Don’t Be in Such a Hurry

Chaplain Bill Wolfe

Llano County Sheriff’s Department

Hello, and welcome to the Chaplain’s Corner 2005!  I hope you all had a nice holiday season.  We did and I got to preach the last Sunday night of 2004. I titled my message “The Sunday after Christmas” and even ended up writing a humorous poem with the same title. J  The poem’s posted on the Coffee Break for Cops message board.  (If you’re interested in reading it, it’s at www.phpbbforfree.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=98&mforum=cbfc.  Feel free to stay and check out the board.)

The gist of my message was that we shouldn’t be so quick to put Christmas behind us.  We should take time to contemplate what Christmas is actually all about, not race to get the decorations back in the box and the returns to the mall. 

There are three “groups” of people in the Christmas story (although I cringe to use the term story, because it isn’t a story in the sense of being made up).  There were Jesus’ parents, the shepherds, and the Magi, or wise men.  All three groups had something of a different understanding of what this was all about, but they all knew that God had brought this to pass.  They all had a “close encounter” with God’s newborn Son.  None had been so close to God before and I think it’s safe to say they were not in a hurry to put the experience behind them.  The wise men and the shepherds worshipped the child and the parents watched and were amazed, I’m sure.

Now, some 2000+ years later we still celebrate His birthday, but too often rather than taking time to come and worship Him in a meaningful way, we rush through the season, rush though the day and then rush to get back to our normal routine.  We rush to the mall for returns and try to get over the disappointments of what we didn’t get or was the wrong size or broke the first time we used it.  They just don’t make Christmas like they used to. 

As we’re launched headlong into another new year, try to find some time to see if there is still a little of the meaning of Christmas to carry you through.  We’ve had some rough times in 2004 and there may be some ahead of us in 2005, but if we can hang on to Christmas a little longer, it may make it a bit easier.

Christmas is one of the most pivotal events in human history.  “A fable about a stable” couldn’t have changed lives like it did and still does.  God came to man that first Christmas to show that He was approachable by everyone.  He wants us to know that He loves us whatever our status in life.  All we have to do to find Him is to do as the Magi and “follow” His Star to Bethlehem and worship Him.

Well, I’ve rambled long enough for now.  Again, I hope you had a nice holiday season and have a Happy New Year.

Thanks for keeping me company for the past year.  Looking forward to having you ride along in 2005.   Blessings to you and yours.

Chaplain Bill

chappy@chaplainscorner.org