A Reason to Rejoice (and it’s not Cyndy Lauper)

I’m thinking about something that gives me great reason to rejoice and it’s not that there is a company called EctoLife, which is in the process of developing the world’s first artificial womb and baby facility. Supposedly, it will offer a way for parents to produce customized babies that are made to order. And it’s not that Elon Musk’s Neuralink AI brain chip has been implanted in the brain of a pig and has been approved for human trials soon. And it’s not that China and Saudia Arabia partnered up to make a deal that will help devalue the dollar even further around the world.

And I totally missed a reason to rejoice back on March 29, 2022 when President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that makes lynching a federal hate crime. Wow! Can you believe it? If that isn’t our government hard at work, I don’t know what is. Meanwhile fentanyl is crossing the border and killing how many? I noticed it was hard to find exact details on that. Maybe I’m just too dumb to know how to search for it. But I do know one thing for sure. Death by fentanyl is at least a million times more common today than death by lynching. So no, I’m not rejoicing about. (By the way, when will our government understand that the main source of fentanyl is China and China hates us and is using the open borders to bring fentanyl in to kill us?)

And no, I didn’t rejoice because the White House was lit up in rainbow colors while Joe Biden signed the supposed Marriage Equality bill. Nor did I rejoice that Joe’s favorite drag queen was there or Cyndy Lauper and honestly, as I watched all this going on, I did feel like something wanted to rise up in me. But it wasn’t praise, it felt more like vomit. So far, nothing in all the above give me reason to rejoice.

But I do rejoice about the fact that the day is coming, (very soon I hope) when Jesus will come back. Christmas time is a time to remember and celebrate His first coming, and also look forward to His next. Isaiah the prophet spoke about Jesus and Christmas past. He said “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.” and also Christmas future, “the government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end.” I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling some excitement about that. Isaiah goes on “He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.” Won’t that be a welcome change? And finally Isaiah says “The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT)

This verse gives you my great reason to rejoice. Think of it. A day is coming when the madness and darkness of this crazy world will be brought to its end. In the meantime, because we believe in Jesus and His finished work of the cross and His resurrection, you and I can carry the peace of God within our hearts because that’s where the Spirit of the Lord Jesus comes to live when we do that. So, in spite of all the darkness I’m rejoicing, because we have “Christ in us, the hope of glory”. (Colossians 1:27)

Don’t forget our candlelight Christmas Eve Service at 7pm at Crossroads.