Heart to Heart

I love this season, even though the days are short and the darkness covers the hours when I leave for work and before I make my way home. The reason I rejoice, is because of the lights that can be found throughout the city. As I gaze at brightly lit Christmas trees, and the blinking outdoor decorations that light up the darkness, my heart and mind turn towards Jesus.

Isaiah prophesied that the redeemed of the LORD shall return with singing and everlasting joy, because we have “seen the glory of the LORD, the splendor (majesty) of our God” (Isa 35:2). Over 700 years later, the apostle John gave his own personal testimony of having witnessed, that “the Word became flesh and tabernacled amongst us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace & truth” (1:14).

Jesus Christ, the Light of the world (John 8:12) has come, pushing back the darkness. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of mankind.” Why is the Light needed? Because, as Isa 60:1-3 says, “darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples…” That darkness continues in our generation, as we all seen as both the Jewish & Palestinian people pay a heavy price in the response to the evil that was carried out against Israel on October 7th . Despite the darkness, the Scripture declares that wickedness is unable to overcome or diminish the Light.

So how do we respond to the birth of Jesus in that Bethlehem stable so long ago? Do our hearts shout with heaven’s angels, as they sing “glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, toward mankind, those on whom His favor rests” (Lk 2:14)?

Though the world is increasingly hostile to Christ and the Gospel, they love to play Christmas carols at this time of year. Each classic song is seeded with truth, bearing witness to the Savior’s birth. May we, as the followers of Jesus, sing even louder, to the One who volunteered to come, so that He might die in our place and forever remove the sin stain from our souls. May we praise Jesus for all that He has done, so that we might be made right with our heavenly Father.

“The redeemed of the LORD shall… enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” Isa 35:10.

Lifting up our Songs of Joy, this Christmas season!!

Pastor Adriaan & Diana <><