"Mild he lays his glory by,
Lives that man may never die
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth!"
Some years ago I was a Pastor serving a church on the south coast of England. Every year, just about Christmas, a little family would turn up at the church asking me to dedicate (christen) their new little baby. Johnny and his crew were travelers, Gypsy folk, who hove to in our town annually so that the minister could pray over their latest arrival! One year, I held the little one in my arms, and shared with Johnny and his family my hope that one day, when she is of age, she might accept the Lord Jesus for herself as Lord and Saviour. Well, something must have touched Johnny's heart, because on Christmas day he was back again in the building. This time he waited till the end of my sermon, and when I invited anyone present who wanted to commit their lives to Jesus Christ, maybe for the first time, Johnny was the first one at the front, head bowed and with tears in his eyes. That Christmas Day Johnny Sparks became a believer, and through a little baby, another tough heart had melted.
Just like the shepherds really - the night shift outside Bethlehem. They were ordinary men, quite tough too, but their hearts were melted as they bowed and worshipped the tiny babe. And the wise men, drawn from their intellectual pursuits to make this baby the object of their adoration and pilgrimage. And what about you? Will you come and bow before the baby who became a man and died to save all those who would believe and trust him? Why not? Why not now? Why not you?
Have a really happy Christmas!
