Every year at Christmas, I send out a Christmas story that hopefully will help see what a wonderful, loving God we serve. I wanted to share it with the Doves again this year. Feel free to share it with unsaved friends and relatives. Time is certainly short.

 

           In the dark,  pre-dawn hours of early November, a lone figure of a man descended from the rocky outcrop at the rear of the palace. From his rugged appearance and stealthy movements, one might have thought that the man was a thief. But they would be wrong, for this was Prince Justin, the son and sole heir of King Lemuel. Upon reaching level ground, he proceeded through the royal gardens towards the King’s stables. Remembering the summer days as a child, when he played in the gardens, he took one last look at the monolithic angels with swords drawn, royal falcons, and heroes of the kingdom cast in bronze, now illuminated by the eery white light of the moon. But now was not the time to reminisce; he had to be far away from the royal city before first light, lest someone recognize him. He had taken precautions– shaving off his beard and dressing as a commoner– but he would take no chances, for his whole mission depended upon his anonymity.

        Reaching the stables, the Prince passed by the pure-bred Arabians and mounted a chestnut-colored pack-horse. As he rode out of the royal district, he thought of the years he had searched in vain for that one person with whom he could share his life and eventually his throne.  But he always ran into the same dilemmas. How could he know if one truly loved him or if they  just desired the prestige and privileges of royal life? How could he approach those who considered themselves unworthy to even consider his proposals?  How could he dispel the fears caused by the lies that his enemies had spread about him and his father? Alas, he would go to the farthest part of the kingdom, posing as a census-taker, to seek out one who would come to love him for who he really was– a humble man with a kind and generous heart. When he found that person, he would reveal his true identity and take her back with him as his royal bride who would someday share his throne.    

    

        I created the story of Prince Justin to provide insight into the problem God faces when relating to us mortals. Fear, feelings of unworthiness, religious misconceptions, and outright lies about His character make  intimate relationships impossible. So, on that first Christmas, the Son of God appeared on earth in disguise– at first as the babe in a manger, then as the carpenter of Nazareth, after that as ”the teacher” and finally as the “despised and rejected one” who hung between two thieves. When writing his Gospel, John tells us that “though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.”  The worldly-wise would not recognize the one who went about touching lepers, forgiving prostitutes,, and dining with, of all people, tax collectors. Yet, in the Psalms, David had accurately described God as being “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, who does not treat us as our sins deserve...”

    

        But it was the final picture of a man on a cross, marred beyond recognition, painted in great detail in Isaiah 53,  that challenged even His disciples ability to believe. The day Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who were discouraged and  perplexed  by Jesus’ death and empty tomb, but who were kept from recognizing Him. So, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself”. And as they broke bread with Him, their eyes were opened to recognize Him. The Lord wants to open our eyes to see Him as He revealed Himself in the scriptures–“in the Old Testament as God concealed, in the New Testament as God revealed.” Jesus is, as Paul wrote,” the image of the invisible God... in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” And, it is with the ones who put their trust in His Word and accept His proposal, that He will share His royal throne– all He has will be theirs. They are the real winners to whom the promise is given: ”To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with My Father on his throne.”   - Revelation  3:21                              Merry Christmas

 

Kevin John