So there are two sides to Christmas - the spiritual "Jesus is born" Christmas, and the secular "Ho ho ho" Christmas. And you see all the malls have their Santas, and the kiddos line up to get their pictures taken with the big guy. And I'm thinking, "why don't we have photo ops with Jesus since it is His birthday after all?"
You might wonder how on earth that would be possible, given Jesus' current glorified state and all. But, really, is He here or not? Where is Jesus? Who would people get their picture taken with after waiting in the "Jesus line?"
The answer: Christians. Believers. The Church. Jesus lives in His people, right? We are not perfect, of course, but we are the way He chooses now to touch this world. We are the mask of God (as I read in a recent Forward in Christ). What a beautiful image! It's like a costume ball and God is there, and as He interacts with people, He puts on the mask of Traci... or Nancy... or Jon... or Mark... or you?
Are we perfect? Do we get everything right? Of course not! But His perfection is so much greater than our imperfection that He can use us anyway. And that's His glory.
So where's the line for "Photos with Jesus?"
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The Lights of Christmas
Christmas is, appropriately, a time of lights. Small or large, there are beautiful light displays seemingly everywhere you look. Whether lights on your tree, candles in the windows, lights strung along the borders of your home, or a flashing multi-colored extravaganza... the light shines in the darkness. It beckons, captivates, calls out to some quiet, hopeful, expectant place within us.
Why light at this, the darkest, time of the year?
"Let there be light." He said it at the very beginning. And the light penetrated the primal darkness. It was his plan from the start.
There was a star, a great new light in the heavens. It was God's own birth announcement hung up in the sky for all to see, though few would understand it at the time. It led the wise kings to the King of kings.
There was the Word. "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
As the lights of Christmas twinkle in our eyes, may we hear his still, small voice calling to the depths of our darkness where only he can bring peace on earth. The darkness will not overcome the Light.
Why light at this, the darkest, time of the year?
"Let there be light." He said it at the very beginning. And the light penetrated the primal darkness. It was his plan from the start.
There was a star, a great new light in the heavens. It was God's own birth announcement hung up in the sky for all to see, though few would understand it at the time. It led the wise kings to the King of kings.
There was the Word. "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
As the lights of Christmas twinkle in our eyes, may we hear his still, small voice calling to the depths of our darkness where only he can bring peace on earth. The darkness will not overcome the Light.
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