Returning to work, Returning to school, or Returning to daily life after the festive season of Christmas can oftentimes become melancholy.  We have just celebrated Advent, focusing upon the birth of the Messiah; quite possibly, we have shared gifts with those whom we love, and more than likely, we have enjoyed time away from our daily work. (Let me even say that some are thinking, “I have ALREADY returned to the daily grind of work.”)

Today, we are still enveloped (one final day) within the Twelve Days of Christmas.

December 25—The Celebration of The Birth of the Messiah—TO—January 6—The Coming of the Wise Men from the East.

December 26

December 27

December 28

December 29

December 30

December 31

January 1

January 2

January 3

January 4

January 5

January 6

Have we ever considered what it means to “return” from one thing in response to a calling, to leave one place in order to “return” back, or to turn from doing one action so that we can “turn” to that which is calling us?

“RETURNING”

Today, I find that I must Return Home.  For the past ten days, I have been away, and now I must return.  In packing my suitcase last evening and in sharing time with those I love, those I have come to see, I am reminded of how the shepherds may have felt whenever they “returned” after heralding the birth of the Messiah.

God’s Word speaks nothing of WHERE the shepherds returned to, although we can properly assume that they returned to their important work in the fields.  We can see the mindset of the shepherds; simply written in the Gospel of Luke:

My supervisor always uses the following adage, and when preaching about the birth of the Messiah, my pastor repeated the same statement in regard to the shepherds—“BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED.”

If returning to work OR school OR just the realities of life after the celebration of Christmas and the New Year has been difficult (whether we have already returned or will soon return), then consider this truth:  God is Incarnate.  What does that mean? 

That means God understands completely how we feel.

That means God knows our struggles, our worries, our loves, our hopes, our EVERYTHING.

That means GOD KNOWS US because HE IS GOD IN THE FLESH, INCARNATE—EMMANUEL—GOD WITH US!

God sent His Son Jesus to become flesh, to be born to the virgin Mary, to dwell among us, to grow into boyhood, to learn the trade of His earthly father (Joseph), to work in the business of learning the trade of carpentry from the age of twelve, to mature into adulthood, to begin His earthly ministry, to call His twelve apostles, to serve the Father, to obediently die upon the cross of Calvary, to be buried, to be resurrected to new life, ascend back to heaven, to sit down beside Father God, and to await the time when He will come again to rapture, to judge His church (those who have believed, accepted, and repented of their sins) and those who have turned away from Him.

YES, in writing the previous sentence, the length seems so very long, but duration was the intent.

• Let us consider today from where we have been & to Whom we need to go.
• Let us consider today from where we are & from Whom we need to turn to.
• Let us consider today from where we have allowed ourselves to go & from Whom we need to seek repentance.

• The Shepherds most probably returned to their flocks grazing in the fields.
• Mary & Joseph & Jesus returned to Nazareth.
• The Wise Men from the east returned to their home in the east a different way because of the revelation God provided them within the dream of Herod’s intent to murder the Messiah.
• The Angelic Host most probably returned to praise the Father in heaven.

From where have we been that we need to return?

God’s Word speaks directly to mankind, revealing to us the truth, but do not believe me; READ with me & SEE.

Today, the calendar reveals today’s date, as we reach this “12^th Day of Christmas,” LET US NOT ALLOW OUR FAITH BE BECOME HUMDRUM, BUT RATHER LET US RETURN TO OUR “FIRST LOVE” FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST.

• LET US SHARE THE MOST WONDERFUL TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE WITH THOSE GOD HAS PLACED WITHIN OUR PATHS.
• LET US LIVE SECURELY WITHIN THE NEW IDENTIY WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AS HIS CHILDREN.
• LET US REFLECT HIS LIGHT IN THE WORLD.
• LET US REVEAL THE LIVING HOPE FOUND ONLY IN THE SAVING GRACE OF JESUS.

Today, I end this writing with a beautiful passage from Luke who records the words of Jesus, who reminds us of how we must RETURN to doing the Will of God & RETURN to Our First Love.