Isaiah 11:6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
May the peace of this Christmas season fill your lives with hope for the future and for a new attempt at kindness towards one another. A little child was born to save us all from the grasp of death. Halleluiah!
Children stare in awe at the ornaments and lights,
Each sparkle puts a twinkle in their eyes.
The cookies are in the oven, such tantalizing bites,
The gifts of Christmas come in every size.
The special clothes and widened smiles are evidence complete,
That something extra special waits right there,
Beneath the tree of balsam in a box wrapped oh so sweet.
It’s Christmas and the perfect time to share.
As children sing their songs to God in heaven up above,
Let’s take the time to ponder what it means.
That on that day of Jesus’ birth our greatest gift was love,
A love that takes our sins away and cleans.
And so we join their voices and with hope and childlike trust.
We thank our Savior for redeeming us to life.
He’s crushed death’s sting, defeated sin and stomped it in the dust.
With Him we now can tolerate all strife.
Isaiah 8:6-7 “For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”
What an amazing blessing comes to us at Christmas. God took on human form for US, because He loves US. We are His creation and in spite of our shortcomings and inability to save ourselves, He did it for US. May the joy of Christmas live in your heart every day, knowing that if God is for US who can be against US. Merry Christmas to all my blogging community for your encouragement, your wisdom and knowledge and for sharing your love for the Lord, because He first loved US!
When my husband was a young lad, he was responsible for ringing the church bells for Sunday service along with other special events as weddings and funerals. His small frame grew big muscles as he tugged on the rope designed to set the bells to singing their beautiful sounds throughout the neighborhood. It wasn’t an easy task for someone his age, but he did it willingly, even though he often found himself flyng up in the air to do so. The sound of church bells isn’t heard much these days. It’s one of those old traditions that seems to have died off.
Tradition is very much a part of Christmas, even today. Many young families have started their own traditios which suit their lifestyle. Some of them carry on with old family get togethers to make Christmas cookies or go Christmas caroling to shut ins. Some like traditional Christmas beverages like egg nog or Tom & Jerrys. Some are into secret Santas and exceptional gift giving – beautiful gift packaging – special food and gatherings. Traditions sometimes fade away with the way the world is going at the time. In the past two years we’ve seen lots of changes in traditional Christmases.
I really do miss the church bells though. I remember the glorious sounds of the bells after a wedding – the somber tolling of those same bells during a funeral. You could almost tell what was happening inside the sanctuary by listening to the bells. The Lord’s prayer would always be punctuated with the sound of a bell for each petition. Some bells were controlled electroncally and would play beautiful hymns from time to time. I wonder what happened to them. The bells were an example of some of the most heavenly sounds that must have been heard on that first Christmas Eve. Imagine the silence of the night being interrupted by the sounds of all kinds of instruments along with angelic voices. It must’ve have been frightening for those shepherds as they sat tending their sheep, when out of nowhere the hosts of angels appeared ‘en masse with voices straight from heaven.
As with all traditions, time changes things. The way we live changes things what we have grown used to. The message of Chrismas will remain the same until Christ returns to earth again in glory. God never changes, even though our man made traditions do. I’m quite sure the sounds from heaven on that final day will be like nothing we’ve ever heard before. Until then, we will sing His praises, magnify His holy name and even if we do it on the inside – we’ll ring those Christmas bells.
We travel this life talking to, relying on and trusting God, but the thought of actually meeting Him face to face is often inconceivable. God loves us so much that He took on human flesh – went through the trauma of passing through the birth canal – was born of a woman, but conceived by God Himself. He was born in the usual way so that He could experience the entire human condition. He walked through life, worked, ached physically, hands calloused, temptations placed before Him, wept, got angry and felt every emotion we feel. He was indeed a man, but also God. He was the unblemished lamb promised from the beginning of time.
Imagine Mary and Joseph as they tended the little newborn baby boy. What must have been going through their minds? Here was the fulfillment of the prophets of old – the Messiah they had waited for – a king, but yet a humble man. Encased in this mortal body, was a sinless heart. As He meekly suffered pain and death He carried the sins of the world on His shoulders.
