2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
Some missionaries were visiting an orphanage and shared the Chrismas story with the children for their first time ever. They sat enthralled, and were then given materials to recreate the manger scene. All was going to plan until one of the visitors spotted 6-year-old Abu’s efforts – he had put two babies in the manger. He was asked to repeat the story, and he did so perfectly until the end when he made up his own version.
He went on: “And when Mary laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had anywhere to stay. I told him both my mamma and my papa are dead, so I didn’t have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him that wasn’t possible, because I didn’t have a present to give him like everybody else did… But I so wanted to stay with Jesus that I wondered if there was anything at all of mine I could offer him as a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus: ‘If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?’ And Jesus told me: ‘If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.’ So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him – for always.”
As little Abu finished his story, his eyes filled up with tears. He then slumped down on the table and began sobbing deeply. This precious little orphan had found someone at last who would never abandon him or let him down, someone who would stay with him – as he put it – for always.
Amidst all the excess of this Christmas season, may you know deeply that it’s not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that really counts.
Lord, I choose you over stuff today. Amen!
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