The Purpose of Christmas

She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

Hello friends!

Many of us send and receive Christmas cards each year with sweet images of our Baby Savior and His earthly parents, and/or the shepherds and wise men seeking Him. They come with encouraging Bible verses and sentiments and make as feel all warm inside. But what if you received a Christmas card that spoke of the real purpose of Christmas? What if you opened the envelope and pulled out a card that said, "Born to Die." How would you feel then? That would kinda zap my Christmas spirit!

Most likely, we're not going to be seeing any Christmas cards with those sentiments on them any time soon, but the fact is Christ's purpose in being born was the cross. Why was Jesus born? Because every one of us are sinners.

I came across an online article by C.J. Mahaney entitled, "Disturbing Christmas: The Manger and the Cross." Mr. Mahaney quoted an article by William H. Smith from 1992, part of which I want to share:

"That Baby was born so that 'He who had no sin' would become 'sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.' The Baby's destiny from the moment of His conception was hell- hell in the place of sinners. When I look into the manger, I come away shaken as I realize again that He was born to pay the unbearable penalty for my sins. That's the message of Christmas: God reconciled the world to Himself through Christ, man's sin has alienated him from God, and man's reconciliation with God is possible only through faith in Christ...Christmas is disturbing."

Does that mean we shouldn't celebrate Christmas and be joyful about it? Of course not! Christmas is about God's great love for us. And we should certainly celebrate that love. But it should include reflection and acknowledgement of what Christ did for us, and an acknowledgement of His role as Judge to those who don't accept Him as Savior. 

He left Heaven. He left His rightful glory. He became His creation. He endured physical and emotional abuse of the most horrid kind. He suffered an awful death. He was separated from the Father for our sakes. And He did it all willingly. Think about that.

As Smith said in the conclusion of his article, "Only those who have been profoundly disturbed to the point of deep repentance are able to receive the tidings of comfort, peace, and joy that Christmas proclaims."

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Endless Love, Curly Girl Alpha, and Adore Him. I stamped the baby and cross images, using watercolor crayons to then color them. After painting, I stamped the words and flowers.

Have a blessed week, my friends! Andrea

Selah

God is our refuge and strength,

    a very present help in trouble.

2 

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 

though its waters roar and foam,

    though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah    (Psalm 46:1-3)

I always wanted to know what this word meant... Selah. 
I've heard it said that it's some type of pause; some form of meditative hesitation.  When someone says the word, I often wonder why they didn't translate this seemingly mystical word into one for our English language as a help for those of us who want to better understand this beautifully-written interjection.

I still have yet to figure that out.  All I know, is that it was placed as another piece of praise/prayer to the Lord which prompted the singers/hearers to take a breather...and just listen.  To what?  Instrumental music, mostly.  They were to take a break and just enjoy the sounds of plunking, clashing, banging, and whatever other interesting musicality they had in their day.  

There are times during a worship service where our music leader will guide the band in playing 3 to 4 wordless measures between verses of a song in order that the congregation can hold still, think on what we just sang, and prepare to pick up the next verse and choruses with stronger engagement.  Songs that have a soul-deafening sadness to them are meant to cause us to lament our sin, repent of unjust deeds, turn to the Lord, and appeal to His mercy.  Other songs are gauged to stir you to dancing, rejoicing, and praising the God above for what He has done and continues to do.  Lyrics are powerful; pauses in the middle of corporate worship are amazing and can have heart-filling effects. 

My goal is not necessarily to talk about music though.  Oh, I love music; one of my favorite things, and part of my God-given ministry at our local church house is singing.  But I'm also curious as to what may happen should we use this term, "Selah," - a pause or a break - in our every day studying. 
What if we took time to read God's Word, pausing to meditate on a particular section of scripture, thinking on His character, thinking on His heart, treasuring those things in our hearts, preparing ourselves to read a bit more, repeating said steps above?
What if, in the middle of our seeking truth and knowledge of the Bible, we intermittently took a step back to listen to the "interlude" of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him space in our time to etch the Word a bit deeper? 
Maybe we read a passage one more time.
Maybe we read a passage many times.
Maybe we slow down; stop rushing; start feasting.

There are many ways to glorify our God, but more than anything He wants us to be completely aware of Him, enjoying Him, and finding our daily satisfaction in Him.  But like anything else, a hurried job is a sloppy job.  By taking, making room for, implementing "Selah" in study, our daily Bible reading could take on a whole new form; it could become more worshipful, more meaningful, more fruitful, more beautiful! Our spiritual eyes may behold something more amazing, breath-taking, awe-inspiring.
It's just a thought.  Whenever I see "Selah" in the Psalms, though it was originally given for pause in prayer and worship, I wonder what it is that I just read that needs to be taken a bit more into consideration. 
In the verses above, for example, reading how God is our refuge, our strength, our help, our present protection is awesome!  Reading about His power, might, sovereignty and kingship is inspiring... Selah. 
Sit still.
Wait.
Think about it.
Lean in to it.
Pause.
Pray.
Praise!

