OUR DAILY BREAD : BLUE CHRISTMAS

[cimi]

December 9
Sunday


BLUE
CHRISTMAS

READ:
Isaiah 53:1-6
__________________________________________

Surely He has borne
our griefs and carried
our sorrows.
__ Isaiah 53:4
__________________________________________

A growing number of churches are holding annual Blue Christmas services for those faced with grief and loss. The holiday season's emphasis on happiness and good cheer often makes people who are delaing with heartbreak feel even worse.

An Associated Press article quoted a pastor who described the Blue Christmas service as "an opportunity for people to come and be in the presence of God and acknowledge their grief and despair and loneliness and give it to God." One participant added, "And it's a good place to have a cry and no one will mind."

During the Christmas season, we often read Isaiah's prophecies of the coming Messiah who would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) and called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (9:6). But perhaps we should also include the words of Isaiah 53: "He is...a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief....Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows....And by His stripes we are healed" (vv.3-5). the psalmist reminds us that "[The Lord ] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Ps. 147:3).

If you're hurting this Christmas, remember: Jesus came to save us, to help us, and to heal us. __ David McCasland
_____________________________________________________________

~~~~~~~~~~~Whenever darkness grips your soul~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~And you are tempted to despair,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~Remember Christ's unfailing love,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~And trust His faithful, tender care. __ sper~~~~~~~~~~
_____________________________________________________________

Jesus provides and oasis of grace in the desert of grief.

****************Today's Bible Reading __ Isaiah 53:1-6************

1 Who has believed our
report? And to whom has
the arm of the LORD been
revealed? 2 For He shall
grow up before Him as a
tender plant, and as a root
out of dry gorund. He has
no form or comeliness; and
when we see Him, there is
no beauty that we should
desire Him. 3 He is despised
and rejected by men, a Man
of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. and we hid, as it
were, our faces from Him;
He was despiesd, and we
did not esteem Him.

4 Surely He has borne our
griefs and carried our
sorrows; yet we esteemed
Him stricken, smitten by
God, and afflicted. 5 But He
was wounded for our
transgressions, He was
bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement for our
peace was upon Him, and
by His stripes we are
healed. 6 All we like sheep
have gone astray; we have
turned, every one, to his
own way; and the LORD has
laid on Him the iniquity of
us all.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Isaiah's prophecies thouroughly track the earthly ministry of Christ.
Isaiah declared the birth of Christ to be of a virgin (7:14). He went
on to declare the deity of that Child in Isaiah 9:6. In today's Bible
reading, the focus is on the cross and Christ's death as a substitute,
which paid the penalty for our sins. Later in Isaiah 53, he even
describes the burial of Jesus (v.9) and implies the resurrection of
Christ as well (vv.10,12). Isaiah's prophecies of the Christ give great
insight into the mission and work of the Son of God. __ WEC