What I Wish You Knew at Christmas

 Christmas ---" What I Wish You Knew"

I wonder if we can relate to the real Christmas story. Somehow it becomes a far off event with a Star, a Manger, an Inn, a baby ( the Christ child) , Mary, Joseph, ( even though we try with the Mangers and the real animals and all the celebrations..) etc... our world does not seem any different at all. We have the same things happening, crisis at the border; crisis in our lives with ill health; people who are lonely ( loss of loved ones due to something even separation or death). We see the manger from afar . Christmas is to us somewhat of a story that does not come down to our daily struggles.

There are angels. They are saying," Glory to God to in the highest and peace on earth to men. "This is a rare event in our world ---such a wonderful event. People have problems today. They have always had them, haven't they? A casual friend of mine who took a church I did not retired recently. His wife for some reason ( which he never told me except I think it had something to do with him drinking too much & something must have happened) left him after almost 40 years of marriage. He is a priest and was an effective preacher and pastor. He is now sharing pictures of Jimmy Stewart on FB before his character almost committed suicide in " It's a Wonderful Life" . Believe me I have been very affected by this because my friend wrote the most beautiful sermons and had his Bible straight . He seems to know no encouragment that I have tried to give him. This makes me very sad to be honest .

Who needs to be encouraged ? I know we all need a place of healing in our souls for lost friends, lost places, losing loved ones, and just a sense of not knowing what is going on anymore . It seems there is no foundation at all. At least we do not feel there is emotionally. I like the cartoon I just saw with the young kid walking next to Moses walking through the red sea that is parted," Stupid sea! I can't text down here! At least Egypt got good reception." We are like that too. Give me what I know. Give me comfortable, not hard. Give me the assurance of Your love and presence. I heard Amy Grant, the singer, on the Radio on one of my drives back from the Hospital in Fl, say we are loved but we do not know it , deeply and enough. That is true.

Let me share some words from Titus  in the backdrop of Luke which tells about the Christmas event. " For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.." Jesus became one of us, human with all our frailities and fears. ...Yet there was more, and that is the Christmas part. He was sinless, holy, and born of the Virgin Mary. He is the grace of God as Titus says appeared ( came) in the flesh for all men.

1. Reflect on grace . What is grace? This a Greek word, charis that means God's favor extending freely to His people because He is always leaning towards them. from Biblehub.com on charis-grace Titus 2:11 This is God not leaving us when we probably left Him. This is God coming down to us through Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and in the people who never gave up on us. I told you about FR Patience in CA who was so loving and helpful to me when I was going through Army stuff etc...and I rejoined the Anglican Church through his encouragement.

2.Salvation to all men. Who have we written off on our list ? There are those who need our encouragement too, despite their arguing, persistence in doing stupid stuff, and all around not looking like a Christian. What does a Christian look like? He or she is not always someone we think is or could be a Christian. I think I told you about going in the local bar in our town in North Dakota of 100 people. The Church were incredulous that I would in there, but I said, " That is where all the people are." So I went with some acceptance in my thinking . There was one individual that I really wanted to talk to. And I did. He died eventually of alcoholism, but not before I had a chance to talk to him about God and Jesus. I wanted him to know that I wanted him to know Him too and that I was concerned about him .

3.The purpose is that we should " deny ungodliness and worldly lusts , we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself, a people for His own possession, zealous of good works." Titus 2:13

There it is the Christmas account. Do we feel this in our lives and hearts? Do we live in this way according to His Word or do we live according to something else entirely different?

As Nancy Guthrie said in her article, " What Grieving People Wish you knew at Christmas" is my conclusion"

"This is our great hope at Christmas, and the hope we have to share with those who are grieving at Christmas — that “yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.” The Christ who came as a baby and died as our substitute will one day return to consummate his kingdom. And when he does, “he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore” (Revelation 21:4)."