Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas

Although we do not know the exact date or time, Christmas is the day we remember the child that was born in a manger. Many people did not realize that the tiny, beautiful baby boy born in a filthy animal trough (manger) would grow up to save to world.
That beautiful, perfect and innocent child would one day be mocked, scorned, laughed at and have a crown made out of thorns forced upon His head. He would suffer a terrible death that should only befall the worst kind of criminals, crucifixion.

The amazing part is that, although all those terrible things happened the story doesn't end there. Three days after His death Jesus rose again and walked the earth. His death and resurrection fulfilled the debt owed for our sins.

We are filthy sinners full of greed and lust but we are forgiven and by God's grace we can be saved. Through faith in Christ Jesus and believing He died on the cross and rose again we can be washed clean. We will still sin, but God will see us through Jesus, that baby boy who was born in a manger and grew up to save the world. Jesus will be our wrath absorbing substitute as we stand before God.

Praise God for sending His son to rescue us, and remember why we celebrate CHRISTmas.

As the totally unoriginal, but completely true saying goes, "Jesus is the reason for the season," so let's keep it that way.

:)

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Patience and Kindness

It has been some time since I have blogged. With all of the holidays it is difficult to find time to sit and write down my thoughts.
The Lord has been teaching me a lot over the last month. Patience and kindness has been the moto in my household. Between the busyness of the holidays, family in town, family living with us, struggles with friends and work, my life feels like nonstop stress. It is exhausting and sometimes I just can't handle it. So through it all I have to continually remind myself to have patience and kindness.

I think this is something we all need reminding of every once in awhile. On those mornings when we are running late for work and a family member takes the last cup off coffee so you go to work exhausted and coffeeless, or when you are trying to get to church and you are stuck in piles of traffic. When your boss is grumpy and he stomps around yelling at everyone, or when you feel like everyone is out to get you. All we can do is give it to God and ask for patience and kindness. In Him we will find peace even in the most frustrating, irritating, and tough situations. He was patient, kind and loving toward us even when we despised, hated and rejected Him.

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

So as we head into the Christmas festivities, which includes the stress of Christmas shopping, remember patience and kindness. Even when the littlest thing annoys us remember that we are not perfect and forgive one another for their faults. Christ showed us the ultimate patience, kindness and love, which we were so undeserving of, so I am making it my goal to strive and do the same for others.

Merry Christmas :)