Twas The Night Before Christmas…

Twas the night before Christmas…

In Thailand you see,

all snuggled together around a small PC…

watching a so called Christmas movie.

Taking a minute I look all around…

This isn’t quite a Christmas like all the rest,

no cookies in milk, Christmas pj’s or snow on the ground…

with so much to miss it’s crazy I tell you!

I can’t help but see the blessings all around!

Warmth in the air, a family in Christ…

I’m a little confused,

the Christmas movies have gotten it wrong…

It’s not about the presents or everything working out

It’s not the pretty lights on the tree or even family gathering around...

cookies and milk that’s a fun treat… but

why have I never made my savior a birthday cake?

Have I invited him down to sit by the fire,

wanting him to share his favorite memories with me?

Throw him a party or even spent the day with him?

There something different about this Christmas I hope I experience every year…

With so many norms and comforts of this holiday gone

I can’t help but say Jesus come down….!

sit with me, talk to me, hold my hand!

Take me to the manger

…in your little hometown

I want to see the angels sing and follow the star to your bed…

Let me hold your hand and watch you grow up…

I’m starting to get that it’s not just a day…

It’s the start of an era...

your birth was the start of things changing there,

changing here…

Freedom from it all… the prophecy fulfilled.

Break my heart while I watch you up on that cross…

All for me, Christmas you see,

Your death brought me the chance to accept…

Freedom in You, there’s no greater gift!

…but don’t stop there, King show me more!

You came in a manger now show me your thrown!

I am praising God for or what Christ’s birth means, he reminded me today it’s not just about the eternal life he gave us from up on the cross.. but the freedom and deliverance that came through his birth and life. You see when Jesus was born the Roman Empire was powerful and strong… and so strong there really was no hope for much of a future for the people of Israel. But just the simple birth of Jesus and the knowledge of who he was to become (a king, a savoir for the people) spread hope like wild fire… hope, deliverance and freedom was coming… someone was going to deliver them from the hand of their enemy!

In Luke 1:68-79 Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist said this about the coming birth of Jesus! (from The Voice Bible)

“May the Lord God of Israel be blessed indeed! For God’s intervention has begun, and He has moved to rescue us, the people of God… God will rescue us from the grasp of our enemies so that we may serve Him without fear all our days… A new day is dawning; the Sunrise from the heavens will break through in our darkness, and those who huddle in night, those who sit in the shadow of death, will be able to rise and walk in the light…”

God’s intervention began that day and I believe it is still happening… I pray for God to rescue us from the everyday norms… ordinary life… habitual following and the darkness of this world.

We are his people and we were made to serve God: