A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers  

Philippians 2:5-7, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”  In 1873, a Belgian Catholic priest named Father Damien was sent to minister to lepers on one of the Hawaiian Islands.  When he arrived, he immediately began to meet each one of the lepers in the colony in hopes of building friendship.  But wherever he turned, people shunned him.  He poured his life into his work, erecting a chapel and beginning worship services, but it was to no avail.  No one responded to his ministry.  

After 12 years, Father Damien made the decision to leave.  Dejectedly, he made his way to the docks to board a ship to take him back to Belgium.  As he stood on the dock, he wrung his hands nervously as he recounted what seemed to be his futile ministry among the lepers.  As he did, he looked down at his hands and noticed some mysterious white spots and felt some numbness.  Almost immediately, he knew what was happening to his body.  He had contracted leprosy.  It was then that he knew what he had to do.  He returned to the leper colony to continue his work.  Quickly, the word about his disease spread throughout the colony.  Within hours, everyone knew.  Hundreds gathered outside his hut.  They understood his pain and fear. But the biggest surprise was the following Sunday.  As Father Damien arrived at the chapel, he found hundreds of worshippers there.  His ministry became enormously successful.  The reason?  He was one of them.   The reason God cares so much for us and understands us so is that He became one of us.  Through His Son, He lived among us, walked in our steps, felt our pain, endured our struggles, and even died our death.  God is not some distant being far removed from humanity, but He became one of us.  The Son of God became the Son of man, so the sons of men might become the sons of God.  This is the story of Christmas.  No matter where you are, He’s been there and made it through, and with His help, you can and will make it too, as you receive new courage and new faith for each new day.