Christmas Message

I was appalled to read the news of shoppers stomping a Wal*Mart worker to death on "Black Friday." This is in response.

You may not know me. I roam in the background; I am the rays of the sun filtering through the trees; I am the laughing brook as it skips over stones and pebbles; I am every new born babe; I am the stars twinkling on high.

I am the Spirit of Christmas, with God's great hand on my soul; assigned to my position over two thousand years ago.

I was there when a sweet innocent girl gave birth in a humble beginning in a barn. She gave birth to the Son of God; she gave birth to the Rescuer of us all, surrounded by shepherds and common people.

What a miraculous night! Love was born! I watched with awe. I carried that love with me and have guarded and nurtured that love for over two thousand years!

But my heart is breaking. Change has happened. The message has been lost. Now, instead of earth's people celebrating the birth of awesome love, they are frantically "shopping" for over-indulgent gifts and they are avoiding entirely the celebration I bring – the reminder that this is a time to remember the Child in a manger so long ago, who would grow to be a fisherman of souls and the Lamb of God whose blood would cleanse and cover those same souls.

How I weep today at the profound pathos Christmas has become. My heart broke at the chaos of "Black Friday" and knowing that one that I watched over died at the feet of frenzied shoppers looking for a "gift." I cried to God with weary soul and wretched aching for all involved.

May God bless you, who blithely stepped on one of His favorite children, for you are one of his favorites, too. May God bless the soul stomped upon by a crowd of hysterical madness, insanity, spurred by greed.

I am the Spirit of Christmas. I am a whisper in your ear. Hear me. Hear my plea. Turn your eyes to the amazing night over two thousand years ago when Christ was born. Turn your heart to that humble beginning of Amazing Grace, the giver of Life.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV)

His Humble Messenger