The Christmas Season delivers many painful feelings to millions of people.
The pain of loss: family loved ones who have passed away; united family life broken by separation and divorce; siblings who have failed to cultivate and keep close relationships.
The pain of distance: thousands who would love to make the song "I'll be home for Christmas" happen this year but cannot because they lack the necessary money, or time or because they have been called to serve far away.
The pain of not being able to give: many who would love to give much to those they love feel severely limited due to finances.
The pain of not receiving: commercials can make it seem that if you don't give and receive the wonderful things companies wish to sell you, then Christmas must be disappointing.
I've just completed my "through the Bible reading for 2012." So let me remind you of the joy Christ provides if we keep our eyes on the future. Rejoice with me in this Christmas Season because of all you won't get when you one day arrive in the Presence of our Great King. When we finally are with Him, we will never again get: tears, or death, or mourning, or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4
Add to that list of what we will not have when we are present with Him: "No longer will there be any curse." Rev. 22:3 Imagine: all the sadness, wounds, deformities, scars of all the years because of "the fall" and the curse that followed - gone.
Oh, and on that day you will receive an eternal day: there will be no more night (of course this is not meaning you will therefore be tired due to lack of rest. Rather it is telling us that all of the evil things that usually happen under cover of darkness will be banished by the light of His holiness.) Rev. 22:5
If you experience any pain during this Season: momentary or long lasting, severe or mild, physical, emotional or spiritual, please turn to Revelation 21 and 22. Read, look up and look forward. There is a huge amount that we won't get when we pass into His Presence. That should cause you to smile, sing and praise.
As one old preacher (Vance Havner) said: "It's only the hope of dying that has kept me alive this long."
The pain of loss: family loved ones who have passed away; united family life broken by separation and divorce; siblings who have failed to cultivate and keep close relationships.
The pain of distance: thousands who would love to make the song "I'll be home for Christmas" happen this year but cannot because they lack the necessary money, or time or because they have been called to serve far away.
The pain of not being able to give: many who would love to give much to those they love feel severely limited due to finances.
The pain of not receiving: commercials can make it seem that if you don't give and receive the wonderful things companies wish to sell you, then Christmas must be disappointing.
I've just completed my "through the Bible reading for 2012." So let me remind you of the joy Christ provides if we keep our eyes on the future. Rejoice with me in this Christmas Season because of all you won't get when you one day arrive in the Presence of our Great King. When we finally are with Him, we will never again get: tears, or death, or mourning, or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4
Add to that list of what we will not have when we are present with Him: "No longer will there be any curse." Rev. 22:3 Imagine: all the sadness, wounds, deformities, scars of all the years because of "the fall" and the curse that followed - gone.
Oh, and on that day you will receive an eternal day: there will be no more night (of course this is not meaning you will therefore be tired due to lack of rest. Rather it is telling us that all of the evil things that usually happen under cover of darkness will be banished by the light of His holiness.) Rev. 22:5
If you experience any pain during this Season: momentary or long lasting, severe or mild, physical, emotional or spiritual, please turn to Revelation 21 and 22. Read, look up and look forward. There is a huge amount that we won't get when we pass into His Presence. That should cause you to smile, sing and praise.
As one old preacher (Vance Havner) said: "It's only the hope of dying that has kept me alive this long."
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