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In Hope

This Year's "must Have" Toy

Tuesday December 17, 2013

The Lord who rules over all has set apart a day when he will judge. He has set it apart for all those who are proud and think they are important. He has set it apart for all those who brag about themselves. All of them will be brought low.  He has set it apart for all of the high hills. He has set it apart for every high tower and every strong wall. He has set it apart for every trading ship and every beautiful boat. A man who brags will be brought low. Men who are proud will be put to shame. The Lord alone will be honored at that time. And the statues of gods will totally disappear.  (Isaiah 2:12, 15-18 NIRV)

What will be the "must have" toy this Christmas season?  Furby seems to be a favorite again this year.  Whether it's “Big Hugs Elmo” or one of the latest “robo-animals” for little ones or the newest tablet for a grown up, we often identify our success and our security by what we own. Thousands of rail cars have carried goods across the land.  Trucks have backed up to loading bays at stores around the city.  Shelves are stocked, ready for the busiest retail season of the year.  Late on Christmas Eve, the doors of the stores will close and Christmas trees will be filled with packages.  Wide eyed children will find it hard to fall asleep where "visions of sugar plums dance in their heads".  Within a few hours those packages will be opened.  Later, on Christmas Day, some of those toys will be laid aside, and for some, attention will shift to the huge Boxing Day sales and the bargains that await each avid shopper.  What must we have this year? What can't we do without? Why must we have it?  How long did last year's items satisfy the "must have" within us?  

Advent is a time to consider what's really important and to help us put things in their right place.  Thousands of years ago God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to remind us that whatever we are depending on in this life will ultimately be brought down or fall apart.  In Isaiah's day it was tall trees and great trading ships.  It was gold and silver idols, things made with their own hands.  Our objects of dependence might be different today but they are just as untrustworthy.  Our trinkets fall apart and rust.  Batteries run down.  Computers run out of memory.  This world and everything in it will soon pass away. 

Jesus came to earth to show us that there is life beyond this life.  Jesus offers us His amazing power, his life-giving salvation.  This Christmas season Jesus invites us to come to Him and receive Him as Lord of our lives.  Let’s accept this invitation to place our hope and trust in what really lasts. Christmas “must have” toys and trinkets change from year to year and the pleasure derived from them does not last.   Let's come close to Jesus today.  He never changes and gives pleasure forevermore.



Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  (Hebrews 13:8 NIV)






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