Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Christmas – the Game Changer!

Colossians 1:15-23

“19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

Can you think of someone who you have a hard time getting along with? Maybe someone at school, in your family, or at work.  Maybe someone who has really hurt you, or who you hurt in some way….  
Imagine if that person called you on Christmas Day and said - “Let’s work this out.  I want to do everything I can to help our relationship be better.” 
 
What would your reaction be? 
 
Surprise? 
Disbelief? 
Excitement? 
Contemplation? 
Feeling a little bad that you didn’t make the first step? 
 
Regardless of your reaction, if that person truly meant it and suddenly did something new and drastic to help mend your relationship - that would be a game changer! 
Christmas can be just that - a game-changer! 
We have had a complicated relationship with God. We’ve wronged and hurt Him and His children more often than we know. Justifiably that has caused distance and tension in our relationship with God - maybe it even feels like irreparable damage. But on Christmas, with Jesus’ birth, God made the huge first move toward us. He extended His hand to try and mend that relationship – to make Peace. 
 
The reactions that day were varied:
Surprise - the shepherd marveled! 
Disbelief - the scribes and Herod didn’t even go the short distance to see if it was true. 
Excitement - the animals bleated at having a baby in their barn, and Wise Men traveled months with expensive gifts!
Contemplation - Mary thought about all these things in her heart. 
 
God was doing a big thing – extending a PEACE offering:  “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven by MAKING PEACE through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col 1:19-20
 
PEACE - that is a word we see often around Christmas because that’s what God tried to do on that day. 
 
No wonder the Angels exclaimed: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth PEACE to those on whom His favor rests”. 
 
Do you feel Peace? 
Now that God has reached out, have you reached back?  Are things ok between you and God? 
If not, know that God is still reaching out. The Joy of Christmas is that God still wants you – Very Much! 
He wants to make Peace with us even though the wrong has been on our part. We need only to accept that Gift of Peace. 

Prayer

Thank you, Good Father, for your gift of Peace and Reconciliation through Jesus.  Help me again to experience Peace in finding forgiveness and closeness of relationship with You this Christmas. Amen 

Thought of the Day

“Peace is the Hand of God touching your aching soul.” ~Crystal Roberts 

Betsy Mathew – Epiphany MTC New York

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