Your Christmas Temerature

He (Jesus Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:10-14 (NIV, parenthesis mine) For Don Pedro and its Central California location it has been cold, all the way down to the low twenties (-4 to -6  Celsius). I know that for some of you who hail from colder climates that might be considered downright toasty, but for us it is cold. I remember working a shift in the freezer at Alta Dena Dairy, it was kept at - 40 (-40 Celsisus), needless to say I was happy to return to my regular job in the cooler. Then again all these freezing temperatures are downright warm compared to what was recently reported as the coldest recorded temperature on earth, a whooping -135.8 (-92.3 Celsius ). You have to breathe through a snorkel that warms the air or else you’ll freeze from the inside out. I wonder if you pour out a bucket of water in that kind of cold if it freezes before it hits the ground. I certainly would not want to get hit with a spit-wad?Since cold, like all temperatures comes in varying degrees, we have different labels for it like chilly, frosty, bitter-cold, bone-chilling, or extreme cold. And generally we like to get out of the cold. Being left in the cold is not a good thing, neither is a cold-heart, or an icy cold stare, or being given a cold shoulder, or worst of all, encountering somebody cold-blooded.Cold is what God encountered when he became incarnate (embodied) in Jesus Christ. Doubt, apathy, arrogance, and outright cold-bloodedness are what he encountered. But don’t just believe me, read Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2  and check for yourself.Why are doubts, apathy, arrogance, and outright vitriol such common reactions toward God and Jesus Christ? Why is it so difficult to warm up to the truth of one true and almighty Creator God who loves us and has revealed himself in and through Jesus Christ? Why do we rather shop than worship? Why are we more comfortable with “Holidays” than “Holy Days?”What will your spiritual temperature of this Christmas be? Will the chill of doubt, apathy, arrogance, even cold-bloodedness toward Jesus Christ be felt? Will Christmas be about anything except God, his Son, and his love? Or will God and Christ find in you warmth, welcome, and worship?To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans