FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 22,2010
All I want for Christmas is...
Sim ple
be bom as a baby, in a small
town of little importance, to
be raised by what the town’s
folks would have considered
as less than average parents.
It seems that something is
missing. Someone of that
importance and greatness
would surely have a more
powerful introduction to
the world. But, often in the
Bible we see God doing this
just a bit differently than we
would.
I think God takes
a little different view of
importance and greatness
than we do. Importance
and greatness are not a
function of someone’s sur
roundings, or stuff, or bank
account. Importance and
greatness are not a mat
ter of your social resume,
friends, address, education
or work status. Importance
and greatness are a func
tion of one’s role in God’s
th<* Father and Hpavpn tn work.
Luke 2:10-12-And
the angel said to them,
“Fear not, for behold, I
bring you good news of
great joy that will be for all
the people. For unto you
is bom this day in the city
of David a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord. And this
will be a sign for you: you
will find a baby wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying
in a manger.”
Born in a sm all
town, wrapped in simple
cloths, lying in an animal
feeding trough is the Savior,
Christ the Lord. It is cer
tainly very humble begin
nings for one who will be
crowned “King of Kings.”
This is probably not how
I would have planned the
birth and unveiling of the
Messiah.
Eli Petzoldt tells Santa what he wants for Christmas. Santa
Here is the Son of
made a stop at the Elks Lodge in Heppner last Thursday eve
God,
leaving
the glory of
ning. - Photo by Autumn Morgan
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For one brief mo
ment the center of God’s
unveiling plan resides in
an animal trough and the
importance and greatness
of the event comes from the
person lying at this center,
humbly doing the will of
the Father. And this makes
me think...
Importance in my
life is not measured in po
sition or accolades, but in
obedience. If my life is to
have importance then my
desire should be to humbly
serve God wherever He
places me. Greatness in my
life is centered in relation
ship. Greatness is not about
who I am, but whose 1 am.
So, this Christmas
season, if you find yourself
in a humble place or maybe
you feel like you are in a
place of no consequence,
understand this: That your
life is important and great if
you humbly serve God and
the community in which He
has placed you. If you do
this, then your Christmas
will be a reflection of that
first one. Humble in its
location and status, joyous
in its message, and power
ful in its hope of bringing
freedom and healing to the
world.
Pastor Keith Price
Willow Creek Baptist
Church
Light of the world
In the first chapter
of St. John’s Gospel (V I4)
he states: “We have seen his
glory”. That is testimony
given by John after being
with Jesus for several years.
During those years he saw a
multitude of miracles which
included healing leprosy,
restoring sight to the blind,
and raising the dead to life.
He heard Jesus teach - his
sermon on the Mount to his
inspiring parables: he was
there for the founding his
Church, his transfiguration,
his death, resurrection and
ascension. His testimony is
simply saying I know him,
I have been with him, and I
can tell you with confidence
that he is the Messiah, the
Son of God.
Why did Jesus take
on a human nature like
wars? Why did he become
aibaby^grow into manhood,
and suffer and,,di$,2 John
answers that question when
he tells us that Jesus came
into the world so that all
who believes in him could
become ‘children of God’
(1. 12)
At Christmas we
celebrate the coming o f
M E R R y C H ra P T M A ffl
Christmas &
Happy N ew Year
We are proud to be o f service
to you throughout the year
From a ll o f us a t the
H eppner C asette-Times
David-April-Chris-Andy
Autumn-Megan
Jesus into the world. This
event is telling us that the
prophesies of the Old Testa
ment are now fulfilled. It is
telling us of the infinite love
of our Heavenly Father. It is
telling us that the time has
come for us to respond to
that love. That may seem
difficult in a world tom by
war, struggling with failing
economy, and proliferation
o f nuclear weapons. So
the Christmas message is
telling us that like St. John
we must see his glory. And
when we do we will have
the hope to see beyond the
present conflicts that exist
in our imperfect world. We
will see that Jesus came that
we might have salvation
leading to an eternal desti
nation of happiness.
As we celebrate
Christmas and the Birth
of the Savior we will have !
the inspiration to live Tori
that destiny. This is a time
to look beyond the fog of
confusion that exists in
our world and experience
the hope that is offered
to us with the birth of the
Savior. The words of the
angels will remind us that
there can be peace on earth.
The Christmas lights will
remind us that Jesus later
called him self the “light
of the world”. May we be
guided by his light, and en
joy the peace that he offers
to those who live in the light
of his truth.
Fr. Gerry Condon
St. Patrick’s Catholic
Church, St. William’s
Catholic Church
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