A Word (or two) from Mark

i have a deep love for the Christmas season.  Christmas day was the one day a year when my family spent the whole day together, eating, opening gifts, playing games.  I have fond memories of the smiles and laughter of those days.  As an adult I often find myself rushed right up until Christmas Day.  There are church activities to be involved with and plan.  The yearly Christmas Eve service is always a special time, but it doesn’t seem that I take a deep breath until it is over.

On Saturday, this past week, I was in a crowded shopping center.  It was a bit difficult getting in and out because of the traffic.  But I was all alone, doing a bit of last minute shopping, so I just slowed down.  I didn’t rush.  I didn’t hurry.  I walked to a few different stores, rather than moving my car.  And somewhere in the middle of my trek across the parking lot, my spirit lightened.  I started to hum and smile and whistle.  In slowing down I remembered something.  I remembered what is at the core of this season.  Jesus.  He came as the most amazing gift that God could have ever given us.  Nothing can ever take that gift away from us. And embracing that in the middle of a parking lot made me smile.

So in the midst of this season, and with the coming New Year… I hope you are able to slow down and find the simple joy that only this gift can give you.  Merry Christmas.

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As those of you close to Grace know, the past three weeks have been incredibly difficult. But in the midst of the heartache there is a bright gleam of hope. God says clearly that He reproves those He loves. When the Lord brings a bright light to shine on what is wrong, it is not because He is mean or vindictive. We all accept the fact that a doctor giving us difficult news does it for our well being. He would not hide the truth from us, hoping the problem would go away. So too, neither should we expect God to do this. He exposes the wrong so that we can be cleansed and healed. Certainly when truth exposes error, when what has been assumed is exposed as a lie, there can be a sense of uncertainty.  But my own journey through the grief of these past days has been turning into hope. God loves us. Even when we make mistakes, God still loves us.  Our true end is not earthly. God wants us to live in eternity with Him in the glory of His kingdom. Paul calls our present difficulties “momentary light affliction” and then says it produces an eternal weight of glory. The Lord is truly purifying us. Let us welcome all His works in our lives.

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