MERRY CHRISTMAS! December 2012
We pray God’s grace and peace for you and your family this Christmas season. It is such a kindness of the Lord to be able to worship the Lord with you. I was telling Rosa last week that I have never experienced more of what I have dreamed and prayed for in a church than at Springs of Grace these past couple of years. Christmas is one of the favorite times of the year around the Blankenship household and around Springs of Grace.
This year I have especially been struck by “coming home” at Christmas. Whether it is the song “I’ll be Home for Christmas” or hearing people talk about going home for Christmas or whether it is thinking about those in our ministry who don’t have any or much home to celebrate with – my mind just keeps going to this concept. Why does God place in the hearts of nearly everyone it seems a desire to go home? Soldiers off at war, college students, friends, or refugees all anticipate or dream of being home for Christmas.
I watched in November a crowd gather at the airport and strain to look down that hallway to see Zion (our grandson) and Miriam come home from Uganda. I set with a dear brother not many days ago and talked about his wife going home to be with the Lord. Last week, we got to finalize the adoption of Erica & Aaliyah and bring them officially home into our family. The sweetness of those moments are intended as shadows of what we were created for and born again for. We were made to go home to be forever with the Lord.
At Christmas we celebrate how God made a way, through His Son coming as a Savior, for us to be in His holy home. Our sin makes us unfit for His holy home but “fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David A SAVIOR, who is Christ the Lord.”
Every time you want to go home – every time you wish “home” were a little or a whole lot better – every time you come to your senses enough to realize that this world isn’t home – turn your heart to the Savior, that Babe in a manger – that crucified Messiah – that risen King – AND WORSHIP HIM! Love Him! and look forward to going home.
God gives us enough trials to remember we aren’t home yet and I pray He will give you enough kindnesses to keep your heart longing for Him. Please know this Christmas season, The Blankenships consider being a part of this church family a great foretaste of going home to be in God’s family forever. It is, in the deepest of ways, shaping us to be who God has called us to be.
It is our prayer that we can encourage each other in our church family more towards His holy home in this coming year.
WITH MUCH LOVE WE WISH YOU A VERY, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
,
Joe, Rosa, Lottie, Malachi, Jerusha, Samuel, Glory, Erica, Amy, Aaliyah & Annie BLANKENSHIP (+ Nate & Miriam & Zion, Tyler & Hannah & Talitha)