December 24

Merry Christmas, Hillcrest Family!

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

I don't know about you, but Christmas Eve at my house is anything but quiet and still. My kids are loud and boisterous. My family laughs as we play games and enjoy one another's company. There's no waiting up for Santa nor going to sleep quickly in hopes that he would soon be here. My kids know the truth and have always known the truth that Christmas means celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, born as a babe in a manger one lowly night.

Maybe its joyful and noisy at your home like mine or maybe it's quiet as a mouse as you celebrate the birth of our Savior alone. Or maybe there's no celebration at all because it's been an especially tough year and your heart is full of sadness and perhaps anger instead of joy and gladness.

Growing up, my home wasn't always full of laughter and joy and neither is it always like that now. Like many of us, David knew tough times. And while he knew tough times, David knew that God was bigger than his circumstances...even those he brought on himself. David cried out to God. David knew God and knew that God is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" and his only hope.

In Psalm 143 in one of today's Scripture passages, David cried, "Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed." How many of us, how many people around us, are overwhelmed right now this very moment and distressed in our hearts?! But David knew the Answer. He knew the Solution to the aching of his heart. In verse 6 he declared, "I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land." Church Family, are we thirsty for the God Who created us, who created our hearts and knows where we are? Like a cool, refreshing tall glass of ice water on an insanely hot Texas day, do we thirst for more of God?


I especially love Psalm 143 verses 8 through first part of 11, where David - thirsty for God - petitioned, "Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; in You I take shelter. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. Revive me, O Lord, for Your name's sake!" Whether times are good or bad, rich or poor, ugly or beautiful, may this be our prayer. May we hear God's lovingkindness and trust and hope in Him. May we know the way in which we should walk, and may we know His will. God is good. God is loving and kind. May we know Him better than ever before and walk with Him closer than ever before and may our spirit be revived in Him!

Peace and Merry Christmas!
Rolanda Green
Hillcrest Children's Minister