Praise the Lord for
this special day. We join our brothers and sisters and fellow believers
in the Orthodox church as they celebrate Christmas. This day is a time of
reflection, inner thoughts and healing in many eastern European
countries. Many Orthodox Christians fast before January 7, which is a day
for feasting and enjoying the friends’ and family members’ company. I
spent some time at the local Civic Center where the Seniors gather every week
day for lunch. I announced to them that yesterday was Christmas Eve in
the Orthodox Church. They all shouted gleefully that they wanted
Christmas gifts. There was a couple whose husband was celebrating his 90th
birthday. He looked much younger than his age.
The
Lord blessed us with a beautiful Wednesday Evening Gathering. The food
was sumptuous and the and study was provocative and challenging. We are
getting ready for our release time with the young students this
afternoon. We are excited.
"When
the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, 'Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the
Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off…"
In
C.S. Lewis’ Narnia tales, Mr. Beaver tells little Susan that she’s about to
meet mighty Aslan, king of Narnia. Then Mr. Beaver adds that Aslan is a
lion. “Ooh,” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he quite safe?
I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”
“Safe?”
said Mr. Beaver. “Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t
safe.... He’s the King, I tell you.”
To
come into the presence of God should give us a feeling not unlike that.
It’s been said the worship of God should give us the same feeling as if
we were running with the bulls in Pamplona or surfing 40-foot waves along the
Hawaiian coast, as if we were doing this wild, reckless, crazy thing that makes
me feel more alive than we ever dreamed possible.
May
the Newborn King make us come alive this new year. May He make us
wild about Him. May He make us reckless in loving and serving Him.
May He make us crazy about being in the Kingdom business.
O come
all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant.
In Christ,
Brown
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