No room in the inn, Herod’s plan to kill the baby boys—bad things happened to Mary, Joseph and the holy Child. Why would you expect only good things to come to you? Remember what Jesus said:
John 16:33 (NIV)
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world.
“Your mercy reaches from the heavens, through the clouds, to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love.”
Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Christ was born so we can be reborn.
John 3:3 (ERV)
Jesus answered, “I assure you,
everyone must be born again.
Anyone who is not born again
cannot be in God’s kingdom.”
Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,
and will call him Immanuel.
James 1:14-15
After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
God with Us = life.
Sin = death.
Which to choose?
Wars and rumors of war. Political dissent. Prejudice.
“Oh, bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.”
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
John Mason Neale (1861) English
Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum (1710) Latin
“Who is like you,
Jesus, sweet Jesus?
. . .
You are the guide of those
who are bewildered by falsehood.
You are the peace of those
who are in turmoil.
You are the prince of those
who yearn to be led.
You are the priest of those
who seek the truth.”
Johann Freylinghausen (1670-1739)
Christmas music plays everywhere. Maybe you need the sound of silence to calm your soul.
Habakkuk 2:20 (NIV)
The LORD is in his holy temple;
let all the earth be silent before him.
Make time for a bit of quiet time.
“Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous
but a winter fire for the unfortunate.”
G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
All too often, we overindulge at Christmas, eating and drinking more than is good for us.
Try less eating, more hunger:
Matthew 5:6 (NIV)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Christmas can be a hard season. Some folks are lonely. Some are grieving. Some are depressed. Some are envious. Many are stressed. Bah, humbug!
Romans 15:13 (NIV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let humbug go. Grab on to hope.
