Light the fifth candle, the Christ Candle (which should be the most substantive candle) and place it in the center of the others. Today’s reading is Luke 2.1-21.

Of all the things you have learned about our savior and of our place in his kingdom over the last few weeks, nothing is more important than our full acceptance of the person celebrated today. Jesus came into this world as an infant, grew up with all the same emotions and temptations we have faced, and battled our darkness and the darkness in the heavenly places for a single purpose. To suffer and die at our hands and the hands of God’s enemies. Through his perfect birth, life, sacrifice and resurrection we have the chance to be made whole. Being complete means more than being independent of our sin, it means being in right relationship with the one who has loved us since before we were born. Mankind is not whole until he can enter the presence of God without fear.

Mary and Joseph did not fear the infant they held in their arms even with the knowledge that Jesus was the promised Messiah and hope of their lives. The disciples did not fear Jesus though they followed him night and day for several years. But all of them, and all whom Jesus had healed, exorcised, raised from the dead and all who put their trust in him did know fear the day of his crucifixion. Their fear was not of God, but of being without him. A fear that was relieved three days later.

If you are attending church this Christmas, is it out of joy or fear? Deep inside our heart of hearts, do we shudder from the knowledge that we do not live for Jesus 365 days a year and therefore attended services on Christmas and Easter to alleviate those fears? Or are we the kind of believer who attends church each week so that we might have a regular time of drawing near to the one who gives us hope and life eternal? In short, is God your judge or your savior?

If you answered to the former then today you have an opportunity to shift your answer to the later. Jesus came once to become the savior of the world, and he will come again to judge the world. If these facts terrify you they do not have to. If Jesus is your savior you already know that you will escape the coming judgment. If you do not have this knowledge, this hope, you can. Today you may call God your friend by placing your trust in him alone for both this life and the one to come.

Where you are makes no difference. Millions throughout history have come to Jesus in millions of different places all around the world. How you pose makes no difference either, for just as many have prayed for their salvation while prostrate, while kneeling, some while sitting some standing. Some while walking or running, on crutches and wheelchairs or clutching walkers. Wherever you are, and whatever position you are in, you may incline your heart and mind to God and pray:

“Lord God I need your forgiveness. I know I have failed to live a life that pleases you. Forgive me and make me your child even as today I make you my only hope. I welcome you into my life and welcome all the change that will result, and I welcome learning to know you and trust you so that your love for me and my love for you will cast aside all the fear that I now hold. Please be more than my God, be my savior today. Amen.”