A Dickens of a Christmas

Scores of small bouncing bodies splash Christmas shopping malls with unfettered energy.

Fidgeting size four shoes ignore their accelerating heartbeats.

Only Coca-Cola may match the ubiquitous red and white largesse of Santas.

Two millennia previously unnamed and unnumbered wise men sought that first Christmas, too, with a childlike energy.

Gladly they travelled long and far to seek Jesus. Yet when the Prince of Peace was born, there was no peace. The wise men instead met a disturbed King Herod and a distressed people.

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him. (Matthew 2:3)

Herod saw a competitor for he who is on his throne is never happy with a throne threat.

Herod had been advised of a new Jewish king, murderous fear was his response.

At that first Christmas the throne-room of heaven invaded all earth's thrones.

Mankind's own throne-rooms have since been under threat.

In an Ancient Near East bonded by the mortar of fear and hatred (has anything changed?) Herod struck out. Viciously he murdered all baby boys under two. With complete failure he attacked the new Throne of Grace.

Herod would not receive this new and radical regent - he preferred his own rule. (Don't we all?)

To correctly grasp the joy of Christmas is to place this radical regent as seated on my throne - not me!

Charles Dickens got this right:

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.

Today's Soul Snippet:

"Jesus' welcome to earth was as humble as His birthplace upon earth". ~ Michael Cartwright

Love this SoulSnack - PLEASE don't keep it to yourself? Would you like to subscribe for free SoulSnacks either weekly or each workday?