Vaguely similar to the message spoken to TSA's Alberni Valley Ministries, Christmas Day, 25 December, 2021 by Captain Michael Ramsay
It
was tough times in Judea in the 1st Century when Jesus was born.
They had been part of the Roman Empire for a while. They lived through wars and
rebellions. Herod the Great, the king of this region, was instrumental in
putting Caesar Augustus on the throne. This is a people torn apart by challenges,
circumstances, differing opinions and sentiments - much like today.
Covid-19
in this country is polarizing many people. The rules, regulations, and
restrictions by the governments and our organizations do not seem to be
consistent. The pandemic is a real concern and each attempted solution seems to
either make it worse, or at the very least, not make it any better.
Many
people are getting sick, suffering physically: not only from Covid-19 but from
our healthcare, hospitals, and/or governments being unable to treat people with
other serious ailments. Many people are suffering emotionally – suicide is on
the rise, as is Medical Assistance In Dying. Drug use is on the rise. The
Opioid Crisis is a real concern and each attempted solution seems to either
make it worse, or at the very least, not make it any better.
In
BC, we have just had the floods that caused loss of life, destruction of homes,
highways, businesses and farms and livestock – chickens and cows and other
animals have perished. People have been cut off. Our supply lines have been
disrupted.
The
debt and deficit in this country are so bad that I don’t know if anyone has any
idea how to find a way out.
And
now winter is hitting our own community really very hard. We are expecting this
week some of the coldest weather ever recorded in our Valley. We are partnering
with many other agencies to try to find a way to keep the Drop-in Centre open
so people don’t freeze to death.
It
is into a time not unlike this that God sent His Only Begotten Son to our world
in the First Century. Jesus was sent to a people who were struggling. Jesus
lived and taught with a people who were struggling. Jesus died and rose again
to save a people who were struggling - and he can save us too.
There
are many struggles that we all corporately have today. There are possibly infinitely
more struggles that each and every one of us has personally each and every day.
Christmas Day marks the day God sent His Son so that we can be saved even in the
midst of our turmoil and saved even unto eternity.
Advent
Season is about remembering the wait for Jesus’ birth and Advent Season is
about our waiting for His return. Jesus has saved us so that when He returns
there will be no more death, no more suffering, no more pain, no more tears and
until that time we have His Holy Spirit and Immanuel, God With Us.
God
is with us in all of our struggles today. No matter what happens today, no
matter what happens tomorrow, God is with us. We can bring all of our struggles
to him – all or our pain, all of our sadness and all of our fears and He will
deliver us from them. After all perfect love drives out fear and Jesus is
perfect love.
And
this my friends is what Christmas is all about. So on this Christmas Day let us
celebrate the birth of our Saviour who has provided for our salvation us in the
midst of all of our struggles and who has made it possible for us to live and
grow in that salvation forever.
Let us pray.
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