December Dazzle

About 1500 years ago Aurelius Prudentius Clemens penned these texts in Latin. Today the hymn is known as “Of The Father’s Love Begotten” or “Of The Father’s Heart Begotten.”
Perhaps this is one of the most ancient Christmas songs that we have today. How old is your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? Romans 8:29 is clear on this: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” You were set apart to conform to the image of Christ. God demands no less or more than this. Just this! Perhaps this December is God’s appointed time for you to know Christ deeper. It was during Billy Graham’s crusades that the hymn “How Great Thou Art” was popularised by singers Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows. This hymn is today listed among the top ten hymns of all time. Finding Christ may not be popular according to the standards of this fallen world. If you cannot take hope for granted, Romans 8:29 says you were predestined to one thing – to conform your life, character, dreams, attitude, prayer, giving, sacrifice and you entire being to the image of Christ. The world has been asking this question for a long time: “What are you living for?” The right question is, “Whom are we living for?” because the answer lies in people not in things. The problem is with people not things. The problem is you and me. Is it just a December thing? Or is it the personhood of Jesus that you see beyond the decorations, carols, cakes, Christmas trees, shopping and many more?  Christmas is not a therapy.
Jacob, Joshua and Samuel placed memorial stones. That is what we read in the Bible. All three of them placed memorial stones to commemorate what God did for them. They knew God’s hand was upon them. Amidst the hectic December hustle, God is calling you and me to spend every moment that will become memorial stones later to remind ourselves of God like Jacob, Joshua and Samuel did.
It was Constantine who instituted Christmas not the Bible. Keeping that in mind, we proceed further and take to heart what Isaiah wrote (9:6): “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...” What does it mean? Note here that the son(Jesus) existed before the baby was born. The birth of the Son Jesus was an affirmation of the existence of God. And since humans will negate the existence of God, the singular message of Christ dwelling among us (John 1:14) and His coming again is that everyone must be born again. Are you ready? God has no favourites and His only concern is that we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. Do you wake up every morning saying, “There is no way out?” And sleep with the same? If that is you, we can change our lives only to the extent of how far we are willing to admit our helplessness.  The world tells us that it’s all about who we know. And yes, by knowing who we are we know the people around us. You can know Jesus only if you know who you are – a sinner in need of a saviour. God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). God knows who He is and in Jesus, God has shown us who we are amidst all the December dazzle.