The weather has been lousy, but it’s been a perfect day for
catching up on things such as writing Christmas cards, writing letters and making phone
calls. The boat didn’t get a look in, and tomorrow I have a feeling it will be
the same. There’s just too much going on at this time of year, but I count my
many blessings. I have so much to look forward to.
Much of what we see of news on TV and hear on the radio is
very depressing: the execution of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un; fears
of possible conflict between North and South Korea; the Lee Rigby trial;
Elisabeth Grillo maintaining she’s the only one telling the truth at the fraud
trial involving the Lawsons; gunmen kill 18 oil workers in Iraq; rebel attack
kills Syrian civilians in Adra, and so on.
Not all news is bad, for example: the Irish Republic is now
on the road to recovery, having met requirements imposed when they accepted a £71
billion bail out; the Ukrainian Court frees nine pro-EU protesters; giant
Spanish casino plan abandoned; two men arrested for posting anti-Semitic
tweets; massive offshore wind farm plans for turbines off Tiree dropped,
following environmental and technical studies; expensive calls to helplines to
end, and so on.
The news that outstrips all other news is over two thousand
years old and continues to be news today - the good news that Jesus was born on
Christmas Day! Why is this good news? It is because He is God’s means of
telling the world of His forgiveness and the means whereby men and women, boys
and girls can accept His forgiveness.
Nelson Mandela, known as Madiba, will be buried on Sunday, 15th December in
his home town of Qunu. The South African nation mourns his departure, but inherits
his legacy, the legacy of forgiveness and reconciliation as championed by him.
This is but a mere shadow of the forgiveness given by the Saviour, Jesus.
Christmas Day reminds us of the day of perfection when Jesus
will come again for His saints – i.e., those who believe and trust in Him.
“And forgive us our
depts, as we forgive our deptors.”
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you.”
(Matthew 6:12, 14)
No comments:
Post a Comment