Every year about this time we start hearing about the "war on Christmas" and we complain about how commercialization is taking "Christ" out of Christmas. I read an interesting article over at Aggie Catholics and it made me think of about the real war that is occuring at Christmas time--spiritual warfare. In their post titled, "Christmas and the Drumbeat of War," they talk about:
I think even as Christians, who are trying to focus on Jesus, it is difficult to imagine what is going on . . . what we are trying to remember. We focus to much on the simple story of Mary giving birth to Jesus in a feedbox but something so much more than that is going on. We are remembering that the God of the universe. The God who created everything---from the tiniest atoms and molecules to the biggest galaxies--became man. God, who is everyone, became incarnate. He decided to humble Himself and became the created. He became that tiny baby in the manger.
When we think of "the shot heard around the world" we think of shots fired at Concord during the American Revolution or of Bobby Thompson's game winning home run that clinched the pennant for the 1951 New York Giants. But the ORIGINAL shot heard around the world was the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. Because it was through the birth of Jesus and his eventual sacrifice on Calvary that Satan loses the spiritual war. It rages on today as the Devil continues to try to ruin souls and it is up for us to pick the correct side and to take up arms against the Devil. As Marcel says in Aggie Catholics, "Pick up your cross - it is your weapon against the enemy - and follow The King of All into battle. He is about to be born as a poor babe to a virgin.
When we view a nativity scene, we generally think of a baby born to a virgin in a manger. We think of peaceful animals, a humble St. Joseph, and of a bright star. But, something is missing.I encourage you to read more here.
It is the drumbeat of war. It is the spiritual battle that rages in places we cannot see with our eyes or hear with our ears. It rages in our hearts.
Even in the peaceful image of Jesus being born, we need to see God warning His people to prepare for war. The victorious king has entered the fray and he calls us to take up our weapon.
I think even as Christians, who are trying to focus on Jesus, it is difficult to imagine what is going on . . . what we are trying to remember. We focus to much on the simple story of Mary giving birth to Jesus in a feedbox but something so much more than that is going on. We are remembering that the God of the universe. The God who created everything---from the tiniest atoms and molecules to the biggest galaxies--became man. God, who is everyone, became incarnate. He decided to humble Himself and became the created. He became that tiny baby in the manger.
When we think of "the shot heard around the world" we think of shots fired at Concord during the American Revolution or of Bobby Thompson's game winning home run that clinched the pennant for the 1951 New York Giants. But the ORIGINAL shot heard around the world was the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. Because it was through the birth of Jesus and his eventual sacrifice on Calvary that Satan loses the spiritual war. It rages on today as the Devil continues to try to ruin souls and it is up for us to pick the correct side and to take up arms against the Devil. As Marcel says in Aggie Catholics, "Pick up your cross - it is your weapon against the enemy - and follow The King of All into battle. He is about to be born as a poor babe to a virgin.
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Love that video - so powerful!
ReplyDeleteOn to read the article...thanks for the links and ensuring I get nothing accomplished at work today... ;)