In this passage, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew for not what they were, but for what they were going to be. God sees us, not just as we are, but He sees our potential of having the image of Jesus in us as we surrender our lives to Him in all that we do.

As we conclude the Christmas series on "The Gift of the Manger and the Cross", we finish with Simeon in Luke 2. He was a man who was filled with the Holy Spirit and walked with God. When he saw Jesus, he couldn't help but lift a song of praise as he held the one who would bring salvation to all people. On this Christmas Day, let us also celebrate the salvation that Jesus has brought to us.

As we come to Christmas, we are looking at two gifts that God has given to the world, the gift of the Manger and the gift of the Cross. Today, as we think about the manger, we see the angels telling shepherds that they bring good news that will cause great joy, and that news is about the Saviour being born and they will find him in a manger. What a great gift to this world!

In the last chapter of Jonah, we get the see what's at the heart of Jonah's rebellion and why he disobeyed God in the first place. But we also see God LISTENING to Jonah, COMFORTING and INSTRUCTING him. The story of Jonah finishes without a conclusion of how Jonah responded to God. I think that is there so that we all can write our own conclusion. How are you going to respond to God's compassion in your life and in others?

Here in Jonah's prayer, we see his REPENTANCE, which isn't exactly forthcoming, but it is there, and we see God's REDEMPTION, as He commands the fish to spit Jonah out. But behind it all is the mercy of God, who still wants to use Jonah even though Jonah has fled from God and His Word. God is also not finished with you, no matter how far away you might feel.