May you have a wonderful CHRISTMAS!
This will probably be my last post before Christmas... and so may all who see this have a wonderful Christmas celebration! This weekend we remember... not just a sanitized stable scene, but a gritty, real moment in history, with all the pain and struggle, joy and love of a timeless reality... the birth of a child.
Yet this particular birth was notable by its ordinariness... because this was the moment that the divine became flesh and breathed, screamed, and kicked a new posibility into being... this was the moment when God stepped into creation in a way that has resonated down through the centuries.
May God's light shine on you and may you know the peace of God reborn in your hearts.
May you grasp the truth of who you are made to be and welcome the embrace of the promise fulfilled by the God who formed you.
May you hold to the light in the darkness, the light of creation, the light of the world.
May you know in your heart the words of the prophet Isaiah...
The people who walked in darknessMay God bless you and hold you close.
have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows...
light! sunbursts of light!
You repopulated the nation,
you expanded its joy.
Oh, they're so glad in your presence!
Festival joy! The joy of a great celebration,
sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
2 comments:
In this world of tolerance and political correctness, I've decided to wish people Happy Boxing Day Shopping, instead of all the other things.
Because, no matter if you're Christian, Jew, Muslim, or Humanist, we all love to consume, and to consume, we must first shop!!!
God bless us every one. Every one of my credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Canadian Tire, and Sears. To the MAX!!
Couple of thoughts: (Perhaps better seen as a Christmas message in lieu of Pastor Mike's message...so here is one from a very recent graduate with a Masters of Theological Studies degree from Tyndale - 'the rightch')
1) Humans will never have genuine 'peace' or be able to extend 'peace' based solely in their own abilities. Only Jesus would be able to provide HIS peace as He lives His life in and through us. Strive, in your own abilities, simply to love one another. It cannot be done. Note if you will...this commandment is second after loving God first. When one gets the first the second should automatically follow. Love God, Love humans.
2) Noted in several blog comments referring to me being veiled...hidden...this is a very astude observation...and I have been surprised for the delayed comments/shots. For those who are believers in Christ I want to give you an official death certificate which is a wake up call. You no longer live. Christ is your life! You too are hidden!
COL 3.3 "For you have died with Christ and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Sounds like being cloaked..IN Christ...to me...way cool)
Not enough..GAL 2.20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I NO LONGER LIVE, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith IN THE SON of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
ROM 6.6 (666...ouuuuughhhhh the mark of Truth..not the beast - sixth book of NT, 6th chapter, and sixth verse) "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin."
So now that I have established that I am 'dead' and hidden in Christ, as are other believers, (many who don't know it)..check out... 2 COR 5.21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that IN HIM we might BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD" Guess who else is the righteousness of God? I know Pastor Mike to be the Righteousness of God as well.
Any other partakers of a new identity in Christ? By the way, 'righteousness' is a mere sliver a much larger iceburg of one's identity in Christ. Romans, I Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians are all laced with who we are IN CHRIST. (OUR LIFE).
One last challenge: read II Cor. 4 7-12. Note: 'his life may be revealled in your mortal body' Talk about a Christmas gift.
To the blogger who wanted a decoder ring - you have something better - the Holy Spirit. He is the supreme decoder of all things.
Hope you decoded this message - it may have changed your life.
I bid you 'All' Peace, His Peace, as I no longer live, I can only offer His, which is perfect. Trust you find your true Identy in Christ and to be cloaked and hidden in HIM & HIS LIFE. There is nothing else!
Merry CHRISTmas, not feastivist!
The Rightch
Post a Comment