Jesus and the military.

Jesus and the military. Christmas, 2016

Found myself singing along to ‘Where are you Christmas?’ by Faith Hill the other day, a little melancholy about how different Christmas will be this year, with the kids not coming home. “…My world is changing - I'm rearranging;
does that mean Christmas changes too?” Oh I’m well aware my thoughts are nothing compared with what others are facing—first Christmas after the death of a spouse or parent, or loss of their beloved child… I have seen the pained expression in folks’ eyes, and the tears in some. What to do?

Seems awareness of changed circumstances must come first in personally coping and in having heartfelt empathy as well. And encouraged to celebrate different this year1, I decided to find people to serve, and it has been a difference maker for me! One venue was a Christmas party for Marines at my nearby Camp Pendleton. I hope the pictures make you smile, and perhaps spark an idea or two for you to take the shine of Jesus to someone else.

Commanding officer in celebratory garb with hundreds of his service folks and families: picture 1 below

Santa coming in on an amphibious assault vehicle to greet the children: picture 2 below

Then I got to thinking about another reference of Jesus and the military. This little essay captures the essence of how Jesus’ coming to earth irrevocably changed the world forever—even more than the wonderful marines at Camp Pendleton!

“He was born in an obscure village, the child of a simple peasant woman.
He grew up in another obscure village,
where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.
Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.
He never had a family. He never owned a home.
He never set foot inside a big city.
He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born,
and where he did go he usually walked.
He never wrote a book.
He never held political office.
He did none of the things we usually associate with greatness.
While He was still a young man,
the tide of popular opinion turned against Him.
His friends deserted Him. He was turned over to His enemies, and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.
While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had in this world - and that was His robe. His purple robe.
When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave provided by compassionate friends.
Twenty wide centuries have come and gone,
and today He is the central figure for much of the human race,
the leader in the column of human progress.
All the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed,
and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth so powerfully as this one solitary life.2

Look around - who can you serve? Whether your heart is overflowing with Christmas joy or feeling sad or lonely, it is vital we think of others besides ourselves and our families. Besides Jesus said it, ‘whatever we do for the least of people, we do it for him.’3

Christine
PastorWoman.com

1 – by Mariners Ocean Hills Church, my church, in San Juan Capistrano, California
2 - "One Solitary Life" James Francis
3 – Matthew 25.40