Had He not been born, suffered and died, God would been hidden from man forever. On that Christmas morning, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds were witness to the actual face of God. Later the Magi and others would see Him too. What a miracle! What joy! Peace came to earth in that lowly baby, Jesus, our brother, our Savior & King.
Shepherds fending off their sleep, while they tended all their sheep.
Suddenly were startled by the hosts of angels in the sky.
“Do not fear,” was said to them – “We bring good news and peace to men.”
They followed God’s bright star above – and came to see their God of love.
In lowly manger there He lay, upon a scratchy mound of hay.
This King of glory promised long, had come to earth to right our wrong.
Again we wait for Him to come to take us to our heavenly home.
May we be ready for that day, pressing on where angels pray.
Picture this – you have been sentenced to death – no chance of parole – your execution is set – you will be fed to a pride of lions. You must wait in your cell until the next day when the arena opens and the hungry lions stand waiting intensely to be fed. Suddenly you hear the words, “Do not be afraid,” coming from the sky. You fall on your knees in fear, yet the voice gives you a sense of comfort and peace. This angelic voice takes on the shape of a spirit, filling you with even more fear. The message the angel has for you is one of unbelievable news, It will alter the little time you have left and you’re being told not to be afraid. That’s like telling a frog to sit still while sitting in a hot frying pan.
The time of Jesus’ birth was filled with “Don’t be afraids.” Gabriel had delivered messages to Elizabeth regarding the upcoming pregnancy in her aging and barren body. He stopped by Mary’s house to tell her that she was going to be impregnated by the Holy Spirit and would give birth to the Son of God. Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, also was visited by Gabriel and told that this whoe incident was being arranged by God Himself for the fulfillment of the covenant He had made long ago with Adam and Eve. Then there were the scruffy, dirty, smelly shepherds tending their flocks on that special night. A whole angelic choir came to tell them about the birth of the Messiah and an end to their long wait would finally come.
It seems to me that when you tell someone not to be afraid, they immediately start thinking about what’s ahead for them. Like the guy waiting for his execution or a child learning to ride a bike for the first time. “Don’t be afraid,” is one of those phrases we use to empower someone to face into something they’re tentative about.
The angels don’t make these kind of splendiforous appearances today, but they’re out there. I’ve experienced being visited by many angels in my lifetime. Like miracles and blessings, we’re not always aware of their presence. I personally have a guardian angel that has earned her wings many times over. There are those who come into your lives when you least expect them. They provide the support you need spiritually, physically and mentally. The aren’t dressed in robes of white and they don’t sport halos on their heads, but they are definitely real.
So how do you respond to the angelic call of, “Don’t be afraid,” Does the very thought of it send shivers up and down your spine? Do you welcome their offer of peace? Do you think others will think you have completely lost your mind? The good news of Christmas is beyond our ability to understand, but the message has survived for centuries. It is a message of peace on earth and good will to men. It’s a message of hope for a future beyond the grave. It’s a gift that can’t be bought with silver or gold. It is without measure, yet it means everything. Even our ability to have faith is a part of that amazing gift.
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2
DO NOT BE AFRAID!
Brilliantly colored ornaments hang tight to the Christmas tree,
Stockings are hung on a mantel while a roaring fire we see,
Packages look so festive in colors of red, gold and green,
With ribbons they’re bound, and secrets within, makes a lovely scene.
The trappings of this special day are woven into our hearts,
The sights and sounds of Christmas and some music that’s off the charts.
The food is extra special, where candies and cookies abound,
And when it’s time for Santa Claus, you can’t hear a single sound.
Outside all life is nestled underneath a blanket of snow,
The rabbits and the chipmunks aren’t quite sure where they should go,
A hush fills the house, each child hits his bed, dreams will soon come true,
But up in the midnight sky so dark, a star comes into view.
The star lights the sky like a beacon, filling the air with light,
Then angels appear, to sing their songs, praises to God tonight,
In a little town called Bethlehem, a baby boy was born,
Messiah and promised King, seemed to be by the world forlorn.
His body was tightly swaddled – placed in a manger of stone,
Like the unblemished lamb He came to be, this would be His throne,
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born on this sin sick sphere,
Son of Mary and God’s own child came to calm our every fear.
There’s so much more to Christmas than presents underneath the tree,
The little Child in Bethlehem came to earth for you and me.
