As I pondered what message to share this Christmas season many thoughts ran through my mind.  In years gone by our Christmas Message was often shared in the form of a story but this year I believe it must be different.  In many homes the Spirit will be one of sadness instead of celebration.  The pain of loss and separation will dim the seasons joy.  For some the separation will be temporary as their loved ones are at war.  For others it will be a lifetime.

Our lives are changed and our innocence is gone. For many uncertainty and fear have shaken the timbers of their soul. Our children and grandchildren will never know the simplicity of childhood and security most of us have shared.  One must question, “Why has this all come about?”  Is it the evil terrorists that strike us from without or is the problem deeper rooted in our nation's soul. Could we have tread where Angels fear to go? We sing, we cry, we pray and ask a Holy God to bless America.  Please tell me why God should bless our land? Because He is a God of love and that is true, but He also is a God of judgment.

We think our grief severe.  How could such injustice come upon our land? The answer is not far away or hidden that we can’t see.  Not so many years ago President Reagan quoted this passage of scripture, 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  We have declared ourselves one nation under God, we say we are your people God for it’s in you we trust. Although the terminology may cause some to cringe we once went to the extreme of declaring ourselves a Christian Nation.

2 Chronicles 7:14 is written to God’s people and contains some very specific direction for a sin sick nation. It starts with humility before God. Pride and arrogance have no place in His presence. Self will, self worth, self-esteem are dimmed by His glory. Our very best attempt at righteousness is as filthy rags before Him. He tells us to humble ourselves before Him and He will exalt us. There is a note of dependence here not occasionally or when terror strikes our hearts but constantly in the good times and the bad. Never forget who He is and give Him due reverence.

The next phrase commands prayer. Prayer is communication with God. But in our self-centeredness we often think we have communicated when we have spoken our wishes before Him. Communication is two fold and is not complete until one listens. Prayer is more than asking it is listening. Listening for Him to speak to us. Does the God you worship still speak to you?  Would you know if He did? We as parents must often take extreme measures when our children fail to listen to us.  Could we have become so detached from Him that we have forced Him to the extreme? Is He trying to tell us something that we don’t want to hear? Take time to listen and you will find He still speaks. In life’s circumstances and situations His voice is still quite clear. How much louder must He speak before we will listen?

Seek His face, He says. We seek many things in life, success, education, wealth, peace, self-gratification, etc.  Have our values gone askew? What is the most important thing in your life today? What or who is your god? What demands your attention, motivates your decisions, and consumes your energy? Could we possibly have replaced Him in our hearts and lives with things, stuff and endless selfish desires? Our forefathers had much on their minds as they founded our great nation but not one spoke without mention of His name. You may say I can’t find Him. You must seek Him with your whole heart and He promises you will find Him, Jeremiah 29:13

Now we come to the hard part. Turn from your wicked ways. Repentance is the term used to define this action. What wicked ways you ask? I am not such a bad person. We are not such a bad nation. Is it possible we have become so hardened by our own sin we can no longer recognize it for what it is?  Consider this. Our nation reeks with immorality and promiscuity, it’s in the media, on the Internet, in our stores, flaunted on our streets, in public celebrations and in our homes, exposing our children to things you and I may still not understand.  Our excuse, this is the year 2001 not the dark ages. We have driven God from our schools and our children’s daily lives. Too often it’s more important they attend the next soccer game than be in church.  We have replaced His Word, the Bible, with Harry Potter books, mythological and humanistic teachings. In the past few months in excess of 2 million copies of these books on Witchcraft and Wizardry have been placed in our public school system.  Those of us that have come to intimately know Dick, Jane, Sally, Spot and Puff would not recognize the reading classes of today. We are ignorant of the spells and curses used to gain ones will over others. We in our ignorance have come to call evil good and good evil.  God calls this an abomination, but we call it innocent fun. We decry child abuse from every corner, yet, we murder our unborn young and declare them an inconvenience.  Strange, God calls them a heritage from Him, Psalm 127:3.

So is there any hope you ask? Yes! Yes! A thousand times, yes. God promises to hear from heaven, to forgive our sin and heal our land.  That’s what Christmas is all about. It’s about hope. Hope for a second chance. Hope for forgiveness and reconciliation. Hope for a better tomorrow. Jesus Christ didn’t come to earth on a passing whim. No! He came because God knew our hopeless state. He came and died on the cross to reconcile us back to A Holy God. We cannot change ourselves but He can change us one heart at a time. The Prince of Peace has already come won’t you come to Him this Christmas as we celebrate His Birth.

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