This is Not an Abandoned World

This is one of the six audio devotionals on Steve's FREE CD, Christmas Meditations. Scripture and devotional questions follow each short message to help you quietly focus in the midst of this season’s busyness. It’s a good reminder that God loves you and He entered into time and space with you in mind.

Click here to get your free copy of Steve’s CD, Christmas Meditations, or call 1-800-KEY-LIFE (1-800-539-5433).

While I was driving home the other day I saw the ugliest car I have ever seen. I mean this car wasn’t just ugly…it was ugly on ugly. It had a large gash on its side; one of the doors was held together with bailing wire; several other body parts were almost completely rusted out. The car’s muffler was so loose that, with every bump, it hit the street sending sparks in every direction. I couldn’t tell the original color of the car. The rust had eaten away much of the paint, and so much of the car had been painted over with so many different colors that any one of them, or none of them, could have been the first coat.

The most interesting thing about the car was the bumper sticker: “THIS IS NOT AN ABANDONED CAR.”

We live in a fallen world and sometimes it looks as ugly as that car. Almost everywhere you turn nowadays, you can see tragedy and heartache on the world scene, in your friends and your neighbors, and in your own heart. Only a fool misses the point from the morning headlines that we are sitting on the edge of disaster.

But it isn’t just the world. It’s us. Sometimes the effort to keep on keeping on doesn’t seem worth it. Guilt, loneliness, hurt and fear become constant companions. One wonders sometimes if any of life makes any difference. One wonders about things such as home and meaning.

A long time ago, in a manger, a baby was born. He was a sign to us. The sign read: “THIS IS NOT AN ABANDONED WORLD.”

During every Christmas season, there is a break in the bleakness…a bit of beauty in the middle of the ugliness shines through. People will laugh and make merry. Most won’t understand why they laugh. Many of them will make merry because that is what one is supposed to do during the holiday season.

But there are some of us who will pause and will remember, “For unto us a child is born…”

We have not been abandoned. Someday the Owner is going to return. Then all the ugliness will be remedied. There won’t be any more pain and all the tears will be dried.

May you live merrily because He came. May your life be merry because He keeps coming. May you keep being merry because He is coming again to set all things right…and to eliminate the ugliness.

Click here to get your free copy of Steve’s CD, Christmas Meditations, or call 1-800-KEY-LIFE (1-800-539-5433).