Dear Fellow Children of God,
Do you remember your excitement as a child as you awaited
Christmas Day? My excitement would grow
for a month. I had trouble going to
sleep on Christmas Eve. But then on
Christmas Day joy exploded with presents, and family, and worship, and
food. We were celebrating the birth of
Jesus! Some things are truly worth
celebrating. Good News! Great Joy!!
The best good news ever was delivered on that first Christmas
Eve. God sent a vast army of angels to
common shepherds working the night shift in the fields. Jesus, the Son of God, the Promised Messiah,
the Savior of the world, had been born!
Imagine the night sky lit up with God’s angels! Imagine those first Christmas carols being
sung by that vast choir! But, perhaps the
greatest reason for rejoicing was the message of the angel to the
shepherd.
10 But
the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great
joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
(Luke 2:10-11)
To common people in a world lost in its own sin God sent
the One who would save all people from sin and death. No wonder the angels came and sang. Some things are truly worth celebrating. Good News!
Great Joy!!
I know that not everyone has great memories of Christmas
from their childhood. Not everyone today
experiences the peace and joy and love that God intended that first Christmas. Many even doubt that the Christmas event is
real. But Jesus was born and the words
of the angel are true. “I bring
you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the
town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Good News! Great Joy!!
Let me share with you a story of God’s Christmas love in
our midst this Christmas. In fact, I was
asked to share this story with you.
Perhaps
you remember that on July 12 David Neslund and his 5 year old son, Leif, were
baptized at St. John. Maybe you didn’t
know that 8 days later, as oil prices continued to drop, David lost his job along
with others at his place of work. Three
days after that, while trying to finish a home project, David dropped a trailer
on his big toe and crushed it. Later the
toe was partially amputated. But, David now
says he believes all this happened so that he would be home for the greater
trial and adventure to come. David and
Kristine were expecting, and on August 31, baby Bjorn was born . . . at 23
weeks, 2 days of gestation! Bjorn’s due
date was Christmas day. But, on August 31
Bjorn was born weighing only 1 lb., 7 oz.!
This
past Thursday, December 17, after David and I had talked on the phone, I
received this following text from him:
“Greetings again – I talked with Kristine, PLEASE share this with the
congregation. Christmas Eve or Christmas
morning, my second son is coming home.
God be praised!”
On Thursday Bjorn weighed 5 lb., 14 oz., more than four
times his birth weight! St. John and
many, many, others have brought many
prayers for Bjorn and family to the Father of Compassion and the God of all
Comfort! Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?! Good news – Great joy! God is GOOD!!!!!!!!
Some things are truly worth celebrating. And, the best news ever delivered came from
the angel that first Christmas. This
good news is true for ALL people! “I bring
you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the
town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Good News! Great Joy!!
God IS gracious and good and loving!
God’s Christmas Blessings to each of you!
A Child of God, Rejoicing in the Christmas Love of God,
Pastor Jonathan
****
P.S. You may hear
about Bjorn’s good news again this Christmas.
But, my heart is overflowing with joy at God’s love and I was asked to
share, and wanted to share! Good
News! Great Joy!!
P.P.S. Here are
two ice fishing pictures from December 14.
Thank you Kathy for taking these pictures. We fished in a non-stocked lake, so the limit
is 2 fish a person. https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/IceFishingWinter20152016#6229135184245668418
****
ABOUT
‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am sending these e-mail messages,
hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I
have. (I am regularly adding new names of friends and members – in case
you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.) However, if you
don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave
your name off my list for this message.
****
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