So it's a good time to remember that we have already received the perfect gift, the gift of the Son of God given to us on Christmas. Our heavenly Father knew what the perfect gift was, the gift that we needed most. That was not hard to know! But giving it . . . yeah. It meant the cross, suffering, and death. But that's how much your heavenly Father loves you. So He gave His only-begotten Son, the perfect gift FOR YOU.
You're worth it.
Did you know that many churches use a different calendar than the world does? It is called "the Church Year." It began yesterday with the First Sunday of Advent. Advent is a Latin word that means coming and during this season we prepare to remember when our Lord came as the baby in Bethlehem, His promise to come again in glory on the Last Day, and that He is coming to us even now in His Word and Sacraments. In other words, we do not have a God who stays far away from us, or who demands we find our way to Him and be good enough for Him - He comes to us! And that He comes to us now not to condemn us, but to help and save us.
I don't know about you, but that is good news to me! So whatever you are going through, whatever trials and troubles, struggles, doubts, and fears, we have a God who cares and who comes. That's a different kind of God! And He really is, different than all the other gods in this world. He is a loving Father, whose Son came to be your Saviour, and who now sends His Spirit to help you.
So that baby in the manger of so many Nativity scenes? That's not just a baby! That's your God, come to be with you, love you, and save you.
Follow this link to listen to the hymn, God's Own Child I Gladly Say It, sung by the youth at a Higher Things conference. (Look in the comments for the words.)
Whatever you are going through in your life, you have a Father in heaven who loves you, a Saviour who died for you, and a Spirit who strengthens you. You are never alone. Turn to Him and rely on Him.
The elections are coming up, only a couple of weeks away now. If you believe what you hear, they are the latest "most important election of all time!" (Seems like we hear that every election now!) Our democracy is at stake. Both sides are trying to strike fear into us. What will happen? It will be disaster if we don't win!
You know what? God is in control. He'll watch over us no matter if things get better or worse. Read through the Old Testament and you notice plenty of times when everything seemed teetering on the edge of disaster, and God worked good through it. So take a deep breath, look to and rely on your Saviour Jesus, and remember the words of Psalm 146:
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them.
~ Psalm 146:3-6
Are you an ordinary person?
That means you're a sinner.
Which means that Jesus died for you.
Which makes you pretty extraordinary!
That Jesus would do that for you!
Find your value and worth in that, not what you can do.
Then you'll have something that lasts -
not only for this life,
but forever.
Ills that still grieve me
Soon are to leave me;
Though billows tower,
And winds gain power,
After the storm the fair sun shows its face.
Joy e'er increasing
And peace never ceasing;
These shall I treasure
And share in full measure
When in His mansions God grants me a place.
~ Paul Gerhardt
A hurricane came upon Puerto Rico and Florida. Storms can rage in our lives as well, leaving damage and devastation behind. At such times, the sun we need to shine on us is the Son of God, Jesus, to clean up the mess in our lives, that we might have joy and peace again. Maybe not in "full measure" in this world and life, but certainly in the next, when all the storms and sin will be gone and there will only be peace and joy. And He who stilled the winds and waves of a storm at sea, is able to calm the storm in your life as well.
Pray: Lord Jesus, help me! The storms of life are too much for me but not too much for you. Help me to endure, work Your good, and uphold me with Your powerful and loving hand. Amen.
