DEAREST JESUS Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child, Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled, W ithin my heart, that it may be A quiet chamber kept for Thee. M y heart for very joy doth leap, M y lips no more can silence keep, I, too, must sing with joyful tongue That sweetest ancient cradle song. Glory to God in highest Heaven, Who unto man His Son hath given, W hile angels sing with tender mirth A glad new year to cdl the earth. —Martin Luther THE GIFT THAT TOLD “ Be sure your sins will find you out.” T h is verse is well known to most of us, and generally we apply it to the sowing of wild oats, which is supposedly done by those of the world. A c tu a lly , however, these words are particularly applicable to the hearts of the believers, for if the child of God sows deceit and corrup tion, he will reap the same, only in greater abundance. This time of the year always brings to mind the story of the little family that was forced to live very meagerly. They were extremely poverty stricken and the children, a boy and a girl, had little of the joys which most children have showered upon them on the 25th of December. This par ticular year, Christmas was only a few days away, and the poor mother was at her wit’s end. She was trying to decide what she might do for sim ple, but wholesome presents, for her b e l o v e d c h i l d r e n . Finally, she thought of a plan, remembering how her mother had made her a rag doll out of a few scraps of cloth. She would do the same for her girl. Hav ing nothing better to use as stuffing for the doll, oats — just regular old- fashioned oats — filled it up in a way nothing less than perfect. Meanwhile, the father made a bow and some ar rows for the boy, and of course the children w e r e t h r i l l e d and well pleased when they opened the pres ents. But, as is usually the case, a few days after Christmas they quarrelled and, in a fit of temper, the boy took his sister’s doll and buried it out in the back yard. In vain the whole fam ily searched for days for the rag toy. The girl was broken hearted. The boy pretended to look as hard as the rest
W H A T S H A L L I G IV E H IM ? By MARTHA S. HOOKER M y C h r i s tm a s shopping’s all done,” exclaimed Mary Ellen proudly, although it was only a few days past Thanksgiving Day. Granny, sitting in the next room in her favorite chair by the window, heard Mary Ellen’s exclamation and called to her softly. Mary Ellen, who was very fond of Granny ran to her side at once. “Have you included every one in your Christmas giving, Mary Ellen, — all that you love?” asked Granny. “ Oh yes, Granny — why I made out a list weeks ago and now I’ve checked the names all off for I’ve gifts for all — and oh it was such fun, Granny.” “ I’m sure it was,” replied Granny, — but I’m wondering — what gift you are going to give Him, whose birthday Christmas is.” There was silence, Mary Ellen had no answer and Granny continued — “Have you forgotten Him, Mary Ellen — did you leave His name off of your list?” “Yes, I did, Granny and Christ mas is Christ’s earthly birthday, isn’t it?” She repeated these words slowly and thoughtfully — “But it’s not too late Granny, what shall I give H im?” Then it was that Granny took her worn Bible from a nearby table and while Mary Ellen sat by her side on the footstool, she read the lovely story of the Wise men who long ago “ pre sented unto Him gifts” — and then in answer to Mary Ellen’s question, she read especially for her these challeng ing words of Romans 12:1 — she read it like this, “ I beseech thee, (Mary Ellen), — that ye present your(self)” — and Mary Ellen found her answer. Kneeling there by Granny’s side in the quiet of the evening time, Mary Ellen gave her first real Christmas gift to Him — she gave herself. And that is why this Christmas Day be came to Mary Ellen her happiest Christmas. ANSWERS TO "WHAT'S YOUR I.Q." ON THE CHRISTMAS STORY? 1. Nazareth (Luke 2:4 & Matt. 2:23). 2. Gabriel (Luke 1:26). 3. The c h ie f p rie sts and the scribes (Matt. 2:4). 4. They were second cousins (Luke 1: 36). 5. Before His birth (Matt. 1:21). 6. The number is not given (Matthew, chapter 2). 7. They told others (Luke 2:17). 8. The star in the east (Matt. 2:9). 9. David (Matt. 1:17). | 10. Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1).
A Christmas P o em Quiz (Fill in the blank spaces) W ith one bright - ----- to pilot them T h e --------------- came t o -------- . They came from out th e ------ to bring Their praise to Judah’s new born -------. There in a ------ soft with hay, The b a b y ------ sw eetly lay. These gifts the wise men’s worship told: Rich frankincense and ---- and --------- . N ow , ------- watching flocks by <------ Saw up above a heavenly light. They hear the voice o f ------ - then Sing “ ------ on earth , --------------- toward men.” And so, on this fir s t ------ morn, The lit t le ------- of Peace was born. — A.G.C.
of the family . . . but all to no avail. It wasn’t too many days after this that the boy heard his mother’s voice calling him to come outside. Sum moned to the spot where his mother was standing, he was horrified to see some green blades springing up in the garden in a very curious form . . . a body, some arms and legs, and a head. The oats, with which the doll had been stuffed, had started to grow. The boy was terribly ashamed and began to cry, asking his sister for forgiveness. He wanted his conscience to be free of the blight of this sin. And you know, my friends, it may be that you have tried to plant some sin in the garden of life. You’ve tried to hide it from friends as well as from the Lord. Be assured that God already knows !about it. “ Be not deceived,; God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Confess your sins . . . and find the joy of restored fellowship with the Lord.
DECEMBER, 1958
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