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God's Words For US
by Cecelia Lester
As I watched the TV newscast this past week, I noticed something that bothered me. All these organizations and adults showered children with Christmas gifts and all the trappings that go with the festivities. One of the newscasters interviewed a woman who said, “We want to give these kids hope.” That is commendable but my question is this: “What message do these children receive? Where do they think they can place their hope?”
A Different Perspective
Early in my marriage, I taught a junior high Sunday school class that had a few children from a neighboring children’s home. I had a conversation with one of the directors one year. He told me something that has stayed with me these four decades. “These children get Christmased to death.” I interpreted it to mean that several organization in town made arrangements to treat the children to Christmas but didn’t come around the rest of the year.
Our Hope
The only hope for our world is in Jesus Christ. He left His home in Glory to come to earth and had to endure the ridicule of mankind because His love for us was that immense. He came as a small baby to the poorest of the poor to let us know that His love reaches all people.
What We Can Do?
As children of God, we can:
*Strive to live our lives for Him.
This is what the Lord says to Israel:
“Seek me and live;
do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,
do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.
Seek the Lord and live,
or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;
it will devour them,
and Bethel will have no one to quench it.” (Amos 5:4-6)
*Rely on Him as we go through our days.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
*Consult with Him first when we have difficulties.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness
and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
*Praise Him for all things-the good times and the not so good ones.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
As we celebrate our Lord’s birth and prepare for the coming New Year, let us spend a quantity time re-examining our lives and choose to make a more concerted effort to live for Him.
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Cecelia Lester has been serious about her writing for over two decades..
She composes Christian essays and posts them to her blog quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/
She has served in a faith-based organization, Grace In Action by writing two newsletters and searching for possible grants.
In July 2017, she published her first book, 'Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy.'
She and her husband of 54 years live in central Indiana. They have one grown son.
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