Birthday Promises

Christmas Memories 3

It's hard to get off the Merry-Go-Round once you're on it. Somehow Christmas got to be giving gifts to each other. And somehow the One with the birthday doesn't get much out of the deal at all. We run around madly looking for the right gift for everyone on our list seldom giving much thought, if any, to what we should be giving the Lord. It IS his birthday we are celebrating after all.

One Christmas Eve in my home church someone came up with a really good idea. As we entered the sanctuary for the Christmas Eve candlelight service we were handed a piece of coloured paper cut into the shape of a Christmas tree ornament. The tree at the front of the room was bright with lights but devoid of any other decoration.

We were instructed to think about what we wanted to give to Jesus as His birthday present and then write our answer on the back of the piece of paper.

Later on in the service, in the dark of the room, with only the light of the candles and the lights on the tree to show the way, we were invited to come and put our decoration on the tree. At first only a trickle of people made their way to the front, then more until there was a lineup in both aisles of people waiting their turn to put their decoration on the Christmas tree.

The decorations became a multitude of declarations, promises made as birthday offerings to the King of kings.

That evening celebrated one of the most moving Christmas Eve services I've ever attended. And for once, it was the Lord who got the gifts.