Christmas is the time to remember that God is interested in us and that He deeply desires to have a close and constant loving relationship with us.  He has already taken the initiative.  The reason is simple.  We are the best creation of God and without our relationship with Him we cannot reach our full potential.  The fact is however, that we can get disconnected from God too.  It is not necessarily that we stop believing.  It's just that we get disconnected from Him.  We may have been very much switched on with Him when we were children, but over the years we got sidelined by other interests and priorities.  The tragedy is that when we allow ourselves to get disconnected, a loss occurs and a huge vacuum results in our hearts.  Life is unintelligible and often unbearable without God.  The result is that we try to find a bit of peace and tranquillity on our own steam and very often we become disillusioned.  We try to make sense of life on our own especially when we are faced with difficulties, anxieties and painful situations and very aften we remain lost.  A society that becomes disconnected with God bears certain consequences both socially as well as spiritually.

In our own city, here in Bendigo, there is a big debate going on at the present time.  Police officials are recommending more restrictions in the way that night clubs operate in our town. The reasons are obvious.  There is an increase in anti-social behaviour occurring around us.  The drug Ecstasy is readily available, drinks are getting spiked with the usual awful consequences and we cannot seem to enjoy ourselves unless we drink ourselves silly or behave in a similar stupid manner.  It goes without saying that this kind of situation is not only restricted to our city but is quite common in our country. And so I wonder and ask "Why do some people need to act so stupid in order to get some happiness.  Why do some people need to make a nuisance of themselves so that they can get high?  Why do some people put the general safety of people who live in this city in jeopardy and why do we lack so much respect for the property of others so that we can have a bit of fun?  There may be different reasons for this situation.  However, my firm belief is that this is one of the consequences of being disconnected with God.

Christmas reminds us of an opposite reality.  It reminds us that our God is so passionately in love with us that He has offered us to be part of a life that brings healing, comfort and true peace both to ourselves and to those who come in contact with us.  The essence of Christmas is found in John 3:16 "God loved the World (you and me) so much that He sent His beloved son, so that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life."  We have been gifted with the same power that God has so that we become part of the solution and not to perpetuate the problem.  We are given the opportunity and the power to change our city, our nation, and our world for the better by following the ways of Jesus.  We are invited and empowered to stand for what is right and not simply for what is good for me.  We are called and empowered to bring hope where there is despair, life where there is death, light where there is darkness, forgiveness where there is hatred and truth where there is deceit, abuse or compromise.  We are not here in this world simply or merely to survive, very often at the expense of others, but to make people find their purpose and meaning in life.  We can only do this if we are connected with God as well as with others.

This is what Christmas reminds us of.  Yes let us celebrate.  Let us be joyful.  Let us be with our families and friends.  Yes let us have fun, because it is great to be loved so much by this God and be invited to continue to work with Him.  It is a real cause for celebration to be affirmed once again that I am loved because God was prepared to become human like me and was ready to die for me.

This demands a decision from all of us who say that we believe in Jesus Christ.  There is only one way to go and that is the way of Jesus.  There is only one decision to be made and that is to think and feel according to what Jesus thinks, acts and feels.  It is really cool to be a Christian.

So tonight our God is saying to you and me "You are special to me and I love you with such an intensity that I have given to you everything that I have.  I have given you Jesus, I have become one like you to make you understand that I desire the best for you. I created you.  I created your heart and therefore your heart will not find true rest until it rests in me.  So are you ready to commit yourself to me tonight?  Are you ready to decide fo me?  Are you ready to trust me with your whole life?  I have given you everything.  Love me back.  What is your answer?  He waits for our reply.

God bless.