Merry Christmas

As Christians, many of us have celebrated our first Sunday of Advent.

There are four Sundays of Advent. The color in many churches is purple, with some using blue. The purple reminds us of royalty; the blue reminds us of a time of anticipation.

These four weeks preceding Christmas Day prepare us for a time when we commemorate and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Christ came into the world so that we all might be saved. Saved from what and saved for what?

Christ came into the world to save us from what? Christ came into the world to save us from sin—separation from God—and from an eternity in hell. Christ came into the world to save us so that we could worship and praise our Creator, both now on earth and eternally in heaven.

So the ultimate question becomes this: What are you living for? Are you living for an eternity in hell or an eternity in heaven?

With this in mind I am reminded of the fad several years back where the question was always WWJD— What Would Jesus Do? This Advent season I ask you to preface all that you do with another question—Where do you want to spend eternity?

Every word we speak and every action we take should be considered in view of this question—Where do I want to spend eternity?

If we believe in the realness of hell and the realness of heaven, then I think this is a wonderful question and an appropriate question to ask ourselves as we go through each day. I think it is a wonderful way to begin preparing to live this life and the life hereafter in a way that praises and thanks our Creator.

The snub or the slight, was it really worth an eternity in hell? The stinginess and coldness, was it really worth an eternity in hell? The selfishness and the inability to forgive, was it really worth an eternity in hell? The crushing and the belittling, was it really worth an eternity in hell? The frown and the anger, was it really worth an eternity in hell? You get the picture.

The inclusion and the praise, the giving and the love, the selflessness and the ability to forgive, the encouragement and elevating, the smile and the peace, wasn’t it all worth a bit of heaven now and a lot of heaven for eternity? I think so.

As we prepare for the coming of Christ, may we also prepare for our eternity? One is connected to the other.

This is a serious time in our nation and our world. It is an even more serious time for all of us to prepare for the here and the hereafter. May God give you and me the ability to make the right choices and decisions so that we can spend an eternity in Heaven.

This is a season of preparation. Now is the time to start. Let us do just that.

And for the record, it’s okay to say, “Merry Christmas!” Merry Christmas to you and your family and may God richly bless you in innumerable ways in 2015.