Most of us live for today. Life is changing and we embrace today and prepare our hearts and minds for tomorrow. That is except for Christmas. It seems that Christmas brings out in us a great admiration of the past. People in our past, things in our past, or as the song from last week ends, “And tales of the glories Of Christmases long, long ago.”
Years ago, our world had a familiarity that we seemed to cherish. The Beaver Clever type world we lived in. I have been told that times change. In the nineties we were told that change is not only coming but it needs to be embraced. Now, almost a decade into the twenty first century, our world and our churches are almost being fired off on the tip of an arrow. And it won’t be long until that is replaced by change being fired out the end of a gun barrel.
So, now for just a moment, sit back, take a moment and think of those “Christmases long, long ago.” Got that picture? Hold it. I see that smile! I know, I have not only done it a hundred times already this year but I have also experienced one of those moments recently.
At the beginning of last week, our two daughters needed some help with their two daughters. It seemed like the two of them had important “stuff” to do in the chaotic world they live in with their text messages and emails. So, grammy and grandpa offered to step in for a night during the week and take care of them. First we had to pick them up, take them to Kid Zone and then wait. Three hours later, after their time at church, they were picked up and driven to our home where I found them fast asleep in the spare room.
You have done it, and so did I. Stopped for a moment and looked in on them to make sure they were covered up and all was well. But it is what happened in the morning that put the past into the present. Memories and times past came flooding back as I climbed the stair to go and get them up and ready for school. It’s been a while since I did the same thing with two other sleeping beauties. There they were, as I watched with delight, those beautiful sleepy morning faces.
It wasn’t long until it was time to say, as I had so many times before, “Lets Go! We are going to be late.” And yes, we got away in time to make the bus, forgetting one lunch in the process. Some things never change. After I dropped the second one off at school, I drove away smiling to myself and remembering a part of yesterday today.
This Christmas, return to where you came from, if only for an hour, and experience the wonder and grandness of joining others in worshiping the King. Christmas with Him will be just as beautiful this year as it was long, long ago. After all, “Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever.”
Something to experience.
Rob