Well, here it is: Christmas Day, 2009! Happy Birthday, Jesus. Hope Your day is going well, and that You are enjoying the food, fellowship, and football games. How’s the weather up there? Was santa good to You? Did You get what You wanted for Christmas? What’s that? You say all You want is for mankind to believe in You? Well, that’s not too much to ask. But where’s the joy in that? Oh, You want me to look in the Bible, in the Book of Psalms. Psalm 16, verse 11. You say that ” … in Your Presence there is fulness of joy … ” Well, part of my presents included the chocolate chunk peanut butter cookies that caused me fulness of belly. What? You say, “Not that kind of presents, but presence.” Oh, You want my presence? And if I give You my presence, we’ll both experience fulness of joy!” But, if I give You my presence, I’ll miss the game. What’s that? You say, “This isn’t a game; that You’re serious. You want me and all my rowdy friends to come to Your presence. And if we do, You’ll give us front row seats at Your right hand. Then we’ll be where You want us, and we’ll be Your pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11)”. OK Jesus. I’ve thought it over. And I really think Your Presence is better than this football game anyway. My team’s getting whipped pretty bad. What’s that, You say? “Your team has been ‘ … troubled on every side, yet not distressed?, Perplexed, but not in despair?, Persecuted, but not forsaken?, Cast down, but not destroyed?’ (Second Corinthians, chapter 4, verses 8 and 9).” Well, the troubled, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down doesn’t sound too good to me. But, I like the idea of .. not distressed, not in despair, not forsaken, and not destroyed. OK Jesus, count me in. Even if I’m not in the starting line-up, I still want to be on Your team.
How about YOU? Merry Christmas everyone.