Every idea is a seed and, like a seed, it germinates. Only you have to feed it to make it grow properly.”
–Louis L’Amour (Hanging Woman Creek)
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
–Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
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“O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn.”
–Adophe Adam (Enlish lyrics by John Sullivan Dwight)
The words to my favorite Christmas carol speak of a “holy night”. The birth of Christ was a holy occasion. The world was already groaning because of sin. Now! Now there is hope. There is hope because of Christ. It was a new morning. Mankind has the opportunity to choose Christ and be free of their sin.
I’ve seen a couple of times on Facebook the following: “The world was changed because of an unplanned pregnancy.” No!
This sullies the birth of Christ, the wisdom and omniscience of God. This pregnancy was planned even before the foundations of the world. “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” (1 Peter 1:20, NKJV) Even Mary was told before she was pregnant. No, this was not an unplanned pregnancy. This was the GREAT plan of God. The famous scripture, “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son… .”
I know that everything on Facebook and the internet is true, but here is at least one huge mistake. The omniscient God has all things in His “mind”, sees all things even before they happen. Never, ever diminish the awesomeness of the Lord! Because of the planned birth of Jesus, mankind is able to experience the “dawn of redeeming grace.”
“Silent night, Holy night,
Son of God, Love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.”
–Joseph Mohr
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Christmas Thought:
“Christmas is a time when you get homesick–even when you’re home.”
–Carol Nelson
Nostalgia, maybe, but Christmas is a time to think of Christmas. Memories, memories are very important. I really feel sorry for those who have no fond memories of Christmas. Many think of this as a painful time, but they need a new perspective for it is a time for find the truth of the Day–the birth of the Savior.