Jeff's Journal

You have my permission to give up on the perfect Christmas.

This is on good authority. Listen to the Christmas story again,

   from God's perspective.

Jesus was a descendent of David, a great leader and flawed human being.

   Mary did not understand the angel's message at first and was perplexed.

     She said,"Things don't work that way."

      She was introduced to the Holy Spirit.

      She finally consented to let God be God.

Joseph believed she had become pregnant out of wedlock,

  this teen age mom to be. He was going for a divorce.

   An angel spoke to him in a dream. He changed his mind.

A census was taken for the purpose of oppressive taxation.

   Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem by donkey

      late in her pregnancy.

There was no place to stay.

Jesus was born in a barn or cave in a manger, where the animals eat.

   No family was present.

The area was occupied by Roman forces, much like the Gestapo in

   Nazi Germany.

Angels appeared to shepherds and scared them to death.

   The very wise men who were coming to worship Jesus,

      tipped their hand to Herod who went into a genocidal rage

      and killed all the children around Bethlehem under two.

      Joseph, Mary and Jesus escaped into exile — a long way from

         home in Egypt with a new baby.

This was God's fleshly entrance into the world.

   You have heard it in more palatable terms, making all this sweetness

      and light. The hymns are not wrong. There is "Joy to the world," and

      "the Savior reigns." Yes and yes!

Just imagine that if God can work with these circumstances to bring salvation

   to the world, what can God do with your "hopes and fears of all the years" met

   in Him "tonight."

Moving to the deeper places,

Jeff