Pages

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Rhema in Due Season (RiDs) Tuesday 25th Dec 2012

Topic: Celebrating Christ and God's patience at Christmas
Beloved,
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Merry Christmas dearly beloved. It is indeed a wonderful season of Love, Life and Laughter and I just want to appreciate God for everything; also for you and yours for being a part of Christs' wonderful family on earth...http://bit.ly/uAED1s
Celebrating Christ as an infant. I believe absolutely that Jesus is the reason for the Season. I am forever appreciative of the fact that God sent His only begotten son to seek and save the lost. I am 150percent positive I won't be writing this if Christ had not come.
But I also know that few, nay, several questions are being asked out there about the veracity of the stories of Jesus. From contending the actual date of His birth to the divine conception of Mary. Some also had wondered why God didn't just send Jesus as a man? Why go through the process of His birth in a manger, the attack from Herod, the death of several infants and several others if Christ actual ministry is only for about 4 years upon the earth.

This is not an attempt to answer any of the questions. That will be derailing the reason for the season - which is to actually celebrate Life and be grateful to God.
Rather, its a focus on the priceless, unmatchable love of God to all mankind.
Let's ponder on the following. How many of us will allow our children to misbehave without smacking them to submission. How many of us will put up with the kind of abuse, blasphemy that is being made against Christ without saying a word? Have you wondered why the King of kings did not manifest himself as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, consuming all dissidents with the force of His might? 1 Cor 13; 4 says Charity suffereth long. Our God is indeed a patient God.
Rom 5: 6 - 8 'For when we were yet without strength (weak and lacking understanding and unable to appreciate God's love) in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Emphasis mine).
Think about it. God knew that Christ won't be appreciated. That Christ would eventually died a gruesome death on the Christ. Yet he sent him. Not as a King but as an infant. Why wasn't Jesus sent as a man, afterall, His ministry was for about 3 and half years. Why go through all the whole long process?
Herein lies the patience and the mercy of God. I took a closer look at the word 'patience' amongst all the good virtues that we desire to emulate. I found out that patience and similar words that connotes patience are quite long and mouthful...longsuffering, perseverance, endurance, sacrifice, compassion.....
I concluded that Patience is indeed hard work. It is not as cheap and subtle as it sounds.
Our God is indeed a patient God. We live in a world of instants. Instant blessings, instant breakthroughs, instant marriages and instant salvation. However God has shown to us through the stories of Christmas and Christs' birth that He is indeed longsuffering. It was God's longsuffering that guarantees redemption of mankind.
As we celebrate Christmas. I believe its also a time to celebrate the patience of God. If God hadn't been so patient with us, we won't be here reading this blog now, I probably won't be writing this either.
I also think its also a time of sober reflection. A good time to measure our demonstration of the virtue 'patience'. I believe we are the Christs that the world is reading today and if Christ is as His Father and we are joint heirs with Christ and also sons and daughters of God, then, this is the time to exchange all form of impatience with the patience of God.
Don't give up on that child. Don't give up on that friend.
Don't give up on that soul. God didn't give up on you. Don't give up on that pet project for the Kingdom. Let the God of peace and patience be your portion at this season and always.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Blessings and Shalom!!!


From the Desk of
Pastor in the House

















No comments:

Post a Comment