Give Thanks to the Lord 

   “Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose mercy endures forever.” (Ps  106: 1) 

   It’s Christmas time, a time to get away from the madness of the world and take the time to celebrate the birth of our Lord.  It’s time to let go of the angst of everyday life and give thanks to Him for His many blessings.

   This is the season for joy regardless of the mess the world is in.  To give thanks that Jesus loves us so much that He would give up His glory for a time to be born as a helpless baby placed in a feeding trough for a crib.  Fully human and fully God, He struggled as we struggle; He was tempted by Satan as we are tempted.  He suffered rejection by those He came to save, betrayal by one of His apostles, and desertion by the rest.  He was hung on a cross and died for us.  He did all these things from the depths of His love.

   Now is the time to celebrate His birth and life.  In a few months we will recall His passion, death, and resurrection.  These two celebrations are eternally connected.  Without His birth, there could have been no crucifixion; without His crucifixion and death, there could have been no resurrection; without His resurrection and ascension, there could be no salvation.

   So let’s take this time to celebrate our Lord.  Let’s put aside the presents, the parties, and the family gatherings for a little while and take the time to sit with Him and tell Him how much we love Him and how much we treasure His love for us.