Where is baby Jesus? Still in a manger?

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior, who  

has  looked with favor on me, a lowly servant. From this day all generations shall call me

blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is the name of the Lord

whose mercy is  on those who fear God from generation to generation."

(Luke 1:46-50, Mary's Song of Praise)

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Still the Magnificat, the Mary's song of praise, is echoing around my two ears as I enter into the new year 2019 and her strong response to the Angel Gabriel against her fear and doubt before she bore a baby as a virgin truly pushes me to step forward to this unknown region of our new year with boldness and in expectation and hope.

But now, how's your baby Jesus doing since you have celebrated his birth in your life last year? Sounds like it happened very long time ago. But believe it or not, it happens every year in December. We call it Christmas. And as you all know, it is to celebrate the birth of a baby Jesus. It means the last one just happened a couple of weeks ago as we now take the first step into the new year 2019. 

Maybe for some of us, it happens every day - even now - as we allow our living God to lead every moment of our life like Mary in the Christmas story according to the gospel of Luke, "So be it! I am ready according to your word!" 

"Behold, I am your handmaid. So be it; 

I am ready according to your word!" (Luke 1:38)

So I assume that all of us are having a baby Jesus in our life with Mary already - or at least in our hearts - for this new year of our new beginning. I don't believe that the baby Jesus is missing in your life already as you finished all Christmas cookies or opened all the Christmas gifts around the Christmas trees or you already packed the baby Jesus for your next Christmas season with other ornaments because, as a church together, we birthed a baby Jesus in our life again to grow. But how did baby Jesus grow? 

Interestingly, the bible does not tell us much about Jesus' younger age except here after the story of his birth.

"There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, 

and God's favor was on him!" (Luke 2:40)

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in 2019, we are going to grow with our baby Jesus in our life, strong and healthy, filled with wisdom in God's favor as we worship together, as we pray together, as we fellowship together, as we serve together, as we struggle together, as we overcome together and as we hold our hands together in Christ name. Let us make our first step together strong in January. 

Come and Join us!

Grace and Peace, 

Pastor Kyochul

P.S. Don't miss the special opportunity for renewal of our faith in January as we celebrate the baptism of Jesus. It will be our strong step for this new year for our new Kingdom Journey.