Giving the Holy Spirit a bit of additional time to impress our souls with this description of God, may just make a world of difference as we navigate our day.  It may just bring a closer assurance and a more solidified worship of an Almighty Fortress!  The Rock of all ages, and the King above all kings!
It may.  It's just a thought. 
So, I'm going to try it.  I'm going to make a conscious effort to "Selah" or have "Selah" or practice "Selah" when in my devotions.  During a reading, I've challenged myself to hang out, read again, study deeper, and listen more closely to God's whispers to my heart.  My goal: to be more satisfied in the Lord via the help of a "Selah." 
Let me know if you try it; I'd love to know what your thoughts are, and you're welcome to comment here if you'd like! 
Much love, friends!


Deeds

A Thoughtful Christmas

Full Process Video available on my Youtube Channel: Mercies Journaled

Hello, friends!
Times are definitely changing!  The seasons are upon us that beg our attention to holidays.
Can you believe it?  Can you even believe that we're into September, days are shorter, nights are cooler, leaves are taking their flight, and birds are taking their leave?
My children start school in a few days, and I'm just aching over how quickly this has come.  But, God has said - and said repeatedly - that life is a vapor.  In the time He's allowed us, we should be finding ways to make the most of all situations and all seasons.

Today, I am hoping to give the gift of inspiration once again.  I find that as I look more into God's Word, the heart behind my creating and writing changes a little bit more.  The Sweet n Sassy Stamps Creative Worship team are working hard to bring you a well-rounded smattering of supplies for your everyday crafting and journaling needs!  (Please feel free to shop via my affiliate links below, located under the stamps sets used.)

I'm hoping to not get TOO much back-lash for posting about Christmas today.  I know, I know, it's somewhat too soon to be getting into THAT holiday.  It's too soon to be thinking on THAT time of year.  I grant you: the more I think about what Christmas entails in light of the ever-pressuring consumer-based culture, I morph into panic mode.
What does so and so want for Christmas?
How do I make sure my house as well lit as the "Joneses" down the street?
How do I make such meals in keeping with ALL the festivities at ALL the gatherings, while making it Instagram and caption worthy?
How do...
How much...
How must...

On and on, my mind could spin from the details of what makes a wonderful Christmas for just my family, let alone the groupings we plan and participate.
But one thing God has laid on my heart recently - and I mean something like yesterday - is how self-involved I really am when it comes to something like Christmas.

I didn't realize until AFTER I put this project together, that my heart was situated in a place of self, self, and more self.
In my process video on my Youtube channel, I get into the creation process of the Christmas and encouragement cards I make, as well as the hope that I have for myself this holiday season: to reach out to those who still NEED a Savior; to bring Light and Life to someone who we as Christians would call, "lost."
And in that sense, Christmas doesn't come too early.
Christ doesn't come too early.
The spreading of the Gospel of Grace doesn't come too early.
The giving of hope and love of God doesn't come too early....
I think you get my point.

We, in this God-graced, growing bubble of Christian folk, need the reminders that there is a lost and dying world chalk FULL of people who long for Someone to fill that longing in their hearts.
I know it's not a pretty thing to hear one say, "You need to be more intentional about those outside the household of faith."  But - as surely as I've been convicted of this - Christ did not just die for you and for me.  Christ did not just pay for my sins and yours.  Christ did not soak the ground in precious blood and tears for just us.
The Bible says that "while we were still in our sins, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8)
And again, "While we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly." (Rom. 5:6)
And maybe once more, "For if, while we were still enemies we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled shall we be saved through His life!" (Rom. 5:10)
I guess Romans 5 says it best that all people - including those who are already Christians - are at one time alienated from God.  We are strangers and enemies of the One True God.
Our need is a desperate one, and only One can bring us back into relationship with God.
There is only One True King who stands in the gap between God and man, and His name is the one we must proclaim!
Those of us in the household of faith in Jesus Christ, must take the gifting of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) to the mission field in which God has placed us.

God is good.
God is always good.
We know that.
We hope in that.
We trust in that.
And our commission is to bear that in our lives to the ones who have not yet tasted and seen that Jesus Christ is good!

I'm praying this over myself, y'all.
I'm praying for this holy conviction to be too powerful for me to handle, and too powerful for me to just ignore.
I'm praying that we can uphold each other in encouragement and prayer as we take the Power of Jesus' name to our world.  He is mighty to save!
He IS the meaning of Christmas!

Much love,
Deeds

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