The price He paid to redeem us – was more than silver or gold,
His own precious blood is what it took to loose us from sin’s hold.
I might be the only one who has made this comparison, but the entire Biblical Christmas story reminds me of the word Vizzini kept repeating over and over in “The Princess Bride.” It is more than inconceivable, it’s unbelievable, miraculous and often turns people off when it comes to believing the reality of God’s greatest gift to us.
The tale of the angels delivering messages to human beings – signs appearing in dreams – angelic voices announcing the birth of the Savior of the world to lowly shepherds in the fields. All of those things seem unbelievable to our world today. Skeptics will be all over this story, because it’s beyond our comprehension – super natural – unbelievable and definitely inconceivable. Instead we look for other reasons to celebrate Christmas. We look to material gifts – being kind to each other – sharing our wealth or giving something up so someone else can experience joy at this time of year. At the same time, the holiday itself will pass and people will go right back to their normal behavior. We’ll see tempers flair, depression set in, hopelessmess filling empty hearts and cupboards. The homeless will remain homeless. The addicts will return to their means of numbing their lives. The broken relationships will crack even further. All the hopes and dreams of all the earth, will again be usurped by war, rumor of wars, dissent, dirty politics and nothing changes.
How about we look at these miracles of Christmas as not only rich blessings bestowed on us by God, the Father, but granted with unconditional love and grace? You may have no gifts under the tree. There may be no tree at all. Your credit card debt is through the roof. Your family can’t gather because of a plague that has crippled many. A loved one will not be in attendance. You’ve lost your job. You have no hope for the future.
The truth of the inconceivable is that it really is the perfect setting for this event. It was the perfect time as well. God chose to take on human flesh (Inconceivable,) to be born of a virgin (are you kidding me?) He would have no place to rest his head. (Impossible.) He would be called a man of sorrows. (Unbelievable.) He would miraculously heal the deaf, blind and lame. (Remarkable.) He would attend to the needs of the poor, the needy, the shunned and the scum of society. (Beyond belief.) He would take on the life of a servant to others, even though He was the King of all of it. (Impressive!) He would be praised as the Messiah and one week later be sent to His death and crucifixion. He suffered a torturous death. (An innocent unblemished lamb.) He rose from death on the third day and conquered death and sin. (Amazing!) Because of this great gift – of God coming to live among us – to live a sinless life – to gife His life for us – we will become heirs of eternal life in heaven. (Astounding!)
None of these facts make sense to our logical minds. Especially when we can’t see the so-called blessings everyone is talking about. But we didn’t deserve any of this. It just proves more and more how much God loves us. He was willing to give up everything for our salvation. The blessings we reap from that are also hard to fathom. We sometimes have to search for them, but they are there.
Sure the Bible is filled with stories that seem impossible, but those “stories” are truth, because they were written by God Himself. He took ordinary people, from typical walks of life and did extraordinary things through them. The blessing of Christmas is inconceivable. It’s also the greatest gift we can receive in this life. Don’t take it for granted!
MERRY INCONCEIVABLE CHRISTMAS!
Oh what a lovely painting, filled with memories, nostalgia, days gone by and nothing but love. Carolers huddled together singing the songs of the season – warming each other with each verse. A house filled with good food, gifts, a decorated tree and family. All of these things capture Christmas days of long ago. Today we gather in different ways, but the gathering is almost always focused on the little boy in the manger who left His heavenly throne to become one of us – to take our burdens and guilt away so that we could inherit His kingdom.
What is your fondest memory of Christmas Having lived a very full life, I have several of them. Like my dad waiting to purchase the last tree on the lot, so he could get a good deal. Despite the fact that there were only a few branches left, we managed to decorate that sparse evergreen with enough ornaments, lights and tinsel to make it acceptable. There was always the big cardboard box that arrived a couple weeks before Christmas, from our grandparents. The anticipation of opeing that box seemed endless, but when we finally did, there were treasures awaiting inside.
When we started our own family, I can’t help remembering our first Christmas with our almost two year firstborn daughter. Paul had spent the preceding four weeks building and crafting a beautiful dapple grey rocking horse for our little one. Right up until Christmas Eve, he was putting the finishing touches on it. Our little girl woke the next morning with a bad cold. She looked like a little glazed donut, but she was so excited to meet her new friend.
