Good Tuesday morning! The days have been warm lately around here. Looking across the country, it appears that the folks out east have done a good job in praying for a white Christmas, perhaps too good, but the folks around here must be slackin' off on that endeavor. We could use a nice blanket of white snow for our white Christmas, so we have prayer work to do! I am not totally serious in this of course. When it comes to large weather events, we will find, I suspect, that for every person praying for one thing, another person is praying for just the opposite. Perhaps a person down the street from me is praying for no snow before Christmas so that relatives from the south can arrive safely on dry roads. The land around here could use some moisture, but that too can wait for a bit. Trusting in God's perfect will may mean that you or I may have to do without something we want. Sometimes what we think we want isn't quite right either.
Herod didn't want a newborn King of the Jews; he thought he was the king everyone should want. Herod tried to destroy Jesus, but that didn't work out. Herod completely missed the part where Jesus saves the world from sin. That sounds like something we all should want! Last night I listened to an old sermon from Pastor Adrian Rogers about Lazarus and Jesus. The Pharisees didn't want Lazarus to live. Now Lazarus had already died once and been raised to life by Jesus. Instead of praising God for the miracle performed right in their midst, the Pharisees got together and decided to knock off the both of them. Eventually, the Pharisees did get their wish to kill Jesus granted, but they still didn't get what they wanted.
There are many who do not want Christmas to come each year. These folks like Scrooge before he learned the true meaning of Christmas, the Grinch when he still hated Christmas, and the Abominable Snowman when he thought Rudolph would make a nice light snack. They don't like the Christmas lights, the crowds in the malls, or the beautiful Christmas pageants in the churches. These latter day Scrooges just want to stew in their own grouchy ways. They are like alien beings to us.
Christmas is near! It's time to celebrate the birth of the Christ child! To commit once more to Jesus; to honor Mary and Joseph for their care and raising of our Lord; to recall the sacrifice of the wise men in the long journey to offer gifts to the baby King of the Jews, and to praise and glorify God for sending us the Christ, Jesus our Lord. Decorate the Christmas tree at home, go out to gatherings at your friends in Christ, watch the fabulous Christmas pageants, and enjoy the company of God's own Holy Spirit as you celebrate the birth of Jesus once more!
Have a wonderful Christmas this year!
Bucky
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