It is a special time of the year. Christmas is upon us. I absolutely love Christmas; I love everything about it. It is a special time because it is about Christ and His selfless expression of love in His desire to rescue humanity from sin. We rejoice for who Christ is and what He has done for us! But I know this time of year can also present its own unique challenges. For some people, it is hard to go through the holiday season because of a lost loved one. For others, the challenge of this time of year is that it is a deeply reflective time and they are focused on obstacles to overcome or goals to accomplish.
Matthew 5:1-6 "And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
As I reflect upon parenting, my mind floods back to the days when my children were very young. Some of the best memories for me as a parent were when my children would hold their daddy's hand. Holding on to their daddy's hand meant safety, security, and confidence to them. I miss those days when they were reliant upon me as their daddy.
The Thanksgiving and Christmas season is upon us. Before continuing to read, I would like to ask you to stop and be thankful for all of God's blessings, mercy, and grace!
"Tis the season" to be a witness for the Lord. The book of Luke closes in chapter 24, verse 48 with Christ speaking and commanding those present by saying, "And ye are witnesses of these things." This is not an invitation to witness. It is not a "... ye shall be witnesses ..." as in Acts 1:8. It is a "... ye are witnesses ..."
The trials of life always seem to come at the most inopportune times. A loss of a job, a death in the family, a family health concern, a financial crisis; the list goes on and many of us have experienced them from time to time. You might say, "Why must the Christian life be so difficult?" I believe we see the answer to this question in II Corinthians 3-4. In II Corinthians 4:8-9 the Bible says, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;"
