{"id":29416,"date":"2020-12-24T03:30:42","date_gmt":"2020-12-24T11:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=29416"},"modified":"2020-12-18T11:17:59","modified_gmt":"2020-12-18T19:17:59","slug":"december-24-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2020\/12\/24\/december-24-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"December 24, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins.”\u00a0<\/em>Matthew 1:21<\/p>\n

A Different Christmas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Last Christmas I saw a silly\/funny cartoon. A little baby is laying in a manger of hay.\u00a0The baby has a halo around its head.\u00a0Standing on each side is a donkey and a cow.\u00a0One says to the other, “Dude, there’s a baby in the salad.”<\/p>\n

It’s a bit of Christmas humor\u2014but it also makes a big point.\u00a0Jesus wasn’t born into a cozy, comfy, color-coordinated nursery. Mary didn’t get to make sweet preparations for the birth of her little baby.\u00a0A stable to give birth in, and a manger to lay the baby in, weren’t what moms would choose.<\/p>\n

The king of the universe, the Son of God was born into the lowliest of low conditions.<\/p>\n

I love Christmas\u2014everything about it. I never get tired of any of it. Christmas this year, however, has been very different. No shopping. No decorations.\u00a0Not one single Christmas carol.\u00a0Not even a Christmas card. Since Nov. 6, all but a few of my days have been spent in a hospital bed.\u00a0I know Christmas is coming soon, but I’ve seen no physical evidence of it!<\/p>\n

As I was reflecting on this, I realized that nothing has really changed, though.\u00a0My heart rings with songs of His birth; in my mind’s eye I see the stable “salad,” I see the sky filled with the choirs of angels\u2014but, most of all, my heart SINGS because of His birth! I’m so grateful that Jesus came.<\/p>\n

Thank You, Jesus, for coming!<\/p>\n

I have a special personal prayer request.\u00a0On my doctor’s advice because of my lowered immunity, I was in isolation for eight months this year. Last week here at the hospital in the ward I was in, I was exposed to a lady who was positive for COVID. I’ve been isolated and we’re being very careful. Please pray for protection for me!<\/p>\n

Lord, You are Emmanuel\u2014God With Us. We know You are with Sally today and every day. Protect her from this virus, and renew her strength and vitality. Revive her with health, and comfort her concerning this temporary life in a fleshly body. Help us all to look steadily to You for all we need\u2014for You have given us Your Son.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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