2018 Worship Guide

2018 Worship Guide LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Wednesday, December 5, 2018 Page 19 As I got older, I realized those pieces were there too – just a little later in the season. And really you need both to make a more complete picture. Logic will tell us that Jesus could only be born and placed in a manger once. He isn’t born again each year. Instead we tell this story every year to remind us of the humble beginnings of our Savior. The gift God gave to the world – the best Christmas present imaginable – visible first to those considered the lowliest and most insignificant. We tell the story to remind ourselves that Christ does indeed shine light into our darkened world, even if that light seems dim at times, blocked a bit by our sinful nature. Telling the familiar story is important. It helps to focus us. Gives us something to think about besides the craziness that can happen, especially at this time of the year. But the other side is just as important. While we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth, we also need to prepare for that day when he comes again. Unlike knowing Christmas comes on December 25th each year, we have no idea what the date will be when Jesus returns – try as some people might to figure it out. It is hard to be ready for something if you don’t know when it is going to happen, but that is what God calls us to do. CONTINUE CONTINUE