Daily Readings and Thought for December 25th. “WE GIVE THANKS TO YOU LORD”
The Book of Revelation offers us a wondrous vision in today’s chapter, a vision to which nearly all the world is blind – as they ‘celebrate’ this day in human ways. We read how there are loud voices in heaven saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” [Ch.11 v.15].
The elders fall on their faces and worship saying, “We give thanks to you Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came and the time for the dead to be judged and for rewarding your servants the prophets and saints. And those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth” [v.17/18].
What a day of incredible thanksgiving this coming day will be, but notice it follows a time of the nations raging.
The present largely ‘empty’ human behaviour over the Christmas period will be seen for all its emptiness, much of it being really ungodly. What are people giving thanks for today? It is the passing ‘pleasure’ of the moment!
The children enjoy themselves and, thankfully, some are moved to think of those less fortunate and give some help to them. That is good – as far as it goes. Do any of the children learn anything real about Jesus? It seems impossible to think so, but God knows.
It is interesting that only twice in the Bible is there any mention of celebrating birthdays – and both were those of bad men! [Genesis 40 v.20 – Pharaoh] and [Matthew 12 v.6 – Herod, when John the Baptist lost his head]
The heavenly celebration to come will be wondrous beyond our ability to imagine, but until that time arrives true believers celebrate, not their Lord’s birth, but his sacrifice and death – in the way he appointed [Luke 22 v.15-20], knowing there is to be a wondrous finale to that celebration in the kingdom.
This wondrous event, called “the marriage supper of the Lamb” is also mentioned in Revelation [19 v.6-9] “Blessed are those who are invited” to that feast, that utterly wonderful celebration – and will, with all their heart “give thanks to you Lord.” Let us live today so that we will receive an invitation.
