Christ was born to save...

          Sitting in front of a warm fire on a chilly Saturday and thinking of--and praying for--a number of dear friends who've lost loved ones over the past couple of weeks and days.

         I gaze at the stockings hanging there, and I remember my own dear Mama and Aunt Janie who were responsible for nearly every one of those colorful stockings.  And I smile, thinking of Mom, Janie, Daddy, Kacky, and many loved ones in heaven...surely meeting and rejoicing with so many other moms and dads of my friends.  What wonders, what joys must they be experiencing right at this very moment?  Gloriously imponderable.
         Just last week I shared about this very thing--loss in the face of Christmas.  Somehow Christmas can both magnify our pain, yet also move it into beautiful, soul-strengthening and hope-filling perspective.  Yes, we can have deep sorrow in our hearts and yet also a song in our soul...all because of the priceless, glorious gift of Jesus.  Because Jesus came, conquered sin and death on our behalf, and rose to new resurrection life, we too, will live forever in heaven with Him, as His redeemed children.
        Look at how many Christmas carols mention this great and glorious truth--
       From "O Come O Come Emmanuel"--"O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here.  Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadow put to flight.  Rejoice!  Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
         O come, Thou key of David come, and open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.  Rejoice!  Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to Thee, O Israel."
       Or from "Once in Royal David's City" (one of my Daddy's favorites) "All our eyes at last shall see Him, through His own redeeming love.  For that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above. And He leads His children on to the place where He has gone."
       Or one of my favorites, "Good Christian Men Rejoice"--"Good Christian men rejoice with heart and soul and voice; now ye need not fear the grave; Jesus Christ was born to save.  Calls you one and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall.  Christ was born to save!  Christ was born to save!"
       Or "Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing"--"Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace, hail the Son of Righteousness.  Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings.  Mild He lays His glory by; born that man no more may die.  Born to raise the sons of earth;  born to give them second birth.  Hark!  The herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!'"
       And that's just a few of them.  The carols are rife with the astounding, encouraging, wondrous news--Jesus is born...and that means death is defanged and defeated.  "Now ye need not fear the grace, Jesus Christ was born to save.  Calls you one and calls you all to gain His everlasting hall.  Christ was born to save.  Christ was born to save. 
       If you've lost someone you love, remember that  Christ was born "that man no more may die."  Christ was born to "raise the sons of earth; born to give them second birth."  Christ was born to "make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery."  Christ was born to lead "His children to the place where He has gone."
         Christ was born to save...and so we can sing, even when there is sorrow in our hearts.  Might you really gaze at the baby in the manger this Christmas...remember the Savior on the cross...recognize that He now reigns in heaven and on earth forever...and rejoice that He did all this for you, for me, for your loved one.  Christ was born to save, so that you might be reborn to salvation.          O come let us adore Him.  To God be the glory forever.