Christmas, a time for reflection, appreciation and recommitment

19.DEC.08

Christmas message from Pastor Dermoth Baptiste – Co-ordinator, St. Vincent and the Grenadnes Region of Seventh Day Adventist

The sunset of 2008 will soon give way to the sunrise of 2009. As we reflect upon this eventful year, we have every good reason to be grateful to God for His undying love and unstinting faithfulness to His creation. The sobering reality is that none of us deserves to be alive, for we have messed up badly, thus choosing the path that leads to separation and condemnation, but God who is extravagant in grace and plenteous in mercy, has reconciled us through the gift of Jesus to humanity, thus giving us a new lease on life.{{more}}

This is the good news of Christmas. It is not about extravagant spending, excessive feasting and exalting Santa. At this season of goodwill, it should engender in us a deep appreciation for His amazing condescension and inspire a desire to reach out to our brothers and sisters and be more caring, accepting, loving and forgiving.

It is therefore a golden opportunity to make wrongs right; to “square up” with our God, our family and our fellowmen so that as we look forward to the new year, we can embrace it with new attitudes toward God, new desire for positive living, new opportunity for service and new passion for success.

On behalf of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, I wish to thank the Government and people of our nation for your good will and support for the church during the year. May you and your family be highly favoured and richly blessed during this joyous occasion and may the New Year be prosperous, productive, spirit filled and purpose driven. God promises to be on time in two thousand and nine, so we have nothing to fear for the future, for good will triumph over evil and victory will consume defeat.