Christmas story shares living promise of God.Byline: FROM HEART TO HEART By Janet Scott For The Register-Guard What is it in the Christmas story that has such compelling power over us and works magic inside us? In this story, through the workings of angels and shepherds and simple people, we are reminded of the triumph of the power of love over the love of power. In this humble birth in the manger manger cattle trough which served as crib for Christ. [N.T.: Luke 2:7] See : Nativity , I believe that God entered the world in a very real way to show us the way. For me, the infant Jesus is a living, breathing sign of the immeasurable love that God has had for all of us from the beginning. Christmas is the living promise that we are never alone. No matter where we are in life, no matter what conditions we find ourselves in, no matter how far we run or hide, God has a love for us that never stops reaching for us. Even in our commercialized and hurry-scurry season, we can recognize that this is what our hearts long for - the promise that God is with us. I want God to come, breaking through the boundaries and being in this world with us, bringing love and peace and the glimmer of goodness on the horizon that we call hope. I remember telling the Christmas story to a little girl in Sunday School Sunday school, institution for instruction in religion and morals, usually conducted in churches as part of the church organization but sometimes maintained by other religious or philanthropic bodies. In England during the 18th cent. several years ago. Her family was new to church, but she had no shyness or apprehension. She sat on my lap, bright brown eyes Brown Eyes (브라운 아이즈) was a Korean musical duo, specializing in ballads. Although both members have powerful voices, they were initially disregarded because of their physical looks. eager for all the details. She was about 5 and had never heard this story before. I told her of the magnificent angels appearing, and of the news as it was given to the young woman named Mary about the baby she would have. At any pause in the story, she asked with great anticipation, "And then what happened?" I told her of the long, arduous ar·du·ous adj. 1. Demanding great effort or labor; difficult: "the arduous work of preparing a Dictionary of the English Language" Thomas Macaulay. 2. journey of Mary and Joseph. "And then what happened?" I told her of the birth in the manger with the animals nearby and the shepherds. "And then what happened?" On we went with the three kings and the life that Jesus lived. "How about now?" she asked. That question surprised me. How about now? What does that story have to do with now? "Well, the story goes on," I told her. "The story now includes you and your life. We are creating the rest of the story. Some of the characters may look different now. The angels may not have wings and might look a lot like your neighbor. Your holy messenger may live right in your house. We must look closely because an angel's true identity can only be seen through the eyes of love. "As in Bethlehem, so it is today. God is with us. The light seen in Bethlehem, that light is still coming into our world. And we become part of that light as we take it out with us into the world. We are the rest of the story as the spirit of Christ lives on in our hearts." "Yippee yip·pee interj. Informal Used to express joy or elation. yippee interj an exclamation of joy, pleasure, or anticipation ," she cried, and scampered off. Yippee, indeed. Janet Scott serves as associate minister at First Congregational Church First Congregational Church may refer to:
adj. Of, relating to, or involving persons of different religious faiths: an interfaith marriage; an interfaith forum. Ministries, a network of more than 35 religious and spiritual traditions in the Eugene-Springfield area. For more information, visit www.interfaitheugene.org or call 344-5693. |
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