There was the Christmas after our third child was born. Our five year old son was so enamored with his baby sister and was very cognizant of all the beautiful Christmas hymns being sung about the baby, Jesus. It became aparent to him that one song in particular was meant exclusively for our baby girl, named Joy, as the lyrics stated, “Joy, full of cord.”
There were the many celebrations when we had substantial income and when we were barely getting by. The times we didn’t know if there would be any gifts. Through all those times the focus wasn’t on the gifts, but the real gift that came so long ago in Bethlehem.
For many this time of year causes great depression, because of lost loved ones, unrequited love, separation, illness, no jobs, desperation and so much more. Our emotions often become heightened during this time, because we feel cheated in some way. No matter what difficulties you may be going through right now, no matter what condition your mental, spiritual or physical health is in, remember this. Jesus could’ve zapped every one of our sins away in an instant – without going through what He did – but He chose to show the world His unconditional love, by humbling Himself, living in poverty and suffering a torturous death. The best part is, He didn’t stay dead. He came back to life. Just as we will when we die. You can count on it.
Matthew 1:23 ESV “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel” (Which means, God with us.)
Days of yore may long be gone, but memories linger on,
Of Christmases of yesterday, of years that since have gone,
My youth no longer dwells in me, though memories stay strong,
Of times we spent together with caroling and songs,
Of fresh baked cookies, still warm unto the touch,
Of chocolate and marshmallows, and eating way too much,
The fondest recollection is the time of peace and joy,
When into church we’d enter and greet a baby boy,
Who softly in a manger lay, so sweet and of good cheer,
A gift that I remember with a fondness pure and clear,
That little child reminds us all of God’s enduring love,
As we prepare for heaven and our real home up above.
Today is another big day in our family. Our second grandson, Josh, wll be graduating from Clemson Universiy in South Carolina. He will be entering the real world of business and advertising soon and eventually be ready for the next adventure. It’s always good to know your children and grandchildren are in a good place – not only on their journey to success, but also in their walk with God. We have been truly blessed by all three of our children and three grandchildren.
Josh was the second son born to our first daughter. They were far enough apart in age, for Josh to follow his big brother, Jordan around like a little puppy. Often he’d express his opinion, but end it with a, “Right, Jordan?” for his approval. His growing up years were spent in exploration and discovery – as most boys do. He spent time trying different athletic endeavors like tennis, soccor and track – deciding to follow his brother’s footsteps with cross country. His comedic energy was often incorporated into one of Grandma’s productions and he seemed to enjoy being on stage. He also enjoyed art and science. Grandpa would spend hours taking both boys on hikes and pointing out things in nature as well as teaching them how to transfer those images into a sketch book.
As grandparents it’s easy for us to see they have actually become caring adults, with important goals and dreams – to witness their growth in their faith as well as their scholastic knowlege. We like to think of them as offshoots of ourselves and hopefully we had a speck of influence on what they became.
Congratulations, Josh. You are ready to face the future with excitement, hope, knowlege and assurance that you are also a child of God. May He continue to bless every step you take. We love you,
Grandma & Grandpa
This time of year often turns into a competition of buying the “best” gift or at least thinking we are. Many beautifully wrapped packages appear beneath the tree, with anticipation running high and hopes building. Unfortunately the focus of this most amazing season has taken a back seat to materialism and even though it’s meant as a means of sharing our love with someone, we have a gift that surpasses commercial items – toys, electronics, jewelry. It is a gift that lasts a lifetime and beyond. It’s one that can’t be returned. It is given with no strings attached and it’s worth so much more than silver or gold.
Having been incapacitated for over a month, my gifts this Christmas will consist of many I.O.U.s, I know those who know and love me, will understand, but I still have a wondrous gift I can share, even though I’m not the originator of the gift. The greatest gift is Jesus, who left His life of power, honor and glory – was born to a virgin by the Holy Spirit – led a perfect life without sin – and gave His life so that we could become heirs of eternal life. He then overcame the clutches of death and rose to life again and He will come again. Oh, come Immanuel!
