The True Beauty and Joy of CHRISTmas

During this Christmas season, may you be blessed as you think upon the God of heaven who gave His beloved Son so that we may call Him "Our Father, which art in heaven..."

Christmastime is a matter of perspective. If we are looking at it as the time when we celebrate the birth of Christ, then this is a wonderful time of the year. This is when Mary found the Creator of the Universe, the very God of Heaven lying in a manger! Rejoice, and again I say rejoice in this most awesome event of all time.

Christmas is also a time of extreme loneliness and sadness for many. For those who have lost loved ones, it is a difficult time, especially if that was on Christmas day. Please remember these precious people who walk on lonely street at this time of the year. Then there are those who are in hospitals and convalescent homes that also need your prayers or are recovering at home. I so often think of those who live on the streets; that is they literally roam the streets homeless. What is Christmas to them, especially if they can't even afford a Christmas dinner and don't receive a gift? Also consider our service men and women.

Over the years I've heard that more suicides take place at Christmastime than any other time of the year. I can understand the loneliness and the despair. But I've also found that no matter how difficult life becomes, that if we give Jesus the opportunity, then he always brings the sun back out. Regardless of how long it takes, give Jesus Christ the opportunity to restore your life by giving it to Him, rather than taking it, yourself. He can and will once again give you a reason to live and make life worth living again! "On Him and Him alone throughout life, I can depend."

Tell me, have you received God's gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ? If you have, then I rejoice with you. And if you haven't, at this Christmas season, I invite you to receive the gift of God's Son who was born to a virgin in the manager of Bethlehem. Jesus lived a hard life and faced the same temptations as the rest of us. Yet, in contrast, He lived without sin because He was God clothed in human flesh. Therefore He understands your situation and can help you as no one else can. That help begins now. Accept His forgiveness for your sins. Accept the fact that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins, and was raised from the dead so that you may live with Him forever in Heaven. Do that now. I'll wait, as will the God of Heaven, to hear your prayer.

Now, consider the remainder of your life. When you face death, what kind of ending will it be? Today is the time to decide what is important so that you can look back over your life without remorse. At the end of life, the only thing that will matter will be the relationships we developed, with the most important being that with Jesus Christ. Standing beside the casket of loved ones, the Spirit of God always takes advantage of that moment to teach. I've learned that the only value of wealth is to use it to proclaim the Gospel. I've learned that being faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ until the end is the only way to live. And I've learned that when one comes to the end of this life, all the pleasure that this world can offer won't have any value. When the God of Heaven calls me home to be with Him, I won't be looking for pleasure. Instead, I will want to see Jesus. For me to see Him then, Jesus must be the supreme desire of my heart now. Whether you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord years ago or moments ago, determine now how you would like the rest of your life to be. Make those choices at this Christmas season and everyday from the perspective of spending eternity with Him.

Enjoy all that you can of Christmas, even if it is just a smile given in return for yours. Enjoy those you love while they are still with you. And when there is pain in your heart, "turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim." That is because in His presence you will find the purpose of your life, along with the true beauty and joy of CHRISTmas.