Have you ever thought of Christmas as "strange?" I never have until I listened to Brian Tomes, Pastor of Crossroads Cincinnati this past weekend. If you want to hear his message in its entirety, go to Crossroads.net and look up the message for December 3, 2017. It is strange..........yet beautiful.
Strange.....yet, in listening to Brian's explanation, it made sense to me! On many levels the events of Christmas over 2,000 years ago WERE strange....
1) A prophecy from centuries before coming true? Yes - Jesus' birth happened!
2) A young Virgin girl giving birth? How is that even possible??? Yet, it happened!
3) The Wise men or Magi traveling a very long journey and led by a star? What??? That is strange!
4) Angels speaking to humans saying: "Fear Not!" - Yet, it happened, and it is strange!
5) Strange gifts given to a baby: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh - Gold, incense and embalming fluid? What??? When was the last time you gave or heard of giving such gifts to a baby? Strange!!!
6) Christmas is baked into our DNA - into our hearts! Why do 87% of people celebrate Christmas if they don't believe the story of Jesus? There are statistics out there that say even Buddhists and Hindu people celebrate Christmas - strange!!!
I hope this Christmas you will contemplate the strange things in your life and look for the beauty in them..........Strange events, strange people, strange feelings, strange places you have never been, strange words that someone might say to you, strange anything! Think about them..........contemplate them........try to figure out what God is saying to you!!!
Yes, I believe that God does still communicate with us.........maybe not in an audible voice, but He is there........trying to get our attention...........trying to point out His Good Tidings of Great JOY!!!
Luke 2:10-11
"But the angel said the them, Do not be afraid! I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."
May you find the strange and absolutely wonderful news of Christmas settling into your heart this year. Look for the Babe, lying in a manger, in swaddling clothes, in a strange atmosphere.........He is there...........and He is waiting just for you to come and adore Him!!!
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