"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John 1:11
CHRISTMAS EVE - As I sat down to write this I realized that many of you will not read this today. You get the devotion at work and you will be off for Christmas. I am sending out to you a piece of myself and you will not even know it was sent. (Bet you can guess where this is going.) Yes, my gift to you will be held in storage until a convenient time. I won't be hurt because this is only words. But it does remind me that when God sent His Son as a baby, only a very few outcasts of society were told of his coming. He arrived quietly in a stable much like my devotion will arrive in you mailbox. Some like Herod who tried to delete Him, will delete this message without ever reading it. Others will see it as just another devotion from the chaplain and move on to more important things. I guess that is how the world treated Him too. Just another baby born to some poor pheasant girl in a crowded city. But my, how the angels did sing and the stars scream his glory. He would go on to change the course of history and eternity. My devotion, it will go to the trash bin, but maybe not before it has made you think about your relationship to the greatest event in the history of mankind. Worship the Lord Jesus today!
Thought for the week: Remember God's bounty in the year. String the pearls of His favor. Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light! Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude! ~Henry Ward Beecher
Christmas poem for the week:
Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
Why the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Rhianna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Ikea* *were hanging their trees upside down
At the Bay the word Christmas - was no where to be found. At Staples, Wal-Mart, Future Shop and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of City Hall, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree' Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS -NOT Happy Holiday!
Merry CHRISTmas.................. Chaplain Barnes
Last week’s answer: When Samuel first heard God calling him, whose voice did he think it was? Eli (1 Sam 3:8)
This week’s question: In whom is there no truth?
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