The two weeks leading to Christmas, Christmas itself and the week after Christmas is, no doubt, one of my favourite times of the year. The love, the events, the travels, the gifts, the atmosphere, the food … everything is just always beautiful, for and to me.
Because of their personal belief and experiences, “Beautiful” might not be the word to qualify it for some persons, but I believe we can all agree that this time of the year is always filled with colours, celebrations, gifts, foods, good foods, newer kinds of foods, etc… right?
Now one of the things I love doing at this time of the year is…read the story of Jesus’ birth, according to the Gospel of Mathew and Luke, especially Luke. This year, actually few days ago, as I read and prayed for a better understand, I got 15 thoughts that are just so “Beautiful” to decorate our minds for Christmas…thoughts that are, of course, inspired by the story of Jesus’ birth …thoughts that I think should flood our minds and I pray should eventually transform the way we think, as we celebrate Christmas this year… and it is only nice that I share them. So:
- Nature can’t explain God entirely. Nature shows us God, His beauty, His Glory…His handiwork, but nature can’t explain God fully. How can nature explain a virgin becoming pregnant, without the male sperm? No how! (Matthew 1:18) Hence, when we trust God, we should expect beyond the natural, we should expect the supernatural, always.
- With the Holy Spirit you can conceive and birth anything. Anything, including something you can’t conceive and birth normally, even with the help of everything and everyone in the world…and here is the best part; God wants you to conceive and birth such. Once you’re willing and yield to the Holy Spirit, you begin the journey, your own journey (Matthew 1:18).
- God sends wise men to His vision in your life, and the wise men know how to give good gifts and hear from God. Like Mary and Joseph, just obey His instructions and directions, the wise men that God has assigned to you will find you. (Matthew 2:1-2)
- God sees you differently. If you think you’ve disappointed God or you’re just right where He’ll have you be, if you don’t believe in yourself or you believe so much in yourself already…God sees and still sees only His better version of you. If God was to physically send an Angel to say what He thinks of you to you, like Gideon in the Old Testament, like Mary, the mother of Jesus… “You’ll be greatly troubled and disturbed and confused” (Luke 1:2-29). It is wisdom therefore to deliberately and constantly see yourself in the eyes of God through His son Jesus.
- You have Grace— “free spontaneous, absolute favour and loving kindness— with God.” (Luke 1:30) It’s never and can never be about what you do. Embrace this TRUTH, live your life on it, it is God’s desire for you to do so.
- “…with God nothing is ever impossible, and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.” (Luke 1:37) This was Angel Gabriel’s response to Mary, when she asked “how can this be?” this is God’s response to you too, when you question His promises. When you come to God, doubt is never a good company to bring alone. Even when nature says it’s impossible, always remember that with God nothing is ever impossible.
- God wants you to fully surrender to Him. Like Mary, are you God’s handmaiden? (Luke 1:38). Now Even if you’re a guy, I know you still get the point. Mary didn’t think about what the consequences of God’s action over her life would be and feel like, before yielding. Joseph would have left her, people would laugh at her, no one would believe her story…she didn’t care, at all. Instead she says: “behold I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said.” What has God laid in your heart recently? Have you done it? Did you do it accordingly, as God will have you do it? If you can’t seem to identify a personal message from God to you, how about what He says to His children, generally, in the Bible? How well do you, like Mary, submit to His will?
- God is always with you, ensuring that your world acknowledges the REAL you He created. You don’t have to labour for recognition, just stay where God will have you be. Mary didn’t announce herself to the world. When she went to Elizabeth’s house, God all by Himself, through the mouth of Elizabeth reaffirmed what He said to Mary, privately, through the mouth of Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:40-45).
- Thank God for His promises…even when you can’t see them yet… even when you can’t see them yet. Be like Mary. (Luke 1:4-55). The reason we thank God beforehand is because, like we’ve seen earlier, “…with God nothing is impossible…and no word from God shall be without power or fulfillment.”
- You have to understand that God wants to show Himself to your world; through you…let Him… let Him…let Him! (Luke 1:66-67)
- The account of Jesus’ birth according to Luke 2:1-7, wasn’t rosy for Mary and Joseph. The way to birthing God’s promise(s) in your life might not be smooth and rosy, but God understands, He allows it. He’ll go through it with you. He’ll never leave you all by yourself, never. When it’s very hot, He’ll be a pillar of cloud; when it’s very cold, He’ll be a pillar of fire. In fact, He does not want us to qualify it as “good” or “bad”… because He is always with us, it is always GOOD.
- So God announced the birth of Jesus (the savior of the world) to “shepherds living out under the open sky” (Luke 2:8). Wow! You shouldn’t limit God. You shouldn’t put Him in a mould, your mould. Don’t limit anybody too. God can use anyone to do His will. He created us all.
- Never be afraid to come to Jesus, no matter what you’ve done, no matter who you are. When Jesus came into the world, at His birth, an Angel said to the shepherds “DO NOT BE AFRAID…I BRING YOU NEWS OF GREAT JOY”… it’s still the same today. You don’t have to be afraid, He is your Saviour, and He is for you (Luke 2:9-11).
- The birth of Jesus came with great rejoicing… the presence of Jesus in your life (even if you don’t have what you want and need yet), is more than enough to make you rejoice. The devil wants you to believe otherwise, but resist him; he’ll flee! Get to the point where Jesus becomes your, ONLY, source of HAPPINESS (Luke 2:13-14).
- When the Angels left the shepherds, the shepherds went to look for Jesus themselves. FIND JESUS FOR YOURSELF; don’t take my word or that of others. (Luke 2:15-18). It is beautiful to get a word from God for you, and it is more beautiful to see that word come to pass in your life. Get your own testimonies for yourself…that way, like the shepherds, you’ll be a better witness for the kingdom. Also, when you find and experience Jesus for yourself, you’ll go about rejoicing, praising and glorifying God, like the shepherds.
As we celebrate Christmas, let’s remember it is…CHRISTmas. It’s all about Jesus. Spend time receiving His unconditional Love for you, through meditation, and then… extend His Love to others.
What’s the Invisible Gym without a BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS…a beautiful celebration of our Saviour’s birth?
Nothing. At all!
Wishing you and yours a BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS, and do
Stay Spiritually Fit.
