Merry Christmas Everyone!

The time of the year where Jesus' birth is celebrated... A time of remembrance of what he came to Earth to do... A time of home-coming... A time of gathering with family... A time of relationship building with friends and family...

For me, a poignant time for reflection of the year passed...

This has been a year of celebration and awakening... receiving a new-found revelation in my career, new career challenges, relationship challenges with colleagues and love ones, renewal of my vision and purpose, stretching and developing myself...

All of us have done things in our past that we wish we had never done. All of us would love to have the opportunity to revisit our past and make the right choice, take back a word wrongly spoken, or express a different attitude than the one that brought someone pain. How do we solve this dilemma?

Trying to act better will not erase what has been done in the past, what has been said in the past, or what has been chosen in the past. There is no way that we can go back and undo what we have done, or unsay what we have said. Reading the Bible will not take care of our past, going to church will not heal our past, and doing good works will not erase our past.

God has provided the only complete and perfect solution to every regretful and sinful thing related to our past. God's answer is not found in what we can do, but in what He has done. God sent His Son into the world to die upon a cross. He didn't die as a martyr, but as our Savior. He didn't die for a noble cause, but for our sins. Jesus Christ died to save us from every stain of sin, every shame of sin, and every pain of sin.

When Jesus shed His blood for our sins, God's justice was satisfied. The blood of Jesus Christ stands as the only redemptive price God will accept for the cleansing and forgiveness of our sins. Because of the blood of Jesus, God says to us through His Word, "Turn to Me and I will cleanse you. I will wash you. I will forgive you. I will not only do this, but I will do even more, I will forget your sins completely and remember them no more."

Have your sins weighed you down? Let Jesus lift you up. Have your sins broken your heart? Let Jesus heal you. Have your sins had you bound? Let Jesus free you. Have your sins condemned you? Let Jesus speak His words of forgiveness over your life. Let Him embrace you in His arms of grace; let Him cover you with His mercy; let Him draw you close to His heart.

Because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, God says to you, "Come now, let us set things right, though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; Though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool."
- Isaiah 1:18 (NAB)

As you receive His forgiveness, hear Him say to you, "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us."
- Psalm 103:11-12 (KJV)

During this year's Christmas, I re-dedicated my life to God and to do his will... I may not be perfect and I can make mistakes... However, knowing He will be by my side, guiding me in my decision, this has given me greater peace than other Christmases... I can also find forgiveness for myself for things that I have not done well or people I have failed...

Now, I'm just filled with excitement for the challenges in the year ahead...