Advent Challenge Day 5

This challenge is now complete, please feel free to browse all of the 

completed tasks via the Advent Challenge tab.

So there is now less than 3 weeks until Christmas and I am sure everyone is starting to get in to the swing of organising everything for the 25th. Today I have two tasks to update about, firstly I need to update on the bake some Christmas treats and then fill in on how the read the Christmas story went.

As for the cookies I baked, I gave them away yesterday at my Godson's birthday party. I am not sure how well they went down as they took the cookies home to eat due to the large amount of food already at the party, but having tested one myself I did think they were quite good.

As for yesterdays task, reading the Christmas story that went well. I settled down in my room after a long and tiring day with my Bible and read through the story as told by Matthew and Luke. I personally like the story as set out in Luke better mainly because it provides much more information and I believe it to be better written. There was one part of the story that did stick out specifically to me in this reading. The part that I really felt drawn to when reading it was Luke 2:34-35.

Luke 2:34-35 (NIV)
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

This verse shows that even from His birth there were those who knew the route that Jesus was on, they knew that the plans for His life were not the easiest or gentlest. That Simeon saw that Jesus would be a sign that was spoken against shows that even before Christians existed there was the knowledge that the faith Jesus would bring was not going to be an easy ride, that there was going to be persecution of both Christ and His followers.

In addition to this Simeon also said something else that I feel is vitally important to us as followers of Christ.

Luke 2:29-32 (NIV)

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

The reason why I feel that these verses are also important is because of what they say about us. These verses say that Jesus is to be a light of revelation to the gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. Not only was it seen that Jesus' path was not going to be easy but it was also known that Jesus was here for all mankind and not just the children of Israel.

The task that has been chosen for today is number 17. Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. This has been chosen by two people, at first I wanted to postpone doing this task as it is not something that comes easy to me. But thanks to my friends Zoe and Caron this is the task I will be attempting to complete today. Check back tomorrow to see how I have done with this task, untill then, Merry Christmas everyone.