HE BECAME A MAN AND DWELT AMONG US Once upon a time, there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a myth. He was not a miser. He was a kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men. But he didnt believe all that stuff about incarnation which churches proclaim at Christmas. And he was too honest to declare that he did. I am truly sorry to distress you, he told his wife, who was a faithful churchgoer. But I simply cannot understand this claim that God became man. It doesnt make any sense to me. On Christmas Eve, his wife and children went to church for the midnight service. He declined to accompany them. Id feel like a hypocrite, he explained. Id must rather stay at home. But Ill wait up for you. Shortly after his family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. If we must have Christmas, he thought, Its nice to have a white one. He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his newspaper. A few minutes later, he was startled by a thudding sound. It was quickly followed by another, then another. He thought that someone must be throwing snowballs at his living room window. When he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. Theyd had been caught in the storm, and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his window. I cant let these poor creatures lie there and freeze, he thought. But how can I help them? Then he remembered the barn where the childrens pony was stabled. It would provide a warm shelter. He put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light. But the birds didnt come in. Food will bring them in, he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shoeing them in the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction--except into the warm, lighted barn. They find me a strange and terrifying creature, he said to himself. And I cant seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety... Just at that moment, the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for a while, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow. Now I do understand, he whispered. Now I know why you had to do it. The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Wish you all a merry Xmas.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 20:37:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015