Devotional 12-17-10

I must be dreaming!

Matthew 1:18-25

1:23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,

When I look at the world in which we live I wonder what has happen to the dream. What dream is the focus of my attention? It is the dream of Joseph. The dream that told Joseph that God would be with us. The dream that became the reality of Jesus. The dream that offered us Christ.

We live in a world of dissention, denial, competition and hate. We worship a God of community, truth, intimacy, and love.
We live in a world where one group is right and the other group is wrong. We worship a God who does not see male/female, Muslim/Christian, black/white, gay/straight.
We live in a world where we want to exclude and create “the other.” We worship a God who sees us as God’s creation, and we are one.
We live in a world where money is king, and we are betrayed by its princes of power. We worship a God who tells us we cannot have two masters.

We live in a world where someone who deals drugs is thrown into the dungeons of hell but the one who embezzles millions is sent to camp. We worship a God who was beat and dragged through the streets of Jerusalem for the thief beside him.

We live in a world that believes the biggest bomb makes right. We worship the prince of peace.

We live in a world where greed is honored. We worship a God who had no possessions.
I was taught by Mrs. Erwin in the third grade that God loves everybody regardless of whom they are and where they are from. She told that as a Christian I am to be like God and do the same even when I do not want to and even when it cost me something. That is the way I live my life even today.
What did you say?

Yeah, I must be dreaming.

Rev. David Johnson
Charlotte, NC