CELEBRATE THE TRUE HOPE THAT BRINGS JOY TO THE HEARTS OF ALL!
Since I was a little girl, I have always had a special love for Christmas. Even before I really knew the true meaning of Christmas, I was so drawn to this season because of all the sparkling lights and decorations that captured my heart and all the "good will" that seemed to appear for the weeks surrounding Christmas, and of course the sharing of wonderful foods and gifts being given to family and friends. It seems like I've always had a deep heart's desire to celebrate life and hope especially at this season of the year. My home reflects my love of this season. I try to make it warm and inviting and full of light and color and sharing and giving. I love having friends and family over for a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate as we share our dreams, hopes and prayers for our families near the Christmas tree. I want my home to be an oasis of hope and love for all who enter. I seek to be an ambassador of the gospel of peace all through the year ahead.
We have gone through many rough times in this great country in our relatively short history by the grace of God. We face another such time now with record unemployment, many more homeless than ever before, and much frustration and uncertainty about our economy. Americans this Christmas may yearn even more for peace within our own borders as we tire of the political machinations and corruption of some of our elected officials who seem more bent on maintaining their positions and material perks rather than maintaining a climate where men and women can work and provide a decent living for their families. All around us we have friends and family who are struggling to provide the basics that we all took for granted just a few short years ago. We all have family and friends struggling with life issues that are causing broken relationships and hearts. Many are also discouraged and depressed from a lack of hope for the future.
Even with all that said, I have tremendous hope during this season of love and grace, because I know that God has said, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land."( II Chronicles 7:14 ) I believe the church in America is being called to step up and out and lead the way to real healing and hope in America and we are responding! We must humble ourselves by not aligning ourselves with unbelief or belief in "systems" of thought that leave God out of the equation. We must ask God to forgive our sin of not sharing the most glorious message of hope and love that exists, His gospel of peace, because we are afraid of being labled "intolerant" by sharing what Christ said about himself. He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except by me." We have allowed ourselves to be intimidated by a culture that shares some of the most indecent ideologies as"Truth" and yet, labels those who believe in Christ and His message as "haters" and "intolerant"! May God forgive us and help us to lead the way to real "CHANGE" in America. The kind that begins in the hearts and souls of men and women who have truly been blessed with the greatest gift of all: true HOPE. Not hope in ourselves, but HOPE in the God of heaven who loves us and has a proven "better way" for us to live. We are offered the most amazing gift and it is ours for the taking. It is a gift that changes hopeless to hopeful, fearful to fearless, joyless to joyful, and lost to found. It is a gift that came in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger! Hope incarnate!
I wrote this poem several years ago and it was published in an anthology of poems. It still resonates in my heart this Christmas as I think of the beauty of God's sacrificial and gracious gift to me and all mankind. It is a gift freely given, but of great cost to God, the Father. It is a Gift that I desire to see always remembered by America!
The Gift Remembered
by Teresa Jobst
The Gift of Love
was first thought of
by God the Father, the Holy One
when He sent His dear and precious Son.
A baby crying in the manger
borrowed from a kindly stranger.
This amazing, pure gift of love
from the heart of our Father above.
The Gift was costly: God's very own Son
sent to proclaim that He is the only one
who can fill the void that's deep within
the simple shepherd or the wisest man.
The Gift was given to be received.
God's desire is that we believe
in the Son whose birth was marked by a star
long ago in Bethlehem far.
The Gift grew from babe to man,
He said that to the Father anyone can
come if they but accept the One
who sacrified His life to fulfill the plan.
The Gift, the Christ, the promised one
died upon the cross, t'was done
that I might know true freedom
provided by the Father, through His Son.
We give gifts of love today to represent
the greatest gift ever sent.
May we with each gift recieved or given,
thank God for sending His best from heaven.
Lovely poem. You write very well.
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