As I was remembering past Christmases, an incident came to mind from the
very first year of my former ministry here in Mission, British Columbia,
Canada, back in 1987.
Enthusiasm was high in the congregation,
and they decided to tackle the project of putting a float in the
Christmas Candlelight Parade, which happens on the first Friday of
December. We worked very hard to portray a traditional nativity scene on
a flat-bed trailer, complete with people playing shepherds, angels, wise
men, and Mary and Joseph. The trailer was towed down to the parade
route, and all the participants were standing around, bundled up against
the cold, when I noticed that there was nothing representing the Baby
Jesus lying in the manger. No-one had planned for that. After a quick
consultation, someone was sent to fetch an appropriately-sized doll.
That incident sticks out in my memory as a prime example of how, in
all the preparations that we make for Christmas, we can completely
forget about Jesus and the fact that it is His birth that we are
celebrating. With school Christmas concerts, shopping, baking, writing
cards, decorating, mailing parcels, more shopping, wrapping, and
entertaining, it's so easy to miss the point. Fortunately, there are now
radio stations that run Christmas music all through December. Recently,
as I was driving along, the radio was playing, "Christ is the Lord! Oh
praise His name forever!" And I thought, Yes, no matter what happens in
this world, no matter what people say or think, Christ is still the
Lord, and always will be. Even when things don't go the way we had
hoped, or the way we think they should, "Christ is the Lord!"
May
God shower you with all His richest blessings as we remember the birth
of our Saviour Jesus and the peace that He came to bring.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are still the Lord of all creation,
whether we or anyone else is actually mindful of that fact. May we be
continually reminded of Your lordship, and may our minds and lips
continually resound with songs of praise to Your holy name. Oh praise
Your name forever! Amen.
Robin Ross
Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Thanks to Daily
Presbytarian
