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... Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:10 |
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Christmas Newsletter 2009 Ding a ling, hear them ring, soon it will be Christmas Day! Greetings from the Valaitis home in Klaipeda, Lithuania! It’s the 11th hour, and not much time to write our annual Christmas newsletter. This year it has been harder than ever to crawl out of my shell to write you. I have to confess that I have yet to write one Christmas card this year. Please forgive me for the lack of foresight and planning. As much as I’ve shared on hope and Peace with God with children, teachers, parents, church members and even our closest neighbors (6 times in the last 6 days), there still remains that apparent emptiness, stress and darkness that accompanies every Christmas Eve. Still, beyond the scientific “facts” of evolution and worldwide wars and crises and diseases, there is yet our faith, hope and love in Christ Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) and love is not our love for neighbor, but God’s first love unto us. UNTO US a child is born, UNTO US a Son is given (Isaiah 9:6) ! Four of us from the Church have been knock, knock, knocking on neighbors’ doors- sharing the good news of the Gospel and singing carols. The most-often sung carol we start with is “Angels we have heard on high .” The words are a little different (in Lithuanian): We have seen the bright star and heard the angels’ hymns…Who sees the star? “Not many” has been the theme this week Only the humble (Psalm 34:2, 69:32) and pure-hearted (Matthew 5:8) will hear the inaudible (Gospel) and see the invisible (Cross of Christ). In Matthew 2:10 the wise men “Saw the star and rejoiced with exceeding great joy “. Didn’t anyone else see it? Just the shepherds? a few lowly, humble shepherds? Yeah, just them and the wise men. Who is wise? Proverbs 1:7 says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Didn’t anyone else hear the angels sing? Who is humble anyway? Not the obedient ones who stay home and avoid trouble, but the tax collectors and thieves who are sinners and know it, and confess it “Lord, save me a sinner!” Not “Thank you Lord that I am not like this sinner…(Lk 18). Let us humbly come and cry out “Lord, forgive us!” God humbled Himself and became a man. We humble ourselves by becoming like children again. He gives grace to the humble. In the movie “The Polar Express” (2004), the boy couldn’t hear the bell ring till he believed. The thing that made it a Hollywood film and not a Christian one, is that he didn’t believe till he saw (Santa Claus). It’s all backwards. We all want to see so we can believe. That’s the part of being a child that Christ wants us to grow out of – that attitude that says “Lord, if you do this (miracle), then I will believe and commit my life to you.” So, what happens? God sometimes even answers that prayer, and then we spend a lifetime trying to serve God to avoid the guilt of going back on our word. And then what’s all this Joy about anyway? I mean it’s only His birthday. He hasn’t done anything yet by this time. It’s like Obama getting the Nobel Peace prize- with the hope that he really will get us all out of this mess. We wish each other a merry Christmas and wish that something will change. Maybe the economic crisis, maybe the swine flu, and maybe even our hearts. We hope at least our hearts. We hope things will be better next year. They will certainly get worse before they get better, so hang on! On the last day at the High school where I teach, we had a staff get together one last time before the break and as the assistant shared a typical, romantic Christmas greeting, she ended with the words “And let’s remember to think the best, OK?” Well, good try (since it’s as much as the state religion allows us to say), but no, it’s not OK. Wishful thinking may not get us through this Christmas and New Year without getting overwhelmed by depression. This is the high season for suicides here in the suicide capitol of the world. We need something more than a good word or work. We need something more than a sight miracle of healing and deliverance (Dad’s in the hospital at this moment with high blood pressure and Mom’s in pain awaiting another three operations after New Years). We don’t even need to ask for something we don’t have- like good health. If we have Jesus, we have no problems- just prayer requests and praise reports of thanksgiving. We don’t need to hope for Peace and security for the new year. We already have Jesus- and He is our Peace and Hope. If He isn’t, then ask Him into your heart today. C’mon, what are you waiting for? Many Christians here in Lithuania are wondering if they can lose their salvation. Nonsense! Of course we can’t! But many are not saved (out there and in here). That’s the problem! One Church is going to help the Salvation Army tomorrow. Great! Praise the Lord! Way to go! That’s the spirit! Our church is helping the poor as well- those in our own church. Last week, one family couldn’t come to church because there is no money for gas. Another asked for help or else the bank will start the paperwork to confiscate his car. I said “good bye” to one boy in our Christian school who was my wife’s student for three years. Because of disruptive behavior, I had to break the news to him as the school chaplain, that his mother would have to find him a new (public) school after New Years. His father had died earlier this year. His younger brother, who is in my 5th grade Bible class, is barely hanging on. Are they saved even after 6 years in the Christian School? I don’t know. God knows. He knows all things. He knows what’s best for us. One Catholic man has been starting to attend our church and asked me last Sunday why we Christians can’t all be one unified Church. Isn’t all this division of the devil? He said. Yeah, I didn’t know exactly how to answer him then, but later on, I believe I got the answer from God for him: Everything’s all right in our Father’s House. It’s going to be OK . God knows what He’s doing. It’s His church. Emmanuel! God with us! Even better- Christ in us, the Hope of Glory! When Jesus comes the second time, we will see Him as He really is and we will be changed! (Our denominational differences will not be the issue when we get there). We can’t afford to accent our differences right now for unity’s sake. We have our Savior in common, and that’s most important. It’s not about us. It’s all about Him. He’s on the throne. His plan is perfect! It’s Him! He’s our Hope. He’s our Peace. Glory to God in the highest! And peace on Earth to all men on whom His favor rests! By His grace Your Friends, Andrius and Banga Valaitis Greater Grace Church Klaipeda, Lithuania
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