What excites me most is what lies at the heart of it all—the celebration of our Savior’s birth and the PEACE, HOPE, and JOY His coming made available to all who believe.
When we slow down and really consider the details surrounding the birth of Christ, the most wonderful truth of all is simply this: HE CAME. The King of Glory laid aside His heavenly status and clothed Himself in flesh. He was born in a barn, laid in a manger—God Himself wrapped in humanity so He could be Emmanuel, God with us.
Think of the wonder of that! The God of Heaven came close so we might behold Him, touch Him, and be touched by Him. Why did He come; because He so loved the world. The same love that drew Him near in His birth would be the same love that carried Him to the cross in His death.
This idea of God “drawing near” fills my heart with hope. His nearness is our greatest comfort in a world that so often makes us feel alone, forgotten, or without help.
In the book of Matthew it describes the long journey of the Wise Men—nearly 1,000 miles by camel—in search of Him. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they asked the powerful question in Matthew 2:2,“Where is He that is born King of the Jews?”
I’ve asked that same question at many points in my life: “Where is He?”
Difficult seasons have a way of making us feel distant, like we are a thousand miles away. This Christmas, I want to invite you to make the journey—to draw near to Him in your worship and to lay your gifts at His feet. We are assured that those who seek Him find Him.
Stephanie and I would love for you and your family to join us on Sunday, December 21 for a special time of worship, celebration, and giving. I encourage you to prayerfully consider what you will lay before Him as a sacrifice this Christmas. I believe that as you seek Him, you will find Him to be near. Near to your heart and very present in your struggle.
With love and expectation,
Pastor Ronnie
I have often mused about the journey that the wise men made to find and worship the newborn baby Jesus. The journey of a thousand miles is no joke, no matter the transportation; but to do it on a camel’s back seems like quite a commitment. Also, to think that their journey was inspired solely by a “star” they had seen in the sky. These wise men would be the first of millions upon millions that have made a journey in search of Christ. Our modern marketing plans, social media posts, ads, shows, and print pieces all attempting to get people to show up somewhere - it causes me to wonder.
What caused you to make the journey to Christ? What signaled to your heart that it was time to seek Him? What did you see or feel that drew you to Him? The fact is that we are all LOOKING FOR SOMETHING. We are all searching and there is no length to which we’ll go to find what our heart's desire. It is my experience that we mostly find what we are looking for. So, it is important that we consider deeply what we go in search of.
The wise men were coming for the sole purpose of WORSHIPING. So often, what we find in this life, is what we end up worshiping. We tend to spend our lives bowing to things that in the end cannot help or heal, and in the long run they turn around and enslave us. We often spend our best on things that tend to make us feel worse. We thought we had found what we wanted, only to find it wasn’t what we needed.
This Christmas season, I want to invite you to seek Him, to find Him, and to WORSHIP Him! No matter what it is you need. No matter what it is you are looking for - it is found in Him! He is the way, the truth, and the life. Those that find Him, find life, and life more abundantly. On Sunday, December 21st we are going to gather as a family to worship and lay our gifts at the Savior's feet. I want to encourage you to make the journey no matter how far and daunting it may feel. Push through the feelings that would keep you away, and know that if you make the journey, you will find Him! When you find Him, there’s nothing left to do but worship.