2020 Christmas

• “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (NIV) Matthew 1:23

  
  
  2020 has been a wild ride! It has been a very stressful year with great challenges to walk free from anxiety and depression. A survey revealed 40% of those questioned admitted to an increase in depression due to Covid 19 and things pertaining to it.  11% said they had considered suicide because of it. One of the biggest causes of mental health problems is this outside force of unknown, potentially deadly virus attacking people around the world.  There is this helplessness, this loneliness and people struggle to cope.  As a follower of Jesus Christ we face the same disease and the ramifications of it.  It is easy to say, "well, Christians shouldn't be distressed or depressed by Covid." That is a very simplistic view and not valid.  Many Christians have been very ill including Pastors and some have died.  We are not exempt from the reality of the disease.  Denying the sickness or trying to survive through positive thinking isn't the answer.  The real cause of depression and other issues is that this pandemic can shake the equilibrium of your faith life.  When you lose your equilibrium or balance in life, you lose your footing.  When you lose your footing you can be manipulated away from faith and your dependence on God.  There was a time in history when the world was shaken, countries were dominated by the Roman Empire and faith was questioned.  Were the prophecies of old really true or were the people on their own to try to survive?  Was there any hope for the future? Then a star of hope appeared and a baby was born in a manger in Bethlehem. That Baby was the fulfillment of one of those ancient prophecies that had been questioned. The prophecy of Jesus said his prophetic name was Emmanuel.  That name means today what it meant back then. "GOD WITH US!"  That first Christmas meant that from that time forward things would be filled with hope.  This month we celebrate that same event.  Just as there was a lot of hopelessness then there has been in this year of 2020 as well.  The message of hope for us as we move into 2021 is that without any doubt, God is with us!  He hasn't forgotten us.  He is involved in our lives. He is involved in your life. We must lift our heads above the earth, above the statistics and look unto our heavenly hope and our daily deliverer.  His name is Jesus and he is waiting on us to strengthen our faith toward Him and his active involvement in our lives.  God is with us!  Our Lord is with us!
  
  
                                                   Merry Christmas!