Happy Birthday Jesus!

Amidst the glitter, candles, bells, trees, turkeys, feasting and family fun, let us not forget the reason for our celebrations this blessed Christmas day. We gather to remember and celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus our Lord!

Many would deny the existence of our Lord, but this remarkable man has still split time, no other man has ever done that!

It wasn't only the star that guided the wise men to the crib that declares his majesty, but every sunrise, sunset and every star in the galaxies.

He is not worthy of our praise simply because the shepherds and wise men bowed before him, but because to those who declare him as saviour, he transforms lives every day for eternity.

So let us join the Angels as we declare, "Glory to God in the highest, peace and goodwill towards men!"

Happy Birthday Jesus!
And Merry Christmas everyone!

Its about the plan

The story of the Virgin birth was a triumph of the Trinity. A declaration that God's plan of salvation declared by the incarnation of God as man, confirmed to mankind that the promise of redemtion, had begun and would be fulfilled.

This plan, referred to by some as the 'Scarlet Thread', had woven itself through thousands of years of human history, beginning with Adam and reaching its pinnacle with the birth, life and death of Christ.

How often do we think of our lives as merely a dot on the canvas of time. Christ was not the only person who's life was planned through ages, our lives too are planned by God. We should not underestimate our significance.

We should take heart that if God's plan saw its fulfillment in Christ, then our lives too will be a fulfillment of God's plan for the people we will influence. Indeed we can stand tall and say, "He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it to the day of Christ!"

Oh little Donkey

It wasn't glamerous, the donkey that is. But I suppose it could be classified as the Toyota of it's time. Strong, dependable, consistent in it's performance. It got Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.

The Shepherds too were a humble audience, as witnesses to the Virgin birth. The only pomp and ceremony came from the choir of Angels, who proclaimed God's Glory.

The Holy night was peaceful and calm, foreshadowing a theme the Christ would often proclaim when dealing with his disciples and followers, "My peace I give unto you!"

Ka cluck, Ka cluck!

Ka cluck, ka cluck. Ka cluck, ka cluck. Such a relaxing sound as your train chuggs along the rails to it's destination. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower and with stops along the way.

The Christian walk is filled with stops, starts, sometimes slow and sometimes fast moments. God designed it that way. Each moment a lesson of his forgiveness, grace, kindness and mercy.

Our time on earth gives us the opportunity to learn more about God's character. Through every day, we learn to praise him more and more. As we do, we Grow in God and our relationship with him!

Got everything packed?

Mary must have been nervous. Planning a trip when you are 9 months pregnant must have been a nightmare. She must have wanted to pack the whole house.

We spend so much time and effort getting everything ready. We pack things, just in case we'll need them and usually never do. The point is we try to be prepared for every eventuality.

So why do we prepare for everything except our spiritual state? We usually put our spirituality on the "I'll deal with that when I get back" list. Let's challenge ourselves to not ignore God this festive season. Let's spend a bit more time pondering our relationship with God, than just saying thanks for sending Jesus into our world, on Christmas morning.

Wonder if they had fresh sheets?

I love the smell of fresh sheets and sleeping in fresh sheets even more. That makes me wonder if Mary and Joseph were able to get fresh sheets from the Inn Keeper? I know if I was the Inn Keeper I would have tried my best to accommodate the in distress couple that came to my door that night.

Doesn't it strike you as odd that God didn't choose to bring his son into the world, in a clinical, clean medical facility but in the mess of a smelly barn? I think the message is clear. We don't need to 'clean up our act' in order to meet the saviour of the world. God is ready to meet us, no matter where we are in life.

That doesn't mean we don't have to work to change, but that we can know meaning of Romans 8 v 1, which tells us that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Jesus understands the sin state well, all he desires is that we come to him with a heart that is willing to change and grow in our relationship with him. As we allow his Spirit to work in us, we will be conformed to his image.

A joyous event

For most women, the time of pregnancy is the most joyous, exciting event. The joy of a new life, brings hope, anticipation and somehow a belief that they will be able to provide their child with a better childhood than their parents were able to afford.

Yet for other women, this "blessed" event brings with it an acknowledgment of failure and fear of being judged. I can well imagine the many thoughts that ran through Mary's mind when she learned of her Holy conception.

According to Jewish tradition, Mary was a young mother in her early teens. It would require of her a great deal of courage to deal with the arguments of her parents and the suspicions of neighbours, to stand firm in her faith in the message delivered by Angel.

There will come many opportunities for us to waver in our walk with Christ, but we should take heart in the example showed by a gentle Jewish girl, who delivered the hope for our eternity, into our mortal world.