Christmas 2016
Do you believe in Miracles?
I do! For us to have this gospel of Christ, it is a miracle. It is a miracle because the things that are spoken of in bringing this gospel to us are miraculous. We are not going to look to science to explain or reason with our logical scientific minds. If you believe the gospel, you do believe in miracles and you know God orchestrated those events. Yes, God has spoken, He has entered our time and space and left very large footprints for us all to see. Of course, it is your choice to see what you want, and ultimately believe what you will.
This Gospel makes me glad. I’m glad there is a response to the “why” questions we all have had in our minds. I’m glad God did not leave us to figure things out on our own because of course, we’d be prisoners of our own foibles. I’m glad that God has a plan and in that plan, salvation is offered in grace. I’m glad God is good. That means, God is righteous, just or simply put, divinely fair. And, that is not just important to me, it is important to God Himself.
Christmas then, is a time for us to reflect on God and His amazing plan. The “how” of the plan is detailed for us in ways we can all see in the gospel narratives. We can see God, His workings, intentions and His heart of love. We can see the omnipotence of His promises and will, fulfilled in the human frailty of a newborn babe. Christmas brings God so close to us, we can now identify with Him in the most intimate of ways. We can now see Jesus, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3).
What you do on this Christmas day is up to you. I’d suggest you take a moment to thank God. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2Cor 9:15). Thankfulness is the result of a heart that can clearly see God. Thankfulness is recognition of God’s goodness, His love and His grace.
Jesus tells the story of the 10 lepers who were healed, and told to go show themselves to the Priests to be allowed back into society. Well it was a miracle for sure; they were ALL healed. However, only ONE returned to Jesus in thankfulness! This did not go unnoticed, “So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17). So, the thankfulness in his heart acknowledged the miracle, but also God and His plan. Thus, this one Samaritan leper received the greatest gift of all, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:19).
"We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;" Col 1:3-6
Merry Christmas!
Doug
Message from Dwight: I went a day without checking email. Whew! That was tough. And then I open this one from Doug,, my pastor/teacher, this morning. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this belated Christmas message. I will continue with my own Letters to God and journal entries in the next post, probably one from 12/18/2011.
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