Christmas with Jesus

Twenty young children from Newtown, Connecticut will spend Christmas with Jesus this year. Terror hit their school and they will never know what it's like to graduate from high school or college. They will not know the joy of marriage or having children of their own. Many ask, "How can a loving God allow this to happen?"

I am thinking today that Satan takes credit for this, not God. Satan is a liar and a murderer. He comes to kill and destroy.

Jesus, on the other hand, said, "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them" Matthew 19:14. He left His home in heaven to be with us. Matthew 1:23 says, "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel," which means, "God with us." We need God with us. We need Jesus.

Terror hit Bethlehem when Jesus was born. Herod heard about a newborn King of the Jews and ordered the death of all baby boys under the age of two. Hundreds of little boys died at the hands of a jealous king. Yet Herod's evil act did not kill our Lord. The Father led Joseph, Mary and Jesus in an escape to Egypt until Herod died. Jesus grew into a man and accomplished His purpose--to heal the sick. The blind saw, the deaf heard, the lame walked, and the lepers were cleansed. The good news of our salvation was preached to the poor. All this was fulfillment of Isaiah 35:5-6.

The government and religious leaders made another attempt to kill Jesus on the cross. Thanks be to God, Jesus rose from the dead, rolled away the stone and more than five hundred witnesses saw him before He ascended into heaven. He promised beforehand, "I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth" John 14:16. God is with us today through His Holy Spirit.

Even though Satan prowls around looking for people He can devour and destroy, God is in control. I don't understand the wickedness that happened in Newtown, or Bethlehem or on the cross. I only know I have to trust the Lord with all my heart and that I cannot lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Prayer
Father God, I don't understand, but I am asking for You to comfort the victims who are left behind the terror. Show them Your compassion and comfort as only You can. May they take refuge in the shelter of Your love and rest in Your peace. Amen.

Highway to Heaven

John and I spent a lot of time at Lake Almanor this summer. A walk on wooded trail or drive through Lassen National Forest is a heavenly experience. It makes me feel close to God, but it also makes me think of the hope we have in Christ.

Since the first day we believed in Jesus as our Savior, that the precious blood He shed was for the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with God, we have been on a highway to heaven. While I'd like to think of it as a jeweled staircase or a treelined path, Jesus gives another perspective. He said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me," Luke 9:23, and "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world," John 16:33.

Jesus showed us what the highway to heaven looks like. He went by the name that even today brings rejection and persecution, but He gives us this encouragement: "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it," John 14:12-14, and "If you love me, keep my commands. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever," John 14:15-16.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is always with us, for comfort, counsel, peace, and strength. We have nothing to fear for greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world.

The highway to heaven is not the popular way that leads to destruction, but it is the narrow way that leads to eternity with our Lord. And surely His mercy and love will follow us all the days of our lives, on earth and in heaven.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the hope of heaven. Thank you for showing us the way, even being the way (John 14:6). Thank you for the peace and supernatural strength to follow you. Amen.