ignore them. You fail to recognize Christ in your neighbors.
                        ~Martin Luther

Christ is in all of us. We were created in His image. Therefore, what we do to others we do to Christ. Doesn't this change the way we interact with each other? It sure makes you think differently about your bother or sister or mother or father and how you just treated them. Or how about the guy you just flicked off for cutting you off in traffic? Martin Luther beautifully illustrates how we are to treat each other, with love and kindness. I think he is absolutely correct in saying that if we were in bethleham 2010 years ago we would have done the same thing the people there did. We would have been to invovled in ourselves to realize who was knocking on our doors, who was right next to us, and the miracles that were happening. So are we still that blind? Who is the person next to you in line at the grocery store? Who is that waiter or waitress serving you food? Who is driving the car in front of you? Maybe this Christmas Season is our time to meet these people; to help them and love them. Maybe this Christmas miracle will be the one where we see Christ in everyone, even the tiny little baby born in a dirty old manager to a teenage girl from a poor town and we invite that baby into our homes instead of keeping him out in the cold hay. Christ is alive in us all! Joy to the world, and peace to you all!