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The Epic Tale of Christmas

The Christmas story is or was not a one time event. It is a tale of epic proportions, written over centuries. It is a story as old as time itself that continues through to today.

The Christmas story is not just about a young couple, a baby, shepherds and some angels with a smattering of kings. The Christmas story is ages in the making and writing and experiencing. The story began in the opening chapters of Genesis and will never end. It is an ongoing saga.

Let's put aside the popular niceties and festivities of the season and experience instead the Story that God lays out as His gift to all of mankind. The Bible brilliantly and powerfully speaks for itself. I make no apologies for sounding so serious, but when it comes to God's working in our lives, it is a matter of eternal life and joy or eternal damnation and suffering.

The Dark & Light Sides of Christmas, Part 2

In life we often miss the "light" side of things because we're wrapped - or sometimes trapped - in darkness.

Darkness is confining. It's oftentimes stifling. Darkness stifles our spirits, our attitudes; it's usually harmful. Many bad things happen under cover of darkness. But there is a "good" side to darkness. First of all, when do we sleep? If you're not a third shifter, then you typically sleep at night, when it's dark. We allow darkness to cover us and the commotion of the day so that we can let our bodies, minds and emotions rest.

Secondly, darkness provides the best background for experiencing the liberating power of light. Sparkling diamonds look best against black velvet; they seem to shine brighter. And so it is with the facets of life. God uses darkness to vividly demonstrate His Light.

In Part 1, we looked at the "darker" side of Christmas. In particular, we looked at Herod the Great's reaction to the visit of the Magi to Jerusalem as they sought out the new born King of the Jews. Against that darkness, there is Glorious Light. Let's experience it, rejoice in it and understand that Light is better and more powerful.

The Dark & Light Sides of Christmas, Part 1

For the Christian or for the religious person, Christmas is a joyous time. A time of "Light" in an otherwise dark world.

One of the most interesting or most intriguing things about the Bible is that as God has spoken to mankind over the millenia, He puts His Glory, Majesty and Holiness on display (never mind His Plan) by contrasting those against our sinfulness, commonness and depravity.

Even in the Christmas accounts found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we find the Glory of God being displayed in the Virgin Birth, the announcement by the Heavenly chorus of angels. We see God's plan being played out. We witness the Holiness and Purity of God displayed again in the Virgin Birth and you could also say, through the lives of Mary and Joseph as they humbled themselves to the authority and love of God.

God's Majesty is displayed not only through the angels and the celebration of the Birth itself, but also through the adoration of the Magi. And it's that chapter of the Christmas story that we'll look at. Hopefully, we'll all come away with a new appreciation for God's exacting Hand in History.

When you read the Christmas accounts without reading or knowing the rest of the Bible, it's a good story. But when you have read the entire Bible and come to the Christmas story, you gain a new perspective and appreciation of God's Sovereignty as He redeems His creation.

Paul's Thorn

In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul talks about his "thorn in the flesh".

The apostle to the Gentiles prayed that God would remove this thorn from his life. And God chose not to.

God answered Paul's prayer request with a resounding "no". Whether we like it or not, that is an answer to prayer. "No" as well as "yes" or "not now" are indeed answers to prayer. Too many times we are troubled when God doesn't answer our prayer requests. We demand - oftentimes - a "YES" to our requests. We want God to agree that our needs or desires or wants are indeed His.

Here's the verse in it's entirety with Paul's response (2 Corinthians 12:7 - 10):