The merriment of Christmas, brings smiles to everyone,
But often we forget the joy of God’s own precious Son.
The packages are opened. The paper now is torn.
The ribbons lay upon the floor, expectation has been worn.
The wonderment of Christmas is over in a day,
But Christ, the Savior of the World, our sins for us did pay.
He walked among His people. He chose to do God’s will –
A perfect life He lived for us and took death’s bitter pill.
When all the joy of Christmas is packed and stored away,
The Light He came to bring us will live in us each day –
A light that can’t be hidden no matter how we try –
This light will last forever and we will never die.
What are your first thoughts when you hear the word, “angel?” The word alone has so many connotations. It stirs the mind into thinking of something supernatural – something ethereal – beautiful – terrorizing – fearful yet comforting. My thoughts go to my personal guardian angel, who has to have earned his/her wings at least a thousand times over. I also am reminded of the many angels among us – people who look and seem just like us – who have had a powerful impact on our lives – an intervention, so to speak.
The angels of the Bible are referred to as messengers, warriors, helpers, guides and helpers through the difficult times of life, but can you imagine actually meeting one – face to face? It must’ve been frightening for Mary to stand before the angel, Gabriel, as he transmitted the message of her miraculous birth to come. Joseph had misgivings about marrying Mary because of her supposed indescretions, but the angel showed up to assure him that this was all part of God’s divine plan for salvation. When the angels came en masse to the shepherds in the fields, what do you suppose those lowly herders thought? They had to be frightened. They’d heard the promise of a Messiah for years. Why were they frightened when they knew this was coming? I think I would be.
The angels were more than busy during that very first Christmas. They continue to act in our lives, mostly unaware to us. They aren’t all cute, little cherubs like the ones you see on glittery Christmas cards. We never know for sure when we’re meeting up with one, but I am confident that they exist.
As we get nearer the celebration of birthday of Jesus, take time to meditate on the glory that was being exhibited by God during that time. Jesus didn’t come as a warrior king. He wasn’t born into wealth or prosperity. He was just a little boy – but He was also true God. How could that even be possible? How could any of this make any sense? We have no idea what God is capable of. He can take the least extraordinary and turn it into to most amazing with just one word. On that holy night, when Jesus’ birth was being announced by angels, miracles were occurring right and left. He came in deep humility, but he was being escorted by God’s entire army.
There are still angels among us. I’m sure of it. They come at the most unexpected times, in our greatest need and often at our lowest point. They know how to praise God. We can learn a lot from them.
This is a rerun of a post I wrote last year at this time, but I feel it deserves a second glance. It’s one of the most inspirational stories I seen lately about the true meaning of Christmas.
I discovered a sweet Christmas movie last week which was released in 2013. Since it’s a Max Lucado production, I thought it worth the watch. This lovely tale of Christmas tradition, superstition, Advent and light intermingled with the struggles of a new pastor who has been going through the death of his wife and child, was filled with many wonderful messages of hope.
The town was steeped in tradition. In fact a Christmas candle was the source of an annual ritual. Many years before, the candle maker was witness to a Christmas angel who appeared in his shop and lit one of the candles. That candle would allow whoever lit it and prayed to receive a miracle in their lives. The story continued for years until it became part of the Christmas season that everyone looked forward to.
In this particular year, the Christmas angel appeared again and chose a candle to light. The candlemaker and his wife witnessed this and in their eagerness to hang tightly to the miracle candle, all of them fell to the floor. The one containing the “miracle” slipped under a piece of furniture and remained undiscovered until it was needed.
The candlemaker and his wife didn’t know what to do. So they distributed candles to all those who were in need a miracle that year, with the stipulation that they not tell anyone that they had received the special candle. Requests for the candle were placed at the candle shop.
The new pastor tried to put a stop to this tradition, because it took away from the true meaning of Christmas – the true Light of the World, Jesus. He asked the candlemaker for a chance to see the requests made by the townspeople and proceeded to try and fill their needs on his own, by doing good deeds for their benefit. His selfless act did not go unnoticed, but that wasn’t really the point of the story.
The beauty of this tale was that the candle wasn’t the necessary element for a miracle. In fact, the act of praying was. Remember that the tradition arose when the angel gave the instruction to light the candle and pray. In the end, many miracles occurred.
