HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS

(My weekly newspaper column)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS

I would like to tell somebody reading this why Jesus came to earth. 

He came for broken people.

He said, “he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

For those of us who even remember that Christmas is the birth of Jesus, we must never forget  why He came.

He came for the broken, the bruised, the poor and blind.  He came for you.  He came for me.

As we settle in to our Christmas traditions, giving gifts and making merry, He sees your broken heart.  He wants to heal us.

He wants to preach the Good News of His coming…to the poor.  

We are all poor, no matter how much money we have.

He wants to deliver you..if you are held captive by anything or anyone.  You can be free. Free.

He wants the blind to see. Physically blind and spiritually blind.  He wants to give you sight.

And we all have bruises.  Life and people give us bruises. He sees your bruises.  He sees how you got them. He wants to give you freedom from them. Freedom from who bruised you and why.  He wants to heal you. And hold you.

And love you.

So enjoy your family and your Christmas traditions.

But just remember why Jesus came.

And if you’re broken, you are exactly the person He is looking for. 

We are all broken hearted in one way or another. 

As we smile our way through the day, He hears your thoughts.

And mine.

Some, no, most of you won't believe me, or will say I'm just writing without thinking,  That's ok.

I'm thinking of the one I wrote this column for,

He wants to make you new.

He came to heal the brokenhearted.

Let Him.