What to Give?
Chaplain Bill Wolfe
Llano County Sheriff’s Department
The "age-old question" that gets asked every year: What do I get for (fill in the blank)? Hi, and welcome to the last Chaplain’s Corner of 2007. A first for me as it closes in on my 54th Christmas: I’ve got almost all my Christmas shopping done! I don’t remember how many times I’ve loaded up our daughter about 10 am on Christmas Eve and headed to The Mall in Austin to do our shopping. This year I started in August. Unbelievable! Maybe someone should take me to see a doctor. ☺
As always, I kicked around several ideas of what to share, and suddenly the question came to mind: "What do you give to the one who has nothing?" Umm.wait a second. Isn’t that supposed to be "What do you get for the one who has everything?" Yes, that is what you’ll hear on all the TV shows (that is, if the writers end their strike) just before they trot out the latest display of semi-useless, high-priced gizmos. But what God dropped into my heart was "who has nothing." (I’m beginning to feel, as I sit here and start to write, that God has someone specific in mind that needs some encouragement.)
You see, I thought about talking about "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!" and how Christmas isn’t about the newest, prettiest, most expensive. And that’s all very true. It’s more about giving than receiving, but deep down inside, giving without love rings hollow for both parties. You’ll probably hear that from many directions this season. I asked myself, "How does God look at giving at Christmas?" and that’s when He touched my heart.
What do you give someone who has "nothing?" What did God give us that First Christmas? A Baby. Yes, but more than just a Child. "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be for all people," said the angel. What did God give to those who "had nothing"? The answer I got almost "stopped me in my tracks." The gift can be summed up in one word: Hope.
God intervened in human history at a time when His people were discouraged. They felt their situation was hopeless and that even God didn’t care any more. So He sent them a Christmas Gift to let them know how much He cared and to give them hope. The Baby that came to us that first Christmas morning was given many titles (Counselor, Prince of Peace, King of kings and Lord of lords, Mighty God) and He is called Immanuel, which means "God with us." Although He was never given the title, He was the "Bringer of Hope." He showed us that God will walk through life with us and help us.
Life is not fair. Duh. All manner of.what shall we say... ill-fortune? set-backs? disasters? and yes, heart-aches come our way. At times it seems that we’re looking up trying to find bottom and it’s hard to just keep on keeping on. What gets us "on down the road of life" in these hard times is hope. Hope is that little spark down in our hearts that says "it’ll get better if I can just hang on a little longer."
What I keep sensing is that somewhere one of my readers (or someone close them) is feeling completely devastated. I can’t tell if it was a death or divorce or something else, but there’s a feeling that there’s "nothing left." To them "hope" is just a four-letter word. Well, God wants you/them to know that there IS hope. He wants to give you/them the gift of hope this year for Christmas. ☺ One day, as unlikely as it may seem now, this one who’s so desolated will be able to smile again. I can’t tell you how it will work out, I can only say that if you/they will reach out to God, He’ll touch hearts and bring hope and begin a healing.
Can we take a minute for me to offer up a Christmas prayer? (Hehe.can’t stop me now, can you? ☺)
Gracious Heavenly Father, I just pause now to offer up a prayer of thanks for the Great Gift You gave all of mankind on that first Christmas when You sent Your only Son to live among us. I thank You for sending Him with the message of hope. I ask now that as we go through the holiday season this year that we would hear once again the glad tidings of great joy. Help us to be receptive and allow You to touch our hearts. Lord, You know who among my readers are suffering heart-ache and have lost a sense of hope. I pray a special Christmas blessing upon them. Come to them in that special way that only You can and wrap them up in Your love and bring them peace. Let them lose their troubles in the wonder and presence of the Christ-Child. Bless all my dear readers and their families. Keep them safe, especially those working the streets and those traveling. I ask these things in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Let me leave you with this benediction from the words of the Apostle Paul: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 15:13)
Wishing you and yours a very blessed and Merry Christmas. I’ll catch you again next year.
Chaplain Bill
llanochaps@moment.net
