There are times, when things of life get in the way, or distract us, or in some way prevents us from doing the things we have planned. But, a slight detour is okay, as long as we don’t allow it to drag us too far off the planned path.
While most holidays have become so heavily commercialized, we can hold onto the real meaning if we are determined enough. Yesterday’s prompt was hope. That is always how I see the season we are in. A birth, that was to bring about hope.
The Jews of the time had been waiting for a promised Messiah. They longed for his appearance. What they did not expect was the way in which he came. They were looking for a king, a warrior who would free them from the Romans. Instead, his arrival was for a much more everlasting purpose.
Born a lowly birth, wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger. Born a servant, not a king. Yet the shepherds were alerted by angels, the magi were guided by a star, to this child.Fully God, fully man. Born not to free the Israelites from the Romans, but save mankind from the imprisonment and death to sin.
He came to show and teach love and forgiveness. He came to not only bring hope, but to give hope for eternal life.It isn’t something that can be earned. There is no job important enough to grant eternal life. There is no position powerful enough. You cannot buy your way into eternity. You can’t order eternal life, even from amazon.
It is a gift, for believing. It is mercy granted for being a follower of the way of love and forgiveness. It is grace undeserved and unearned.Given by the acceptance of a gift paid for by the death of One who was born to die for sinners everywhere. Not just the Jewish people, God’s chosen. But for all. Belief in Him, belief in the Word that tells not only of His coming but of His birth, life and death. Word that tells of His promises, of the hope that this is but a journey and at its end, real life eternal begins.
Words from The Dirt Road 