Looking for the Answer...

This morning as we awaken from the weekend and the tragic massacre of the elementary school children in Connecticut last week, news commentators , psychiatrists, psychologists, school authorities as well as the President of the United States are saying we have to do something to stop these killings and the madness that is going on all over this country. Everyone is looking for the answer. Interestingly enough most people run to the answer immediately in these catastrophic situations: God. All of a sudden, people, including the very people who have taken God out of the classroom and schools, run to Him. They ask for prayer, they quote scriptures, and they call us as a nation to prayer. We are seemingly unified again as "One Nation Under God" even though a few cannot pledge allegiance in their schools anymore. We run to "God" when we have a crisis much like people who come to counseling. They show up because of a crisis and once it starts ‘feeling better’ they stop coming to counseling until the next crisis.

This we can be sure of concerning our nation: there will be more crises. These are things we cannot control.  What we do have control over is where we place our hope.

Yesterday afternoon I attended the Christmas program my home church prepared for the Christmas Season. I must say in all the years of being a follower of Christ I do not believe I have seen it done any greater or simpler than how our church shared the true meaning of Christmas. They gave the audience a different perspective on how others might worship in different countries; they addressed the family of today and how Christmas isn't always the sweetest time for many around the Christmas table. They addressed our families that have someone on the field in military service and those who may have lost someone in battle or service this past year; they addressed those who are lonely at this time of year and just want the season to be over. It was nice to hear a Christmas program address the realities of life and things people really deal with in this day and time during the Christmas season. But, the greatest thing of all was how simply they wove the coming of Jesus Christ’s birth and its meaning into our lives through this Christmas Program. Jesus: the simple HOPE of the world. Incredible! Yes, isn't it true that John 3:16 is the Christmas story . . . For God so loved the world that He gave His son from heaven above, to the cross and again when He returns, so that whoever believes with simple faith in Him, shall not perish (a promise) but have eternal life (the Truth!)

He is our Hope in the middle of all our circumstances: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the evil. He is our only Hope. If you have never received the gift of the season, Jesus, in your heart there is no time like now. It is as simple as honoring that tug He has placed on your heart. Simply confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD, that He came to this earth, lived, and died for you a sinner, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. You will be saved.

Please remember others during this season who don't have or understand the Hope Jesus gives us in the middle of our life circumstances. He truly is the reason for our HOPE!

His,

Vickie