The Abegg Love Letters

To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ; mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. -Jude 1:1

As Missionaries with United World Mission, we serve in Latin America to provide support & training to missionaries on the field. We work with Latin Partner Ministries that focus on everything from theological education to medical care, from children’s homes to retirement homes. Our goal is to come along side organizations & amplify their impact for good and the Gospel.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Christmas is coming!

Depending on how you look at Christmas this thought can cause debilitating anxiety or overwhelming Joy. This year, my anticipation of Christmas began before Thanksgiving and that’s not just because Christmas items hit the stores in August this year (Costco already had one Christmas isle the last few days of August, “Christmas in July isn’t a joke anymore!). Our church has spent the past few months going through the book of Nehemiah, and I was particularly impacted not only in God’s faithfulness to his many promises including the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, but the preparation that Israel went through in order to celebrate his faithfulness (Giving Thanks) and worship Him as Lord, Savior and Redeemer (See Neh. 12:27-47). Anyone can flippantly say “thanks”, but true, worshipful THANKSGIVING takes not only heart and mind, but physical preparation. Israel literally built tent cities to house all those who were preparing to worship the Lord.

I want to approach Christmas with a similar preparation. Not a running around franticly checking things off my list, but in reflecting on God’s faithfulness. We just celebrated a national Holiday (Holy-Day) dedicated to reflecting on God’s faithfulness and giving Thanks. Is there any other act more worthy of awe and thanksgiving in all of history (make that eternity) than God becoming flesh for the purpose of dying for the sins of His very own creation? In the words of one of my favorite songwriters: “Redemption ripped through the surface of time in the cry of a tiny baby”.

So, even as Claudia does the daily work of homeschooling two high energy boys, as I make phone calls, respond to e-mails and assist missionaries, Latin ministries and US churches, as we go about our daily, sometimes monotonous routines I try to keep the manger, and the cross in the forefront of my mind and give thanks that it’s because of those reality changing acts that there is purpose, beauty and joy (despite circumstances) to the life we’ve been given.

Happy Thanksgiving and a joyous anticipation of Christmas to you!