The story got me to thinking about the many miracles that have occurred in my own life. They didn’t happen because I deserved them. They didn’t arrive in the form of monetary or physical means. Most of them were imprinted on my heart as a memory of what a great God I have in times of want, need, hopelessness, fear and especially during this most special time of the year.
Miracles are gifts from God. They are a result of our prayers, yes, but they also are undeserved gifts. God uses miracles to draw us closer to Him – to inspire us, encourage us and help us and through them to help others.
The most significant miracle at Christmas time, was God’s gift to the world of His own precious Son – conceived in the womb of a virgin, by the Holy Spirit – born a man, yet also God – an ordinary baby who would become the Messiah promised by the ancient prophets. That little baby would grow up and become the hope of the world. Because of Him and the light He brought with Him, we can approach God, the Father with confidence that our sins have been forgiven. That’s the best miracle of all.
“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.”
John F. Kennedy
For the past few weeks, I’ve been in isolation at home as many of you have experienced over the past two years. I was extremely fortunate to be able to stay home and my case of COVID19 was relatively mild, but during that time, I lost my appetite – 12 pounds – and even thought this might be my last Christmas. We had the prayers and encouragement of friends and those who brought gifts of food and cards. My husband is a great encourager, nurse and even ventured out to shop for our groceries and necessities during this time. It’s never easy being a caretaker, so I truly hope he knows how much I appreciate him.
During this time of doing nothing much except sleeping, I was also given a gift of time to take a close look at a small sampling of the above art work that my husband, the artist has produced over his career. These pieces grace the living room and dining room of our little 1875 farmhouse. When we put a piece of art up on the wall, we rarely look at it with fresh eyes. Since I was allowed this quiet time, I took full advantage of opening my eyes to view the intrinsic beauty of each one. As light infiltrated through the windows – passed through the sheer curtains – bounced off and ref of a stained glass window – refracted light from all around – I began to see the deeply rooted attention to detail. To some, a piece of impressionistic art can appear fuzzy or undefined, but there are so many tiny details hidden in the canvas. It’s almost like looking at a large tapestry and watching the threads being woven into place. Tiny secrets are hidden everywhere. We just need to take the time to look for them and enjoy the moment.
Each brush stroke the artist lays down has a purpose. Some huge globs of paint are placed in certain areas to draw attention to them, while contrasting colors bring new things to the viewers eye. There is a rhythm to behold – a natural heartbeat to bring the canvas to life. Every artist who truly loves what he does, has a different way of expressing that passion. Some require music to stir the images. Some prefer the quietness of the moment.
Each day as I looked at each of these paintings, I gained a broader respect for the artist who painted them. Art has changed over time. Before photography, everything was sketched or painted. When the Internet entered our world, Photo Shop became a new art form. There are still those who prefer a brush, a palette and an empty canvas. There are those who need to feel the cool clay flow between their fingers, or the hammer and chisels work to carve through stone or wood. There will always be a need for art in some form or another. I believe that each of us has the capactity to produce art too. For some, it’s built into them when they’re created. God knows what we all need and when we need it.
Though fears assail and haunt me, my Jesus will be there,
He knows my every weakness, He feels my every care,
Through valleys dark He leads me, He’s always at my side,
To waters still He guides me, refreshment He’ll provide,
Wherever life should lead me, my soul is in His hand,
He never will desert me, on this great hope I stand,
Through triumph and defeat, He knows just how I feel,
He gives me so much hope when at His cross I kneel.
Our time on earth is short, our days are numbered here,
But with His precious love, eternity is near.
Dear Jesus, be with me as through this life I go,
Help me to share your love, with those who need to know.
The story, “The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry is a lovely story of a young couple living in a small apartment in New York. The story was published in 1905. It tells of how both of them made sacrifices so that they could buy the perfect gift for their spouse. The wife decided to sell her hair so she could purchase a platinum watch fob for her husband’s pocket watch. He in turn, sold his watch so that he could buy some beautiful combs to adorn his wife’s hair. Obviously their thoughtful gifts became useless, but because of their sacrificial giving, their love endured in spite of it.
