A Christmas Tale

While in KL last weekend, Eunice, a friend in Girls' Brigade Ministry invited me to this heartwarming experience to see 'A Christmas Tale' - A musical collaboration of songs, dances, and drama - to discover that the story you expect may not be the one you hear.

Yes, what's the story we expect?

The child - we keep the Christ-child around to grace our managers. But "He" is merely one symbol among many: Rudolph, Santa Claus, little drummer boys, shepherds, angels, Christmas trees, Yule logs cake and Jesus. It seems everything is alongside everything else.

Is there something special about The Child?

One carol we sing at Christmas asks the question,

"What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?"

And the chorus answers the question,

"This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the son of Mary."

What child is this?

Ray Stedman, a late preacher said,

We never can answer that question until we have the full record unfolded in the Gospel accounts of the silent years in Nazareth and the coming of age of Jesus, his baptism by John, the trudging up and down the hills of Galilee and Judea with his disciples, the teaching, the miracles, and finally, the last crowded dramatic week in Jerusalem that culminated in the cross and the blazing glory of resurrection.

And then it still was not over. There was the moment in Jerusalem when the Spirit was poured out upon the waiting disciples. The whole city was gathered to hear the great sound of a rushing wind in the wonder of Pentecost. It is only then you begin to get a full answer to this question, "What Child is this?"

The Christmas Tale is -

Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born,
Until This Child is born within your heart
Your life is still forlorn.

A blessed Christmas to you all.