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The author of this blog is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As such the views expressed in this blog are influenced by the teachings of this faith and the author tries to keep as close to these teachings as he can with his limited knowledge. However, they are the views of the author whose understanding is not complete and may not reflect the official position of this church. For the official position of the LDS church, or for more information, please visit the links provided in this website under the title "LDS Church Websites".

Sunday, December 2, 2012

The Holy Babe


     In a few weeks, Christmas will be here again.  I love the Christmas holiday.  This wonderful holiday has been the time of year for celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It’s true that the season is getting more and more commercialized as time goes on.  The focus on holiday shopping and spending seems to become more intense each year.
     Yet it seems to me that, no matter how intense the focus on holiday shopping gets, the goodwill of Christ permeates the atmosphere.  People start thinking more about those around them who are in special need of attention, love, time, or other support.  There seems to be an increased drive to look for the lonely person, the sick person, or the financially strapped person in our neighborhood so we can make sure they get the attention and Christmas spirit they deserve.  People just seem to care more about other people.
     You could argue that this increased feeling of goodwill and love towards others comes from a variety of things.  But the truth is it all stems from one source.  That source is the holy love of the Messiah.  The world has celebrated His birth on this holiday for so long that this season naturally carries Him with it.  Because of this His hallowed hand has touched this holiday and set it apart from the rest of the year.  For this reason His love permeates the hearts of the children of men at this time of year, and you just can’t help feeling an increased sense of care and concern for those around you. 
     As the Christmas holiday approaches, I want to turn the focus of my blog to the Christmas story—the birth of the Holy Child that took place approximately two thousand years ago.  This is truly one of the greatest stories in the history of the world.  In my opinion the only story greater than this is the story of the Atonement made by Jesus the Christ.  And, as you know, these stories are about the same being—Jehovah the Son of God.
     The story of the birth of the Savior indicates how precious, how pure, and ultimately how important this precious child would be.  His birth was heralded by angels.  Wise men brought Him precious gifts.  Shepherds would leave their flocks to see the face of the Holy Babe.  And yet the Hope of the Ages would come into this earth in a humble stable without any ceremony. 
     Make no mistake about it.  Jesus Christ was that child born in a stable.  Though He was meek enough to come into this world through humble circumstances, He is the Lord and King of this earth.  This little Christ child would one day conquer death and the grave, allowing all of us to live an eternal life.  He would pay the price of sin and grant us the hope of eternal glory.  He would save all who would come unto Him from the binding chains of hell.  Because of His love for us, He would come into this earth and sacrifice all for us.
     This is why the heavens rejoiced when Jesus Christ was born.  This is why we still celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ over two thousand years later.  This is why this season is so special.  And this is why we sing of that night:

                “Silent night!  Holy night!  All is calm, all is bright.
                “Round yon virgin mother and Child.  Holy Infant, so tender and mild.
                “Sleep in heavenly peace; sleep in heavenly peace.
                “Silent night!  Holy night!  Shepherds quake at the sight!
                “Glories stream from heaven afar; Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
                “Christ, the Savior, is born!  Christ, the Savior, is born!
                “Silent night!  Holy night!  Son of God, love’s pure light
                “Radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace,
                “Jesus, Lord, at thy birth; Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.”
 
     I’m so grateful that Jehovah would come into this world to sacrifice Himself for me.  I’m so grateful that He loved us to come and show us the way we need to live our lives in order to make it back Home.  I’m so grateful for that holy night when the Holy Babe was born in a stable.  And I’m grateful that I have the knowledge of this holy event so that I can celebrate it at this time.

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