One Christmas Morning

ONE CHRISTMAS MORNING

 

            Over the years there were several Christmases that stand out in my memory.  There was the Christmas morning that I awoke to find the doll I had prayed for and another time when I found the white figure skates I so much.  Another Christmas there was a pair of skis just my size and the year after, a sled I had asked for.  It seemed as though each year brought delights to my expectant heart.

            However, on Christmas morning I hold most dear was when I was probably about 6 years old.  I don’t recall what I asked for that year, but I remember it was during World War II.  Things were very scarce and sugar being one of them.  What a wonderful treat to smell homemade fudge cooking on our kerosene range.  There were apples, walnuts in the shell and even a few oranges in a bowl on the kitchen table.

            I was sent to bed early and had great difficulty falling asleep due to excitement.  My mother told me that Santa probably would not be able to leave much because of the war, but I was still excited because he had never failed to stop at our house.  As I lay in bed I kept thinking I heard something on the roof, but was too scared to look out my window.  Dreaming of peppermint sticks and dollies, the next thing I knew it was morning. 

            Jumping out of bed I ran into the living room where an amazing sight met my eyes.  Sitting across the top of our sofa was every doll and stuffed animal that I had and each of them was dressed in a new outfit.  Even Teddy was decked out in a new hat and scarf.  The thought that Santa had dressed all my dolls in new clothes made me feel very special.

            There were other presents under the tree like paper dolls, books, games and colors; small, inexpensive things, but it didn’t matter.  I was so happy and excited as I examined each of my doll’s clothes and found some of them were made of the same material as my own clothes.  How Santa did that I couldn’t imagine.

            It was years later that I heard the story of how poor we were that Christmas and my parents couldn’t afford to buy me anything but a few little things they wrapped and put under the tree.  My dear mother had stayed up night after night, hand sewing little dresses, coats and nighties.  She crocheted each small sweater and scarf and even made doll shoes from cardboard covered with material.

            I believe that one Christmas morning was so special because there was so much love put into it.  The care given to the tiniest detail; doll dresses that matched mine, made it a never-to-be-forgotten day.

            It reminds me of long ago, one Christmas Morning, when a new life began that was God-created.  He knew his people needed a Savior.  He had known this from the beginning of time and foretold it over the years to the faithful.  The prophet, Isaiah, rejoiced in the coming event years before it happened.  “For unto us a child is born; a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6

            Not only did the Father give His gift to mankind as promised, but he paid attention to every little detail.  The Gift was called, “Jesus” and comes from the Hebrew word, ‘Joshua, meaning “Yahweh delivered”.  Other names give us understanding of who he was; Immanuel (God with us), Savior (Christ the Lord), The Word, the Life, the Light and the Glory of God.  He is also known as the Bread of Life, the Door, the Good Shepherd, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  There are many other names that explain his character.

            God did not give us this special Gift without forethought.  Without a Savior mankind would be lost forever.  He must always be there for the people and must never leave of forsake them.  Most of all, he must have a love that would cause him to be willing to die for even the most undeserving.  He must have such perfect faith to be raised from the dead.  He would be deserving to sit at God’s right hand in heaven and intercede for those who believed on him.

            Finally, this wonderful Gift from God would accomplish the ultimate; he would return as the King of Kings and cause all of God’s people leave the earth; rising to meet him in the air.  “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)

            There will be a time when one Christmas morning will arrive and likely a quarter of the earth's population will have disappeared.  What will happen that Christmas following the great disappearance?  Will there still be children in churches portraying the Nativity scene?”  Will Christmas carols ring out through the air as carolers wander the streets?  Will families still gather around the tree on Christmas Eve and read from the Gospel of Luke?”  Will they continue to sing, “Joy to the World, the Lord has come” and not understand that He already did?

            There will be those who know what happened and will spend the day grieving for what they missed.  There will be those not wanting to believe the truth, but the nagging thought will continue that they were left behind.  There will be families where some were taken and others were left – what will they celebrate?

            One Christmas Morning in a place of indescribable wonder and beauty, God’s children will be rejoicing for the Blessed Hope has come.  There will be no need for Yule trees with twinkling lights; the light of God will shine upon us.  We won’t need to hold pageants that show the splendor of the Wiseman.  There will be choirs of angels singing glorious songs we have never heard. 

            One Christmas Morning we will be with the Christ of Christmas forever more!