Maybe it’s because I am now a “papaw” or it’s because I’m just getting old. At any rate I just love that cute Hallmark commercial with the sweet little girl who is enamored with the cunningly devised Christmas Tree ornament that has a LED screen that counts down the days to Christmas. I absolutely love the expressions on her face as the days get closer to zero hour. Christmas morning, the big kahuna, the whole enchilada… you know, that moment that children everywhere wait for with baited breath. Then it’s finally here, in all its glory no less. Then as the young-un’s bask in the glow of the Christmas tree lights and the smell of shredded wrapping paper the gifts are enjoyed, the coffee is made and parents everywhere breath a sigh of relief before slipping off to a well deserved nap… that is of course unless you have five stops to make at an assortment of relatives throughout the day! Tis the season, remember? I remember the excitement myself. That moment when my eyes beheld the presents under the tree. I remember the looks on my children’s faces as dreams came true and wishes were realized.
Part of me wonders if Mary and Joseph must have felt it too. Of course they were not beholding a tree, but a small bundle of joy wrapped in swaddling clothes. There were no presents or wrapping paper, but what their eyes gazed upon was the greatest gift ever given. I mean ever! The shepherd’s lives would never be the same again; all their plans and dreams for the future were now refocused because of this gift. The wise men would not only find the king they were seeking but would because of their obedience to the sign that led them to a small town they too would never be the same. Why even Herod knew something was up, and this gift to all mankind would drastically upset his world as well. It is good to remember as we once again count down the days until Christmas a few thoughts that allow us to keep this special time of year in it’s proper perspective. First, God alone chose to do this. I love that even John 3:16 becomes a Christmas verse this time of year, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Next may we remember that God alone is to be thanked! Paul said it this way, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” He is the giver, we the receiver. This gift came not from the government, the department stores or even our family, it came from God himself. Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!" The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. Perhaps the greatest truth that needs remembering is the fact that the Gift is still available today! A few years ago I was interviewing Gordon Mote on Daystar’s Tri State Celebration and in the middle of the summer he shared this song that I have grown to love. It goes like this, “There was a star in the Eastern sky, That shone down on Bethlehem, A few had recognized the sign A King was born to them, And it drew them to a manger, To a virgin mother's son, Who would draw us to salvation, God's gift to everyone. In these crazy troubled times, The world seems so out of tune, Sometime's it's like we're living, Without a flame to light the room. If you're feeling faithless, and you think you've lost your way, Oh there is a hope that's bright enough to turn your night to day. And the star still shines, After all this time, as a light for you and me. It beckons us to seek him, Wise men still do, Wise men still do. It won't go out after Christmas, like a candle in the wind, it's a light that shines forever, not just every now and then. And the star still shines, After all this time, as a light for me and you. It beckons us to seek him, Wise men still do, Wise men still do, Wise men still do.” Those words ring so very true once again this Christmas, don’t they? For their entire careers, wireless operators onboard US Navy and merchant ships had only heard Morse code coming through their headphones. However, a few days before Christmas in 1906, operators from the shore informed the ships' crews to listen at 9 PM on Christmas Eve for something special. With curiosity, the ships' operators--affectionately known as "sparks"--tuned in as was suggested. Suddenly, they heard something that made them think they were dreaming. They heard singing and a violin solo, then a man speaking. Some called their captain and ship's officers to come and listen along with them. The genius responsible was Reginald Fessenden. He had succeeded in transmitting voice and music over the air. Fessenden played a violin solo of "O Holy Night" as he sang the last verse. He also read about the birth of Jesus from Luke. Luke's account of the angels' song "Glory to God in the Highest--and on Earth--Peace to Men of Goodwill" was heard as if by miracle. Fessenden concluded his broadcast by wishing all a Merry Christmas. So allow me to end with the timeless message that was first heralded abroad by the shepherds, Merry Christmas!
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