Ironic isn’t it. We sometimes think we’re buying just the right thing, but it doesn’t always turn out that way. The fact that both of these people made sacrifices to purchase something special for their significant others is really the point of the story. When we buy those gifts with the complete focus being on the other person, we’re giving part of ourselves to them.
In the Biblical version of the wise men coming to Bethlehem to pay homage to the new king, we may get the wrong idea about those guys. In the song, “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” we’re told that they were kings. Truth – they were more likely astrologers who viewed the Christmas star and realized something extraordinary was taking place. They were also more likely from Babylon than the Orient, because it was the site of the practice of astrology. We don’t know how many there were. There could’ve been three or thirty three.
The O. Henry version of “The Gifts of the Magi,” is like many stories of sacrifice that pop up at this time of the year. There was “The Juggler of God,” and “The Little Drummer Boy” which in like manner show gifts of the givers being gifts of their selves.
We don’t know all of gifts the Magi brought to Bethlehem, but apparently they were very expensive. We’re told of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gold was probably used to allow Mary and Joseph to flee from Bethlehem to Egypt so Jesus wouldn’t be murdered with all the newly born children of that area. Gold is also a gift befitting a King, which Jesus is. The gift of frankincense was a fragrant resin used in worshiping God. We know Jesus is also God with us. The gift of myrrh was at the time used in burial preparation, which would indicate the final sacrifice Jesus would give for all of us. We’re also told that Mary held these things in her heart, and thought about them often, so they were not only memorable and expensive, she knew that her Son was worth all of them.
When we give gifts at this time of year, we may hope that our gift has special meaning for the person receiving it. We may be trying to make an impression. We might even look at our gifts as sacrifices because they come at great cost to us. The greatest gift of Christmas was offered in the form of a little baby – a child born in poverty – a seemingly insignificant gift, but one which would prosper the entire world and give it everlasting peace.
Jesus is our Christmas present. We all need to start remembering that. Our gifts pale in comparison. The greatest gift one can give for another is his life. This little child became Immanuel (God with us) so that we would someday become heirs of His kingdom.
I think the reason the story of Scrooge remains such a classic is because we can all relate to it. When the ghost takes him on his journey through time, we see a young boy growing up in the streets of London without a strong family unit. His father was bitter against the lad because of the loss of his wife while giving birth to him.
As he grew up and became obsessed with work and less involved socially, the only love he knew refused to marry him because of it. Missed opportunities – emotional highs and lows – disappointment – being left out – seem to be heightened at this time of year. All of the negative events in Scrooge’s life took place during the Christmas season.
Sometimes it’s like that for us too. We work twice as hard to make ends meet. Our focus becomes so narrow that the joy of Christmas is often lost in our own needs and desires. Many people get depressed during the holidays. In his story, Scrooge simply snuffed the ghost out with its hat, but it’s not always that easy to get rid of the things that bring us down.
When he meets the final ghost of the trilogy, he sees the future and what life holds for Tiny Tim and his family. He is witness to his own death as well. How many of us get the opportunity to view our own headstone? The future is bleak in that respect, for we will all die. It is a fact of nature, but Scrooge has only been dreaming so he has a second chance. His redemption is still available to him as it is to each of us. God gives all of us the best Christmas gift ever by endowing us with our salvation through the child, Jesus, born on that most special day.
Psalm 34:18 “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Dear Savior, help all those whose hearts are heavy at this time of year. Allow us to realize that you love them with the greatest love ever known and you invite them into your arms each day. Thank you also for Christmases past, present and future. They can teach us so much about ourselves and lead us back to you. Amen!
A child just turned a woman, became the chosen one,
To hold the Son of God within – to be her firstborn Son,
She wasn’t someone special – a lowly servant girl,
But God had special plans for her and also for the world.
Through Mary’s contemplation of this exalted state,
She knew that God would come to earth to wipe away all hate.
To bring to man forgiveness from every single sin.
Fulfill His word of promise and make us clean within.
With joy her heart subitted to this unusual birth,
She knew that God had finally come to rescue all the earth,
She bowed in humble honor of the One who held her heart,
Gave way to all the mockery that life would now impart.
She did so with a childlike faith in God’s almighty will,
She did so without question, as His breath within her filled.
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