God’s timing is amazing.
Yesterday (Sunday) I wrote an article that I almost posted but something told me not to. I was getting the feeling that I should wait and so I did.
When I write an article I want to write it out of love with a message of hope and inspiration for both me and my readers. The article I wrote Sunday was written out of frustration. The title of the article I wrote was “Are We Losing Christmas?”
I have been getting more and more frustrated because everywhere I turn Christmas seems to be taking a back seat to some company trying to sell us something or some group of people trying to take the word Christmas out of our vocabulary. Christmas trees have become holiday trees. TV ads tell you that you can’t have a Merry Christmas unless you buy whatever it is that they are selling. And most of the stores that want your money from you at Christmas time won’t even use the word Christmas anymore. There is no more Merry Christmas – now it’s only happy holidays.
For the past couple of years, even though I do celebrate Christmas and the reason for it (the birth of Jesus), I have not really felt like I have had the Christmas spirit at all. The season comes and goes and I haven’t really felt the warmth of the joy that I used to – I used to love the Christmas season.
That was until last night.
Last night a friend of ours invited us to go to a Christmas show at The First Baptist Church in Naples Florida. The show was called ‘The Living Christmas Trees proudly presents The Christmas Post.” I had no idea what to expect. I hate to admit it but I just thought it would be another Christmas show put on by a local church.
Just a Christmas show!! I was blown away! I would have thought I was at a Broadway show in New York City. I have seen a few really high quality Christmas shows in the past but this was unbelievable. I always thought that Disney’s Candlelight Processional was a great one but this one knocked it out of the park.
The music, singing, costumes, and sets were amazing and the message of hope and faith was truly inspiring and brought me right back to the spirit of the Christmas season. It was one of the most beautiful shows I have ever seen. It brought tears to my eyes.
The cast and crew must have been nearly 300 people. The amazing thing is that this was a show the cast and crew of which was comprised entirely of the congregation’s members.
Although this is the first time I had seen a show like this, I understand that churches around the country put on similar performances this time of the year. If you have the opportunity to see one I would highly recommend it. If you happen to be in the Naples, Florida area and can get tickets, you need to see this one.
Many people have written to me telling me that something that I have written has touched them the right way at the right time. They say that God knows the right time to give them the message they needed right at that moment.
Well, for me, God brought me to see this show at just the right time. Having written the article that I did, He knew how I was feeling. Like I said, something told me not to post that article. It must have been because He knew he was going to help me find the Christmas spirit again – and that He did.
Thank you First Baptist Church Naples and thank you God.
nicely said
Christmas can only be lost if you let someone take it away. The joy of Christmas lives in our hearts, its joy lasting all year long, everytime we feel Him near :-)! In the Grinch… he stole everything from them… but on Christmas morning… the Spirit was still in the people of whoville stronger than ever.
Christmas is only lost if we decide that the tree or the words are what define what Christmas is all about…
Christmas is the Spirit of the Lord living in us and joining us together as one in HIM.
It doesnt matter whether its “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays”, or whatever… what MATTERS…is what you hold and know in your heart.
NO ONE can take your Christmas away from you… just as NO ONE can take the Lord away from you… He is always there…just as sure as Christmas will always be.
Merry Christmas to all and many days of good cheer!!!
Thank you First Baptist Church… for reminding us to never let anyone take the Spirit of the season away and thank you Elmer… for sharing this story- making me look inside and joyfully realize what Christmas is to me :-)!!
love and prayers,
jeanie
Wonderful story.. I have A Testimony of Gods time in our lives.. I can postively tell you that the Lords time is perfect.. Thanks Elmer
The Lord’s time is the only time, because it is always the perfect time. It is hard to keep a positive happy spirit at this time of the year. But I think it comes from the sadness we feel for all the people that do commercialize Christmas. And we have a even deeper sadness for those that want to take Christ out of everything:o( We know Christ and we know the outcome of this world. It is sad that so many people will never receive the GREATEST gift that has ever been given at this time of year.And they will never know the GREATEST and PUREST LOVE people can receive with Jesus Christ in their lives. All of us just need to keep praying for all the ones that do need to receive and have these GREATEST GIFTS of all:o) I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a very BLESSED New Year. Remember to tell JESUS HAPPY BIRTHDAY and THANK HIM for all your BLESSINGS:o)
I absolutely agree with you Jeanie, no one can take Christmas away, not as long as Jesus lives in my heart…..
God bless you Elmer, for sharing your experience.
Hi Elmer,
Thanks for sharing that story. It makes me think of how a spirit filled man such as you could even be vulnerable. Yes, Satan is alive and well and almost got your gift, didn’t he? But praise the Lord, as you said, God’s timing is perfect and He knew what you needed and so you got what you needed. Yes this world is somewhat upside down, it’s evil, it’s depressing and more comercialized than ever. But we know the end of the story. And we know that Jesus has already overcome the world and we that know HIM , know that Christmas is about a babe who was born who came and changed the world. Regretfully some people don’t realize that at all. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with a new hope and a new vision. Thanks for what you do. God Bless You <3 Barbara WB
Thank you, Elmer, for sharing that story! And Jeanie, thank you so much for your input – I’d like to share some of what you said with others on my fb page – would that be ok?
yes i am new to this site and have just read this and yes it seems thats all people want to do is to take CHRIST out of CHRISTMAS what does it hurt? No one i bet they would say MERRY CHRISTMAS to you if your money depended on it Like I WILL NOT BUY ANYTHING AT _______ STORE UNLESS WE ARE told MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! i bet that would get their attention . May GOD Bless each one that reads this and HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON.
Just as Christmas’s come and go , always and forever “Jesus is the reason for the season”, the only reason. What a wonderful Savior we serve.