Making a Difference

by admin

Gina Caswell Kelly

As I am writing this, the wind is howling and the dirt is blowing. It is 80 degrees. And it is Christmas Eve. Doesn’t really sound ideal, does it?

Things often times do not live up to our expectations. We would all love to have a white Christmas (in theory). It would be nice if the temperature was a little more winter like. And it would really be nice if the wind wasn’t blowing. But, as I said, things do not always turn out like we hope.

Over 2,000 years ago, a man was engaged to a beautiful young girl. He was all excited. Then one day, this beautiful young girl, whom he had trusted and loved, told him she was pregnant. He knew it was not his. He was broken hearted. Things do not always turn out like we hope.

But, then an angel appeared to him and told him the truth about Mary’s baby. He chose to believe and he took Mary and went ahead and married her, just trusting the angel and trying hard to believe the best about Mary. It came time to go to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. But Mary was getting close to time to deliver her baby. Still, she had to go. Joseph was sure he would find a good place for them to stay. There was none. Rather than having the baby in a nice clean room, with, maybe her mom to help her, Mary delivered this baby in a dirty barn, with smelly animals all around. Not exactly the plan. Things do not always turn out like we hope.

Rather than having her family around her, Mary and Joseph had animals and a bed of straw. Rather than having excited relatives run out into the street to announce this baby had been born, the angels delivered the message from the heavens. They sang “Glory to God in the highest!” They told the shepherds about the baby. The star shown brightly. The angels and the shepherds were all there. Things do not always turn out like we hope!

This baby came to bring hope. And the hope this baby brings always turns out! This baby brought us hope of salvation. Hope of what we could not accomplish for ourselves. This baby brought joy and peace to a world that had no hope. This baby brought life. This baby came for me and for you.

“His name shall be called Jesus, because He will save the people from their sins.” The hope that the world cannot give us. The hope that comes from no other. That hope that will last for all eternity. The hope that says, “At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow.”

Sometimes things turn out better than we hope. And that makes a difference!

Merry Christmas!!

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