Genesis 3:9, Genesis 3:22-24, John 3:16-18, Hebrews 4:14-16, Matthew 6:10

David Kramer takes the opportunity of Christmas to recognise and be thankful for God's generosity.

David Kramer

This Life File goes live on 21st December. I'm a last-minute sort of guy at Christmas, but even I can join those dots! OMG - ought to write something relevant.

But what?

Don't get sucked into expensive commercialism?
No room at the inn - make time and room for Jesus?
Remember the lost, lonely, homeless, isolated?

I'm sure you can add to the list and they're all good and true and have been said before.

OMG, what about "Let's Celebrate?"

Celebrate what? The birth of Jesus of course. Yes, but much more besides.

Here's a few ideas:

• That God didn't abandon us to our fate (Satan) when Adam disobeyed. (Genesis 3:9)


• That God protected the tree of life so Adam and Eve could not eat from it and condemn us all to living forever in a permanent state of rebellion against our creator. (Genesis 3:22-24)


• That God started a family line that reached all the way to Jesus, and now to us. (Matthew 1:1-17)


• That some of that family were seriously flawed but God still used them. The Bible is full of dubious characters. Rebels, cowards, sinners and failures that He rescued, redeemed and led to extraordinary success.


• That He does the same with and for you and me.


• That Jesus did not say to the Father, "I may be the only option but I just can't face both being and paying the price for their redemption." (John 3:16-18)


• That Jesus' sacrifice started simply by leaving heaven. Think about it.


• That Jesus became one of us. Extraordinary! Pause and think about it.


• That although tempted exactly as we are He did not sin, so did not disqualify Himself from being our Saviour. There was only Him who could be who, and do what, we needed but could not do for ourselves. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Let's celebrate that we can be:

• Forgiven - everything!


• Restored to right relationship with the Father.


• Filled with the Holy Spirit.


• Be part of the answer instead of victims of and contributors to the problem.


• That while the world prophecies disaster ("The sky's falling in!" see Chicken Licken!), we get to prophecy that God's kingdom is on the way and contribute to bringing that about.


• That the good news (the gospel) trumps all the bad news.


• That we all have our part to play in bringing His kingdom here - "On earth as in heaven," (Matthew 6:10).

Please add your own reasons to celebrate!

"Oh my God"
"Oh my God,
My God indeed,
Creator of infinite space,
Come to this God-forechosen space,
Majesty, omnipotence, glory,
Distilled in this newborn grace.

How can it be
This, your contradictory singularity?
God and man,
Shepherd and lamb,
Prince and peasant,
Saviour and sacrifice.
Potentate and refugee
One and three.

Oh my God,
My God indeed,
Sole seed of divine purity
Come in mortal humility to bleed
For all our sin-stained need.
Oh my God, my God indeed.

Come to me, Come to me."
(Author Unknown)

Thank You Father for sending Your Son.
Thank You Jesus for coming and overcoming.
Thank You Holy Spirit for convincing me of sin, righteousness and judgement.

Wow, plenty to celebrate!

Have a richly blessed and happy Christmas!