Good morning,

Despite his recent “no more shutdowns in Texas” pledge, Gov. Greg Abbott’s orders have forced a new round of economic shutdowns. More on that and a reflection on my favorite hymn of the season.

First, here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, December 23, 2020
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• U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz voted against the end-of-year spending package that included “relief” related to the Chinese coronavirus. He argues there are “countless pet projects that will escape close scrutiny” because of the size of the bill.
    
• “Had this bill been solely focused on re-opening the economy, getting Americans back to work, and jump starting a recovery, it would have had my enthusiastic support.” – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz
   
• Instead, Cruz notes, the “5,600-page spending package fails to make any meaningful spending cuts and instead advances the interests of the radical Left, special interests, and swamp lobbyists” while paving the way for the imposition of a radical environmental program.

• Just days after touting that there would be “no more shutdowns in Texas,” an order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott increased restrictions again in nine southeast Texas counties, including Galveston. Brandon Waltens has the details.
     
• Under the gubernatorial mandate, capacity in most businesses in the region must be ratcheted back down to 50 percent and all bars will be closed.
      
• Galveston County Judge Mark Henry blasted the action, saying the move was a “bad policy decision” based on “flawed data.”

• Amid scenes of increased violent crime on the streets, lawlessness among the homeless, and a police department financially gutted by one-third, Gov. Greg Abbott is plotting for the state government to take control of the public safety in Texas’ capital city. Jacob Asmussen reports Abbott announced the potential takeover on Twitter.
     
• “Just in time for Christmas: The Legislative Council has sent draft language for a proposed law that would transfer control of the Austin Police Department to the Texas Department of Public Safety.” – Gov. Greg Abbott
        
• An early draft of the proposal would see funding for operations of the APD come from sales tax revenues generated within the city limits that would otherwise be remitted to local officials by the Texas Comptroller.
      

• “This is far more complicated than APD just taking orders from DPS,” said JoAnn Fleming, executive director of Grassroots America – We the People. Fleming explained that according to a draft version of the proposed law, APD would transfer numerous resources—including taxpayer-funded equipment, personnel, property, facilities, and even retirement benefits—to the state.
      

• “There are many serious questions that should be answered because this sets a precedent. Will other major Texas cities be next? Shouldn’t local citizens have a say about this?” – JoAnn Fleming

      
• The move was greeted with mixed reactions on the social media platform, with many echoing variations of the sentiment that the state should let “liberals in Austin live their dream of no police.”

• In yesterday’s One Click Survey, readers were asked whether or not mask mandates should continue now that a vaccine is being distributed.
   
• 89.3 percent of readers responded: “No; the mask mandates should end.”
   
• 10.7 percent, on the other hand, responded: “Yes; the mask mandates should continue.”
   
• Many folks responded like Ruth Spencer: “I voted that the mask mandates should end. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter if we have a vaccine or not, we shouldn’t have ever had the mask mandate.”

🚨Programing Note: The Texas Minute will take a few days off, in observance of Christmas. Watch for a couple special issues next week, and then daily publication of the Texas Minute will resume on Jan. 4, 2021!

Friday Reflection

Few songs capture the spirit of the season for me like Isaac Watts’ 1719 hymn “Joy to the World.” The song, like the Gospels in the New Testament, joyfully denies us the chance to fixate solely on that birth in Bethlehem.

Not long ago I found myself in Bethlehem, sitting in a small cave that had been hewn into a stable. It probably wasn’t where Jesus was actually born, but it was far more similar to the circumstances Joseph and Mary encountered than the barn-like structures centuries of western artists have drawn. The precious commodity known as wood wasn’t wasted on mangers or feeding troughs for animals; it was almost all stone.

For most of us, there would be little joy in welcoming our new child into the world under such circumstances.

And yet there were those angels. “Fear not,” Luke’s Gospel records being spoken to shepherds in a field not far away. Fear not. Seriously? Those two words only increase the fear factor—especially when spoken by an angel in the middle of the night.

Fear not? I’d have wet my pants.

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people,” the angel continued, before being joined by others.

The “good news of great joy” had little to do with just a baby being born. It had everything to do with the arrival of the Savior.

The curse of sin makes our hearts harder than even that stone trough. Sin creates a stench worse than a well-used manger. To understand the joy of Christmas, and the birth of the Savior, we must confront the reality that we are actually in need of saving. We must admit that we are hard-hearted, and that we stink. I know that describes me. What about you?

A baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger isn’t a big deal. The arrival of Christ the Lord, the Savior, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace?

Now that is a headline for the ages. Joy, indeed!

The insurmountable truth of Christmas is that it is a meaningless observance without the accompanying facts of Easter. The Child who gurgled in His mother’s arms that night in Bethlehem is relevant to us only because He was the Son of God who took on our sin, was hung on the cross and forsaken by His Father, was dead, buried… and then was raised in glory.

The birth in Bethlehem only makes sense within the context of the cross at Calvary. Joy came into the world, for the sake of the world.

All those twinkling lights, festive sweaters, and expensive gifts are nothing more than grave markers on the road to nowhere for those who haven’t surrendered their proud hearts to the One for whom all of creation echoes the joyous songs of the saved.

Joy to the World! The Lord is come! Will you receive your King?