Choose ' Vitamin C '

What is the problem?

Newtown, 'fiscal cliff,' adulterous generals.  

What is the problem?

Well it's not a mental health problem – or a political problem – or a business problem.  The real problem is a spiritual problem – that’s rooted in our rebellion against God.     

You see our real motto is not: ‘in God we trust.’  Our real motto is:  in stuff we trust – in sex we trust – in success we trust -- in self we trust.   But healing never comes by trusting stuff – sex – success -- or self.  Healing only comes by trusting the savior.  

Specially the Christmas Savior who is Christ the Lord!  Isaiah 9 itemizes the healing qualities of the Christmas Savior; why He’s a:  “…Wonderful Counselor – [a] Mighty God – [an] Everlasting Father – [a] Prince of Peace… [And] the increase of his government and peace -- will be no end…”  (Isaiah 9:6-7). For there’s a long lasting quality -- an everlasting quality – to the Christmas Savior’s  peace – that preserves our life -- our story – for the long haul -- forever and ever and ever.   

Over the years, I’ve found my wife Robin to be very fairly easy going, but there’s one thing that riles her up:  stuff added to her food, that doesn’t truly preserve or enhance her food.   For example:  whenever were at a Chinese restaurant, you can count on Robin to get real feisty:  ‘no MSG!’ she declares -- MSG being a tasty food additive, but a bad food additive, that in reality doesn’t enhance or preserve food one bit!  

But there are good food additives that preserve food a lot!  One of the best being a common additive, Vitamin C which surprisingly is found in a whole assortment of food products (beyond juices): bacon and ham -- cereals -- jellies – even canned mushrooms.    

In all candor:  we live in a MSG world; a world filled with tasty, but bad additives, that don’t preserve our lives one bit.  But at Christmas we have a choice, for at Christmas, 'Vitamin C' is also available through the Christ who comes, offering a healthy additive that truly preserves and enhances life.   

  

This Christmas chose 'Vitamin C.'  Choose Christ!  For the only way to truly preserve life is to choose Christ.  

Phillip Brooks says it best: “How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given!  So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.”   

 “For God so loved the world,” John goes on to note, “that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish -- [spoil] -- but have eternal life.”  For God did not send His Son…to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17).

And so where do you feel condemned?  Where do you feel crummy -- rotten -- spoiled -- perishing?  Well, let 'Vitamin C' enter -- let Christ enter and preserve your life.  For God didn't 'do Christmas' -- God didn't send Jesus -- for life to spoil, for but for life to flourish -- for your story to get better, not more brutal.

But listen:  you control the story-line, for you control the additives.  And so what will you add:  more sin -- or -- the Savior?

Add the Savior, choose Jesus, for only Jesus preserves life, prolongs life, animates life, now and forevermore!