Red Carpet Ceremony - Anita van der Elst

Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11 NLT

Music blared into the street from loudspeakers as we walked past the temporary barricades set up at one end of Main Street in our little town. Local vendors lined the sidewalks in colorful booths. A sign on one booth proclaimed, “Ice cream solves everything.” I assure you, it will take much personal experimentation to determine the truth of that statement. It was a red carpet ceremony. 

We discovered the main attraction was an official cornhole competition. A couple of dozen target boards occupied the street next to the curbs. Teams congregated on opposite sides of the street. They took turns tossing little bags filled with dried corn kernels across the street toward the holes in the target boards. Observers crowded the sidewalks, milling about, shouting encouragement and advice. Cheers went up as corn kernel bags found their mark. It was a grand occasion, and the winners were awarded.

But God is planning a much grander event for us as Peter notes (2 Peter 1:11). The gaiety and party atmosphere on a small town’s Main Street in its noisy chaos pales in comparison to the celebration awaiting us in the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Will it be a red carpet kind of scene? Will we jump and leap through that entrance, shouting and singing his praises? Or will it be a solemn procession? My heart wants it to be the leaping and jumping kind of event, especially since I’ll have that new body. Whatever the case, it will be better than any sports activity, concert, or awards ceremony here on earth.

Arrangements must be made ahead of time to enjoy this celebratory occasion. Trusting in Christ as our Savior is the key. Make sure you have made arrangements to be included in this grand red carpet ceremony.

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Celebration - Lynne Phipps

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NIV

For many years, my friend Gary ran a fishing charter business on Atlin Lake in British Columbia, Canada. During this time, he was fortunate enough to reel in a huge catch of his own. He not only preserved a catch through his taxidermy skills but also through joyously celebrating the retelling of his story with his clients and friends.

Likewise, the shepherds—to whom the angels had revealed themselves on the first Christmas night after hurrying off and finding Mary, Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger—spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 

The angels' announcement to the shepherds was a life-changing event. A celebration that I am sure they remembered forever and repeatedly retold to any and all who would listen.

The sighting of the star, which guided the Magi from the East to the place where they would find the baby in Bethlehem, was also a life-changing event. They traveled a great distance to follow and find the Christ child and offer him precious gifts fit for a king. They also spoke about this great news to King Herod, which was something to celebrate. 

Herod, however, was incensed by the news and plotted evil after hearing it. The Magi, being warned in a dream not to go back and say anything more to Herod, returned to their country by another route. Though the Scriptures do not give us further insight into the Magi's lives, I have no doubt that this life-changing event was something they, too, kept celebrating by retelling their marvelous story to others.

As we approach Christmas, how will our celebrations reflect the story of the King of Kings? Further, how will our lives continue to celebrate what He has done for those who believe and have accepted Him as Lord and Savior? 

Hopefully, we will celebrate by joyfully telling others about all that Christ has done for us. He has forgiven our sins, reconciled us to God, made us new creations, and given us the great privilege of being His ambassadors. As fishers of people, we can offer the message of reconciliation to all people.

Father God, may my life continue to celebrate the reconciling message of Christ as I share it with others. In Christ's name, amen.

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.