Do lines in songs ever grab you? Out of all the noise, something breaks through and you can't stop thinking about it? Last week, one grabbed me.
A new Christmas song retelling the story of Jesus' birth was playing and the chorus had one line that stuck in my head and focused my thoughts, "Our salvation has a name."
Think about that.
In an incredibly insecure world, people long for security--something in which they can trust. Some trust in money--putting all their energy into building personal wealth to protect them against life's storms. Some put their trust in power--continually expanding their reach hoping this means nothing can reach them. Some trust popularity, some relationships, some luck. The common thread? None of these has a name.
They are nameless, impersonal forces that can have no conception of the people who trust them, no intentions toward them, and no interaction with them. The force simply moves through lives with people hoping against hope they gain the good side as the force moves through.
God never wants us to think of Him as an impersonal force. He is a person. He has feelings, desires, disappointments, hopes, dreams, and plans. He wanted us to know all this--so He came to personally to talk to us, relate with us, and live and die for us.
Coming in all His God-ness would have overwhelmed and made it difficult for us to get beyond the force of Him to see the person of Him. So He came as a baby--a form easily embraced, easily trusted, easily welcomed.
And He was given a name--Jesus.
Our children don't have to find their security in some nameless, faceless force that may or may not care for them. Their salvation has a name.
Want to make your children's Christmas perfect? Introduce them to their salvation. His name is Jesus.
A new Christmas song retelling the story of Jesus' birth was playing and the chorus had one line that stuck in my head and focused my thoughts, "Our salvation has a name."
Think about that.
In an incredibly insecure world, people long for security--something in which they can trust. Some trust in money--putting all their energy into building personal wealth to protect them against life's storms. Some put their trust in power--continually expanding their reach hoping this means nothing can reach them. Some trust popularity, some relationships, some luck. The common thread? None of these has a name.
They are nameless, impersonal forces that can have no conception of the people who trust them, no intentions toward them, and no interaction with them. The force simply moves through lives with people hoping against hope they gain the good side as the force moves through.
God never wants us to think of Him as an impersonal force. He is a person. He has feelings, desires, disappointments, hopes, dreams, and plans. He wanted us to know all this--so He came to personally to talk to us, relate with us, and live and die for us.
Coming in all His God-ness would have overwhelmed and made it difficult for us to get beyond the force of Him to see the person of Him. So He came as a baby--a form easily embraced, easily trusted, easily welcomed.
And He was given a name--Jesus.
Our children don't have to find their security in some nameless, faceless force that may or may not care for them. Their salvation has a name.
Want to make your children's Christmas perfect? Introduce them to their salvation. His name is Jesus.
This month’s topic: What do you think?
Tis the season for . . . . .lists. Grocery lists, decorating lists, Christmas gift lists. The list of lists grows endless. Do you have a list? Important question--is your list your tool or your master?
Lists make great tools. They keep us organized. They focus our thoughts. They save us from making seven trips instead of one. Even Santa needs a list this time of year to keep straight all he does.
Lists make terrible masters. I recently heard a mom recount her weekend lived by the list. Grandma was in town for a holiday visit, so Mom made a list of all the special Christmas activities she would pack into the weekend to share with Grandma. Early Saturday morning she prepared a special breakfast to get everyone started on a warm tummy before they headed out the door for a day of activity.
One hitch. Little son sits down to the table and murmurs, "Mommy, I don't feel good." Not feeling good was not on the list, so Mom lets him off the hook of cleaning his plate but pushes him to get dressed for a day of fun.
First stop--touring park filled with scenes of Christmas lights. He meanders his way through the park, finally taking little sister's place in the stroller because he just couldn't keep walking.
Intrepid Mom purchases a can of 7-Up and moves on to the next item on the list. Little guy bucks up to participate as best he can.
Mid-afternoon finds them at stop 5 of the list--Arthur Christmas. "This is going to be great!" Mom thinks. Little guy can rest and enjoy a movie. She buys special treats for all and heads into the theater.
"Mom, I REALLY don't feel good." As she turns to encourage him to keep going one more time, she notices the tell-tale green tinge. Before she can off-load treats onto Grandma and grab son, he off-loads breakfast all over theater entrance.
Lists make terrible masters.
Message--we make lists because we want to take care of our family. We want to remember all the details of each special present or activity for each member of our family so we can get everything just right. Great sentiment! Use the list to keep this going.
At the same time, don't get so lost in the list you lose the focus--caring for your family. Key to caring is listening, focusing, adjusting. When the list calls for a movie but the child needs to cuddle on a warm couch--cuddle.
The best gift you can give your family--at Christmas and the rest of the year--is your attention and focus. When lists help you do this, use them. When they get in the way, lose the list.
Lists make great tools. They keep us organized. They focus our thoughts. They save us from making seven trips instead of one. Even Santa needs a list this time of year to keep straight all he does.
Lists make terrible masters. I recently heard a mom recount her weekend lived by the list. Grandma was in town for a holiday visit, so Mom made a list of all the special Christmas activities she would pack into the weekend to share with Grandma. Early Saturday morning she prepared a special breakfast to get everyone started on a warm tummy before they headed out the door for a day of activity.
One hitch. Little son sits down to the table and murmurs, "Mommy, I don't feel good." Not feeling good was not on the list, so Mom lets him off the hook of cleaning his plate but pushes him to get dressed for a day of fun.
First stop--touring park filled with scenes of Christmas lights. He meanders his way through the park, finally taking little sister's place in the stroller because he just couldn't keep walking.
Intrepid Mom purchases a can of 7-Up and moves on to the next item on the list. Little guy bucks up to participate as best he can.
Mid-afternoon finds them at stop 5 of the list--Arthur Christmas. "This is going to be great!" Mom thinks. Little guy can rest and enjoy a movie. She buys special treats for all and heads into the theater.
"Mom, I REALLY don't feel good." As she turns to encourage him to keep going one more time, she notices the tell-tale green tinge. Before she can off-load treats onto Grandma and grab son, he off-loads breakfast all over theater entrance.
Lists make terrible masters.
Message--we make lists because we want to take care of our family. We want to remember all the details of each special present or activity for each member of our family so we can get everything just right. Great sentiment! Use the list to keep this going.
At the same time, don't get so lost in the list you lose the focus--caring for your family. Key to caring is listening, focusing, adjusting. When the list calls for a movie but the child needs to cuddle on a warm couch--cuddle.
The best gift you can give your family--at Christmas and the rest of the year--is your attention and focus. When lists help you do this, use them. When they get in the way, lose the list.
This month’s topic: What are the ways you treasure your days with your children?
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