“Can’t or Not Willing!”
I can think of many reasons why I would not ever want to wear the red suit pictured above, and yet I did in past years in order to tell the Christmas story.
I can also think of many reasons why I should not be an international worker in Taiwan. Excuses include: (I will be too noticeable. I am so much taller than everyone. My eyes are not almond-shaped and they are green, not black. My white skin and brown hair always draws attention to my foreign-ness. My brain stutters more than my mouth and I won’t say the right things. And the list goes on…..
The Christmas story answers some of those questions, or at least puts them in perspective. Jesus, the eternal God who had created everything, came as a baby into a poor family, became a refugee, and was frequently misunderstood. These things did not fit into the cultural expectations of that day, and seem to fit even less when looked at with 21st Century eyes. Jesus used a situation that did not meet expectations of those expecting a Saviour and used it to teach us something very special.
The story is all about Jesus, and yet He made the story include mankind. It is all about a baby being born, but He made it become the story of peace coming to humanity. It is about a miracle, where God reveals a plan of salvation that begins with a vulnerable baby.
Jesus was full of grace (John 1:14). That same grace allows us to overcome the unusual, the things that do not seem to fit us, and allows God to miraculously accomplish His plan. Let’s accept that gift of grace, and in faith step forward to do what is being requested of us by the Grace-Giver. Baozhong Alliance Upcoming Christmas Events
Thank-you for praying for the following activities that are designed to help the church members and the surrounding community celebrate Christmas:
- 12/17 Christmas Carolling on the Streets of Baozhong
- 12/18 Christmas Carolling at the Nursing Home
- 12/24 Christmas Eve Outreach Event
- 12/25 Christmas Day Worship Service
We, like you, are privileged to be a part of a worldwide family of churches. Did you know that the C&MA in Canada is supporting more than 200 workers in about 40 different countries. Thank-you for your part in supporting workers like us!
“Together we are looking to go deeper in Jesus and further on mission.” (Credit David Hearn)
Lorne and Kathy-Lu |
