Get Excited

"...a little child shall lead them."

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"The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6)

There are reindeer tracks all over my front lawn in the middle of my Christmas decorations!!!!!!!!!!!

STOP!
I don't want to hear your boring adult rationalizations reminding me these are just the tracks of the white-tail deer coming to graze on the carpet of acorns under our huge oak trees. It's December, it's almost Christmas, and we all should know what this means... THESE ARE REINDEER TRACKS! That's exactly what my father pointed out to me when I was young and exactly what he and I pointed out to my children. So... let's get excited for a change!!!

Regardless of what some might say, Christmas is not merely for children. I wonder if people say and live that as an excuse to reduce the powerful message of God's radical kingdom of peace to a mere children's game? Christmas is not simply a chance to play like children with children and celebrate the joy of family. It's all that but so much more. Maybe if we reduce it to that sort of family party we wont' have to do the difficult, yet exciting loving that this Christ child wants to lead us to.

Christmas points us in the direction of the seemingly impossible becoming the possible. That's exactly what the prophet Isaiah meant when he said this Child would lead us into the Kingdom of God where the seemingly impossible - wolves hanging out with sheep, leopards schmoozing with goats, and lions consorting with cows would be a reality. In other words, God's love could bring peace where no one thought it possible.

Actually, we really do love being part of the impossible becoming possible. (Think reindeer flying, etc.) Why not accept the invitation of this Child to be part of the excitement. Imagine loving the ones you thought or decided were unlovable... Wow! Let this Christmas be more than just a "family holiday." Let this Child lead us to God's exciting party - the Kingdom of Peace. I pray that God will help me accept this Child's invitation. How about you?

Blessings and Peace,
Gary
Pastor, Sand Hill United Methodist Church
Boaz, West Virginia


Help save lives! For more information on my new book, "A Relentless Hope: Surviving the Storm of Teen Depression," visit www.survivingteendepression.com.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1hSpxC_G24