"I bring you good news of great joy for everyone. The Savior-yes the Messiah, the Lord-has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David." Luke 2:10-11....Thank God for His Son-a gift too wonderful for words." 2 Corinthians 9:15...."The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." C.S.
Lewis
I often see bumper stickers and such that read, "Keep Christ In Christmas." I understand the meaning of these and the very good intentions within. I also know that we can easily lose focus on what Christmas is really all about, that we can lose sight of Him in all the glitter and glitz of the Christmas season. Still, I have come to realize this great truth; no matter what the enemy, the world, or even a lukewarm and apathetic Church may do or say, Christ cannot be kept out of Christmas, or anyplace else in this world or beyond it. He can be rejected, denied, defied and ignored, but He cannot be removed. We don't need to keep Him in because He never left. We can give Christmas a multitude of different names, but His Name and Person continue to reign supreme anyway. The bright Morning Star that is Christ continues to shine more brightly than all others no matter how much anyone might try to obscure Him. Christ is Christmas and Christ is everything, everywhere, every time.
Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians that He is a "gift too wonderful for words." He goes beyond every word we could ever use to describe His glory. All of them together fall infinitely short of describing His Beauty and Wonder. A beauty and wonder that can and will come to us in any and every place, no matter what is happening around or within us. Paul could write what he did because he had experienced the wonder and beauty of Christ in every place in life. In abundance and in need. On the mountaintop and in the valley of the shadow of death. In all places, he knew Him to always be the gift too wonderful for words. Do we?
This will be the 35th Christmas in which I have walked with Him. I have walked with Him through times when I felt such happiness and joy that I could not contain it. I also walked through this time with darkness surrounding me and assaulting my very soul. I have walked through these, and seemingly, through all the emotional and spiritual places in between. In them all, He was there. Not just reigning beside me, but within me. Rejoicing with me on the mountaintop and weeping with me in the valley. He could not be kept out and would not be kept out. Yes, I could have denied Him, rejected Him and tried to send Him away. But He would have remained. I may have refused His help, but I could not be rid of His Presence. I didn't have to keep Him there, He was there. He will remain there. I don't need a bumper sticker to know this. Neither do you. We just need to know Him. Do we?
The Gift of Christ has been given. Have you received Him? If you never have, what stops you from receiving Him now? He is here, right at your heart door. If you have once received Him, maybe you need to receive Him anew. Let the glitz and glitter of this world, as well as its darkness and shadow be removed from your line of vision. When you do, there He is. Receive Him.......anew and afresh. He who is the Gift too wonderful for words. Receive Him......and be speechless.
Blessings and a most joyous Christmas to you,
Pastor O
Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians that He is a "gift too wonderful for words." He goes beyond every word we could ever use to describe His glory. All of them together fall infinitely short of describing His Beauty and Wonder. A beauty and wonder that can and will come to us in any and every place, no matter what is happening around or within us. Paul could write what he did because he had experienced the wonder and beauty of Christ in every place in life. In abundance and in need. On the mountaintop and in the valley of the shadow of death. In all places, he knew Him to always be the gift too wonderful for words. Do we?
This will be the 35th Christmas in which I have walked with Him. I have walked with Him through times when I felt such happiness and joy that I could not contain it. I also walked through this time with darkness surrounding me and assaulting my very soul. I have walked through these, and seemingly, through all the emotional and spiritual places in between. In them all, He was there. Not just reigning beside me, but within me. Rejoicing with me on the mountaintop and weeping with me in the valley. He could not be kept out and would not be kept out. Yes, I could have denied Him, rejected Him and tried to send Him away. But He would have remained. I may have refused His help, but I could not be rid of His Presence. I didn't have to keep Him there, He was there. He will remain there. I don't need a bumper sticker to know this. Neither do you. We just need to know Him. Do we?
The Gift of Christ has been given. Have you received Him? If you never have, what stops you from receiving Him now? He is here, right at your heart door. If you have once received Him, maybe you need to receive Him anew. Let the glitz and glitter of this world, as well as its darkness and shadow be removed from your line of vision. When you do, there He is. Receive Him.......anew and afresh. He who is the Gift too wonderful for words. Receive Him......and be speechless.
Blessings and a most joyous Christmas to you,
Pastor O
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