“The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people.” Luke 2:10
So, do you have your Christmas shopping done? Have you gotten the perfect gift for that ONE member in your family who is hard to find something they will appreciate? Last week, I shared a bird story with you and today, well there is another bird story for you that I heard back in the day, that really fits well today…twelve days before Christmas. And, before I forget, happy birthday Pastor Jim Haynes.
There was an elderly couple who lived in a small, rustic rural cabin in the Ozarks and they had no children, just one nephew. Their nephew was a Lutheran missionary who lived in a small hut, deep within the Amazon rainforest in South America, bringing the Gospel message to members of the lost tribe. Around Thanksgiving, he had been notified by a family member that his aunt and uncle were in poor health and not doing very well and might not be around after the new year.
Being a Lutheran missionary, his resources were very limited, but he thought that he would see if he could get something really special for them; for what might be their last Christmas. He found and purchased a beautiful, multi colored, exotic parrot and had the locals place the bird in a special crate, pay for the special permits and ship it to the Ozarks and was guaranteed it would reach his aunt and uncle before Christmas.
The nephew called them on his satellite phone from deep in the Amazon on the day after Christmas and asked how they were and if they had received his gift. The uncle said “Oh my yes, what a beautiful bird! All those beautiful colored feathers. The missus and me really enjoyed it! It was delicious! It really lifted our spirits!” The shocked nephew replied, “You what? You enjoyed it?” The uncle said, “yes it was delicious. Missus prepared it with some sweet taters, cranberry jelly, biscuits and mulberries.” The nephew was beside himself and said, “It took all of my savings to purchase and send that bird to you; it was a very rare bird, it spoke in three different languages.” The uncle replied, “well…I guess it should have said something.”
There are times when we are a lot like that bird; we should have said something. It’s Advent and we get all excited with all the activity taking place around us and sometimes we fail to share the real reason for our celebration. During this Advent season, take the time to meditate on Jesus' birth; on how God loved you and the whole world so much that He sent His own Son to become one of us, our Savior from death and evil. Think about the One who loves you and lay down His life for you on the cross; only to take it up again. Let that story sink in; and then share it with those around you. SAY SOMETHIMG!!! I am going to close today with the words from the hymn ‘Joy to the World, the Lord is Come.’ that were written by Isaac Watts in 1719.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found. He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay