November 26, 2004

          The Friday following Thanksgiving, officially the start of the end of year shopping season, symbolically marks for many of us the beginning of the holidays. But before you are overcome by the long labor of standing in line, waiting for that “perfect gift”, stop and see the love of the One Who beckons you to lay aside the pursuit of things that so quickly pass away. Stop and listen with your heart for the holy voice of the One that we say is the “reason for the season.”

          My family and I recently saw a film in which some especially mischievous boys, by their own acts of selfishness, accidentally cause the destruction of Santa’s load of goodies for boys and girls around the world. Smitten by conscience, they then lament the world-wide ruining of everyone’s Christmas. While the story moves on to how they then “save” Christmas by fixing their mistakes (and finally demonstrating some selflessness in the process), the whole idea that Christmas can be “ruined” or “saved” by whether or not there are Christmas presents is so totally off the mark that it cannot be ignored.

          Dr. Seuss (a.k.a. Theodor S. Geisel) probably was closer to the mark in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” for when the gravely grumpy Grinch steals all the toys of all the Who’s down in Who-ville, the Who’s gather nonetheless in their town square to sing joyously and triumphantly – with no toys at all.

          Christmas is really about only one gift after all – the supreme gift of God, wrapped in the plain “wrapping paper” of a little baby’s body, born in a barn, growing into a prophet and teacher, tried as a criminal, but victorious in rising from the grave to glorious new life.

          Written five-hundred years before an angel choir gathered over a shepherd field near Bethlehem, Isaiah 7:14 announces that, “… The LORD Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call Him ‘Immanuel’” (which means “God with us”). “He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed…. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth…. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth…. After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge My Righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities…. He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:2-5, 7, 11, 12b).

          This gift of God, eternal life through Jesus Christ (see Romans 6:23), is for all who will turn in utter faith to Him. But turning “to” Him means also turning “from” trusting our own good intentions, our own accomplishments, and our own sufficiency.

          It also means turning away from the pursuit of things in competition with God’s right to “first place” in your heart. Are you looking for financial security? How can anyone feel financially secure if he has not given the Lord access to his money matters? Looking for someone to love you and accept you? *Knock, knock!* He-l-l-l-l-o-o! Jesus says in John 6:37, “Everything and everyone that the Father has given Me will come to me, and I won't turn any of them away.”

          Will you not now turn away from things that ultimately fail you and turn to the One Who laid His life down so that you may have an abundantly meaningful life in His love?

          “(Jesus said)… I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Just think! All of us “Who’s, the tall and the small, can turn to Him for life, this Savior and Lord of all!”

(Thom Mollohan has ministered in southern Ohio the past nine years and is the pastor of Pathway Community Church.   He and his wife are the parents of three children with another on the way!   He may be reached by email at pastorthom@pathwaygallipolis.com).