Do you hear what I hear - words to a popular Christmas song. These words came to mind the other day as I was thinking about how easy it is for me to understand the miracle of the Virgin birth, and God coming to earth as a man to rescue me from God's wrath. God doesn't like sin, and I am a sinful human being. So are you.
You see, if God hadn't come as our Savior, we'd all be in big trouble - because none of us is perfect. It's very difficult to escape this message, especially at Christmas. A miracle of its own; the fact that over 2,000 years ago, a baby was born in Bethlehem, lived for thirty-three years, had a ministry of teaching and preaching for only three years and much of the world still celebrates His life.
There was no television or radio, no computers, no i Phones, i Pads, i - anything, and yet we know a lot about this person of Jesus Christ. And we who know Him personally as our Lord and Savior can communicate with Him just fine without all the modern techie stuff...no problem.
Some cannot see who Jesus is, the Bible is foolishness to them.
"Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" I Corinthians 1:20
The unbelieving world doesn't hear what we hear. I think it's interesting that when Jesus spoke to the multitudes gathered around Him, He often spoke these words..."those who have ears, let them hear." Jesus used these words in the Book of Revelation as well as the gospels. Everyone had a pair of physical ears, well, most did I'm sure. Jesus was speaking of spiritual ears. For some reason that He alone knows, not everyone had the ears to hear Him.
Faith is a gift - Ephesians 2:8-9 "we are saved by grace through faith, a gift from God" - praise The Lord if He has given you this gift, and show mercy to those who don't have this gift. We are told to share the gospel freely, but remember it's God who makes this truth real. No matter how much we love someone, we can't give them the gift of faith and make them believe.
Many Christians will gather together at Christmas time with those who don't believe, family, friends, and neighbors. Keep in mind that if we put our faith and trust in anyone but the Lord, we're sure to be hurt and disappointed.
Love one another; this is God's will for us.
A very Merry Christmas to all. May God bless us, everyone.
