Preparing for The Glorious Celebration

Christmas Eve is awesome. Once again the world awaits in hopeful expectation for God’s glorious breakthrough. 

Charles Wesley’s words express the hopes of so many:

“Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.”

As we make our final preparations for the upcoming glorious celebration, let us pray that God’s most gracious gift will be received by a sinful world in desperate need of a Savior. Let us pray for peace in the name of the Prince of Peace. Let those of us who name the name of Jesus also show the love of Jesus to all people as we labor for justice and mercy for all God’s children everywhere.

We must ask ourselves if we are truly prepared to have God break into our world through the Christ-child. Are our hearts open? Will we offer our lives in grateful service to our God who loved us enough to be born in a manger, preach, teach and heal a hurting world, suffer at the hands of sinful people, and be crucified to save us from ourselves?

Before many in the world will receive God’s Good News in Christ, the world needs to see Christian lives radically transformed by Christ’s love. They need to see us love each other and love all people in the name of Christ.

Are we ready for Christmas? 

-- Bishop Mike Watson, North Georgia Annual Conference

God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey
Web Content Producer
www.umcgiving.org
lcarey@umcom.org