This Is Why He Came. . .

This morning I saw a short feature on the year in pictures that was posted by the folks at The Today Show. A handful of the photos were what you might call inspiring and heartwarming. But the overwhelming majority captured images of hurt, brokenness, suffering, and pain. When you look at these photos there's no denying that our world is horribly messed up and desperately in need of repair. We look at the images, shake our heads, and know that things are not the way they are supposed to be. I grabbed a few of them and posted them here. . . .










But we don't have to be locked in hopelessness and despair. Jesus Christ came into the world to undo what we have done and cannot undo by ourselves. He came to redeem all things and make all things new. That includes the crowning point of His creation. . . broken humanity.

As you ponder these images from 2010, think about these words from the Scriptures. First, the words Jesus spoke at the outset of his earthly ministry:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18&19).

And then, the words of great hope that we find in John 1:12:

"To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"

This is why he came.