The Weary World Rejoices!

We are living in a world where "weariness" is a way of life!

I get up every morning and am slapped in the face with reality that the world that I live in is a mess! Don't get me wrong... I love paying $1.87 a gallon for gas and appreciate the fact that I have the freedom still to worship MY God and that I can buy things at the store in plenty and that I have a job, my health and most of all... my family, but it still doesn't change the fact that my (our) world is weary in the middle of it all!

There is an "attitude" of weariness. There is an uneasiness in our society driven by the downward spiral of everything from morality to security. Our "stable" surroundings we have enjoyed over the years are being threatened by everything from a faltering economy to the fear of terrorism and overall safety in usually safe surroundings. Stability is something we remember instead of live with. 

Psychologists tell us that because of all this stress and uncertainty, things like paranoia... depression and even suicide are on the rise in this country. There is a growing anger and discontent in our society that is causing people to turn to any number of different things to bring "normalcy" back into their lives. 

The Bible tells us clearly that this IS something that will continue and it WILL get worse. As we approach the return of Christ, evil will abound and the world will get increasingly unstable. So what are we to do?

The other day... my 10 year old "god-daughter" looked at me and said... "Uncle Dan, whats it going to be like when I grow up?" It froze me in my thoughts and before I could speak... I tried to think of something that I could say to her that would give her some kind of Hope. I simply said... "honey, I'm not sure. I do know this though... Jesus knows and He said He would always be there for us...His children! The Bible tells me that He won't leave me or forget about me and that I can do ALL things through Him because He is my strength! He told me in the Bible that He is my fortress and my shield and that any battle I ever have to face in my life... He would go in front to fight for me!" I also told her... " Jesus is the most powerful name in the whole world!" "At His name (Jesus) evil HAS TO FLEE! So this means that when we are faced with evil things in our life... we can say the name JESUS and He promised to be right there with us... showing us the way to go!"

Can you imagine what was going through the mind of this little girl? My experience with kids has taught me that they accept much of what they learn at face value. They trust completely without having to ask a lot of qualifying questions. Don't you wish we could think and deduce things more like a child?

Friends, I am striving to be more CHILDLIKE in my understanding of Jesus so as I go through this crazy mixed up and chaotic world that I am forced to live and do life in... I can TRUST the One who knows me BEST and who loves me the MOST!

In the Christmas song... "O Holy Night", the lyric says... "The Weary World Rejoices!" The reason we can REJOICE is because JESUS is our LORD! He is our Emmanuel (God With Us!). He is our Wonderful Counselor, He is our Prince of Peace! He is the beginning and He is the end! He is our ROCK, our FORTRESS, our SHIELD and DEFENDER! He is the Almighty and as He said... He is the GREAT I AM!

The World, if it will only trust as a child, can REJOICE that He who made the sun, the moon, and the stars, is the One who will come and make His home in the heart of those who believe! 

He said... "This World is NOT our home!" "Our home is in Heaven and if we ask Him into our heart... and begin a relationship with Him.... we will go to the place where He prepared a home for us and we WILL LIVE FOREVER!

THAT is something to REJOICE about!

Merry Christmas Friends!

Dan