Adapted from a previous Monday MEMO

Christmas. Just saying the word evokes many memories…of childhood celebrations, of glorious music programs at churches, of gifts given and received. 

Christmas.

I remember one year when I was quite sick on Christmas day. (Though not extremely serious, my folks had me in the hospital before the day was out.) On that morning that is always filled with so much anticipation, I could not get out of bed. My folks sacrificed to get some gifts for us kids. I had wished for several things that year, but the thing at the top of my list…a toy train. 

As I lay in bed that Christmas morning, I listened as the family scurried about the house making the last-minute preparations. And then I heard it. The clickity-clack of the toy train. I remember wanting with all my heart to go play with that train, but simply could not do so. What a disappointment. 

I remember another memorable Christmas time. It was my first year to work in radio, now 55 years ago. While the other college kids went home for the holidays, I stayed in Oklahoma working evenings at the radio station. My folks sent my gifts up so I wouldn’t miss Christmas. I remember waking up in the quiet of an empty college dorm room on that Christmas morning…looking at a box of wrapped presents…realizing that the presents weren’t the real joy of Christmas. It was several days before I even opened the gifts. There was no one to share the joy with, and the joy of receiving was empty without the gift-giver being present.

Christmas. 

There is a gift that is above all other gifts ever given. Jesus. God’s Son. The Christ of the cradle, who would become the Christ of the cross. And through His life, death, resurrection and ascension, we have the hope of all eternity with Him.  

Ralph W. Sockman, the pastor of Christ Church in New York City in the last century, was well known for his radio broadcasts and for impactful little sayings. One has had significance for me for several years.

The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable.

Christmas…that night that brought out the angel hosts…that silent, starry night on the Judean hillside where shepherds were startled by the celestial announcement of Christ’s birth…that night changed history forever. Not just world history. My history. Your history. For if Christ had not come as a baby born of a virgin, then God’s prophecy would not have been fulfilled, and we would be left in our sins with no hope. Everything in history “hinged” on that first Christmas. 

As I learned many years ago, gifts represent something greater. Love. And as I also learned a long time ago, we must receive the gift…God’s gift…before we can truly enjoy the celebration. 

My prayer for you this Christmas is that you have received the glorious gift of God’s Love represented by that babe of the manger. And my prayer for you is that you enjoy the love poured out on you by a loving Heavenly Father. 

From all of us at MEDIAlliance International…

Merry Christmas!