No Boundaries, December 25
Inside the Cancer Journey: Daily Reflections for Those Coping with Cancer
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By Tom Corbell
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6 NIV).
Rick Steves is known for his wonderful travel shows on PBS. In one particular episode he took us all over Europe to highlight the Christmas traditions in the many beautiful countries of Europe. He featured cities like Rome, Paris, Nuremburg, and small villages with enchanting country and local traditions.
The dominant emotion was joy and anticipation. Families joined together, children sang, carols were sung, and unique Christmas dishes were tasted and enjoyed by so many! Christmas, like the gift of the Christ Child, knows no boundaries. The hearts of people the world over experience the joy of receiving the gift of God’s Son into their lives.
Today, Christmas Day, the waiting of Advent is over and we once again rejoice that God did not leave us in darkness, but brought us Jesus, the light of the world.
Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah beautifully explained to us that God had a gift to give us. In Isaiah’s day, for as long as anyone could remember, God’s people gave sacrifices to God. They certainly did not expect God to give a sacrifice—especially not a very costly one! Yet, this child Jesus was born “to us” to pay the costliest price, His own life. And how else but through sacrifice could we begin to understand the unfathomable power of God’s love for us? His perfect Son, Jesus, was born a child, lived a perfect life and became the perfect sacrifice for you and me. So now, in all of our sloppy imperfection, we have been made clean through the death of God’s only child on the cross.
Ever since that first Christmas morning, Jesus continues to be the gift that has been given to us, and all the world—to cleanse us of our dark spots so that we may stand with Him in the throne room of God the Father, perfect, dazzling white and resounding with joy.
To help us wrap our brains around the enormity of this gift from God, Isaiah went on to describe the glory of the Christ Child:
· Wonderful Counselor
· Mighty God
· Everlasting Father
· Prince of Peace
As I look at this list, I know that on this Christmas Day and every day, cancer has no power, has no voice. How could it? We are being held tenderly by the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace! Receive the gift of the Christ child today with a renewed wonder of the treasure life is for us because Jesus has made us new.
May you know today the deepest blessing of Christmas.
Pray: Praise to You, God, our abundantly loving Father. Praise to You, Jesus, the gift that overflows in our lives. Praise to You, Spirit, who touches our hearts and hearts throughout the world. Amen.
Your Turn: Choose a name from the list above that resonates with you today. Breathe in the blessing of this name by taking three deep breaths and saying the name aloud after each one. Perhaps share the name with someone you speak with today to bring the blessing of this name for Jesus into their Christmas, too.
Tom Corbell, Hospice Pastor
Tom is a Lutheran pastor who has served Jesus in both North and South Carolina for forty-nine years. Six of those years he worked as a Hospice Chaplain, and he encountered cancer daily. The privilege of praying, working with and supporting cancer patients and their families is an honor.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
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