Pastor Nathan Glover
I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today, in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Luke 2:10b-12 (NIV)
Recently, our family decided to put up our Christmas tree at home. I know there is a bit of a trend to get going on this early, even in November – and I get it. The year 2020 has been full of unexpected surprises, to say the least. As Christmas usually marks the end of the year – we simply can’t wait for the end of the year to come and perhaps we also hope that 2021 will be a chance for a new start and a better year.

Likewise, in the College, we are now beginning to talk about Christmas and, of course, are just about to begin our end-of-year events. It would be true to say that many among us have similar feelings – thank goodness 2020 is coming to a close. Thank goodness we can put to bed the challenges that we have faced and make a new, fresh start.
If all this means that we celebrate Christmas early or for longer than usual, then this can only be a good thing. For at Christmas time we remember a good news story that is for all people. The good news it that Jesus was born and that through Jesus, God rescued humanity. This means that God provided a way through Jesus to forgive us for the wrong things that we have done or failed to do and put us in a right standing with God. On the surface, it might sound like a cliché but in practice this means that a person who receives this gift is able to live their life with new freedom and confidence because God has taken care of the BIG stuff.
We erroneously imagine that the BIG stuff is Coronavirus or US politics, but friends and families of the College – this is not the BIG stuff. The BIG stuff concerns our identity, our sense of self-worth, our purpose and whether we are living with a good conscience about who we are and what we’ve done. This BIG stuff has been taken care of by the person we celebrate at Christmas. As you celebrate Christmas this year – whether early or late – remember, ponder, think about what He has done for you.
Nathan Glover
College Pastor