Reason for the Season

Good thing there are "12 days of Christmas" or this post would be really late for a Christmas post!

It's pretty amazing how the holidays can make us so busy AND exhausted!

Aside from the hustle and bustle of the season, I had a great time with family and I hope you did, too!

In this series, we first talked about getting the nerve up to ask hard questions.

Then, we talked about being open and willing to hear the answer, whether we like it or not.

Once we have the answer, what do we do with it?

We either take a step of faith and believe in it, or we do nothing with it. 

In "Letters from a Skeptic", Ed asked hard questions over a span of 3 years. 

Although his questions were full of doubt, he was still open to what his son had to say.

After 3 years of discourse, Ed's belief had changed.

From a belief of agnosticism (a god cannot be proven or disproved), Ed came to believe that there is an all-loving God who sent His son, Jesus Christ to be in relationship with us and to save us. 

From this belief, hope was born.

Just like Ed, Mary and Joseph, as well as the shepherds and Wise Men, had a similar experience.

Although they were presented something hard to imagine, they were willing and acted on it. Because of this, they were given hope in return. 

For Ed, his belief gave him the hope of eternal life and relationship with Jesus Christ.

For Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and Wise Men, (as well as others), they received the hope of God here on earth, aka Emmanuel (God with us). 

Belief is the reason for the season, not Santa, candy canes, or presents. We do things because we believe. We celebrate because we believe. When we believe that God came to earth as a baby boy born in a manger during a genocide, so that we would be made right with God and be in relationship with Him, we are given the ultimate joy and hope that no one else can offer.

This belief is the reason for the season.

So it's clear that asking hard questions, being open, and stepping out in faith to arrive at a belief is definitely worth it!

Later, we'll discuss a few specific questions from Letters From a Skeptic.