This week is all about Christmas. It’s a time of gifts and love – special decorations – beautiful light displays – shopping for the perfect gift – sharing – dreams. Children are dreaming of a special gift they’re hoping for. Teens dream about the ultimate technology gift. Adults are dreaming of large credit card bills and overspending. Senior citizens are dreaming of heaven and anxiously awaiting it. Dreams seem to be connected to this holiday. I guess you could consider the time itself to be loaded with dreams and heavenly things. Visions of sugar plums doesn’t mean much to society today. The focus seems to be on the tangible – like a new Tesla with a bow on it. The Ghost of Christmas Present, who made his appearance in Scrooge’s second dreamy visit, created all kinds of images of charity, love, peace on earth and the state of man’s existence. These are things we think about at Christmas, but they also deserve our attention every day.

Do you ever feel that you aren’t included in the forgiven category? The whole idea of God laying down His life for us might seem ridiculous. What kind of God do we have, who demands only that we believe and live our lives for Him? Who loves with unconditional love – no strings attached – no expectation of a pay back – perfect, sacrificial love? This time of celebration should be filled with extreme gratitude. It isn’t about what we give to others, what we do for charity. It isn’t about the value of our gifts. It’s all about the Son of God coming to earth to live with us. He experienced life as we know it, yet He never sinned. He was the perfect, unblemished lamb who took the sin of mankind to the cross and buried it there. It was the only way for our salvation to be won. God made a promise. He kept it. He lives with us still, through His Word and the Holy Spirit. When we come to Him, we know He is available for all our needs and dreams. Even the bad ones.

May the peace of this amazing week, live with us each and every day. We have been blessed by God, Our sins have been forgiven. Our future is guaranteed, because of this Savior we call Jesus. He lives with us still and we can get immediate access to HIm through our prayers and His Holy Scripture.