The Lord said to Abram in Genesis 12, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” He told Abram that in doing so He would make him into a great nation that would bless every other nation. Did Abram hear God’s voice out loud? Was it a voice in his head that only he could hear? Did he get a feeling, or a sense of knowing deep inside? The Bible doesn’t say.
Singer Annie Lennox sang, “I travel the world and the seven seas. Everybody’s looking for something.” I’ve been to a lot of places, and I tend to agree with Annie. If I had to pick just one word to describe what people are looking for I'd say it's relationships. One of my greatest joys in life is getting to know people. Building relationships is like digging for hidden treasure. If you invest time and effort in getting to know someone, you always discover something special. Sometimes it’s a fascinating learning experience that’s revealed through someone else’s life journey. Sometimes we discover something about ourselves, or our community by spending time with others. If we intentionally build deeper connections with others, there is nearly always a benefit.
Have you ever walked outside on a beautiful sunny day and been surprised by the intensity of the sun's brightness? You quickly lower your head and shade your eyes with one hand while struggling to put on sunglasses with the other. In that moment, the light reveals more than we are able to process, more than we can focus on, and our first response is to look away, or cover our eyes. John 3:19 says, “The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” If Jesus is the light of the world, do people turn away, or disregard His message because they prefer darkness?
Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on all that is good in the world. It’s a special time to celebrate God’s greatest gift to mankind; peace with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. I am beyond words grateful for this incredible greatest gift in my life. C. S. Lewis said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” God’s gift at Christmas gives us the opportunity to see the many blessings that flow from that greatest gift. As I consider the many blessings God has showered on me since receiving His greatest gift, I’ve come to appreciate God’s second greatest gift.
In my quiet time this morning, I asked God two questions that I often ask of Him. “God, what do you want me to know, and what do you want me to do?” Then I listened, knowing that He is a God that still speaks if I am willing to listen.
The United States has always been a beacon of hope to the rest of the world. Many would say that as a nation we are blessed by God, so that we can be a blessing to the world. For centuries people from all over came to live in a place that offers tremendous hope. They migrated to America for host of reasons including, economic prosperity, religious freedom, education, and safety from conflict or persecution. However, there might be another reason why individuals are attracted to this continuously expanding melting pot.
