2024 December news-letter article

Salutations brethren,

Thanksgiving Day is a favorite of mine.  As an American, I know we have much for which to be thankful.  I think it’s wonderful that our country observes such a day, but it should serve as a reminder that for the follower of Jesus, every day should be a day where we give thanks to God.  If you are one of “those people” on Friday, I will pray for you.  I look forward to a couple of days off (during which I’ll write a sermon), but I am a bit nervous about what follows on my calendar.  We’ll have Hope Kitchen on Saturday, November 30.  Sunday afternoon, December 1, we will go to Heritage Apartments.  Monday evening, December 2, we will have our annual Firemen’s Supper.  Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon/evening, and Saturday, December 4/5/7, we will execute our location of the Toy Store.  Wednesday evening, December 4, will be a V.B.S. night for SONquest.  I eagerly await a nap on Sunday afternoon, December 8; from that point, I’ll have two-and-a-half weeks to get my shopping done.  Thankfully, things will calm down for me after December 8, because we will have Treat Night on December 18 and the Candle-light Service on Sunday evening, December 22.

Some of you may have a bit less ink spilled in your calendar than I do, but I feel confident that others of you have jam-packed schedules that are even fuller than mine.  Some of you know how much I love my ‘ba humbug’ hat; if you have your car radio tuned to 99.5fm WMAG, I can’t in good conscience ride with you, and the decor makes me break out in hives.  I am convinced that our culture makes things more stressful than they need to be.  Between special events, and extra chores, and heightened expectations, tensions run high.  Some people are at their worst during this time of the year – please don’t give anyone reason to think this of you.  For others, these are particularly hard days each year; hearts are heavy as we contemplate who isn’t at the dinner table this time around.  Let’s all take a deep breath, slow down where we can, so that we can treat one another with patience and grace.

As we pause, let’s also remember why we call these holy days (holi-days): because it’s during these days that we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of the Messiah.  If your decorations and sweaters and egg nog draw you to worship the Son, by all means, do it!  Is it possible, however, that simplifying things and toning down some of the trappings could free us up to consider giving God a bit more of our minds and hearts?  Let’s all work together to fight the temptations that cause the Lord Jesus to get lost in the fray of all the other stuff.  The Prophet Isaiah (9:6) was given a word about the Messiah: for unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.  Jesus was born, but the pre-existent eternal Son, the second person of the trinity, who became a human, was given…unto us.  Why?  So that He might live a sinless life, so that He might be uniquely qualified as an atoning sacrifice, so that He would lay down His life for our sin.  The Son was given…to die…for us.  As we consider the incarnation of the Son, let’s be moved to worship Him.  What about this season might cause you to be distracted from worshiping Him in spirit and truth?

O come, Desire of Nations, bind all peoples in one heart & mind;
bid envy, strife, & quarrels cease; fill the whole world with heaven’s peace,
--A.J.