Christmas: Jesus didn't come to condemn

What the world needs more than anything is hope: hope that there is an opportunity, hope that not everything is lost, hope that the past won't determine the future, hope that the dreams can come true.

Sadly, many people don't have that hope and live condemned by their errors and sins, or condemned to believe that everything will be the same for the things that happened to them. But Jesus came to change that.

Jesus was born to bring them hope. Many people think that God wants to give them what they deserve, that He is focused on their bad actions so He may punish them, that He is far away and is indifferent to their pain. But the truth is quite the opposite: our Father wants to give you what you don't deserve because Jesus already received what you deserved. He is focused on you as a good, loving and caring Father, and He does it to help and bless you. Your Father is close to your pain, He identifies to it, cries with you and gets happy with you.

If your Father wanted to condemned you, He would've sent a condemner. But He wanted to save you, so He sent a Savior. If He wanted to punish you, why hasn't He done it already? But He loves you so much that He wanted Jesus to receive the punishment you deserved, and now He is patient so that all may come to know Him.

Christmas is the birth of hope. Christmas is the beginning of the end of condemnation. Christmas is God drawing close to humanity. Christmas is to know that you can decide for a better future because you know that your Heavenly Father is with you. That's why Christmas is the best season of the year.

"For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved"

(John 3:17)

I, my Ceci and my Juanes wish you a very merry little Christmas!

Christmas: A busy Innkeeper

One of the characters that was part of the first Christmas that makes me reflect the most is, without a doubt, the busy innkeeper. How many of us can identify with him!

This man had the chance of assisting and hosting Mary, who was about to give birth Jesus! (Luke 2:4-7), but he didn't do it for being immersed in his business, which looked like to go well.

What could've the innkeeper thought? Maybe he justified himself thinking: "Wow, God's blessing me a lot, I have the inn full! I cannot be irresponsible and neglect the guests He sent me because of the problems of one person", or maybe he just didn't realize of the urgent need of Joseph and Mary for being so focused on the things he had to do. Whichever might be the case, he lost his opportunity.

Matthew 25:31-46 teaches us that when we help others in need, we actually help Jesus Himself, and it is curious how Jesus, the birthday boy, passed unnoticed on the holidays for being so immersed in our own businesses.

As much as the material things like the presents, the decoration, the dinner, job, etc., as the no-material things like being away from the love ones or a member of the family isn't with us anymore, make us to turn our eyes from helping others to focus on ourselves. Our Heavenly Father may be giving us a chance to be blessed by blessing others (some even blessed angels - Hebrews 13:2), but we loose that opportunity when we only focus on our own needs.

I encourage you on this Christmas to be aware to someone else's needs, knowing that your Heavenly Father will be taking note that action of love (Hebrews 6:10) to reward you, and know as well, that you're going to be doing it for Jesus Himself.

A little teaching from the Drummer Boy

I love the lyrics of the known Christmas song The Little Drummer Boy. When I was a boy, I cried imagining the scene that it described (I'm still being touched by it).

This song is about a poor boy that watches some shepherds preparing gifts to give to the newborn Jesus as birth presents. This boy also wanted to give something to Jesus, but he didn't have the money to buy something that's fit to give a King; his only possession was a old drum. Even so, he decided to give Him the only thing he had, so he started his journey to the manger, once he got there he played his best in tribute to the newborn King. The part of the song that touches me even to the point of crying is the one that says that Jesus turned when He heard the sound of the drum, looked at the drummer boy and smiled at him.

I can imagine what the little drummer boy could feel in that moment. I imagine him sure that Jesus was happy with him, that he knew that God joyfully received the only thing that he had to give, because that showed the sincere heart of wanting to do something for Him. And God saw that.

You know something, your Heavenly Father won't be touched by the great amounts of money that you may be able to give (remember that He created everything!), but He will be touched by the sincere desire of doing something for Him.

How can you do something for Him? The Bible says that everything you do, you can do it as to the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). So, do not let that the lack of resources for doing great things become the excuse for not doing little things. Your Heavenly Father isn't waiting for you to give Him what you don't have, but what you do have. He is able to much with less. Be confident that when you do something to Him out of love, He is smiling at you.