Unto Us

We stand in a field with signs, angrily protesting the War...
but forget to love and pray for those whose lives are at stake in this conflict.

We criticize our leaders, tear them down, point out their flaws, and revel in their failings...
but fail to pray for and encourage them in their enormous burden of representing a fractured people in a fallen world.

We condemn evil, arrogance, and piety...
Except when it is within our own hearts.

We give to the poor, the less fortunate, and suffering...
But in our hearts, we know we could give so much more.

We wrap presents, trim the tree, bake cookies, put on pageants, and send out cards...
as the glory of the hope and salvation of Jesus Christ takes a back seat to the clanging cash register.

Christians scold one another for caring too much or too little about that which finds resonance with our individual hearts...
Instead of encouraging one another and building each other up.

We seek to ardently to be a lighthouse for Christ in the darkening horizon...
But the light is struggling to be refracted from the beacon of our hearts, marred by soot long in need of cleansing.

We are called to hunger and thirst for righteousness...
but resist venturing out of our comfort zone to make stands for Him.

We claim hardship with our high gas bills, hurricane clean up, and political battles...
when there are children wandering streets without food, clothing, family, or hope.

We seem content to let this Christmas pass without renewed commitment to glorify God...
in all aspect of our lives, hearts, souls, actions, words, and destiny.

Every one of us, large and small, believer or not, has the opportunity to receive the gift of Jesus this Christmas for the very first time. Or to rejoice in Christ anew. To let His birth and the gift of salvation He brings change us in ways that compel us to live for Him as He died for us. May this Christmas be unto us something beyond ornaments and overtures. May it be life altering. May it bring us to our knees. May it carve out the resistance in our hearts and restore our love for others beyond boundaries, religions, politics, race, or creed. May it make us acutely aware that everything we are is not good enough for the gift we received Christmas Eve.

It is by grace alone that we can even celebrate the gift of Jesus. Let us honor Christmas and glorify Him with our celebrations. And let us take His message of loving hope to the ends of the earth.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Merry Christmas. By grace alone. And because He loves us all.

For unto us a child is born.