"…and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them." (Luke 2:18) The wonder of that night never lost its brilliance for them. For years after they first heard the angels announce the birth of Jesus, the shepherds probably told and retold the story. They may have said something like, "It was a night just like this one, when we were watching over the flocks during the night. We were standing right about where you are right now, when suddenly we were bathed and surrounded by an overwhelming Light, the glory of which we had never seen before." They would go on to describe as best they could the appearance of the first angel, and the impact of his words on them. They would tell of their hurried trip to Bethlehem, and of their discovery of the Baby in the manger, just as the angel had said. The commonplace was glorified in the sense that God was present in the midst of their routine as never before. It was "holy ground." These types of experiences are not limited to those times when the Bible is open on our laps. They do not come only when we are praying alone in the woods, while watching a beautiful sunrise, or only in the church building on Sunday morning. In fact, if our relationships with Christ are real at all, holy ground moments will happen even in the routine of our lives. When we have just one of these holy ground moments with God, the rest of life takes on a radiant freshness–the sparkling presence of God that glistens and glimmers and dances through our lives. The shepherds went back to the routine of tending their sheep. Yet they never got over it. May we each have such an experience with God--"a holy ground moment"--that we never get over it. --Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com"Look for the light of God that is hitting your life, and you will find sparkles you didn't know were there."--Barbara Johnson
Every year this time, we begin the search for just the right gift for that special person. It has to be just right--in fact, "ideal" would be a better word! Here's a little help for you as you look for the ideal Christmas gifts for those you love. The ideal Christmas gift, first of all, must say something about the giver. The gifts we give to others tell them how special we consider them to be. What we give to others gives them an idea of our tastes, our generosity, and our carefulness in selecting the gift. Our gifts to others say something about us, like it or not. Second, the ideal Christmas gift must say something about the needs of the person who receives it. An ideal gift must be meaningful as well as useful. A baseball glove probably would not be very useful to your wife, nor would your husband appreciate receiving a bottle of Chanel No. 5! But if your dad likes to read for relaxation, a good book would be a useful gift. If your mother's feet get cold easily, then a thick pair of socks might be ideal. Considering the needs of those you love is a good way to pick out the ideal gift for them. But stop and think just a minute. The Ideal Christmas Gift has already been given, when God sent His Only Son! Take these same two marks of an ideal gift and apply them to Jesus: do they fit? Of course they do! First, the gift of God's Only Son says something about the Giver. It says that God loved the people of the world so much that He was willing to become one of us. It says that God is intimately interested in every one of us. And it says a whole lot more. The Gift of God's Son also says something about the needs of those who receive Him. Like it or not, we all have sinned. Left to ourselves, we cannot please God, which is in itself a colossal need. Jesus meets that need that providing eternal life to those who receive Him. Yes, Jesus is the Ideal Christmas Gift! And God offers Him to you--today. Won't you receive the Gift of God--eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord? --Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com
In 1997 the sit-com "Seinfeld" had an episode where one of the characters tried to introduce a new holiday. He called it "a Festivus for the rest of us." A few years ago there was another attempt at inventing a new holiday. In their Christmas season television commercials, Virgin Mobile introduced "Chrismahanukwanzakah"--devoted to "everything people love about the holidays." The word is a combination of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza. And it was simply nothing more than a light-hearted attempt of one company trying to make money from everybody, regardless of what they celebrate this time of year. But it has moved past some little television commercial. Now there's also "Chrismukkah." Ron and Michelle Gompertz founded a company which sells Chrismukkah cards and other items commemorating both Christian and Jewish faiths, and whoever else wants to join in. Within their very first month of operation seven years ago, they sold 25,000 cards. This is how their website defines "Chrismukkah": "Chrismukkah- the merry mish-mash, one-size-fits-all, unisex, alternative, non-denominational, non-judgmental, non-polluting, all-inclusive, sustainable, holistic, X-treme hybrid holiday celebrating diversity, religious tolerance, ideological, theological and political freedom, peace on earth and the inter-connectedness between all animals, plants and minerals. Huh? It has long been one of my contentions that what Satan cannot destroy, he will imitate. And this conglomeration of holidays, combining Christian, Jewish and secular symbols, is a prime example. For many years Satan and his minions have attempted to de-Christianize Christmas. Lawsuits against cities and towns over nativity scenes, schools purging any reference to the Christian meaning of Christmas, department stores eliminating any mention of Christmas in their advertising--it all combines to remove Christ from Christmas. So let me encourage you--if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ--to make extra sure that your observance of Christmas is decidedly and pointedly Christian. Let there be no mistake or misunderstanding which holiday you are observing--and why. --Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com
The birth of Christ provides a strong reason for us to experience holy fear and trembling, for only because of that birth could Christ become man and later die. Even though He was free from sin, He took upon Himself a mortal body—and that should make us marvel. That He who is God was willing to become man, that He accommodated Himself to our weakness and came down to our level, is too great for our minds to grasp. It makes us shudder with the deepest holy fear; it fills us with terror and trembling.
--John Chrysostom
When my son, Jonathan, was 17, he brought home an ornament to go on the Christmas tree. He had seen it in a store, and went back to get it. It was a very beautiful ornament, but the story behind it made it even more special. It was a hand-blown glass ball, with beautiful scenes hand-painted on the inside. Somewhere on the ornament, the artist has placed his initials and the date of painting. On a card inside the box were printed these words: The "Li Bien" Ornament In Chinese, the phrase "Li Bien" means "inside." The Li Bien Ornament showcases the age-old skill of inside painting. Through a small opening in the ornament, the artist repeatedly inserts a miniature brush to paint the artwork. The process is painstaking and time consuming requiring two days to paint each ornament. The resulting ornament is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind keepsake you'll treasure for years to come. Our lives are hand-crafted, too--by God's own hand. For the Christian, any beauty we may have must come from the inside as well. With exquisite skill and intricate detail, our Father has fashioned our lives. With the brush of the Holy Spirit, He has not only initialed our hearts, but has given us an entirely New Name. And we will treasure our relationship to Christ for all of eternity! –Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com
There is a curious tradition among the Russian peasantry. It is said that an old woman, called the Baboushka, was at work in her house when the wise men from the East passed on their way to find the Christ child. “Come with us,” they said. “We have seen His star in the east and go to worship Him.” “I will come, but not now,” she answered. “I have my house to set in order; when this is done I will follow and find Him.”
But when her work was done the wise men had passed on their way across the desert, and the star shone no more in the darkened heavens. She never saw the Christ child, but the tradition says that the Baboushka is living still, and still she is searching for Him.
For His sake, the tradition says, she takes care of all Christ’s children. It is she who in Russian and Italian houses is believed to fill the stockings and dress the tree on Christmas morning. The children are awakened by the cry of “Behold the Baboushka!” and the children spring up hoping to see her before she vanishes out of the window. The Baboushka believes that in each poor little one she warms and feeds, she may find the Christ child, whom she neglected ages ago.
Are you like the Baboushka? Have you neglected the worship of Christ in your Christmas preparations?
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