From a straw bed to a throny crown…
Our church’s Christmas Eve services really emphasized, for me, the connection between the birth and death of Jesus. Without the birth of a Holy child, God could not redeem us. Without the shedding of blood, with Jesus’ death on the cross, the birth meant little to anyone but the family.
Christmas seems to have pushed us into a Santa trap - we tend to concentrate on what we can buy that would “impress” someone with our generousity and insight. Granted, there is much of our time and energy that is spent on giving to others, but we really tend to forget that there would NOT be a Christmas without Christ - the first of two Ultimate Gifts.
On the other side of the equation is Easter. It is both a horrible and a wonderful story. We are Easter People (thank you, Pastor Randy Cross for that.) What we have is that second Ultimate Gift - forgiveness for sins and Eternal life. That means we have Hope - no matter what the present circumstances in which we find ourselves. We can rejoice, even in death of a loved one, when they have chosen to put themselves in the arms of Jesus in life - making Him Lord of their life. Jesus proved that there IS life after death - something each of us should look forward to.
May each of you Easter People have this blessed perspective on this Christmas Season!
