The Sealed Tomb

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 
“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’  
So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. 

Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. 
This last deception will be worse than the first.”

 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”  
So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

A Christmas Prayer

 

The tree is up, the shopping is done.  I spent this weekend working on some handmade gifts for my children and grandchildren.  I also spent some time watching the news.  It's definitely been one of the saddest weekends of my lifetime.  Working on my gifts was such a mixed blessing to me...a reminder that my children and grandchildren are safe, but also a time to reflect on those whose lives will never be the same.  It's hard to move past that and think about celebrating...anything.

 

But when I think about what we're celebrating it becomes a little easier ....it makes more sense.  We're celebrating the birth of our Savior....and oh my goodness, we need a Savior so very much.

 

I love to read Max Lucado's blog.  Here's a couple excerpts from his post on 12-14-12. 

 

"These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated." 

 

"Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star.... It was dark. Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence....

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger."

 

It was actually more than a post...it was a prayer.  One we all need to pray.
You might like to read  A Christmas Prayer. 
Some of the comments are beautiful too.