of the Christian & Missionary Alliance of NZ

I”VE BEEN THINKING

“Glory to God”

25th December 2011

Luke 2:13-14. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests. (NIV)

Everyone celebrates Jesus birthday only some don’t acknowledge it. For those that do it represents a day of peace. It is a time to toss aside all our worries and to hear the angel’s message, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” What we celebrate is the humble magnificence of the King cradled in a manger.

One day a mother was standing with her family of young ones in a department store. They were dressed in simple but very neat and tidy clothes and they obviously did not have enough money to buy presents. Unfortunately they were not as well-off as many of us who have our trees loaded with gifts. They were enjoying going to the department store to see the beautiful gifts that others were going to get.

As they walked from room to room they came upon a beautifully decorated tree. One of the older boys sensed when he looked into his mother’s eyes that she felt bad because she couldn’t give to her children all that she would like to. The boy looked at the beautiful tree then looked at his mother and said. “Mother, you are much prettier than that Christmas tree!” Needless to say, she would receive no sweeter Christmas gift.

At this time when we sneak a view through the window of Christmas, let us exclaim, “God, of all the things we have received, there is nothing that compares with the priceless gift of your Son, our Saviour. We give you thanks!”

I’ve been thinking we should undertake to give thanks not only with words but also with actions. As God has given to us let us decide to also give to the folk around us.

One Christmas day a man at a railway station befriended a young teenager who he had found did not have enough money to go home to see his family. The teenager asked his benefactor’s name. “You may be known by others by that name,” commented the teenager, “but I will always think of you as an angel standing in a faded raincoat in a railway station.”

We should never lose sight of the very heart and meaning of Christmas. The tinsel, lights and commercialism of the season try to cover the message that God wants us to know, and see, that He gave His Son to the world to save it. As God gave love to the world, let us, too, practice it.

To Ponder

How is your life different because of the coming into this world of Jesus Christ?

WRITTEN BY JOHN GUMMER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CENTRE CHURCH NEWSCAST

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