THE CHRIST CHILD: Gift to the world

Mature people think of Christmas as a time of giving while children contemplate it as a time of receiving. In the Bible, John 3:16 says in part, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.." So out of love, He gave what was most precious to Him. Mankind, His children, was on the receiving end of this gift. The infant Christ-child was no ordinary baby. He was the mighty God, creator of the universe, source of all things who permitted Himself to be born in humble surroundings. The Lord of the Universe was born in a manger among animals. Still, there were signs of His divinity. Angels appeared to shepherds as they watched their sheep at night. They spoke of the savior who was born in the City of David, who was Christ The Lord and sang, "Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men. The keys to death and hell would be in the hands of this child, and His alone.

Just as a router allows your computer to reach the worldwide web, the unique birth of Jesus Christ provides the thoroughfare that connects the souls of men to the universal God. He is also the virus protector that removes the malware of sin. Thus, He is capable of delivering the soul blemish-free to the Lord of Lords. What a great gift this is. No man can accomplish this for himself, no matter how good he thinks he may be. All that is asked of you is that you accept that the Creator of the entire universe can cause a child to be born of a virgin and raise that same child from the dead on the third day, a minor miracle for one who created the heavens and the earth. Christmas is a time to remind ourselves of the miracle birth and the mystery at the root of all life. Our intellect is not a god but exists by virtue of God. We have to know when to yield it. All of our marvelous technology is a gift we should give thanks for, not boasts of.

Jesus Christ could have arrived on earth with rolling thunder and flashes of lightening but He came in the humblest manner possible. What an example! May we learn humility from him as we partake of His gift and become sons and daughters of God, ourselves.