Thought For The Day
The Crystal Lady
Thought For The Day
| So much of the wonder of
Christmas has been told in story
and songs. It continues to raise our spirits to hear the beautiful Christmas hymns and carols. We feel child like delight as we gaze at the twinkling lights, and colorful decorations. Even the hardiest warrior can find pleasure in a lighted Christmas tree even when they are far from home.. It continues generation after generations . It is truly become the Never Ending Story. |
| Although people today complain that Christmas has become too commercial;
it is still is a time when most people worry about what they can give rather than what they can get. From willing souls standing out side in the cold manning Salvation Army kettles to volunteers gathering toys for tots. From people giving up their holiday to cook and serve meals to those who would not eat except for their kindness, to neighbors sending over a plate of cookies to people living next door. Christmas is alive and well |
| The idea that Christmas is the time for
gifts is impressed into our collective minds. Sad is the person who doesn’t have anybody to give something to. Countries all over the world have their version of Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas or Father Christmas. Where religion and national borders might divide us, Santa is the symbol that can help to unite us. Santa can cross barriers and be enjoyed by children everywhere. Santa brings out the good in all of us and gives us a common ground. By the time that December comes around, which is likely cold, dark and dreary, we need a happy time thrown in to lift our spirits. For the unfortunate who have lost their hope it can be a very sad time, unless we are there to help spread the joy around. |
| For Christians this is a time of importance for us,
a time to reflect on the reason for the season. Some time in our busy day we need to take down the bible and read the story of the first Christmas. you will find the story of the birth of Jesus in chapters of Luke and Matthew. I took a few liberties with the scriptures but words in bold are taken from the King James version. |
| An angel named Gabriel appears to tell Mary she was to have a
child is told in Luke. The angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee named Nazareth, To a young women engaged to a man named Joseph of the house of David , her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, "Hail, thou. that are highly favored, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women" . She was troubled at his saying, wondered what he was talking about. Then the angel said unto her, "Fear not Mary for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold thou shall conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end." |
| Then Mary said to the angel . How shall this be, seeing I
know not a man? And the angel answered
and said to her. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of
the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the son of God." And behold, thy
cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age and this is the
sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be
impossible. And Mary said, Okay ! *Note, there is another time in the old testament where Angels helped Abrahams wife Sarah help get pregnant when she was pass the child bearing years so this is not the first time a angel got involved |
| Luke, Chapter 2 Tells that Joseph and Mary had to go Bethlehem to be taxed. They were living in Nazareth . Bible says they are still engaged. Don’t think anything is ever said about a marriage. Maybe being betrothed covered it all. Since Joseph was of the house of David he had to go to Bethlehem. While there Mary has the baby Jesus. She wraps him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manager. Sometime people say that they were living in a cave but likely it was the room for the animals which was part of a dwelling and may have been crowded as it could have been the family home of Joseph’s family. Later stories added the animals and made the place an Inn. |
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Shepherds were in the same area abiding in a field to keep watch over their
flocks |
| The story of the wise men visit is told in the bible in Matthew chapter 2. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold there came three wise men (Seers or Magi), from the East to Jerusalem. Asking where is he that is born king of the Jews. For we have seen his star in the East and we are come to worship him. The bible says that when Herod the king had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together; He demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet. "And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judea art not the least among the prices of Judah for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel." |
| Then Herod asked the Magi what time the star appeared. He told them to go and find the child then come back and tell him, so he could go and pay homage also.. The wise men left the king and were happy when they saw the star still and it led them to where the young child was. Apparently some time had passed as Jesus is called a young child. And when they come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother and fell down and worshiped him and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto him gifts , gold symbolizing Royalty, and frankincense stood for Divinity and myrrh represented Passion. So these men who may have come from Persia, were the first non-Jews to worship this special child of Mary .Those three wise men who knelt before Jesus were but the first of many people from many nations around the world that will eventually bow their knee in homage according to scripture. The Magi were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod so they went home another way. Then about that time, Joseph is warned in a dream to take his family to Egypt where the story has them staying there until after Herod dies.......... For the rest of the story, read it in your bible... |
Merry Christmas from our house to yours