I bought this shirt. Yes, it is “bright” and “stand out-ish” but you know it was the only shirt in a 4 sided t-shirt rack that had a message about the real reason of Christmas.
The other shirts had sayings like “naughty but nice,” or other references to santa, drinking and provocative sayings. The other slots were almost empty because they had sold out, but this slot with this shirt was pretty much full.
It struck me as how ironic this shirt rack was, only one shirt spoke of anything related to the first Christmas or the reason behind Christmas, all other 19 shirts did not and that was what people chose. In today’s world, only 1 person out of how many will speak up for God...?
The shirt as brilliant colored as it is, is for me, a total representation of who God is.
God is not a quiet little figure sitting up in heaven, simply observing us puny little humans down here. He is not absent, He is not dead or void of life. He is not hiding in case He is found out.
My God, the God who created this planet (and will take care of it because it is His by the way), is a God of brilliance, He is a God of color (all colors actually), He is a God of life and a life giver, He is a God of flashy, in your face miracles, signs and wonders. The shirt represents Him totally!
He wants people to find Him! He wants to stand out in the crowd!
The night Jesus was born – He sent angels, lots of them to light up the sky and talk to people. He put a star, not just any star but one that stuck out in the crowd enough for some foreign astrologers to take notice. It was an in your face kind of event enough so that heaven was celebrating!
The day that Jesus was crucified – have you looked at what was recorded to have happened?
Darkness came over the land for from 9:00am to noon, the 4” thick veil in the Jewish Tabernacle torn in half, an earthquake happened, hard enough to split rocks open and tombs opened up and dead people came alive and walked out of them. Not your run of the mill, ordinary kind of day.
God is not a run of the mill, ordinary kind of God. He simply is not.
So why, why, did Jesus enter the earth from heaven in an ordinary, human kind of way, born as a baby?
Great question!
In order for Jesus to be able to be our model to follow, to be able to say that He suffered every temptation known to man, He must first have lived the exact way, we do. All of us were birthed in the exact same fashion, through a mother. Jesus was no exception. All of us have had to live on this earth as a baby, child, teenager and then on to adulthood. Yes, Jesus had unusual parents, His mother was a virgin after all.
God does not do ordinary, ever.
What and why did Jesus come to earth? He came to die a sacrificial death and in between birth and death, He displayed and taught us what the Kingdom of God is like and funny enough, it is exactly like Him: Out of the ordinary.
Have you ever turned water into wine?
Have you ever raised the dead?
Have you ever sent demons scurrying just by walking into a room or even walking by?
Have you ever spit on the ground and made a paste and put it on someone’s eyes to heal them from blindness?
Have you ever fed 5,000 people with a loaf of bread and a couple small fish? Then had 12 baskets of left overs?
Have you ever loved unconditionally, I mean to all the people who you meet and are around you? Every single one.
None of these things was hidden, they were in fact, done out in the open, right in your face so everyone could see it. It was electrifying, it was cause for celebration and excitement, it had never been done before. It was like Jesus was a bright light from heaven shining on the world around Him, illuminating who He was.
Why is this important?
As we look about us this Christmas and get caught up in the lights, the razzle dazzle of the holiday, the shiny trappings of the season, it only exposes how dark we feel inside.
Loneliness is still one of the most prevalent emotions running rampant worldwide. As much as Christmas lights up the season for a time, it only exposes us to the fact that we, ourselves, me, do not feel quite that bright and shiny on the inside. Depending on our circumstances, we can feel quite hopeless, dark and isolated, despite the glittering, shiny celebration around us.
As a matter a fact, the “brightness” of the season enforces our darkness, our isolation more than it does to hide it. The presents and hopefully the people, will be fun, but when the shiny goes away, or if it will even come at all, as some people are so alone they have no one to celebrate with, our own pain, our depth of aloneness will come rushing back with full force threatening to over take us like a rogue wave from the ocean.
It is because of this darkness, it is exactly because of this that Jesus came. I have heard many people say, but we do not know if He was really born on December 25th. Okay perhaps that is true, I do not really know and I do not think anyone really does know. But this I do know and it is worth celebrating: Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) Jesus came to break off the darkness, to break it off of you. You may be living in a dark world but you do not have to dwell there.
“I will never leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:8
How these words of God, have kept me going when I was alone, when I sat in the darkness, when I wondered if there was more than what I was experiencing. It was these words that lifted my soul, not the traditions of Christmas, that brought me hope when I had none. There were times where I could tangibly feel God’s presence with me in my room. I have felt His touch, heard His voice so that even when I am “alone”, I never, ever, am by myself. Jesus is right there with me, every time.
When I went to the southern states on my own,I knew I had a travelling companion beside me, so close, that once I recall having a out loud conversation with Him. I flat out told God, “I will have to drive and You will have to navigate because if I sit in the passenger seat and You actually drive, we will get pulled over because they cannot see You.” What a navigator He turned out to be, so many awesome places we went!
Oh Jane, such an imagination you have! An invisible friend, a made-up image, something that I conjoured up.
NOPE.
I have life stories to prove it, I have miracles to prove it, I know God is true to the depth of my inner being.
Well, you ask, how come I do not see Him? How come I cannot hear Him?
My friend, Jesus came to break you out of the darkness of this world, your world, to be the Light that guides you, the Comforter that comforts you. Have you truly asked Him to come and be with you? Really?
I guarantee that if you ask God to come into your life, right now, this minute – He will not disappoint. Ask Him to prove that He is real to you. Then be prepared for His answer – because it will not be ordinary, be careful what you ask for...
Moses got a burning bush. Jonah got a whale, Noah got an ark (boat) loaded with hundreds or thousands of animals, Daniel got a lions den, and the disciples got the opportunity to walk on water.
Really? All the disciples? Yes, Jesus offered the invitation to walk on the water to all the men in the boat. Only 1 stepped out and began walking on top of the water.
God is asking you today, will you be that 1? To trust Him with your life. To be the 1 who will join Him in adventures, to trust Him with all your pain, to open your heart fully to Him and let Him direct your path as the navigator of your life.
Will you be the bright spark in the black of night, the one who will wear the t-shirt for all the world to see?
That my friends is worth celebrating, not just on December 25 but for every day of your life.
“O Come Let Us Adore Him!” Merry Christmas!