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Greetings of love as we are on the countdown to the celebration of the birth of our Savior once more. "Heaven came down, and glory filled my soul. When at the cross the Savior made me whole!" The song is running through my mind today. Jesus came down to earth, from heaven, in the form of an innocent baby, to wash away the sins of the world. Can anything be more precious than this? He wouldn't have had to, you know. He could have disobeyed His Father's plans for Him, but, He didn't. He came to us, poor and needy as we were.
There's a story told about a Belgian priest leaving his homeland in the 1800s to go to a remote village in Hawaii to do ministry work. Sounds wonderful, but it was not. He went to a government-imposed quarantined area for those who were victims of Hansen's disease, better known to us as leprosy. What kind of man would do this? This man did. He worked tirelessly among those afflicted by leprosy, at the time an incurable and wasting away disease.
For 16 years, Father Damien lived and labored among the suffering and the outcasts there. He learned their language, and improved living conditions there for those stricken. It was more than that, though. He lived among them, ate with them, embraced them, and gave them back their dignity. Over time, their little village was transformed into a place of hope and opportunity. People living there began to flourish and experience the joy of living, mind, body, and soul.
One Lord's Day about 10 years into Father Damien's ministry there, he stood before the congregation and summed up in just two words the dedication to his cause there, as he talked about the daily struggles his people endured over the years. His two words were, "we lepers." You see, this man so immersed himself in the lives of those he loved, that he became one of them. He became a leper! (story adapted from "Consider Jesus," a book written by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth)
Psalm 113:5,6 says: " Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high, who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth?" Jesus came down from heaven, into our dirty messes, our smelly lives, and lived here in our dust and grime. He gave of Himself to us…lepers. We were isolated from God, the Father because of our filthy hearts and our wicked ways. But Jesus came! Into our messes, lived and walked among sinful mankind, because there was a greater good than staying away from us. This Jesus, this spotless lamb of God, was born to save us by dying for us. It takes my breath away! This, this is the wonder of Christmas!
I pray as we draw nearer to Christmas Day, that we stop all of our activity, and ponder the wonder of God's love for us. Our Father, who loved us even more than He loved His Own. I am undone. May the miracle of Christmas so grip your own heart this year that your life is forever changed. Changed to live more holy lives before the God who gave, so that we could walk the streets of gold with Him one day. Praise His Holy Name! God bless each of you this Christmas!
Lord, as undeserving as we were and are, You still sent Your dear Son into this sinful world to lead us to You. We can't fathom, and there are no worlds adequate to express the deep gratitude of our hearts. All we can do is accept this sacred gift, the gift of Your Son by receiving Him into our hearts as Savior and Lord. As we ponder once more, the wonder of it all, may we live in ways that others will also know this marvelous gift…Jesus! We love You, Lord! In the Precious Name of Your Dear Son, Amen!
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Debby Renninger is a freelance writer and inspirational speaker. She holds a Bible study in her home in McVeytown, where seeking women are always welcome. She may be reached at (717) 250-7086 for speaking engagements.