The heart of Christmas

     

     As Christmas approaches and gift buying is on our minds, I am once more reminded of the greatest gift ever given, and continue to be awed at the wonder of it all. 

     To think that God, our Creator, willingly sent Jesus, His Son who had no sin, to enter the world as a little baby, become human like us, take our sin and thereby give us the greatest gift ever given — an invitation to live eternally with Him in a wonderful place called heaven. This is the heart of Christmas. 

     The following delightful story tells how one individual finally realized what celebrating Christmas is really all about.  

Wings of Faith Found on Snowy Christmas    

     Once upon a time, there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn't a scrooge. He was a very kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men. But, he didn't believe all that stuff about an incarnation which churches proclaim at Christmas. And, he was too honest to pretend that he did.  
"I am truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, who was a faithful churchgoer. 
"But I simply cannot understand this claim that God became man. It doesn't make any sense to me."  
     On Christmas Eve, his wife and children went to church for the midnight service. He declined an invitation to accompany them. "I'd feel like a hypocrite," he explained. 
"I'd much rather stay at home. But, I'll wait up for you."  

     Shortly after his family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. "If we must have Christmas," he reflected, "It's nice to have a white one." He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his newspaper. 

     A few minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. It was quickly followed by another, then another. He thought that someone must be throwing snowballs at the window.    
  
     When he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled in the snow. They had been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his window. "I can't let those poor creatures lie there and freeze," he thought,"but how can I help them?"   Then, he remembered the barn where the children's pony was stabled. It would provide a warm shelter. He quickly put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on the light. But, the birds didn't come in. "Food will bring them in," he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail to the barn. 

     To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms. They scattered in every direction... except into the warm, lighted barn. "If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety," he thought.  

     Just at that moment the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for awhile, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. 

     Then, he sank to his knees in the snow. "Now I understand," he whispered. Now I see why you had to do it."   

— Author Unknown    

     "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."  
(2 Corinthians 5:21)     

     

A blessed and peaceful Christmas to all my blog readers.

— beulah

Knocking on Heaven's door — let Him in

     

     Someone, hoping for more than a temporary life made this statement, "My reasoning tells me that there is nothing, but my heart hopes for something else." 

     No matter how much our minds may reason against God, our hearts cry out for Him. We each have a God-shaped vacuum in our lives, that only He can fill. 

Jonathan Osborne

     Each day as the news media reminds us of the on-going uncertainties and difficulties in our world, we need more than ever, a hope and a secure anchor. 

     Recently, in my files I came across this essay, entitled, Why Do I Need God?  It was written by my eldest grandson, Jonathan, in his mid-teens. 

     I could not explain this subject any better.

Why Do I Need God?

     "You are walking down a dimly lit hallway. There are doors beside you that have words inscribed on them. Some of them read, 

'All you need is money and you will be fine,' 

'You don't need anybody's help. You can do it on your own,' and, 

'God isn't real. Even if He was, He wouldn't care about you.' 

There are many others, but they all have the same message, 

'You don't need God.' 

     Your thoughts run wild trying to decide what is right. You know deep down that you do need Him but a question keeps reoccurring in your mind. 

'Why do I need God?'   

     First of all, we need God because He is the only one who can save us from our sin. We are deceived today by others who say they can deal with their sin. They tell us to go to counselling or help programs. These things can help but because they are of a mortal nature, they can't cleanse us. 

     However, there is still hope. God's simple way is the one and only way. The reason that God is our only Saviour is because He gave Himself for you and me. His love is so great that He took all our sins on Himself and conquered them. As a result, we can be set free. 

     In the Bible it says, 'If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' 

     All we have to do is ask for forgiveness and He gives it.

     Therapists and counsellors do a good job of managing sin but God is the only one who can cleanse us completely. 

     Secondly, God is the only one who gives us a true purpose for living. When God is the one in control of our lives, we have a meaningful and worthwhile purpose. I find that when my relationship to God is suffering, I feel, and sometimes look, rotten. 

     It is when I am living for God that I find my greatest joy. 

     Even though the Lord provides such a marvellous offer, the world has to go its own way. People are driven by sins like the love of money, greed, and materialism, sins that only God can help us from. All of these seem very important on earth but when we arrive at the gates of heaven, we will have only one thing on our minds. 
     
     That will be, 'Was God my purpose for living?' 

     If He was, He rewards us by taking us to heaven. On the other hand, God will punish those who chose not to live for Him. Therefore, what our purpose for living is on earth, will determine what will happen to us after we die. 

     Lastly, God is the only one who can give us a hope after death. Some people believe that when you die, you are reincarnated. Others think that you move on to a higher state of being. Many people don't know what happens to you after you die. Although there are a lot of beliefs, Jesus is the only way. Jesus died on the cross, conquering death and removing its sting. So, when we confess our sins and live with God as our purpose, we need not fear death. 

     After we die, God assures us a room in heaven's hotel. 

     Although He died for everyone on earth, Jesus only accepts his believers into His kingdom. Unfortunately, those who choose the path of the world are sent to hell. It must hurt God so much to have to send His much-loved creation into such an awful place. 

     For the followers of Christ, however, we have something incredibly marvellous to look forward to after death, not something to fear. 

     All over the world, people live for all sorts of reasons, mostly for themselves. Those people don't know why we need God so much! 

     Evidently, it is up to us to express our love for the Lord and share why we need Him. You sure don't have to go far to do that. Just look around you. There are thousands of people, just in Kelowna, who desperately need God in there lives. 

     All you have to do is follow the Godspell song,...'So, let your light so shine before men, so that they might know some kindness again...'"

— Jonathan Osborne

     Well said, Jonathan.     

Let's do our part in sharing the GOOD NEWS this Christmas.

— beulah