Believe

How precious are your kids to you?  Wouldn't you, without hesitation,  give your life to keep them out of harms way?  Most of us would rob, steal, and even kill if that is what safeguarding our children required. Thank goodness we have a God whose thoughts are not our thoughts and ways are not our ways.  Our father in heaven has a son we call Christ.  He loves his son dearly. He wants what we want for his Son. Safety, peace, honor, and love.  Still, because it was necessary to protect others, he removed his son from safety and allowed him to be put in harms way.  Jesus, God's son, was wise and pure and honorable.  He testified of God and God's truth.  He healed people and worked miracles that had never before been seen.  He lived a sin free life.  Nonetheless, religious leaders accused him of blasphemy and turned him over to the authorities.  The people judged him harshly.  They mocked him, ridiculed him, beat him to the point of being unrecognizable, and then hung him on a wooden cross by piercing his flesh with nails.  Even then, he asked God to forgive the people who were crucifying him.  He died on that cross. He died on that cross on our behalf.  He took on the death that we deserve and it is God's will that we honor his Son for his sacrifice.  He asks us to honor Him by believing what the Bible tells us about Him. The accounts of Jesus in the Bible are, to our minds, incomprehensible.   Believing requires accepting truths that stretch beyond what is humanly possible or easily understood.  Believing requires faith.  Faith is delicate and not easily attained.  It is precious.  It is productive.  Faith is a gift.  It is a gift that keeps on giving.  So in this season of giving, why not give someone the opportunity to develop their faith.  Find a way to introduce them to the truth of God and his Son.  Maybe give away a few Bibles.  Give some good contemporary Christian music. Books can also be enlightening.  It's amazing how a little trinket with a timely scripture on it, can open someone up to the faith.  Give someone Christ this Christmas.  Help someone believe.

Prayer: Lord the Bible says no one can get to you without going through Jesus.  In order for you to acknowledge us, we must acknowledge that it is truth that Jesus was crucified in our behalf and that he was resurrected and now sits with you in all power.  Lord increase our faith and show us ways in which we can gently lead others to believe.