Red dragon nativity set...

Last night, I couldn't sleep (something about Ohio I guess...seems to happen every time I stay in the state), so I put on my ipod and listened to a podcast by John Eldredge (www.ransomedheart.com/). This particular podcast was about Christmas and how a lot of times we focus so much on Jesus and the "peaceful" nativity scene that we miss what was actually taking place during the birth of our Saviour.

As we go on to read in Revelation, we discover that the birth of Christ is about Jesus, but it also about our rescue! Revelation 12:4b-12:6 says,

"The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days."

Hello! Do you have a red dragon with seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns on his heads with a tail that could sweep a third of the stars out of the sky set up on your mantle next to your nativity set? (Revelation 12:3) I sure don't! And if I did, I think I might lose some Christmas party guests the next time we have people over. But, that was the reality of Jesus' birth. He was coming to rescue us from sin and while he was coming to earth, war was breaking out in heaven, and Satan was defeated by the angels. Brings about a whole new meaning to Christmas carols about angels....

This Christmas, recognize Jesus in the manger, but also recognize the great fight for our rescue! Hopefully it will bring about a deeper personal reflection this season.