Thursday, December 30, 2010
It has almost been a week now since the familiar carols was played in the shopping malls, themes of christmas dazzled the busy shops or even public transport. Long queues of people who wished to purchase christmas items or gifts. Just reminiscing about christmas day when I was a young boy never fails to brighten up my day.I remember the gifts we all exchanged, cousins gathering at my place to play, parents and relatives showered me with nicley wrapped presents with cards that had warm christmas greetings written on them. Christmas was a day when I looked forward to. The joy, love that christmas resembles,makes this occasion so desirable. It could have been the lively lights that come along with it, presents that make people feel appreciated or even the joy of giving that makes people feel the sense of goodness in them.
I believe the concept of christmas represented by love and joy has always been emphasised but the origin of christmas in its true essence have lost its flavour. Christmas day is the commemoration of the day in which the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was born in human form from a virgin woman named Mary to save people from their sins.It was this very humble act of God, the creator of everything that resides in and beyond this universe, to come in the form of a man, the created being whom He intended to rule and care for the earth. This meant that God himself, in man's body was subjected to any physical pain , hunger, weariness, temptation and worst of all death, burdens that mankind have to face in his lifetime.
But this very fundamental belief that christians hold poses too naive and what some may consider wishful thoughts that such theories were conjured with the goal of hightening ones(in this case christians)life purposes.Or there are those others that have been distracted by life's pursuits and worries that they never once asked themselves about their purpose in life. The modern society caught in its fast pace due to the ever-changing scene in the market and the increase of capatalism has impeded people from examining this question but set people achieving or living on their own "customised" life purposes or fulfillment.
The very act of grace is what revealed God's unmeasurable love to us. It is somewhat like your mother(or father) who feeds and protect you even when you could have appeared unloving, crying aloud incessantly or even when you acted like you were unappreciative of their love. I've personally heard alot of my friends complaining about how naggy(for coming home late, etc) their parents were without understanding that the reason that their parents nag is because of the love that manifest in the protective nature that they have on their children. I am one who is guilty of this.I remembered rebelling in front of my parents when I was just starting out primary school, wanting to have fun and protested strongly against studying.A good parent would guide his/her child with the intention of imparting lessons to the child in order for the child to not face a catastrophic/serious consequence. God knows whats good and He knows that the seriousness of sin when we rebel against His instructions, that is by nature righteous, is death.He still showed us favour that we didn't deserve because we were rebelling against Him and wanted to live our own way, He gave His Son to die on our behalf so that the catastrophic consequence that we could have face was unleashed on His Son whom He loved(like how a good father would love his son).
That act of the almighty Father who had the power to rule in justice , chose to suffer the pain of seeing judgment being poured out by sending His Son,Jesus Christ to die on our behalf.The consequence of sin:all of our jealosy,envy,sexual immorality,hate,pride was taken in by Jesus, the only man whose death can acquit or free us from this trial we have before the highest judge in the universe.Life free from the stain left by sin means everlasting relationship with God who is holy in nature and cannot bear the sight of a single speck of sin.The good news is that our relationship with God,which was once torn apart by sin is now fully restored and that we can come confidently before Him in prayer, our relationship with other people who admits their sin and accept this grace that God has poured out, gears towards love not hate.
If you realise that you yourself is guilty of sin (meaning living away from God and His loving ruler-ship)and believe in your heart that God is gracious to have sent His Son Jesus to die on behalf of you and you are now willing to change your way of living from a ME-centered to a CHRIST-centered, you can be confident that you're not alone in this journey and that life will be at the good will and intention of God. A simple prayer that you may choose to use can be an expression to follow God:
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being my Creator.I'm sorry that I have rejected you up until now. I'm sorry that I've not treated you as my God. Thank you for dying for me. Please forgive me,breathe new life into me, and help me make a fresh start in my life with you as my Lord and God. Amen."