God's Christmas List

It is almost December. The cold, north wind finally has a bite to it. We have gotten a nice snowfall. Perfect for snowmen and gone the next day. Christmas music is starting to play on the radio. The newspaper is getting thicker. Calendars are starting to fill up.


The young boy makes his Christmas list. It is long and detailed. Sporting goods, clothes, video games, and Legos. He is practicing for the Christmas program at the church. He looks forward to time off of school and seeing cousins and grandparents. His eyes are wide open with optimism and excitement.

The young woman is in college. She has lots of papers to write and more tests to take. She is just trying to finish the semester. She is looking more forward to a few weeks off more than anything else, although she is excited about seeing her family and sleeping in her own bed. She wants gift cards for Christmas. Nobody in her family is qualified to buy her clothes. What she really wants though is some self-esteem. A few guys she has dated haven’t called her back. A few professors she learns from have called her average. Her eyes are sad.

The woman has three kids between ages six and eleven. She has a busy husband and a full-time job. She just doesn’t know how it is all going to get done. Shopping , wrapping, baking, partying, travelling, events at school, in addition to an already overloaded life. She doesn’t really have a Christmas list. Her husband usually gets her something expensive and she is flattered, but it’s not really what she wants. What she really wants is some time alone or at least a few moments to slow down. Her eyes are exhausted.

The man looks out his window. He remembers the days of yesteryear when the lawn was filled with children playing ball. His wife died a few years ago. The kids are grown-up. One lives in California, one lives in Texas, and two of them live locally. He doesn’t get to see any of them much – too many other things going on for the kids. They are all going to be home for Christmas. The only thing he wants for Christmas is to see a few grandkids laughing and for the few days together to go slow. His eyes are filled with memories.

One day God looked at the world and knew a better way existed. So he became human and lived as one of us. The world hasn’t been the same since. For the optimist, the sad, the exhausted, the young, the old, the sinner, the saint, the poet, and the athlete – the only things God really gives are rest, peace, joy, hope, love, grace, forgiveness, healing, and salvation – which is just as well because those are the things the world really needs.

The best is yet to come…

Craig