Matthew 28:18-20 - “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
It’s Christmas afternoon. The presents have been opened. Food has been eaten or is being prepared. Someone you know is realizing that their kid is more interested in the box than the expensive toy that came inside it. Extended family is commenting on how much someone has grown, and the weird uncle turns it into a self-deprecating fat joke. And today is the day to really settle in for a long winters nap.
Or maybe your day has been different. Maybe you’ve been so caught up in preparing for Christmas you forgot to celebrate it. Today is the day we celebrate the birth of our savior. An unimportant family had a baby in a cave and set Him in a feeding trough (if you had the same nativity set I had as a kid then you know that this made the donkey look very concerned). This birth that should be trivial, another kid to throw on the pile that is humanity, instead sent a shockwave through time. This is the point where everything changed.
An angel told some shepherds who were working in the nearby fields to come check out the big event that just happened. Shepherds who were pretty low on the social hierarchy ladder got to be the first witness to a turning point in history. Then a few months/years later some smart dudes came from far away to meet Him because they understood how important He was and would be.
Now 2019 is almost done. The next time you get another one of these emails we will be 1/5th into the 21stcentury. Time is flying and we are busier and more distracted than ever before. So, if you have spent too much time preparing this year take a minute for yourself (60 literal seconds), and just reflect on all the great things that God has done this year. Sure, you’ve faced challenges but for now what has gone right? Even if it is just for you, just for now, take a moment to celebrate.
“…behold, I am with you always…”
Merry Christmas