that Christ received the worship of this man. Then, we see the Lord feeding the 5,000, walking on the water, raising Lazarus from the dead, and in each case backing up His claims and showing His cre dentials over and over again. He carefully shows that He and the Father are on the same equal plane, because they are both God. What should we do in the light of this truth? First of all, examine the motive. Why did Jesus come into this world as the God of Heav en? When a foreign diplomat visits our nation we wonder, "What does he have in mind?" That question could be asked of Christ. He force fully and frankly stated, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundant ly." He came not to be ministered unto, to receive things, but to min ister and to give His life, a ransom for many. Christ came into the world with one purpose in mind. He sought to glorify God in His every action of redemption. Because of this we ought to thank and worship Him as the shepherds did in the long ago. In our homes, as well as in our churches, we should focus all our activities and purposes on Him. This should be a time when we seek a closer fellowship with the Lord. Paul, even at the end of his life, declared, "That I may know Him!" We should seek to appro priate His power, recognizing that He wants to do a work on our be half. This must be a time for op portunities to tell others of His greatness. Do we communicate the truth within us? Are we sharing salvation's story with others? As a mother put her little girl to bed, the child was frightened; she
did not want to be alone. The mother thought this would be a good time for a little lesson on how God takes care of His own. She concluded, "Do not be afraid now. Just remember that God is with you." It was not long, how ever, before she heard her little daughter crying again. When she went back to the bedroom she re minded the girl that she need not be afraid because God was with her. The child reached up and agreed with the premise but ex plained, "I know that Mommy, but I want somebody with skin on him!" It is to satisfy this human desire to see a God that has "skin on Him" that caused Christ's coming into this world as the perfect God- man. What a privilege at this Christ mas season to remember Him. If Christ should drop in on your sea sonal celebrations would He feel welcomed as the most important person? Does He have the pre eminence? Do your children think, "Yes, this is Christ's birthday. It is a time when we remember that God came to visit us." You cannot impart a greater heritage to them. As you remember Christ this Christ mas may it be a time when you will make "God with us," in the person of Christ, your theme and privilege of service and rejoicing. God is Available to Us It is strange that all too many people commemorate Christmas only thinking of Christ as a baby in Bethlehem's manger. When your child has a birthday, you do not bring out the pictures taken when he was born and study them, ex cept that a comparison may be made in the way in which he has Page 33
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