O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy night, O night divine! (Adolphe Charles Adams)
One starry night 2,000 years ago a special star suddenly appeared in the sky and the world changed forever. It appeared that holy night to announce the birth of the Savior who left the glory of heaven to come into the world in a humble setting, born in a barn, laid in a manger in the small hamlet of Bethlehem.
Jesus Christ’s birth is the reason for the season of Christmas. The prophet Isaiah prophesied this birth, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV).
Jesus brought hope to a lost world. Never again would the world be the same. Jesus came to save sinners from the penalty of their sins. He came to bridge the gap between a sinful man to a Holy God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, NLT). Romans 3:23, says “for we have all sinned, we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (NLT) giving us a reason we need a Savior. Jesus’ message is simple. Believe on Him and be saved. What peace and comfort comes from knowing one is saved. Fear has no hold over believers because of the peace that passes all understanding for those who are in Christ Jesus.
We have all been through a trying four years of financial loss, fear of the future, and stress. If ever there was a time when Americans need hope, now is the time. The alienation from loved ones who disagree with your political beliefs and the inability to engage in meaningful conversation about the state of the nation has created an environment for depression and loneliness.
It is time to get our lives back to normal. Socializing with friends and family is a formula for joy this Christmas.
Unfortunately, not everyone finds joy during the Christmas season. It can be difficult for some when all is not right in their lives, it seems to take on a heavy burden that leads to depression. It behooves us to be sensitive to this reality and show compassion for those who find themselves in this situation.
If you know someone in this situation, what a blessing it would be to share both a meal with them and your time. I think of those in assisted living or nursing homes who seldom have family visits. It brings me back to when my mom was in the assisted living facility and then on to the nursing home. I knew some of the residents and was surprised to hear how seldom their families visited them even when they lived in town.
You would be surprised at how uplifting a card is, regardless of who sent it. Such a small gesture yet it blessed the receiver immensely. You may have someone in your church who is homebound, I know from experience how much a visit means to them. They want to know they have not been forgotten since they are not out in the public square.
In the Christmas spirit share love to the lonely, poor in spirit, donate to worthy non-profits who help the poor such as, the Gospel Mission or the Salvation Army. Be the hands and feet of Jesus this Christmas! We need to bring hope to those who have lost hope. Hope is necessary for life. What can you do to bring hope to those in need?
Glory to God in the Highest!
