The Joy of Christmas: Day Six

Christmas is so much more than presents, trees, lights, and childhood.

We would all agree that Christmas is about Christ. Yet, we only focus our study on a small part of who Christ is during this Christmas season. We only talk about mangers, starts, angels, and a baby. He is so much more than that! We sing about and talk about the joy that comes with the Christmas story. But why is it so joyful that Christ was born?

Inspired by the Jesse Tree Advent book**, I am going to do a 25-Day series focusing on
finding joy in Christ!

Joy of Christmas: Day Six

Jacob's Ladder

Another type or symbol of Jesus Christ is Jacob's ladder.  In the story, Jacob was running away.  A cute quote I've heard lately is "I've thought more about running away as an adult than I did as a child."  So true.  Although I did not have a perfect childhood, I do not remember EVER thinking of running away.  I didn't like my family at times.  I didn't like my life either (mostly in my teenage years), but I never thought about running away.  As an adult, well that's a different story. The pressures of providing, loving, supporting, caring, and all of the things it means to be an adult are very overwhelming at times.

Jacob ran away.  Sure, he had a brother that wanted to kill him, but he was running away from a lot more than that.  In the midst of the running, God found him.  Not only did God comfort him, but He promised Jacob something.  He promised to keep His promise.  God reminded Jacob that the Promised One, the Messiah would be born out of his family.  God knew that Jacob had lied.  God knew that Jacob had cheated.  God knew Jacob was running away from his sin instead of facing it.  Yet, God remained faithful.  The ladder was Jesus.  The bridge from Heaven to earth. 

Genesis 28:13-15
"And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. ..and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoke to you."

Are you running away this Christmas?  Is the past too painful?  Is the future too dark?  Are you running away in your heart from God?  God will find you.  He always will.  Look for Him in the pages of Scriptures.  Look for Him - He is found.  He is there, waiting to remind you that HE keeps his promises.  Find joy in promises kept.  All the promises about Jesus in the Old Testament came true.  It should bring you comfort and joy knowing that all the promises made in the New Testament will come true as well.

**Note: A simple google search will give you several options concerning the devotions and ornaments associated with the Jesse Tree. This is a site that I like: HERE