Morning Devotional
November  7, 2005
"Christmas Spirit"      
    by Don Emmitte

So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. John pointed him out to the people. He shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, `Someone is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.' " We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us--one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:14-17 NLT).

 

I know we are weeks away from Thanksgiving, but one of the local radio stations began playing Christmas music this weekend to begin fostering the “Christmas spirit.” Well I think it’s a little early, though I must admit I left the radio tuned to the station and enjoyed the memories that flooded my mind while listening. That’s not exactly the Christmas spirit that we ought to be focused on, but it did bring me to a point where I could begin to think about it.

 

The Christmas spirit we ought to foster is a "spirit of hope" in Christ that overcomes the fear of the world. We all face fears in life. But I've learned the best anti-fear medicine is a "spirit of hope." Many years ago I faced the greatest personal fear of my life. For those who were close to me in those days, you will recall the difficulty I experienced in overcoming those fears. It began with a visit to my local doctor because of some joint pain. At 40 years of age, I thought I ought to be feeling a little better than I was! The early diagnosis was onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Medication was prescribed, but didn’t really do very much to help ease the pain. Over the next few months my physical condition deteriorated. In fact, when severe chest pains began to develop, I sought a specialist. She consulted with me and told me that a battery of tests was necessary. They determined that there was nothing wrong with my heart (good news) and that I didn’t have arthritis (great news), but there was a possibility that I had one of three other diseases.

 

My doctor sat across the exam room from me and said, “You have either cancer, lupus, or hemachromatosis.” The first two I had at least heard of, but the last one was unfamiliar to me. I asked her if she had listed them in descending order of fatality, laughing a bit. She simply said, “No.” Fear began to rise in my heart. It was a long process of testing and when the results were finally in, I did indeed have hemachromatosis. It is a hereditary blood disorder that affects your joints and major organs. Additionally, some small tumors were discovered in my liver. The news could not have been darker.

 

That was over a decade ago and while there were moments when we weren’t sure about the future, today the disease is under control and I’m doing relatively well. The point I am drawn to today is that we all face fears of one kind or another. Fear of failure keeps us from trying to succeed. Fear of losing keeps us from trying to win. Fear of what others think keeps us from stepping out boldly. Fear of ridicule keeps us from declaring our faith in Jesus Christ. Most of all fear stifles hope.

 

There is a reason I'm still here, and fear has no part in that. I know that God still has a purpose and a plan for me here on earth - to accomplish more with my life and to share my faith with other people. I'm also at peace knowing that God has an eternal home for me once His purpose for my life on earth has been achieved. So as we see the signs of Christmas spring up around us, be of good cheer and rejoice. Celebrate in the spirit of hope. God sent His Son to be born as a child so He could bridge the gap between God and humanity and grant us the free gift of salvation.