Christmas in our hearts

On the counting. 2nd day of the month and the air is cooler than before. My sons actually complained that the air outside our room is more cozy, feeling the chill in the air almost like a ghost is visiting the air. That kind of things you see on movies?! Quite imaginative of them, but its just how December is.

Reflective

It’s the season where Christmas is celebrated all over the world, in the Christian realm. I want to write something reflective since the season calls for a reflection of faith? Why? Well, like the season suggests, a reflective month, time to review my faith if it where it is supposed to be or somewhere else that needs realignment? It doesn’t mean that its not Lent I can’t do retrospection? Actually I think we ought to start reflecting now as theme suggests. Why? Well, the basic Christian belief is on “believing in Jesus’ saving grace”, don’t have to wait for Lent so I will look into my core to find out if I had been backsliding or otherwise. Actually Lent for me is the summation of everything I believed in. Confirming that my faith can withstand the test of time, as for the time being. It will be too arrogant of me to even claim that I wont falter in future because being humbled by the Lord is something I dont want, been there done that, don't want to repeat it.

Nativity

All Christians know his story. From His birth down to His death. From the start to the end, it is a challenge. He never started high but always humble, -to the end. He even ends up in a manger, though gets to be visited by Kings from the east but His life was sought for to be slaughtered the very day he was born. Ahh! Tragic? Oh no! He gets to live a life showing us how. Showing us how to get thru life, childhood to adulthood. Claiming sin by His obedience to the Father above us. The Father who created us and has waited for us patiently to come back home. Hmm, if only OBEDIENCE was that simple, I reckon.

Perhaps I may oversimply things but to think of it, “let it be done according to you word”, simply is following. What is more gratifying than to have a son so perfect and obeys the will of the Father? And to have a Father who loves Him dearly that “everything we asks in His name, He gives”, to honor Him who obeys. Simple but complicated that I often ask why? Well, the most perfect being ever created even fell from grace. Obedience is not that simple?

Our place

Let’s be human and not talk about divinity. Simple roles, family. Parents give birth to children. Parents guides, protects and provides the needs of the children. While children obeys the parents, while there is someone who truly obeys but there are others who are rascals. True? Right. Why? It’s a simple explanation, we all have this little freewill embedded in our hearts to desire something. And its only controllable by us. So if that freewill was not bound for submission, then obedience is not far at hand. Especially when stubbornness rules the heart and pride at the same time. As a parent, I take it my role to reach out to my sons, both stubborn and high willed. In the passage of time, I see to it to always communicate with them and them with me, its supposed to be simple. So, it all breaks apart when they chose not to communicate anymore.

Yes, I am oversimplifying things but with your indulgence this is just the beginning of the reflection. The relationship between Divinity and man are far more complicated by simple submission and obedience, but it’s a step nearer to where Christians ought to go. True we have the desires of our heart and act to its content. However, have we actually tried to reach out to our Father above as to His will for us? For those who questioned the celebration of Christmas, well, Jesus Nativity is just the start of the “saving grace”. Coming to earth, being born, divinity reduced to humanity? You do not know what Jesus sacrificed just to save mankind. This is just the simple message of His Nativity. Powerful? Yes, He saved all those believed.

December 2, 2021
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