In Luke 1:46-55, a beautiful song of praise is written by Mary. She realized that what was inside of her was greater than she could comprehend, and was straight from Heaven. She realized that this was it, this was the Messiah everyone had been waiting for and that He was going to change the world. As a result, praise begins to pour forth from her. Being pregnant and not married presented some huge issues, and she was scorned for it, but yet she didn't allow the world's persecution to dampen her joy. She had found favor with the Lord, and it rocked her world. Her joy came as a result of the hope of what was inside of her, and because of that, her circumstances couldn't shake that joy.
Looking and feeling more and more pregnant each day, Mary continues her journey to Jerusalem. She had the most amazing man, Joseph, to lead her and to go through this with her. He didn't reject her, leave her, abandon her, or scorn her for what was happening because he too, knew this was from God. He protected her, he led her, and endured this with her like only a true man of God could. This was a big weight for a man to carry, and Joseph sure carried it well.
The time came for Jesus to be born, and he was born in a most unlikely place, and king Herod was looking in all the wrong places. Herod knew that to be a king, you have to be born into a royal family. But what he didn't know or understand was that the rules to this game had been totally changed. Jesus is of the most royal blood line in the entire universe, but His father's kingdom is in Heaven, and He reigns in Heaven. To be born in a palace, would make Jesus a king by this world's standards. But that's just the thing, He's a king that is not of this world's standards or of this world period. Maybe God chose a peasant girl to be Jesus's mother, a carpenter to be his father and a stable to be his birth place because Jesus was meant for ALL people, not just those who dwell in fine houses of the provinces or the palaces of Jerusalem. God saw to it that the birth of His son was announced by His very own family, a host of heavenly angels. The angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, " Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is well pleased!"
Satan did everything he could to destroy Jesus, and still today Satan is trying to destroy the story of Jesus and his birth. In most people's minds, Jesus being born and Santa are grouped together. Santa is a made up man, one that never existed, but yet year after year children are fooled into thinking this made up man has bought them presents. Christmas is celebrated because a couple thousand years ago God gave us the most undeserved gift we could ever get. Satan has fooled so many into thinking we need to make our children believe in a guy who doesn't exists and only gives presents to kids who deserve it. And sadly, that is what Christmas has become about for a vast majority of people.
Christmas is not LIKE Heaven on Earth, it IS Heaven on Earth. This year, I pray we don't miss out on that. But that we embrace and live out Heaven on Earth not just during Christmas, but year round. Merry Christmas!
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