Copyright © 2011 Grace Family Church of Rhode Island

The True Light of Christmas

Many years ago, an atheist reporter in Boston saw three little girls standing in front of a store window full of toys. One of them was blind, and the other two girls were trying to describe the toys to her. As he reported the incident in his newspaper, he wrote that he had never thought how difficult it would be to explain what something looks like to someone who has never been able to see.

Two weeks later the same atheist attended a meeting held by evangelist Dwight L. Moody. He had purposed himself to catch Moody in some inconsistency, but was greatly surprised to hear the preacher quote his newspaper account of the three little girls. "Just as the blind girl could not visualize the toys," stated Moody, "so an unsaved person cannot visualize Christ in His glory."

Moody spoke of spiritual blindness, the same spiritual blindness that once chained us all in the darkness of sin. But as the apostle John wrote, then the true Light of Christ came into our world, and we could see. During His ministry Jesus healed many blind people. I wonder. Could those healings be just a glimpse of something much greater? Could they just point out to an unbelieving world that Jesus came to lift a veil from our eyes as well? In Christ, it is not just physical sight that is restored, but those who were spiritually blind can see as well. He is the true Light of this world, and the true Light of Christmas.

Have you ever noticed how the beauty of Christmas is best seen in darkness? It is almost as if the celebration of Jesus' birth is also pointing to the fact that He came in a world in darkness to bring light to humanity. So, when you see the glittering lights this year, pause for a moment to think about the true Light of the world who came to remove your spiritual blindness. Light, the true Light of God, triumphs over darkness.

We have so much to be thankful for!

Have you ever thought about writing down all the things you do for God and all the things He does for you? A man once did. He kept an accurate daily account of His service for the Lord in one column and of the blessings he received from Him in another. When he recovered from an illness, he wrote it down. If a friend helped or cheered him, that too was noted.  All the favors and mercies he experienced were carefully recorded.  But he gave up after just a few days of bookkeeping.  "It's no use," he said, "I can never get these columns to balance. I am always hopelessly in debt!" We are all indeed. But thank God for those times when we stop to think about it, to appreciate it and share it with those we love. Thank God that, as Dr. John White once said, even "while vanity clouds our eyes and burdens our heart, gratitude clears our vision and lightens our load." May this Thanksgiving Day be an opportunity for you and yours to meditate on how deeply and hopelessly indebted we are to our Lord and Savior. May the blessing of gratitude itself fill your heart and lead you and yours closer to the Giver of all good gifts. God bless you.

The evidence of a full measure

In a mountain village, a man who sold wood to the other villagers, would always take advantage of them by cutting his logs a little shorter than the required four feet. One day, word in the village was that the old woodchopper had been converted. Everyone questioned it, as they thought he was spiritually beyond reach. While they were discussing the matter, a young man left the group, and a few minutes later returned acclaiming, "It is true! It is true! He has been converted!" Questioned by the other villagers as to how he knew, he replied: "Well, I measured the wood he cut yesterday, and it's a good four feet long!" That evidence settled the matter and they were all convinced. God calls altered or short measures an abomination (Proverbs 20:10), leading only to the treasures of wickedness (Micah 6:10). What was your evidence stating today? How did you "measure" what you gave? Whether it is wood, your talent, or your time, God expects you to give a "full measure."

How About the Truth?

A little boy was an important witness in a lawsuit. After questioning him with frightening skill and severity a lawyer pointed the finger at the boy and exclaimed, "Your father has been telling you how to testify, hasn't he?" The boy candidly replied, "Yes." At that confession, the lawyer added, "Ah, so he did. And how did he tell you to testify?" Again, the boy replied with a simple tone, "Well, he told me that the lawyers would try to tangle me in my testimony, but if I would just be careful and tell the truth, he told me I could say the same thing every time."  Of course, we all tell the truth ... unless it's a matter of business. After all, we just can't loose that deal, or this contract, right? So we embellish a little, stretch somewhat, or just turn things around for a little spin until the deal is through. But then comes the hard part: how can we keep that little lie going? Sooner or later, as God said, the truth will come to the surface, and we will be held accountable. (Proverbs 12:19; 21:6)

Load Limit

We've all seen LOAD LIMIT signs on highways, bridges, and elevators. Knowing that too much strain can cause severe damage or complete collapse, engineers determine the exact amount of stress various materials and manufactured items can safely endure. The public is given this information in the form of posted warnings, telling them not to exceed the established limits. To disregard these notices invites disaster or great expense. But what about your load limit? Have you exceeded your load limit at work today? Jesus once said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Mt. 11:28-30, NASB) Take some time today to find that rest.

What If this Was Your Last Day?

A survey asked a number of young people how they would spend their day if they knew it was their last. About 20% of them indicated that they would spend their last day taking drugs, drinking or pursuing sexual gratification. A different response came from an 18 year old girl who wrote, "I would like to spend my last evening in church (to be alone with God) to thank him for a full and happy life."

Got Time?

Dr. Antonio Herrera, a management consultant, once asked an interesting question in a seminar. "If you had to pay in advance $200 an hour for the time allotted to you," he asked, "would it make a difference in the way you would use your time?" So many things during a busy day at work remind us of the need to"make the most of our time." (Eph. 5:15-16) We never seem to be able to fit everything we would like in our schedules. Yet, somehow, almost mysteriously, we often seem to be able to buy some time for the things we care about the most. In a way our time management (especially of discretionary time) will tell us a great deal about our real values. What did I value most today?