For me as a young boy, Christmas started at our house when my Mom would bring home the Sears catalog in the Fall. It was a about three inches thick and weighed about 5 lbs. it seemed. It was filled with pictures of household items of every kind. But in it’s mix was a toy section. And there, my sisters and myself would spend the next three months gazing and dreaming what Santa might bring to our house. Each day with anticipation, we would visit the toy section of the catalog and wait for Christmas day. Oh it was a joyous time at my house dreaming of Christmas!
When was the last time that you really felt the joy of Christmas? When was the last time that you anxiously waited for the night to turn into morning. The people had waited for 400 years for a savior. They toiled and talked about his coming. They just knew that he would be a great warrior. Mounted on a noble steed in the likes of King David, and he would come and save them from the Roman occupation. That was their Hope. That was their prayer.
Today, we may not be held as slaves, but our land and our way of life are very similar. There is not a day that goes by that some random shooting occurs somewhere in our country. Not a day that goes by that someone commits an egregious crime. We are no longer shocked by most anything that happens. Confusion rules the streets and chaos reins in the hearts of men and women. When will this madness end? When will our Savior return?
Haven’t you heard, maybe you already know…Jesus is coming back soon. He is going to save us from all of this. Maybe we should be excited. Live life with anticipation. Love one another like it’s our last day. He is coming and very soon. Let us rejoice like the shepherds on that silent night when the Angels made a visit…
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Luke 2:8-15
May God Bless you and your family this Christmas season. May you find the Joy and the Anticipation of Christmas that you once possessed as a child . May the love of Christ fill your hearts and the faith of His promises light your days. Jesus is coming. Coming for me and for you. Just you watch and see!
Merry Christmas!
