Issue 932 – Can Bear-ly Wait – December 10, 2022
The countdown towards Christmas day continues with only 15 days left. I can bear-ly wait. This “decorated” bear hung on the wall at a Christmas celebration we attended some years ago.
For many years the Christmas day worship service has been a great joy for Kathy and me. There is just something inexpressibly precious about celebrating the birth of our Lord with other believers.
I know that Jesus wasn’t likely born in December, but it is the date the church chose. While we can worship daily and in every place, focused worship is precious. I find the Easter services just as special.
It saddens me that it becomes harder to find a Bible-believing church celebrating with a Christmas day service every year. Most offer several options for Christmas Eve and then nothing on Christmas Day.
We seem to be giving in to the commercialization of Christmas and making idols of our families and traditions. Christmas traditions are great; every family should have some. I believe that part of those traditions should include worship of the reason for the season.
With that little rant aside, what are we celebrating this advent season?
We are celebrating the birth of the one who gave it all on our behalf.
Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant. When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
We are celebrating, with great anticipation, His return.
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6-11
Jesus the King is our hope; he has come and prepared us to be with Him forever. He will return to judge the Living and the dead and to take His church home.
I can bear-ly wait to remember His birth on December 25 and to be with Him forever.
He is the greatest of all Christmas gifts.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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