THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

December 26, 2022

Good Morning, it's 25 degrees outside and many have returned home or headed  home to get back to their weekly work schedules. The highways were crowded last night I am sure with the Christmas holiday for the most part ending. All the hoopla has died down. All the planning and preparations are over in a mere 24 hour span. Many folks celebrate straight through to the new year but for most returning back to work resumes on the 26th. 

Christmas has always been for me the most wonderful time of the year. It was/has never been just a day for me. Yes, it's the day set aside worldwide to celebrate the birth of Christ, Immanuel, God with us.  It is a time of rejoicing for that hope that has come by way of God to reconnect us unto himself. His birth was like none other. He wasn't born just to be born, he was born for a purpose. He came to save His creation for He knew that sin had entered the world and was going to corrupt it and humanity living within. He would suffer a human death but at His own hands for He said I lay down my life, you have not taken it from me. He died so we could be forgiven and take part in the resurrection unto new life and eternity with God when our bodies are laid to rest. 

The soul continues on, the word of God says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord for believers. See, Jesus died for sinners and the gift of eternal life is given to those who believe in Him and what He came to do on their behalf. The Great I am is the only one capable of satisfying that sin death, a deed that no human can accomplish himself.  It had to be a perfect sacrifice without spot or blemish and we are all stained and unqualified. We are only counted worthy to be acceptable to God because of what Jesus came and did. He covers the stain of our sin and the Father only sees Jesus when he gazes at us because our Savior not only bridges the gap but stands in the gap.

The spirit of the world seems to change on the 26th of December. Whatever joy, smiles and warmth leading up to the 25th of December diminishes. I am always hoping and often praying that the spirit will last longer than Christmas and continuing on through out the rest of the year and into the new year. I am praying to see more love and less hate in the world. I am praying to see less division and more unity in the world. I am praying to see more compassion and less personal judgement and persecution of others. I am praying to see more people disagreeing in love and less being overly offended by the choices of others. No one should hate another person based on ethnicity, religion or lifestyle. Nothing gets solved when hate is involved. We are emotional creatures and have to digest that two wrongs never make a right. I pray that more will seek the word of God in how to handle life's challenges and situations verses acting and operating from personal emotions.

I say all this to say I pray going forth for that we will learn to love each other more and look after one another as the Lord desires us to do. Let us not step over, go around or hide from another in need and show love, support and prayer. That is the true spirit of Love not to just be observed in the month of December but the other 11 months as well.

Wishing you all and your family a happy, healthy, joyous continue holiday season and a Happy New Year, Lord willing, to come.

Peace and Love