Merry Christmas
everyone! Blessings to you and your family. May you all know the joy of the
true reason for this season – the Savior who is Christ the Lord.
“Twas the Night Jesus
Came” by Pepper D. Basham (©2009): Twas the night Jesus came and all through
the town, Not a person would guess, The Messiah came down,. The earth gave no
warning to speak God’s intent, But this magical night I would never forget. The
streets were all busy with strangers from far; No time to hear singing or see
the bright star. As my young friends and I kept our watch o’er the flock, We
had no idea we’d soon get a shock. When out of the darkness there rose such a
light, I sprang from the hilltop to gaze at the sight. An angel came shining as
bright as noon-day, More fearsome and brilliant than I’ve words to say. At
first he said, softly, “There’s no need to fear.” Which I found hard to do
since this host first appeared; But he said, “Be of Joy! I bring you great
news! Your Savior is born, there is no time to lose. This babe wrapped in
cloths has no crib for his bed, But rests his sweet head in a feed-trough
instead.” And then other angels, more than I can know, Rejoiced through the
dark with their songs and their glow. Like millions of stars dancing down to
the earth, They lifted their voices in praise of his birth-Singing, “Glory to
God” Through the stillness of night “and peace to all men,” then they flew out
of sight. It didn’t take long to break out of our shock, We ran down the hill
leaving our field and flock, And found the sweet baby inside a damp cave, But
could this be Christ – the whole world to save? The donkeys and horses had left
a foul smell. The straw was all muddy, the manger as well. But everything was
as the angel had said, A babe wrapped in cloths in a crude manger bed. Then I
know – it was clear. Where else would he be? The Teacher and Healer to make the
blind see. The Savior who’d carry the sins of us all, Where else would show
love than an old cattle stall? This baby, The Christ, would clean up all our
messes. He’d take on our curses and give us His blessings. So as I adored Him,
God’s Son, the true Light, God seemed to be whisp’ring to all a ‘good night’.”
Jesus, the gift of unequaled quality and value for everyone.
[Isaiah 53] We have
no physical record of what our Lord looked like as a human walking this earth.
All the paintings and pictures we see of Jesus, from birth to death, are of
ones imaginative interpretation. The only recorded descriptions of our Lord are
found in the book of Isaiah (v. 1-3): “Who has believed our message and to whom
has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a
tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to
attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was
despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in
low esteem” and in Philippians 2:7-8 “...made in human likeness. And being
found in appearance as a man...” and Hebrews 2:14-18 “...he had to be made like
his brothers in every way...” also Hebrews 4:14-15 “...one who has been tempted
in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” God is Love (1 John 4:16)
and perfect love is sinless. God so loved the world (you and me) he gave us his
Son (John 3:16)! Why? Now we have no excuse for our sinfulness (John 15:22) and
strive to become like Jesus (love); plus we now have a loving God who
understands our iniquities for He also has suffered the pains and temptations
of life. Human love and compassion translates grace and peace.
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