Christmas 2009

Dear CAMACOP pastors, workers, heads of institutions, members, prayer partners, and everyone:

Amidst the devastation that typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng brought to our countrymen, particularly in Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Southern Luzon, God's heart must be breaking and tearful. The crying children, the begging arms, the destroyed houses and other valuables lost due to man’s abuse of nature and man's unpreparedness for nature's wrath, must have caused God to wail with us. For His love for us is beyond our sin. But just the same, we did suffer the consequences of nature abused.

In all honesty, if I had the choice, I don’t want to belabour on this. Especially as the Christmas season is already at hand. I would rather look at the beautiful things in life. But I have to. We have to. We have to put our Christmas celebrations this year in perspective.

How can we celebrate Christmas with all joy and happiness if our houses were demolished by landslides? How can we rejoice when we still cry for lost loved ones? We have brothers and sisters in Highland Evangelical Churches Alliance district, Central Luzon, Metro Manila District, and Northern Luzon who suffered such. How can we think of God’s goodness if we lost loved ones and other properties so dear to us?

In spite of the calamities and devastation, we can look at Christmas as a reminder of God’s love to us through His Son, Jesus Christ and celebrate it with right attitudes. Let me list a few attitudes we can have:

1. With greater sympathy for others. We will celebrate Christmas with compassion for those who lost so much. Let us do everything we can so that we can lighten their load.

2. With generosity, let us share whatever blessings we have with others. We may have so much; let us share to others what we can share.

3. With a happy countenance. We believe God is in control, so let us have hope. We have hope and let us share this hope with everyone we know. Let us share Jesus to everybody around us.

4. With a prayerful spirit. Let us pray much for others. God is not asleep. He knows our difficulties.

5. With a victorious attitude. Let everyone experience a victorious attitude because Jesus is victorious. We Christians should always be victorious.

There is hope. We are not giving up. This Christmas can still be a happy celebration because even if some of us lost much, Jesus is still with us. And He makes all the difference. We can still hum the carols. We can still decorate the Christmas tree and light the lanterns.

In CAMACOP, I will pray for sympathy for others, generosity to the needy, happy countenances, prayerful spirit, and a victorious attitude that will cause hope in all of our hearts. This Christmas may not see us with as much as we desire due to the calamities and devastation, but with Jesus in our hearts, we have enough!

Merry Christmas! Shalom!

Serving for God's glory alone,

Bishop Reniel Joel A. Nebab
President