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.

Blessed and Bruised

Do you feel like you can only show your face when everything's going well with you? Me too. Only the Christian sisters with whom I have bonded closely do I feel I can share my emotional frustrations and hurts, my pain and suffering, my fear and failure. It's no wonder people think Christians should be perfect.

Yet the Bible shows how Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Peter and Paul (among many others), made mistakes and experienced despair while following God. In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon talks about the seasons of life--"a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven."

Although Jesus called us to be light and salt to the world, we are human. People in the world need to know how we handle suffering--that we don't give up, but keep our focus on God regardless of our situation. We have a comforter and healer. Out of God's love for us, He promised to be with us always, never to leave or forsake us. We are blessed and bruised. May we show this kind of faith to the world we live in.

Lord Jesus, help me show my trust in you no matter what I experience. Amen.