CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 971

 “Born to Die”

…I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out …So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me…waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:18-25 NIV)

Jesus was born to die.

Jesus’ birth was for a specific purpose: He was born to die in our place for our sins.

He was born to die so that we may be born again and have eternal life with our Father in heaven.

During the Christmas season people shop for gifts and take advantage of sale prices. The world hustles about to prepare for parties and other festivities. Songs are sung with lyrics about a Holy Night, Joy to the World, Emmanuel, God with us and many others that have become merely traditional background noise – a sort of seasonal lip service. Do you hear the message in the songs?

What is our reason to rejoice? Is it because we got that flat screen TV at a ridiculously low bargain price?

Perhaps during the Christmas season we should reflect upon our sin nature and how utterly impossible it was for sinful mankind to be reconciled and have fellowship with a Holy God apart from Jesus Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection.

During this season reflect on God’s Word and allow the oil of the Holy Spirit to soften our materialistically calloused hearts so that we can acknowledge the depth of the real reason for the season. With a tender heart toward God you will relate with Paul’s exclamation: ‘What a wretched person I am! Who will rescue me? This is when the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls the Comforter will come along side of you and fill your heart with the reason to rejoice.

Jesus came to die for all the sins of mankind, past, present and future until the end of time. He was born to bear the punishment for your sins and for mine once for all on the cross. God offers each of us the gift of salvation and justification through His Son, Jesus. In His grace and mercy God offers us the free gift of eternal life if we will but repent and turn from our sin and accept Jesus’ sacrifice and declare Him as our Lord and Savior.

May the songs of the season be more than seasonal lip service. Jesus was born to die for our sins. Now that is the reason for the season. Now that is truly reason to rejoice.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

 Merry Christmas!