Bev Murrill comments

Bev Murrill

Just recently my 5 year old granddaughter, Caelan, was learning a song for the Christmas concert at school. The song was chosen by the school head teacher and obviously did not have the approval of all the teachers. It was a modern song that referred to a baby and a mother on a silent night. but it was not a familiar carol. The teacher's comment? 'Well, that's not a very Christmassy song!' The fact that the entire story was about that first Christmas did not occur to her.

Christmas is very subjective, and our perspective of it is often determined by the rest of our life. If Christ is the centre of your life all through the year, then it's likely that you are remembering just what this season is about, despite the fact that you're probably drowning in wrapping paper, mince pies and decorations. If that's not the case, then life has a way of flooding you with the festive season, and yet at the same time, draining the festivity right out of you.

Recently I read a story that is perfect to illustrate to us again just who Jesus is and the fact that He came to give to us, not to take. Read on and be blessed.

This is a Christmas story from a visiting missionary who had been working at an orphanage with children who had not previous understanding of who Jesus is -

"We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word.

Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me (no colored paper was available in the city).

Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left the country, were used for the baby's blanket. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States.

The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat - he looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project.

As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately -until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger.

Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Mary laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. 'I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay.' Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did."

"But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, 'If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?' And Jesus told me, 'If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.' So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him-for always."

As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed.

The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him -FOR ALWAYS.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts."

That's the truth folks. it's not what you have but the role that Jesus plays in your life that makes all the difference. The beauty of a story in which God Himself came down to earth to live among the people He created is magical in its own right. Unbelievable really. It's what we live for, through, in and out from.

John 1:4 In Him was life and the life was the light of men.

Be blessed this beautiful Christmas season, and let Jesus be the reason for your celebrations.