December 1st, 2019

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and
truth.” -John 1:14
We are approaching the joyous Christmas season. When I was a little boy, I would look forward to Christmas. While I grew up in India my gifts were mostly clothing and necessary things we needed but our parents always bought us one toy we could play with. We did not know what it would be until we opened the present on Christmas morning. So you know why I looked forward to Christmas, it was the toy. It was not the birth of Jesus the Savior.
Today in our families we buy lots of toys and gadgets for our children. I did it for my kids and still do. I wonder how much is actually centered around Jesus and why HE came.
I have been reading a book by Max Lucado, Because of Bethlehem. It inspired me to write the following.
Why did Jesus come? How did He look? What were the questions His mother had, etc? Max writes about an elementary school teacher and her imaginations. So the teacher asked her students to make a list of questions they would like to ask young Mary the mother of Jesus. She received the following questions:
Could you believe that you were pregnant for the whole world?
What was the first words of Jesus as a baby?
Was He beautiful?
Did He ever get sick?
Did Jesus ever misbehave?
Was Jesus born with hair?
What was His favorite food?
Did He have a pet?
These questions are fair. But what would be our questions as an adult?
Why did He come? I believe He did because His father requested it? He knew people on earth needed Him. Jesus knew what His created beings did. He understood that God the Father loved them. But the chief reason is Jesus wants us to know that He gets it. He understands how we feel and what we face in our life, because He started as a baby and lived like us.
Jesus is not out of touch with our reality. He has been through testing, weakness and all. Jesus does care if I’m sad. The Word says, “He wept.” He was ignored, rejected and yes, He went through much more than we do. He still loves us. Jesus conquered the pain and suffering–now He sits next to His father, God. That’s why He came to connect us back to God.
“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3 NLT)
I am looking forward to reaching Him someday. We have an inheritance waiting for us.
So this Christmas can be different. Let us ponder why and what Jesus did for us and share this with our children with their gifts.
I’m thankful for the gift of Jesus and the hope for my future with Him.
We the Samuel family send our love to each and everyone of you.
God bless. Merry Christmas!
In Christ’s steps,
Pastor Shaker

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