December 27: BLESSED FULFILLMENT

Obviously, Christmas Day did not live up to it’s promise of fulfillment for a lot of people. The day after Christmas has now become like “Black Friday”, the most popular day for Christmas Shopping. Now the day after Christmas has the doors of the Malls opening at 6 a.m. to offer folks another shot at meaning and the fulfilling of hope. Thus is life when you expect anything but dissatisfaction from man-made gods.
Can you imagine worshipping a tree? Or a stone? Or a cow? Or Mars, the god of war? Or Diana, the goddess of sex? Or Mercury, the god of commerce? Or the Unmoved Mover? All of these man-made gods leave humans empty hearted and even with an empty bank account.
I am not being cynical. I am expressing genuine concern for people who invested so much in making Christmas this year “just right” and it turns out with no lasting blessing. Even a passing glance at the Bible will say that the Biblical message is focused on spiritual fulfillment. When the Prophet Isaiah spoke about 800 years before the birth of Christ he knew that he would not see the fulfillment of his words. Many people ignored the Prophets. They were strange people who dreamed dreams and saw visions and they often acted out there message in a dramatic fashion. You just had to wait and see if History would verify their words. Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, and 60:1-2 gave names and places and situations too exact to be ignored. Micah 5:2 even named the place of the Messiah’s birth, right on target.
For a hopeless generation we have the birth of hope, something that you can’t find in the Mall regardless of how many Gift Cards you are carrying. After Adam and Eve and their generation messed up so badly and then Noah’s generation did it again, the possibility of a personal relationship with God seemed forever lost to humanity. They had religion but it was religion by rote, dull and deadening repetition. But when Mary received the instruction to name the baby Jesus because he “would save people from sin”, (Matthew 2:21) people said, “why not?” and reached out to God in faith. And it happened! Whatever your circumstances or situation, it is never too late.
“The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight!” That’s the phrase from the Carol. Release and relief! No wonder the angels were singing. What about you? How is your voice developing?

“Fulfillment is such a beautiful word, Dear God, promised to us in
so many places and by differing voices but You deliver. Amen”