by Timothy H. Burdick
“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
— Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
Some people say that faith is a leap in the dark. But instead of this, the Christmas story presents faith as stepping into the light. So let’s look at this wonderful story from a different perspective, and explore three of its key points.
Collaboration is the first, and it is a huge part of the Christmas story. But we often stop there, and that’s what bothers me the most.
You might be surprised to know that the manger wasn’t the beginning of the life of Jesus. The Bible tells us that He had existed with His father long before His earthly birth. If it wasn’t for this collaboration with His father and the Spirit, His sacrificial death and resurrection for you and me would have never taken place. Any Christmas gifts we receive, therefore, should symbolically point to the eternal gift which He gave each of us.
While you may not believe this collaboration initially, it’s important that you ask God to reveal himself to you. I challenge you, my friend, to find out for yourself what Christmas is all about.
Next, the Christmas story shouts out the word “flexibility.” Man was going his own way, but God made a provision so that our fellowship could be restored with Him. Because God sent his son, we can all know the security of walking with Him.
The final key point is initiative. If it weren’t for the initiative God’s Son took by obeying His father, there wouldn’t even be a Christmas story.
God leaves you with a choice, then. You may choose to see Christmas as just another holiday and live with the emptiness that comes once the festivities are over. Or, you can seek the Light of the world first, and allow Him to give your Christmas new meaning every year.
God bless you, and thank you for reading the Chaplain’s Corner! If you’d like, check out the Visions of Love Podcast on audioboom.com or in the Apple Podcasts app. Our website is www.mynvm.com, and our business is New Vision Ministries of Arizona. If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call (507) 369-6861.