Category: Creative Vulcan

A different Christmas Tree

As we wind up the Holiday season, I am reflecting on a brief family adventure we had a few nights before Christmas. We were driving around as a family looking at Christmas lights in the neighborhoods near our home, seeing the normal displays of reindeers, snowmen, Santa Claus’s, and even Nativity scenes, when we happened upon one home that had a very different lighted display.

Deerfield-Plano-3rd-home
One family had placed, right in the middle of the other decorations, a lighted cross! I don’t think I EVER saw a cross among Christmas decorations before. And I think most people don’t connect the cross at all with their Christmas celebrations. For our society has chosen to separate the infant Christ from his  purpose and mission – to give up His life. It’s easy to celebrate a newborn baby, and very few would take offense. But the Christ of Christmas is also the Christ of Easter, the one who loved us and gave Himself, first as a babe born in a manger, and later to die by crucifixion on a very different kind of tree.
 
The Advent reading plan I did through lifechurch.tv did a great job connecting these two and reminding me that He came for one reason – to change our world through His birth, His life, and His death and resurrection. Thank you, Jesus!

Immanuel: the power of “with us”

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:24

During the Christmas season (during any season really), it’s easy to get so busy that we forget that God wants to be “with us”. Between parties and meetings and shopping and food preparation, this time of year becomes a whirlwind of activity, all of which becomes a distraction from the celebration of the One who came two thousand years ago.
Recently at church, we were singing the song, Emmanuel, by Mat Kearney and David Reed, and I was overwhelmed with the power of this idea, that God sent His Son to be “with us”. So many religions and philosophies require us working our way out of our issues or trying to achieve a certain status, but God knew that we could never earn our way back to Him so He provided a new way. Ephesians 2 reminds us that God isn’t looking for our own efforts, but He is responding to His own love for us and making a way for that relationship to be restored. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us… made us alive together with Christ…”
I’m so thankful for that! Take some extra time today to be alone “with God” and remember that He’s “with us” all the time, even in the midst of our busyness. Let’s not be too busy to realize that.

O Little Town…

In addition to my own Advent Reading plan, we are doing one with our girls from the Jesus Storybook Bible. Last night’s reading sparked a connection for me that I’m not sure I ever made before.

In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel goes out, at God’s direction, looking for a new king. God sends him to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem. There he doesn’t find a king among Jesse’s mature, strong, handsome, older sons, but among the youngest, who was out caring for the sheep. David wasn’t even worthy to be invited to meet the prophet when he came to visit.

 

Much later, shepherds and wise men were told that a baby had been born in Bethlehem and that this baby would be the anticipated king, the Messiah They didn’t find him in a palace, but in a humble stable. Once again, Bethlehem provided the backdrop for a king who would be used by God to serve His people. And this time, it was for ALL people. Thank You, Lord!