What could be simpler and sweeter than a tiny baby? As I await eagerly the birth of our first grandchild I think again of the coming of our Lord in such a humble, small way – in the form of a little baby. Christians all over the world are united at this time of year in the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

Too often, though, we are divided from one another by our differences of opinion on certain doctrinal issues. Paul addressed this problem in the Corinthian church. “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.” (2 Cor. 10:7) Later, he says, “But I fear, lest my any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Cor. 11:3) The serpent succeeded in casting doubt in Eve’s mind as to the goodness of God and His Word. She allowed him to divide her from God. When we Christians allow ourselves to be divided from each other by our egos and our self-righteousness, it is no less the work of the serpent.

The key word is ‘simplicity’. At the Rescue Mission we learn that Jesus was born in the flesh, showed us the way to live, died on the cross to free us from our sins and remove the load of guilt we carry. We know that He became poor so that we might become rich, that he became sin who knew no sin so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. We know he rose from the dead and lives forever with the Father, so that we can do the same when we give our lives to Him.

Let us all return to our beginnings in Jesus and rest there in unity with our fellow believers. A blessed Christmas to all!