Worthy Souls
By Vernette Kureck
For God did not
send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
Him. Whoever believes in Him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they
have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:17-18 [NIV]
Christmas. It is that time of year
to truly celebrate the birth of Jesus. The bright lights and colorful
decorations point to a special happening. The listening and singing of carols put
a melody in my heart and uplift my soul. One of my favorites is “Oh Holy Night.”
Read some of the lyrics below.
“Oh, holy night! The stars are
brightly shining.
It is the night of the dear Savior’s
birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error
pining,
‘til He appeared and the soul felt
its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world
rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious
morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the
angel voices...”
God loved the world so much that He
gave us His one and only Son…Jesus. The stars are still shining, and our world
is still sinful. But that phrase, “the soul felt its worth” is worth commenting
on, for soul worth is a lot different than self-worth. Self-worth is all about
me and my place in this sinful world; soul worth is all about Him, and my place
in His Holy Kingdom.
The soul, that immortal invisible
essence that makes us who we are, is pining for spiritual birth. God’s value of
our souls is expressed in Jesus’ appearance. When we believe and invite Jesus
to be our Savior and Lord, our soul feels its worth. Our bodies will decay, but
our souls are intact. The sinful self is diminished and there is rejoicing - -
in heaven and earth. There is no condemnation; there is new life.
Yes, Jesus came to give us life. And
Jesus is coming again. Not as a baby, but as the awaited King of Kings with
great power and glory. No one knows the time, but we are all called to be
watching and waiting. It may be a holy night or it may be a holy day. But all
eyes will be on Him: Immanuel, the Lamb, the Redeemer, the Shepherd, King of
the Nations, the Alpha and Omega, and the Lover of our souls. Be ready. Fall on
your knees.
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
Listen to the carol “Oh
Holy Night” here.
2. Are you ready to fall on your knees and
worship the King?
FURTHER
READING:
Vernette and her husband Ken have
been married 50 years. They have been blessed with two sons and eight grandchildren.
She serves Oakwood on the prayer chain and with Family Promise.
