A Child-Like Christmas

The Son of God, the Savior of all mankind, was not born in a palace, but in a stable. He was born in the usual way, and slept in a feed trough. Angels announced His birth to the nearby shepherds, singing “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to all men”. The shepherds felt compelled to go to Bethlehem and search for Him. A star led wise men from the east to the place where they could worship Him—a long journey, indeed.

It’s a preposterous story. Who could possibly believe it? Except maybe a child—or someone with the heart of a child. It’s a humble story. A story meant for people with humble hearts.

Luke 18:17 says, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Have you ever wished for the heart of a child? To see things as your child sees them—simply and at face value? They see everything through an unfiltered lens—untainted by the world’s idea of how things should be. As we grow up, we add layers of information that cloud the truth—gained through experiences or taught by those we consider to be experts. Before long, we begin to question everything.

In Jesus’ day, there were not many professions more lowly or humble than that of a shepherd. It was just them and the sheep. There was no one to tell them what they should think about a band of angels announcing the birth of God’s Son. They saw and they believed. That is why God chose them to receive The Good News:

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Luke 2:10-12

So what about the wise men? They were educated men who studied the stars. How fitting that God used a star to guide them. Did they question if the star was really a sign from God? Apparently not. God used them to show that even wise people can believe as children. There is a difference between being wise and being “wise in your own eyes”. 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 says this:

“God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.”

Of course, the Christmas Story is just one of many INCREDIBLE stories found in the Bible. That does not mean they aren’t true. God is looking for child-like, humble hearts who will take Him at His word. He offers us abundant life—joy in place of despair, comfort for the broken-hearted, healing for your soul, and peace no matter what your circumstances. My prayer for you, this Christmas, is that you will see with the eyes of a child and believe with the heart of a child.

God is Building a Palace

Wisdom from C.S. Lewis:

Something Beautiful

By Bill and Gloria Gaither


Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion
He understood.
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful
Of my life

The Eyes of Faith

When God rescued me, it meant seeing things differently. Surrendering my life to God gave me great peace. Suddenly, I realized that He was in charge of my life. This was a great relief since what I had been doing to run my life wasn't working for me any more. In living my life without God, I learned to be self sufficient and independent. I relied on what the "experts" said about the world: what's right and what's wrong, what my priorities should be, how to make certain that my future was secure, how to live a long and happy life. These "experts" of the world said, "Nothing can stop you. Whatever you want in life, you can make it happen." In believing these things, my eyes were blinded to the possibility of God. Everything was logical and orderly until the crisis came. Then, what was working before no longer helped. When God came into my life, He changed the way I saw everything. All the things that had happened in my life, and all the things that would happen in my life had passed through the very hands of God and were meant for my good and His glory. Everything. Divorce, unemployment, an empty bank account, the IRS, a late house payment. Things no longer "just happened", but the great purpose of God was behind everything. I began to think that God could, and would, make something beautiful out of my mess. And He did.

New Lenses

The Other Side of the Coin

Just as we cannot understand why God allows bad things to happen to good people, we cannot fully understand the love of God for us. Can anyone comprehend the kind of love that would cause a father to give his only son as a sacrifice for the whole world? For people who despise the name of the one who died for them? For people like me, who sometimes take that sacrifice for granted?
I love this prayer that the Apostle, Paul prayed for the Church at Ephesus:
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Why God chooses to love us--in spite of our selfish, self-centered ways--is a mystery as deep and unfathomable as why He allows suffering in this world. His ways are so much higher than our ways. Can we accept His love without accepting the fact that He is sovereign and sometimes that involves pain that we cannot understand?

The Hardest Question

Why do bad things happen to good people? A friend passed away recently of a horrible disease. A middle aged couple died in a fiery crash a few months ago. A tiny baby was found to have a heart defect just last week. What is God up to? Why does He allow these things? How do we settle that question in our heart? How do we believe that the God of the Universe is a loving and a good God who cares for His creation as a father cares for his children? There are more questions than answers.

God has told us in His Word that "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." What does this mean? It means we cannot understand His actions and His purposes because He is God and we do not have His understanding. He sees the whole picture--we see only a tiny part. It means we have to have faith--faith to believe that what God says about himself in the Bible is true. He is good, He is loving, He is merciful, He is faithful, He is forgiving. Have I seen evidence of these things in my life? The answer is "yes"--many times over.

Here's the question:

Would you rather believe that the bad things that happen in our lives are just random--that they have no meaning or purpose?

Or would you choose to believe that God, in His infinite wisdom, knows what He is doing? That even though it is painful and impossible for us to understand, God has a higher purpose in our suffering or the suffering of others. Could you dare to believe that something good can come out of tragedy?

It's really an issue of acceptance--some people deny the existence of God because they cannot explain everything that He does. Can we accept the fact that there is not an answer for everything that happens in life? A strong and godly woman, Elisabeth Elliot, penned these wise words: "In acceptance lies peace." May we all find peace in the midst of pain.

Getting A New Perspective on My Life

Deep Waters

God has so many promises for His children. When i’m in trouble, I tend to search for those promises that tell me everything will be okay. But sometimes everything isn't “okay”. There is pain and suffering and sorrow in this world, and we are not always shielded from these things, even though the Almighty God of the Universe is our Father. Only God can answer the question “Why?” And sometimes it seems He is strangely silent. It says in Isaiah 55:8 that we cannot understand God’s ways--He looks at everything from a higher perspective.I have had moments of great joy in my life, when I have seen God do amazing things. I have also had times when I wondered, “Where are you, God?” For those times there is a special promise:

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.” Isaiah 43:2

Promise

From the Pit to the Palace

"So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory." Romans 8:15-17

Imagine that! With my little faith the size of a mustard seed, God took me from being alone--a slave to fear and despair--to being His adopted child. I now call Him "Abba" or Daddy. If I am His child, that makes Jesus my brother--He and I are heirs of God's glory! My Father is the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God of the Universe. He knows me and He knows my circumstances. He has promised to never leave me or forsake me. No more living in the pit--delivered from slavery to fear, false beliefs, and worries about the future. I am now a child of the King and my future includes living with Him in a mansion that Jesus Himself has prepared for me!

"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3