Joy To The World

The Lord is come,

let earth receive her King,

Let every heart prepare Him room, and

heaven and nature sing, and

heaven and nature sing, and

heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

The radio has been playing Christmas songs for weeks. Most of the time I don't even pay attention, they are just in the background. One morning I was driving to work in the dark. The song resounded deeply in my heart.

We celebrate Christmas as Jesus' birthday. Heaven and nature never stopped to praise and glorify his presence here on earth. For two thousand years men have been fighting wars, suffering diseases and sorrows, arguing with their neighbors, doubting and criticizing themselves, and are waiting for Jesus to return. Heaven and nature knows that He is here, showing off the most beautiful sunsets, giving us abundant harvests, blessing us with forgiveness and mercy.

We are all seeking and praying for peace. Especially, during the Christmas season, we wish each other peace on earth and good will to all. Were does peace start? In the politicians offices? Within the community of business men? With a family praying together? With an individual attending church?

These are all important places to start peace. I believe though, that real peace starts within the individual. Jesus told us: "Love your enemies." When we think of enemies, we usually think of outsiders. Isn't that where all the conflicts happen?

I am suggesting that the human conflict is happening within each individual. We haven't really known what our true purpose of life is and more so, that we are hard-wired to be with God. It says in Genesis, that man was created in the image of God. Do we accept that? Do we really believe that we have the same qualities as God, being absolute, eternal, unique, and divine?

By accepting our "internal enemies" such as negative emotions we must not hate ourselves. Feelings like doubt, hate, fear, anger and resentment don't make us "bad" people. They are there along with many other habits which we have adapted either from our families, ancestors, or throughout our own lives. This is not our struggle to fight.

The true meaning of Christmas is that the Messiah was born to help us surrender our troubles to him and clearly see who we really are: true, original, illuminated and authentic selves who resemble the Father. Jesus wanted so much for us to understand our true identity. He also wanted to show us what the Father's plan was for him. Could it be that there was more to his life than being humbly born in a manger?

Here is my Christmas present to you:

Merry Christmas and May God's Blessings be with you always.