Christmas 2008

For awhile I've been praying to God that this would be the best Christmas ever. I've had a lot of reasons to think it might not: we weren't going home, my older kids wouldn't be with us, we'd be missing our families, we had no money until quite recently to buy anything at all as far as presents, we're living in a foreign country where everything is so very different from home. . . and more. In addition our country, and the one we're living in are experiencing unprecedented problems: rising crime, rising unemployment rates, financial problems and more. So you can see my prayer for a wonderful Christmas is really a pretty practical one.

Something happened though that I find real interesting: God answered. But not in the way I thought He should answer--He didn't send my boys to visit me, He didn't send us home unexpectedly, or create world peace, or even peace in my neighborhood, and while He did send a bit of money so we could have a Christmas He didn't send boatloads. But, what He did do is all the more significant. He reminded me of where I am. And, He did that by reminding me where I was.

You see for many years I didn't know the Lord. I wasn't a terrible person, like some might think, but instead I just lived my life as I wanted to, thinking that I knew best how to make myself happy. And, for all of those years I had pretty good Christmases. For the most part I had sufficient money, I have a wonderful family, and Christmas for us was a time of "peace on earth," even if not in the wider world around us.

But all those years too there was something lacking--a sense that there was more to this than a wonderful family, nice presents, and the fun of watching my kids open their gifts.

And, finally about 10 years ago I found what I was lacking--Jesus Christ. And, that made all the difference in the world. And, not just the Jesus Christ that is found in Luke 2--the babe in the manger that even those in our country that have never stepped into a church could tell you about. But, Jesus who IS GOD WITH US. Jesus who cared enough about me and my sin problem, to come to earth and sacrifice Himself as the only sacrifice that was sufficient for my sins. And in doing that offered me peace with God, adoption into God's family, all the rights and privileges that come from being God's daughter, and not only that but has given me the right to crawl up in God's lap (figuratively speaking) and call Him daddy!

And, for me at least, that changed my life radically! I know that every single day I can walk with Him and come to know Him and His will more and more. And, for me Christmas is so different than it's ever been before. Oh I still enjoy the presents, a wonderful family, time spent with both family and friends, but too I enjoy the daily presence of knowing God and walking in His presence.

So, this Christmas, the present God gave me is so much bigger than anything I could have imagined. And He didn't do it through having a wonderful Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, a tree complete with all the gifts we'd want, and a family that's perfectly dressed in their matching Christmas outfits and perfectly behaved. Rather He did it by giving me Himself.

I say it again, what an amazing God we have!!!! And Merry Christmas all!