Left in the Dark?

The other night, we were driving to dinner, and their house was way out where there are no street lights.  Like way out where they lived on a dirt road.  Once we turned off the main highway, we needed to use our high beams to see better.  For some reason, we couldn't figure out how to get them to work.  We flipped every switch, pushed every button, and twisted every nob, but we still couldn't find how to turn them on.  So we spent a good while only being able to see about 10 feet in front of us.  I wouldn't recommend doing that, but don't worry, we eventually found out how to turn the high beams on.

Relating this experience to us, we're all driving in the dark through life so to speak.  We can see a few feet in front of us, but never the whole picture.  We can't let that keep us from continuing to move.  We'll find that as we push forward, God will give us more vision.  That's the only way to see more of the picture.  We know from Paul, we are supposed to "walk by faith, not by sight."  (2 Cor. 5:7).  When we have that mind set, we'll be able to fight through the night to the bright, white light (rhymes!).  Just as the wise men were guided by the star of Bethlehem, we will be guided by the light of Christ.  God will never leave us in the dark.  So find the faith inside to press forward and finish.  You will become firmer in your faith, deeper in desire, tougher in testimony.

Christmas!

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."  Christmas is almost here!  It feels like just yesterday I was celebrating Christmas in the tiny town of Lolo, MT.  I can't believe a whole year has come and gone since then.  The Christmas season is such an awesome time.  The cool, crisp, air, with everyone wishing for a white Christmas (which is almost inevitable for Montana and Wyoming).  Lights are lit, music is playing, and gifts are given and recieved.  However, in the midst of all of the activity and excitement, there is a much deeper meaning.  The gifts are great, but we must not let that be the primary purpose of our Christmas. 

The true reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Christ.  On the night of Christ's birth, the sign of the star was given.  Three wise men followed that star until they found Jesus, their Lord and Savior.  They gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh as gifts.  Upon their return home, they were told to take a different route.  Matthew 2:12 reads, "And being warned of God in dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."

Once the wise men found the Christ, they went a different way back.  They could not go back down the same path that they came from, but with this new knowledge, they walked a new path.  During this Christmas season, grasp the true meaning of Christmas.  Find the Christ is Christmas and experience the blessings that come from it.  Once you do, you can do as the wise men of old did, and not return to your old ways, but walk a new path.